The New Friend

by Alex Kane

  Best friend, boyfriend, new life in Spain. That beat scheme life any day.

  * * *

  Roxanne applied red lipstick and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She was going to surprise Jez at work before she started her shift, and she would look incredible doing it.

  Taking out her mobile, she was about to text Charlene and tell her that she was going to take her to meet her new man, when the front door of their shared apartment opened and Charlene stood there, eyes brimming with tears and looking as though she was about to collapse.

  ‘Jesus,’ Roxanne said. ‘What’s wrong?’

  She went to her friend, wrapped an arm around her and led her to the sofa. Charlene’s whole body shuddered as she sobbed loudly.

  ‘I’m pregnant.’

  Roxanne felt her eyes widen in shock. She tried to hide the expression, but couldn’t hide the shock in her tone.

  ‘Oh fuck. Charlene. What contraception were you using?’

  Charlene buried her face in her hands. ‘None.’

  Roxanne exhaled loudly. ‘Oh, for fuck’s sake, Charlene.’

  ‘I know. I know it’s stupid. I can’t believe this. I’ve only been seeing him a few months. And I know that we’ve been talking about our future together but what if he freaks out?’

  Roxanne shook her head. ‘If he freaks out then he’s not worth being with. But from what you’ve told me I doubt he’ll be anything other than supportive. There’re worse things in life than having a baby.’

  ‘You think?’ Charlene sniffed.

  ‘Definitely.’

  ‘But he’s really career driven, Rox. I doubt he’ll want to get lumbered with a girlfriend and a baby right now. Will you stay here? I’ve asked him to come over so I can tell him. You don’t have to sit in with us during the conversation, just kind of be here in case he does a bunk.’

  Charlene laughed but the humour didn’t reach her eyes. The poor girl looked terrified but Roxanne would be there to knock the guy’s teeth out if he even thought about leaving Charlene on her own to deal with a baby.

  ‘Of course I will.’

  Chapter Seven

  Sitting on the sofa, she waited for the knock at the door. How could she have been so bloody stupid? At least if things didn’t work the way she wanted them to, she’d have Roxanne to help her figure out what to do.

  Roxanne stood at the balcony door, looking out as the sun began to set over the horizon. Even in paradise, Charlene felt like she was in hell.

  A rapid knock at the door jolted Charlene, and Roxanne turned to face her. ‘You ready?’

  Nodding, Charlene got to her feet and went to the door. This was it, the moment she would tell the father of her baby that his life was about to change forever.

  Gripping the handle, Charlene pulled the door open and there he was, standing outside, dressed as handsomely as always, his scent wafting through the apartment and almost knocking her off her feet. She smiled and opened the door wide to welcome him in. But he wasn’t looking at her. His eyes settled on Roxanne and his face paled.

  ‘Oh my god, what are you doing here?’ Roxanne said and Charlene turned to see her friend smiling at Jez.

  ‘I… erm… shit,’ he said, pulling his gaze away from Roxanne and back to Charlene.

  Frowning, Charlene slowly grasped the situation. Was this real?

  ‘Look, babe,’ Roxanne said, stepping forward and kissing him on the cheek.

  Charlene froze as she watched them both. Her man and her best friend embracing in a way that should only take place in her worst nightmares.

  ‘This isn’t really a good time. This is my best friend, Charlene. She’s pregnant and the dad is about to turn up any minute so she can tell him.’

  Charlene let go of the door handle and moved back, the shock almost knocking her to the floor.

  ‘What the actual fuck?’ Charlene said. But she wasn’t looking at Jez. She was staring at Roxanne.

  Turning, Roxanne frowned. ‘What is it?’

  ‘Well,’ Charlene said, casting her eyes on Jez. ‘Go on then. I’m pregnant, what you going to do about it?’

  Jez, stunned and unable to speak, turned and headed along the corridor towards the exit.

  ‘Wait,’ Roxanne said, her tone telling Charlene that the penny had dropped. ‘You’re the guy Charlene’s been seeing?’

