It Ends at Midnight by Harriet Tyce

Author:Harriet Tyce
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2022-11-23T00:00:00+00:00

Spring Term January 1990

“She’s coming over,” Tess said, jabbing me in the ribs with her elbow.

“She’s not.”

“She is, look.”

We fell into silence as we watched Linda approach across the playground to where we were sitting on the steps in front of school. She hadn’t made eye contact with either of us, but she was striding in our direction with a determined jut to her jaw.

“I can’t handle it,” I said. “I’ve got nothing to say.”

“Let’s go then, as soon as she gets to us,” Tess said. “That’ll show her.”

I nodded. The moment that Linda was within a few feet of us, I jumped to my feet, pulling Tess up by the hand, and we walked away past her, one on either side. I almost brushed into her with my shoulder, so keen was I to show that she was nothing, no obstacle to me, but I balked at the move at the last minute, pulling away so sharply from her that I turned my ankle and nearly fell.

“I wish she’d just leave us alone,” I said.

We sat in the back of English while Mr. Marsh explained the finer details of “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” to us. Normally I’d have been well into it, teasing the imagery and finding a way to relate it to my own life (oh yes, measured out in pints of Stella, so profound), but this time I couldn’t engage. I stared at the back of Stewart’s head so hard it was a wonder it didn’t explode there and then under the force of my gaze. We weren’t back together. He’d reassured me it was nothing, that Linda had taken advantage of his drunkenness. I was trying to believe him, but it was hard. Whenever I saw her, I got wound up again.

I needed to put it out of my head. I was missing him a lot, and my social life had taken a hit since we’d started going out. It seemed churlish still to be hanging onto the grievance.

Tess poked my arm and I became gradually aware that Mr. Marsh was demanding my attention. “Sylvie, Sylvie,” he was saying, “why does he fear to eat a peach?” I snapped back into myself, pushing the thoughts of Linda away.

After the class, Tess took me to one side. “You need to get over this,” she said. “You always look so miserable whenever you see Linda, but we’re not going to get rid of her, so it’s time to get over it. Come on, let’s go out Friday and forget all about it. I’ll look after you. It’ll be great.”

Eleven o’clock the next Friday night and Tess was being as good as her word. She’d been stuck at my side since the start of the night. She’d lent me her favorite skirt, made me up, done my hair, poured vodka down my neck and handed me a new cigarette the moment I put the old one out. We were sitting at the side at one of the tables, watching the dance floor fill up as Mudhoney came on the speakers.

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