“Sure,” I nod, getting up. “Come one, we’ll see if we’ve got anything.” She giggles and skips – yes, skips – after me into the kitchen. I breathe a sigh of relief, thankful that I’d cleaned the house yesterday after Dad had left; he still hadn’t come back yet, so it was safe for now.
She looked around with an innocent expression on her face. “Aw,” she cooed. “It’s so cute and homey. Our kitchen is so clean and white it feels like we’re doing surgery whenever somebodies cutting the chicken.” I took that as a compliment.
“So, what do you want?” I ask her as I open one of the cupboards. I frown when I find it’s empty; shit. Remy looks over my shoulder and her face mirrors my own expression.
“Um, maybe some food?” She jokes, a goofy grin on her face. I nod stiffly, closing the door not too gently and turning to another one. Again, there’s nothing in it. I’m sure we haven’t eaten that much…
I slam it shut harder this time, before carrying on with the task. Each cupboard is as empty as the next, with only the bare minimum of snack-ish foods found: half a packet of stale biscuits, a bag of crisps and a few tins of beans – there isn’t even any bread, for God’s sake!
Remy looks at me with a sad expression on her face, before it’s replaced with a knowing smile. “I guess someone in your house forgot to go shopping. Speaking of – where is everyone?”
“At work,” I say immediately, my usual response. She nods knowingly and doesn’t question it anymore; well, I guess she knows all too well what it’s like to have parents who work all the time.
“Okay then, well, I think we should go out to get something to eat then,” she says loudly, running into the living room to tell Joey and Dana the new news. I sigh before walking after her; there’s no way I’ll find any money to go out without them getting suspicious.
Dana looked at me and grinned sheepishly. “I want to pay: you’ve helped me lie crazy lately and I owe you on.”
“I’m not a charity case,” I warn her, punching her arm playfully. She grins, looping her arm through mine and walking up after Joey and Remy.
Turns out, Dana isn’t the only one who can drive; we pile into Joey’s car in laughter and he skids down the road, following Remy’s directions. I’m squeezing onto Dana’s hand tightly he whole way: Joey is a really fast driver. Dana turns to me and laughs loudly.
“Relax!” Remy cheers as she turns around in her seat, grinning at me like a giddy little puppy. “Think of it as a rollercoaster – weeeee!”
“I hate rollercoasters!” I grumble, banging my head on the window and hiding my pale face behind my hair. The others laugh, but I ignore them the rest of the way there.
We eventually stop at a fancy diner, one of those lost-in-time places, with jukeboxes and the whole retro-theme going on. We walk in and a pink haired waitress in her thirties beams and leads us to a red booth in the corner. Joey scoffs the moment she’s walked away.
“Looks like Frenchy got lost in time,” he jokes quietly. We snicker, and then we pick up our menus, going silent as we make our choices. I take the moment to look around, before throwing my head back and laughing at it all. They turn to look at me like I’m crazy.
“Have you seen how much we stick out?” I tell them, gesturing to the couples, families and old people that are eating and talking around us.
Remy nods sheepishly, blushing slightly. “Yah, I kinda forgot this is where I went to as a kid.”
“I can imagine you here as a little girl,” Dana muses.
“Me too,” Joey agrees.
“Yeah.” I frown, staring at her for a while until she starts to shift uncomfortably. “But I still can’t imagine you without pink hair.”
She laughs lowly. “That’s what happens when your mum’s a troll” She winks. “You get… mad hair.”
We go quiet, and the pink haired woman walks back, a bubbly smile on her face – if I didn’t know any better, I’d think she could be Remy’s mum. “Can I take your orders?” She asks us, and we give her them one by one. I take a quick look at Dana before ordering the cheapest thing on the menu. She smiles and takes the menus with her as she goes to get our drinks.
“You know,” Dana starts, looking at me. “You didn’t have to order tap water: I can afford a glass of coke.”
