Seventeen by Joe Gibson

Author:Joe Gibson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 2023-07-20T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

After my shower, we sit at the big table, her school stuff pushed to one end. She eats muesli, which I don’t understand, while I have toast and honey. She drinks coffee, I drink milk (the juice was off). She looks appalled, but I explain that I always have this toast-honey-milk combination when I stay at my gran’s. When I say it out loud, I immediately regret it, and change the topic.

‘So, when are we going to see each other?’ I ask hopefully.

‘It’s going to be hell for the next few weeks. A new school year; it’s always crazy.’ She rests her elbow on the table, chin in her hand. With her other hand, she reaches for mine. ‘Busy term for you, too. Upper Sixth.’

‘Yes, you’re right,’ I agree, and for the first time my school brain kicks in. I run my thumb along her fingers in turn as the prospect of what’s to come this term fills my head. ‘I suppose we can’t run away?’

‘Not really. But you’ll still come over, right?’ She brightens, pushes her fingers against mine, pressing our palms together. ‘Thursday nights – you’re still going to “stay” at Nick’s, aren’t you? And weekends, I’ll be free, apart from marking.’

‘Yeah, I hope so,’ I say, sounding vague.

‘What do you mean, “hope so”?’ She takes my other hand. ‘What else are you going to be doing?’

I breathe in. ‘Well, I just know Mum’s going to be on the case this term. Especially in the build-up to the Oxford exams, the choral scholarship trials.’

‘Oh, Oxford, your mother.’ She pulls her hands away. I don’t know how to respond, but I can feel my cheeks colouring.

‘Yeah – mums, huh.’ I look down at my hands. ‘She just wants me to do my best.’

‘Is this because I was doing schoolwork this morning? Are you punishing me?’

‘No, of course not, Ali. Obviously not.’

‘And Nick – staying there – is that going to change as well?’

‘No, well, I don’t think so. It’s not really up to me.’ I stop before the words ‘it’s up to Mum’ spill out, but she’s already there.

‘Don’t tell me: your mum again. Christ. You need to stand up to her.’

‘I will. I promise. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely stay on Thursdays. And weekends, when I’ve got Chapel Choir. I’ll make some excuse to stay on after, get the train home.’

This seems to reassure her. At least, she’s stopped pouting.

‘Hey,’ I say, ‘it will be nice to see the holiday photos. Are you going to get them developed this week?’

‘Maybe.’ She smiles but fixes me with narrow eyes. ‘I’ll have to ask my mum.’

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.