Strong • W2S

XXVI

Chapter Twenty-Six

It was just after nine-thirty and everyone was either extremely tispy or already drunk, it was me I was already drunk. Poor Layla had sat drinking irn-bru all night and I could tell that she absolutely fucking hated it, I noticed Jake looking over at her now and again but luckily she had yet to realise that he was in the pub. My mum had spent the full night glaring at Lorraine and Betty who were now joined by Tracey. My dad had noticed my mum the second she walked past him and so he came and sat beside us, although that didn't stop my mum from giving him a fucking earful.
It was strange watching the boys sitting at their usual table without Dylan being there, I kept waiting and waiting from him to walk through those doors but he never did. I could also tell that Ronnie felt out of place without his best friend sat beside him, he seemed so uncomfortable and upset— no wonder he wanted to move away from here.
Speaking of that I'd promised to help Ronnie pack tomorrow after we'd gotten back from Angie's even though he hadn't even broken the news to our parents yet or Ella, I was afraid that Ella would take it worse than what our mum and dad would considering she'd be the last one left. Growing up I honestly thought that Ella would be the first one to leave home since she'd never really felt loved? No not loved, that isn't the right word because she was loved just not as much as Ronnie and I were which was a fucking shame.

"Do you want another one?" Harry asked grabbing my now empty glass that I'd just sat down on the table. I nodded and said "please" before turning to Layla who was sat beside me scrolling on her phone.
"Are you alright?" I asked resting my head on her shoulder. "Yeah I'm fine, just really tired." She looked up at towards the table were Ronnie was sat with the boys, for the first time in years she noticed Jake sitting sipping on his pint of lager.
"Is that... fuck!" She whispered with her eyes wide open. "Oh Jake? Yeah he clocked you ages ago, I'm surprised he hasn't came over yet." I sat back up just as Harry came back with the drinks. "When can we go? I really do not want to be here right now." Layla locked her phone and placed it in her bag as she spoke to the three of us. Harry, Cal and I looked at each other and shrugged before the three us of began drinking our drinks as fast as we could. I finished first seeing as I had the smallest glass so I stood up and walked over to the boys table.
"Ron we're heading off, are you coming?" I leaned in between the boys to speak to my brother, he looked up and nodded before finishing off the rest of his drink.
"Oi Erin, is that Layla?" I rolled my eyes as I turned to face Jake.
"Who else would it be?" I sarcastically replied and walked away after telling Ronnie to hurry up.
"Mum are you coming with us or staying here? Layla's tired." I stopped to speak to my mum as Layla and the boys headed out into the carpark.
"I'm staying, I'll see you at home darling." I nodded giving her a quick hug just as Ronnie caught up to me. The two of us walked to the carpark together and got into the backseat of Cal's car where Harry was already sat in the middle.

MONDAY

"Erin! I'm so happy you're here." Angie opened the door with a huge smile on her face although I could tell she struggled with it. This house hadn't changed even the slightest bit, the horrible shoe rack in the entryway that I'd always trip over when I used to sneak in here. The door with the massive crack in it from when Ronnie was fighting with Tommy and pushed him into it and those embarrassing pictures of the four of us that hung on the walls.
"Hiya Angie, how are you doing?" She ushered Ronnie, Layla and myself through to the living room which was exactly how I'd remembered it. "Aw I've seen better days that's for sure. I don't really think it's settled in yet, It still feels like he's upstairs in that bloody room of his shouting at that game of his." She wiped a tear from her eye as she took a seat on the couch in front of the coffee table. There were hundreds of photos scattered all over the table of which most were Dylan but a few of other people that I didn't really recognise at first glance. Angie pulled out a laptop from a gap underneath the coffee table and turned it on while Ronnie and her began talking about Dylan.
"I was asked to write a eulogy but everytime I put pen to paper I can't help but break down. I don't think I can do it so... Ronnie I know how close you and Dylan were and I was wondering— can you do it?" She paused and looked up at my brother with tears in her eyes. "It would mean so much to me an... and I know that Dylan would rather you did it." She continued, pushing back her tears as she spoke and held her hand out. Ronnie took her hand in his and squeezed it slightly as he nodded his read repeatedly. "Of course Ange." He gave her a small, reassuring smile before standing up and embarcing her. Growing up Angie was like a second mother to us, she was always the one that we'd go to whenever we were drunk or high because she'd take care of us instead of biting our heads off like my mum would do. Ronnie, Layla and I often found ourselves at this house when we were teenagers, it held so many memories of not only Dylan but our childhood.