Bookends | Jody & Tyler | The Dumping Ground

Water | Two

He sat at the lunch table, twiddling his thumbs anxiously. Everyone else was too busy occupied with his Caribbean gifts; key chains and various other personalised gifts for those kids with whom he'd spent many years.

Jody arrived last and slotted in strategically next to Tyler, addressing him with a smile which he guessed, had probably been practised in the mirror. 

Lunch began as she took the lead in asking questions.

"So what brings you back?"

"Well, I had to come and meet with my social worker and Mum and Kamal also had a few people back home they wanted to see, so... thought we'd make a bit of a holiday of it."

Candi-Rose grimaced.

"Holiday? What, in Pottiswood?"

"Well, if the guy's living in St. Lucia technically he's on holiday all year round!" Bird exclaimed as everyone chuckled in agreement.

"How's school? Friends? Must've been a bit difficult at times..." Scott empathised.

"Yeah, I guess. Everything's completely different there, but Mum and Kamal have really been there for me. And I finally got to meet my great aunt Josephine; she's a proper legend over there!"

Tyler couldn't help but smile. His life had literally been turned upside down when he'd made his decision to move, and despite going through some very rocky months, he knew that he'd made the right decision.

His college was super supportive and helpful, his family had been there through thick and thin... and what was truly incredible was that he still couldn't get sick of seeing the sunrises on the beach nearby. 

He was literally living his dream.

Except, sometimes... it did feel like just that. A dream. There were moments in the morning just as he was about to wake up, when the waves in the background would sound like voices, the buzz of his former home and the grumble of bathroom queuing and he'd imagine himself back where he used to live for almost ten years.

It was weird. He used to hate living alongside so many people, but the loneliness that followed was a clear reminder of the huge close family he used to have.

"How's Misha?"

Tyler turned around surprised, as he suddenly felt a dozen eyes focus on the back of his head. She was the last person he'd expected to ask that question. It was almost surreal.

Except, Jody's direct gaze seemed to say different. She wanted an answer.

"She's good. Um, she's been helping Mum out back home in the café whilst she looks for a job in the city. There's better pay over there, so..."

"That's pretty cool. Hopefully, we'll all get to meet her one day, she sounds lovely!" Jody exclaimed, before wincing internally as her voice cracked.

"Yeah... definitely."

*************************************

Her face hurt from keeping the frown off her face. It'd gotten to the point where she'd had to make multiple excuses to dash off back to her room and fix her mask to stop it slipping off again.

Jody had never really been one to fake her feelings and if anything, she'd always spoken her mind but with Tyler returning, she had to play it cooler than cool.

The last thing she wanted was to draw any unwanted attention to herself. This was about Tyler coming back and seeing his friends, not their former relationship. Besides, he was happy.