  He stopped and Charlene shoved Roxanne. ‘You’ve been shagging my boyfriend? Are you fucking kidding me, Rox? You’ve only been here five minutes and you’re dropping your pants for my man already? Like mother like fucking daughter, right enough.’

  Roxanne retaliated and shoved her back. ‘Oi, I didn’t know he was your man. You’ve been so bloody secretive about him, how was I meant to know? And don’t fucking dare speak to me like that. Just because you were stupid enough to get up the duff. It’s not my fault.’

  An angry fog descended and Charlene grabbed for Roxanne, pulling at her hair and rattling her head off the frame of the door. A flurry of fists and hair, Charlene laid into Roxanne as a frenzy took over. The same thing had happened when they were sixteen. Roxanne had slept with her on-off boyfriend, Colin, and pretended that she hadn’t known they were together, got her slag of a mother to lie about it. Roxanne had professed innocence, apologised and begged Charlene to forget about it. But not this time; Charlene wasn’t buttoned up the back.

  ‘You’re a fucking bitch, I bring you out here to get away from that shit hole and this is how you repay me?’

  Roxanne struggled to loosen Charlene’s grip, but she didn’t have to. Jez reappeared in the apartment and pulled Charlene away, his arms wrapped around her as he dragged her along the hallway.

  ‘Calm down, Charlene.’

  With one last pull, Charlene tugged as hard as she could and a large clump of auburn hair came away in her hand. She let out a laugh and spat at Roxanne.

  ‘Enough!’ Jez shouted, pulling Charlene harder.

  ‘I’ll fucking kill her,’ Charlene screamed. ‘You hear me? I’ll fucking kill you, bitch. Don’t think I’ll forget this because I won’t. You better pack your bags and head back to that mother of yours, Saint Mandy, love, because you’re not fucking welcome here anymore.’

  Charlene felt tears burn her eyes as she shrugged Jez off, but he gripped her hand. After pulling her into the lift, they reached the ground floor. They were outside now and he was pulling her towards his car.

  ‘Get in,’ he said, moving towards the passenger door and opening it.

  ‘Fuck off, I’m not going anywhere with you.’

  ‘Don’t argue with me, Charlene. Just get in the fucking car. We’ve got things to talk about.’

  Charlene hesitated, glancing up at the apartment. He was right, they did have a lot to discuss. But what would he have to say for himself? He was the one shagging someone behind her back while she was busy growing his bloody child.

  She climbed into the car and put on her seat belt as he sped off down the narrow street and along the back streets towards his apartment. They said nothing as Jez drove and Charlene had to bite her lip to stop from crying.

  Charlene felt sick. This was all such a mess and so raw. Just an hour earlier she’d poured her heart out to her best friend and now she’d found out that the guy who’d made her pregnant was cheating on her with said friend.

  Turning, she faced Jez and raised a brow. ‘Explain yourself, then.’

  As he cleared his throat, Charlene noted the beads of sweat on his brow. Good, she thought. He should be bricking it.

  ‘Right, first of all I didn’t know she was your best friend. I had no idea and I can promise you that she didn’t know I was seeing you either.’

  ‘Bullshit. Next lie please,’ Charlene said with a venom to her tone she didn’t know she could muster. She watched as he rolled his eyes.

  ‘I’m not bullshitting you. I swear I didn’t know you two were friends.’

  ‘So that just cancels out the fact that you were cheating on me, does it?’

 
Jez shook his head. ‘No, of course it doesn’t. Look, I’m not into this whole monogamy thing. We’re living in fucking Magaluf for fuck’s sake and—’

  ‘Oh,’ Charlene interrupted. ‘So basically, you’re telling me that you give zero fucks that I’m carrying your child. You just want to live out here with no attachments? And where does that leave me, eh Jez? You were talking about moving in together, and all of a sudden you’re “not into this whole monogamy thing”. That’s all I have to hear, Jez. I’m not interested in anything you’ve got to say for yourself.’

  ‘Charlene—’

  ‘I said I’m not interested.’

  The car began to slow and Charlene opened the door. ‘Let me out. I can’t stand to be anywhere near you right now.’

