Bigger Boys & Stolen Sweethearts - Alex Turner

25. Fire And The Thud

The last day of school right before we went on holidays was a chorus of chaos. But as all eventful days do, it began calm and internalised. It had been two weeks since Amy's house gathering and since then I'd began the stage of acceptance in knowing Arabella was moved on and that I should start too. She had been wagging more classes, from what I noticed at least, and relaying back to the conversation I overheard she and Amy having, I guessed it was that Damon guy coming in some car or summat to sweep her off her feet and out of me arms.

  On the outside I acted as if I didn't care one bit, but we all know I was only pretending so that I didn't look like the guy who was still hung up on a girl.

  Everyone were still with their birds, Nick was now in a relationship with the girl he were talking to. Me on the other hand, well I were still hopin for a miracle and other than that I weren't so much as looking for anything at all.

  It were recess during the exposition of this said chaotic day. As always, I were having a smoke behind the smoke screen and chowing down on an apple in between because it reminded me of when I was with her. When I came back around to stand with me mates, Amy had joined us and were explaining why she was here instead of spending the break with her friends.

  "Yeah, he's come to get her again," she said, nodding over her shoulder to the car park. We all looked over and saw Arabella walking on her own up to a car and stepping in the passenger's side. My eyes shifted to the drivers seat and saw that Damon guy with the blonde hair, giving her a kiss as she shut the door. Holding her face to his for a little too long that I worried he'd swallow her whole. It still nauseated me.

  I didn't want him coming here and taking her out of school every day. He were fucking with her education and making her wag so many classes it made me mad. The anger was definitely more rooted in jealously but I tried to pretend it wasn't. Even when I'd find myself upset with the idea that he may be picking her up out of school for a shag.

  The worst part was that she only smiled when she looked at him, even as they were driving away. All she did was smile. I began to feel like she never did with me. Not that much at least. This helped in me letting her go; knowing she were better off without me.

  Amy gave me a funny look when I turned my attention away from the car now driving off and back to the group. Like she was telling me to get over it. I couldn't blame her.

  Anyways, the conversation went on as usual, Arabella weren't mentioned and Amy had gotten to the point of talking to me but it was solely in group conversations. I was feeling like less of an outsider when she was there.

  I can't remember what we were talking about but the guys were all really invested in conversing whilst I was more so just listening in. I was henceforth, more vigilant. Jamie was standing beside Amy, with his arm around her waist, I were barley paying attention to what was going on outside our circle when I saw Amy jumping violently away from something. Both of us looked behind her and who else could it have been but Adam fucking Leeds the nonce.

  He was giggling away like a child, pretending that Amy wasn't upset, her hand moving behind her and that's when I realised he'd grabbed her arse.

  "Save some for me," Adam said as he walked passed her, her mouth open in shock but frozen and unable to speak up for herself.

  Shit like this always infuriated me. And Adam did this all the time. I hadn't forgotten when he did it to Arabella and the countless times he'd catcalled her in the middle of school.

  "Ay!" I shouted out to him, moving from the circle up to him. Everyone around us looked over. I don't think anyone else knew what had happened just yet.