Southsiders - Jailhouse Rock by Nigel Bird

Author:Nigel Bird [Bird, Nigel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-04-24T12:00:00+00:00

A Word In Your Shell-Like

Archie had arranged the meeting at the cafe on the concourse of the St James Centre.

Jesse had a tea and a chocolate muffin in front of him, but couldn’t bring himself to touch either of them. He stomach was churning. He was worried that he might need to go and throw up any minute, but he couldn’t do that in case Bonnie showed up and he wasn’t there. She might think that he’d stood her up and he understood that he was already in the Last Chance Saloon. Instead of going to the bathroom, he bounced his heels on the floor and rubbed at the soft bristle on his scalp. He understood now why they’d called the skins suede-heads once. He loved the velvety feel at his fingertips and the stroking calmed his nerves a little.

He checked inside his coat pocket to make sure the present he’d bought for Bonnie was still there. Of course it was. He’d done the same thing only five minutes earlier. The corners of the box were sharp and the middle was all soft and giving. His stomach settled when he remembered that if it all went wrong he had this ace in the hole to buy himself out of trouble.

There wasn’t much to like about the St James, not even after all the money they’d spent on refurbishment. When it came down to it, it was just a load of chain shops that were inside instead of out. You didn’t get interesting second-hand stores or vintage clothing. There were no old record shops or charity shops; it was just bland and commercial. Of course, if he’d wanted a new cover for a phone or some Chinese therapies he’d be in the right place. Anyone who liked modern fashion or needed an overpriced birthday card would be in their element.

The window displays were still promoting the winter sales, for God’s sake, and there were hearts stuck on all over the place.

It wasn’t that busy for now. The footfall was mainly old folk and pimply kids in their uniforms on the way home from High School. Lots of those were in the blazers of private education and were probably just killing time waiting for their Waverley trains.

Jesse was hugely grateful to Archie for persuading Bonnie to give him one final chance. A friend like Archie was worth his weight in gold.

Jesse thought about what Danny had said. The way he owed Jesse’s dad even after all these years. Jesse thought he understood it all now. It would be exactly the same for Archie and Jesse, without doubt. Jesse already owed his friend big time. First there was tree house, now this meeting. If Archie ever got himself in the shit, Jesse would be there for him no matter what. He was one of the solids in life. Archie and Presley were never going to let you down.

The big clock on the pillar showed twenty-past four. She was already ten minutes late. Maybe she just wasn’t going to come.

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