  Waiting for him to protest, Charlene felt the lump in her throat grow when he didn’t. What was she supposed to do now? She’d lost her best friend, her man and her future all in one night. Now that she was pregnant with his baby, she’d never be able to forget him.

  Jez stopped the car and Charlene got out. She’d half expected him to tell her to stay, so they could try to work things through. She wouldn’t have, anyway. She needed to be alone with her thoughts. Stress and pregnancy were not a good mix and being in Jez’s company wasn’t good for her at that moment.

  ‘Are you really doing this?’ Jez said, but before she allowed the poison to trail from her tongue, she slammed the car door and walked away. She had no idea where she was going. Not back to her own apartment. She couldn’t be in the same room as Roxanne. She’d walk. Think. Try to push the images of Roxanne and Jez out of her head.

  There was one thing she’d never forget though. Roxanne’s betrayal.

  Charlene would take her revenge on her one day. She’d take them both down.

  Chapter Eight

  Roxanne opened the front door and turned to grab her suitcase. As she did, she heard footsteps and upon turning back to the door to leave, she found Jez standing there. He’d come back to Charlene’s apartment by himself. His expression was flat, and Roxanne tried to work out what he was thinking. Roxanne’s head still throbbed from where Charlene had pulled out a clump of hair.

  ‘You’re leaving Magaluf?’ Jez asked, stepping into the apartment.

  ‘That’s none of your business. Now, if you’d move so I can get past,’ Roxanne said, trying desperately not to make eye contact.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ was all he could manage. Then he said, ‘If she wasn’t pregnant…’

  ‘You’re a fucking idiot,’ Roxanne said as she pushed past Jez on the way out the door. ‘So what? You’re just going to stay with her out of guilt? Does that make you feel like a man?’

  Jez shook his head. ‘If she wasn’t pregnant…’ he attempted again, ‘then you know I’d stay with you in a second.’

  Roxanne laughed venomously. ‘Are you fucking serious? You think I’d stay with you after this? Has it not occurred to you that what you did was the single most shitty thing a man can do to a woman? Even if you didn’t know we were mates, Jez, you still cheated on us both. And she’s so head over heels for you that she thinks I’ve fucked her over.’

  Jez moved towards her and put his hand between her and the door. ‘How is that my fault? Before you even got here, she said you shacked up with her man back in Glasgow, so don’t go blaming me for your choices before we even met.’

  Roxanne felt the anger bubble to the surface and shoved his arm out of her path before heading out the door. She only just had enough money to buy a ticket back to Glasgow. She didn’t even know where she was going to stay when she got back. She certainly wasn’t going back to her mother’s flat. The last thing she needed was the inevitable ‘I told you so’ lecture.

  ‘Drop dead, Jez,’ Roxanne said, hearing her voice crack. The tears fell then. She’d not been seeing him long in comparison to other relationships she’d had in the past, but she’d truly begun to feel things for him she hadn’t felt with anyone in the past and now he’d gone and ruined it.

  ‘Rox, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.’

  ‘You haven’t,’ she lied, pressing the button for the lift multiple times. ‘I’m just glad I got out now. But she’s stuck with you for the rest of her life. Shame, really. I mean, she hates me and I’m sure in time I’ll get over that. But we could have fallen out over someone much better than you. You’re a prick, Jez. Take away the flash car and the club and you’re nothing but a boy from the scheme, pretending to be something he’s not. A plastic gangster.’

  Roxanne stepped into the lift and made sure to keep her eyes off him as the doors slid closed. And that was when she burst into tears.

  She hated Jez for what he’d done. And she hated Charlene for the fact that she didn’t believe her.

  Now, it was back to Glasgow. Dreich and gloomy, as was her life.

  2020

  Chapter Nine

  Arabella drew no comfort from the old-school music around her or the sounds of her friends laughing, joking and taking the piss out of each other. It didn’t stop the impending doom of loneliness and past traumas that often crept up on her. It just accelerated it.

  ‘Here.’ A voice came from across the table. ‘You want some?’

