Bookends | Jody & Tyler | The Dumping Ground

Fire | One

Sweat glistened off her forehead, the hair sticking to her back as she waved in and out between the bodies. Her eyes were half-closed, with each vibration she could feel the heat rising, the breaths quickening, the voices shouting...

BOOM.

She jumped, letting the stale air waft over her body cooling her down. There were no room for her arms to stay stagnant by her side so up they went, reaching higher... and higher... and...

A hand thumped on her shoulder and her heart dropped suddenly until she realised who it was. Max was mouthing something unintelligible over the noise and then he reached his hand out. Somewhat deflated that she was being dragged away, she took his hand and made her way out of the crowd into the smoking area.

She wrinkled her nose in disgust; fresh air would've been a blessing, but this was almost worse.

"What did you say?" she asked, her ears still ringing.

He sighed. "It's Lola, she's not feeling well."

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

He wriggled his toes deeper into the sand, a soca song playing in the background. He sipped gently against the cold beer in his hand, his heart slowing as he watched the waves ebb and flow from the shore. 

Something buzzed next to him.

Wiping the sand off his burning plastic of a phone, he gently swiped up. The screen cleared to reveal a notification. 

He increased the volume before pressing on her story and couldn't help but feel an instant pang of regret as he saw where she was. Her grinning smile, her twinkling eyes as she was surrounded by all her friends... he didn't even know them all.

This past year, it was like she'd changed. She was now someone who went out, partied, hung out with all sorts of people, lived her life to the full.

At school, it'd been like she was the complete opposite... only really friends with the DG and some others from the gym, but that was it. She'd made friends back then out of convenience, but now... she seemed to have a whole other life. 

The DG was well and truly in her past. Sometimes he wondered if that's all he was to her. Just a past acquaintance, a memory that she carried out with her and occasionally spoke to.

"Why the long face, big man?"

He dropped his phone and glanced up, grateful that Jamal had blocked the sun and was now towering over him. He'd needed that shade.

"Nothing, I'm just getting some air."

"Sure, whatever you say. But we all know that's a lie."

Tyler squinted annoyed as he plopped down besides him, stretching his legs out without a care in the world. Privacy wasn't much of a thing around here, especially where Jamal was concerned.

"I see Misha been chatting to that Bajan guy, uh... Victor, I think his name was..."

Tyler could see where Jamal was going with this one.

"Good for her."

Jamal looked defeated. Ever since his best friend had returned from England, something was seriously off. First, this sudden break-up with Misha for which neither of them had provided a solid explanation for.

Sure, they'd stated that things just didn't work out, but Jamal didn't believe a scrap of it. It'd been almost a year now and still Tyler seemed dreamy and lost. Perhaps pining over someone.

Or something.

"Tyler, just... give me something to work with here. I invite all the girls and you still want to sit on the beach? By yourself?"