“Bye Darcy!” They scream out the windows as I open my front door. I turn around and wave, a huge grin on my face as I watch them zoom off in Joey’s car. I take a deep breath, step inside, and shut the door behind me. I head into the kitchen and pour myself a glass of water because there’s nothing else to drink.
Over and hour later I was in the livingroom; I’d finished my homework and was packing it away in my back, when there was a rough knock on the door. I groan, peel myself off the carpet and let my wobbly legs carry me to the front door. I gulp when I come face to face with an angry looking cop.
“Ma’am, I’m Officer Pierce: I believe this man is your father?” I nod stiffly, not even bringing myself to look at the broken man I used to know as I stare at the badge on the officers’ shirt. “He’s been arrested for Drunk and Disorderly, we would have kept him in overnight only he made us very aware that he had a daughter he needed to take care of. Will you be able to handle him from here?”
“Y-yes, Officer,” I stammer croakily, stepping aside so my dad can stumble past me and into the livingroom, no doubt to fall asleep in his dent. “Thank y-you for bringing him.”
He nods stiffly, but his eyes warm a little. “I’m afraid there’s going to be a fine: it’ll be £400 this time, double the previous. And of course, the first fine will need to be paid within the next few weeks, or else your father will have to attend court.” He hands me some papers with a sympathetic smile. “Here’s all you need to know. You have a month to get the fines paid. Have a nice day, ma’am.”
The final part seemed ironic, like some twisted joke the law enforcers have. I’m sorry, you’re wife has died. Have a nice day.
You father has been arrested. Have a nice day.
I throw the papers and cover my ears with my hands, screaming loudly as I fall to the ground. We have no food, no money, and we need to pay a bunch of fines by the end of the month. I lift my head up and sniff, wiping my tears angrily.
I need to sort out this mess of a life.
I need a job.
Eighteen
Jaffa Cakes or Digestives? It was the million dollar question as I stood in the biscuit aisle, staring at the packets in deep thought. They were both cheap, and on offer. I only needed the basics, but biscuits counted as basics, right?
“Can’t decide?” A familiar voice says in my ear. I turn and grin at the girl again and she returns the smile. “I personally prefer the Jaffa’s, but hey – it’s your call.”
I sigh, turning round to face her: she’s pushing her cap up and down on her head, shiny red-brown hair in a side plait this time. “I think I’ll just skip them both.” I don’t bother telling her that it’s because I really can’t afford them – hell, I can only just afford the tiny basket scattered with cheap brands. She looks down and checks out the basket, a knowing look in her eyes.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Too many carbs and sugar, right?” She jokes knowingly. “You know… there’s an opening for a job here, if you want one: the girl I used to share the job with got sacked because Boss-man caught her steeling hair dye and coco pops.”
I shrug, “I’ve never worked at a grocery store before,” I admit sheepishly. She wrinkles her nose and shakes her hand dismissively.
“Eh, doesn’t matter. I can show you the ropes, and so long as you look like you’re working, you’re all good.” She winks, making me laugh.
She walks with me as I head to the tills, talking about random stuff like how she got her job and the crazy customers she’s met. I’m putting the few groceries I’d got when she nudges me playfully. “So, what do you say?” She asks me. “Like I said, I’m very good at persuading people.”
I chew my lip, thinking about all
the problems having a job could solve. I could pay the fine, get proper food and take care of me and dad more. Not like he’ll notice: he disappears half the time and only comes home to drink and fall into a semi-coma in his dent. He doesn’t even go to work anymore after he was fired for not turning up. This job could be my last hope to keep the scraps of my family from falling apart.
“Okay,” I sigh finally, breathing the word out deeply and turning to her with a smile. “Thank you.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Don’t mention it: anything for a fellow struggler. Oh, and by the way: my name is Clara.”
I was sat at home doing my homework when somebody knocked on the front door. I opened it and was surprised to see Clara standing at the door in denim shorts and a band shirt, a huge grin on her face.
“Guess what!” She exclaims. I stand out of the way so she come in and she does, her hands moving in excitement. I close the door and turn around to face her.