  Arabella looked at the girl sitting beside her high school friend Shona, but said nothing. High school had been some of the toughest years of her life, and Shona’s. Although Shona was one of those people who had a different best friend every other week – Arabella had been one of them on and off – she’d had her own problems with drink and drugs, and two young kids who’d been taken off her by social services when she was just seventeen. Apparently, she was allowed supervised visits now.

  Arabella sighed. What was she even doing here? Her earlier argument with Eddie had caused her to put her guard up. All he’d said was that he didn’t think it was a good idea for her to go mixing with old friends and he was right. But Arabella already had a drink in her by that point and snapped at him, telling him that she’d had no control over her life up until now, and she wasn’t going to let him take that away from her by telling her who she could and couldn’t be friends with. It hadn’t been long before she found herself in the company of her old school friends at this house party, feeling sorry for herself and feeling like she was falling back into that old black hole of depression that often waited for her in the shadows.

  ‘Oi, are you deaf or something?’ the girl next to Shona said. Her name was Amy, another girl from high school, although she was more of an acquaintance. A friend of a friend. Arabella had met up with her again during community service for her last offence of breaking and entering. A property in the east end. Arabella hated getting into trouble with the police but it was something she couldn’t quite seem to avoid these days.

  ‘No, I’m not deaf. And no, I don’t want a line,’ Arabella replied, picking up a can of cheap cider and taking a large glug.

  Why hadn’t she listened to Eddie earlier? He was right about these people. They were a mess. She was a mess – ‘a riot’ some used to say. Just like the rest of the girls who’d grown up in care. It didn’t matter what she did, how many times she brought trouble to his door though, Eddie just loved her and that was that. But for some reason she just couldn’t accept it. Arabella knew he loved her, but anyone who said that would often disappear at some point in her life. Keeping him at arm’s length was the safest way to protect herself if he ever got bored of her and left. That’s what happened when you became a statistic, because that’s what she was: a statistic. Once in the system, never out of the system. Once damaged, always damaged. Storming out on Eddie and into the company of these idiots proved that.

  ‘What the fuck’s her problem?’ Amy muttered. Arabella was sick of the way people spoke about her as though she couldn’t hear them.

  ‘I don’t have a problem just because I don’t want to shove that shite up my nose,’ Arabella replied before taking another gulp of cider. It had been a long time since she’d had a line, or even thought
about taking one. Eddie would definitely leave her if he thought she was out doing drugs.

  ‘Arabella, just leave it, eh? You’re always so fucking tense, been like this since we were kids,’ Shona said.

  She didn’t answer. Instead, Arabella got up, slammed the can down on the table, got to her knees and sniffed the powder up her nose without considering the consequences. That was how she grew up – do now, think later. ‘There, you fucking happy now?’

  Everything seemed to buzz then. The music, the chatter of voices around her. She sprung to life and got to her feet. She glared down at Shona, at Amy. They were scum from her past, but now that she had coke in her system, she didn’t care. Picking up the can of cider, she downed the rest of it and felt her muscles begin to twitch and pulse to the music.

  Floorfilla, she remembered. It was the music she’d listened to when she was younger. She’d been in and out of foster care her whole life, but she remembered one family in particular, the only ones who really showed that they weren’t just in it for the money. There was an older girl, in her teens. She used to drink cider in her bedroom with her friends and listen to an album that Arabella secretly liked. It helped her to escape her thoughts. The music made her want to dance and she would often be allowed to sit in with her foster sister and her friends while they got ready to go on a night out. The song playing now, ‘Anthem 3’, was from that album and it took her back so quickly that before she could stop herself, Arabella was turning the sound system up and dancing on the coffee table.

  Amy began whistling and clapping her hands. ‘On yersel’, Arabella. That’s what it’s aw aboot hen, fucking let it go!’

  Arabella smiled down at Amy and suddenly she was her friend. She was the best friend she’d ever had in her life. The whole room erupted then, everyone taking lines off the table at Arabella’s feet, the beat of the music thumping in her chest. It felt euphoric. It wiped her memory of all the shit she’d been through, and it didn’t matter that it wouldn’t last forever. Any moment was better than nothing.