“What?”
“I got you a job!” She fist pumps the air and I gasp, my eyes going wide.
Shock runs through me as I stare at her, barely daring myself to believe her words. “Y-you’re kidding, right?”
She shook her head proudly. “Nope, apparently Boss-man was desperate. You can start tomorrow…?” I nod slowly, figuring I could probably turn up after school. “Great. You start at five, get there a little earlier and I’ll show you around, get you sorted and all that kerfuffle.”
I’m grinning at her like crazy now, amazed that this stranger I’ve met three times has just improved my life so much. “You are the best!” I exclaim, throwing my arms around her and jumping with joy. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
She laughs and pats my back gently. “It’s alright – just come by straight after school and I’ll get you started. I can’t wait to have a new work buddy!” Her eyes sparkle as she steps back, a wide smile on her face. “I’m just glad it’s someone like you.”
Dana gasps and hugs me when I tell her I have a job. “That’s great news,” she tells me. I have a feeling she really does understand how much I needed this. After all the times she’s been to my house and never once seeing my father, I guess she figured out on her own that it wasn’t that great.
“I’m so happy for you.” She pushes her lip stud in and out with her tongue. “You deserve a chance to make things work. Have you told Tyler?” I shook my head at her. I hadn’t seen him since lunch earlier that day, and now it was three O’clock, and the final bell had rung. “Well, go tell him! He’s over there.”
I laugh, wave goodbye, and jog over to where Tyler is standing and talking to one of his player friends. He sees me straight away and grins, turning away to walk over to me. “Hey, Grumpy.”
I mock-scowl at him, hating the fact that he still hadn’t dropped the nickname. “Hey to you, too: and stop calling me that already!” He chuckles and strokes my arm before folding his hand around mine, warmth spreading over my skin like a wildfire. “I forgot to tell you before, but I’ve got a job now.”
He smiles proudly, pressing his lips to my head. “Really? Awesome, when do you start?”
“Now.”
He grins. “Then I’ll take you there. Where is it?”
“The grocery store on Windsel Street?”
“Got it,” he pulls me after him by hand towards his car. “I think I’ll be shopping a lot more in future.” He sends me a flirty smile as he takes the steering wheel in his hands and waits for me to buckle up. I roll my eyes at him.
“You better.”
As promised, Clara was waiting for me at the car park, and she was jumping up and down. “You made it!” She glances at Tyler and raises an eyebrow, before turning back to me. “We’re going in the back entrance, but he can’t come with us.” She says nicely, wiggling her brows at me and giggling. Tyler nods and presses a couple of kisses to my lips.
“I’ll see you later, then. Want me to give you a ride home?” He asks me. I nod shyly. “Okay then, I’ll be right here.” He kisses me one last time, before getting in his car and driving away. I turn round to Clara.
“Right,” she says, her hands clasped in front of her. “Let’s get this party started!”
In the back entrance, Clara gives me a tour of the stocking room, the two offices and the break room. She tells me what I’ll be doing, gives me a schedule and grabs me a yellow cap and shirt. I put them on in the staff toilets and walk out feeling like a banana.
“We look alike!” She giggles, flicking a strand of dark hair happily from my shoulder. “But you have such nicer hair. Anywho, how about we actually start working? I’ll show you what we do, although it really isn’t that hard or that much.”
I nod, “so long as I get paid enough to pay the bills, I don’t mind how hard the work is. I just really need this job.” She shoots me a sympathetic look.
“I know. I was in the same predicament when I was in high school; my dad walked out on us and my mum had a crappy job that paid hardly anything.” I listen intently as she tells me her story, feeling reassured to know that she’d come from a similar background and had come out alright. Not like it meant I would, but it was reassuring to think that I might.
“You know,” Clara tells me as we work side by side restocking shelves. “I’m glad you came, Darcy. I think we could become good friends.”
I agree with her before carrying on with the job, both of us talking lightly as we work. By the end of the week, I’ve made enough money to pay one fine, and already it’s like a load off my back. By the end of the month, I’ll have paid every debt my dad owed, and I’ll be able finally relax a little.
I can only hope.
Nineteen
I’m standing under the 20% OFF ALL FROZEN GOODS sign and listening as Clara tells me how easy her college subjects are and nibbling on M&M peanuts. I’d just finished another shift and I also had an envelope with my weeks wages stuffed into my bag pockets, which I kept patting just to make sure I hadn’t lost it. I’d been working at the store for three weeks now, and I had managed pay off the fines and the bills.
I felt like I could breathe again. Clara sighs and leans back on the shelf, kicking a box of cans absently as she thinks. “I need a life,” she says finally.
“Huh?” I frown at her, popping another red M&M into my mouth. She rolls her eyes at me.
“Well, all my life revolves around is home, college and this stinking job. I need… a boyfriend. One like yours; where did you find him?” She leans over eagerly and I laugh loudly.
“He found me, more like.” I shrug. “We just kind of met and spoke a few times, and then he asked me out. Well, actually, he kissed me first. But I wouldn’t change a thing.”
She sighs wistfully. “You are so lucky. The only guys who ever look at me are all jerks and creepy stalkers: and they only want one thing. It begins with S, ends with EX and can be prevented with a good old-fashioned kick in the balls.” I let out a short laugh and she smirks. “You need to keep hold of him, y’know. He’s special for you.”
“I know,” I smile softly. “I don’t think I’ll ever want to let him go.”
After our chat, Tyler arrives to pick me up, a huge smile on his face. “Hello, my lady.” His warm eyes glisten and his curly dark hair is damp from a shower and wilder from the water. He’s wearing a navy hoodie and faded jeans, and he looks just as perfect as ever. I return his crazy smile as I hop into the passenger seat.
“Why hello to you, too.” I return in a posh accent. The corners of his eyes crease as his smile grows and he takes my hand in his as we drive. I look out the window, watching the houses go past before I realise we’ve gone past my street. “Um, Tyler? You’re going the wrong way.”
He shakes his head slowly. “No I’m not. I’m taking you somewhere special.”
I blink at him. “Why?”
“Um, because you’re my girlfriend?” He laughs at me, leaning over to kiss my lips at a red light. “Now be patient and prepare to be amazed – you know how g
reat I am at coming up with the best dates.”
I scoff. “It must be because you’ve had a lot of practice.”
He shakes his head and looks me in the eyes. “No, it’s because I have the best girlfriend. You know I haven’t been on that many dates before you: it was mostly just hanging out with the guys and a group of girls at shitty places teens with no imagination go.”
“Um, you went to those places.” I point out with a smirk. He rolls his eyes at me, fighting a smile of his own.
“Yeah, but that was before I met you.”
We drove in comfortable silence to wherever the hell he was taking me, and in the end, I closed my eyes and fell asleep, tired after a long day of school, and then work. The busy schedule was taking a toll on my sleeping pattern, and I ended up spending half the night catching up on homework that my teachers kept piling on. Before I got a job, I never knew just how much work high school was, but then again all my focus had been on the money problems that were getting worse and worse.
Since my dad hasn’t got a job, I end up paying for everything now. And I’ve noticed him also sneaking money out for beer and whatever else he thinks he needs. He still goes at all the time, but now I just ignore it and pretend it doesn’t bother me; it’s not like he cares about me anymore, anyway.
I wince at the pang of pain in my chest, right where my heart is. It’s hard to think that the man who raised me with a warm smile and a friendly laugh doesn’t give a damn about me anymore and is drinking his life away. It’s like all my childhood memories have been stained by alcohol, smoke, and a broken man.
“Darcy? We’re here.” Tyler’s soft voice floats through my thoughts and a smile spreads across my face before I can even open my eyes. When I do, he’s smiling right back at me, his gold eyes shining in the dim light bouncing back from the headlights of the car.
Then Came You Page 9
