Tick Tock - Time's Running Out

Tick Tock (6)

h

Chapter Six

Darren

I worked at the local Co-operative every night.  Yes, I was thatcool!  I had to find some way to establish a suitable income so that I could put money away for when I went to University.  I had to save some money so that I could afford to eat; the life of a University student was hard, and my body was a temple, I had to preserve it in pristine conditions.

Yes, I’d had a chippy for tea – shh, don’t tell anyone.  I’d work it off at the gym the next day, so my temple would be once more pristine and, to be honest, perfect.  Insert wobbly head and cocky grin at the ‘to be honest, perfect’ part.

After three hours of gruelling work, I was finally finished my shift, and looking at the time I noticed I could meet Chelz and Jamie from their drama class at the village hall opposite the Co-op and walk home with them.  I sometimes did this, and I’d wander into the hall around nine-ish to find them finishing off.

So I walked to the village hall and sat in the audience just as Jamie and this other bloke were getting up to perform something.  I dunno what it was.  I sat there, watching, amused at Jamie’s acting.  She was really rather good!  Why was I so surprised?  She was Robbie’s little sister, after all.  Jamie didn’t really go for the main roles in drama things at school, but she flourished in this little group.  I think Jamie only went for the small things because she didn’t like to be in the spotlight – she preferred to casually stroll behind everyone else, even when she was better than everyone else!

I started at her, hard.  Jamie was really pretty – I had noticed it before, but I hadn’t really admired her beauty.  She had a kind of innocence about her that not very many girls had.

Oh – what was I saying about innocence?  I watched as she pressed her body up against the guy she was acting with.  Hell, she wasn’t innocent!  The way she let her fingers roam over the guy’s face, in his hair, down his chest.  Her hands were everywhere!  Jamie Black, my God!  I hope Darren doesn’t know about this.  I laughed quietly to myself but the smirk was instantly wiped off my face as that bloke kissed her.

He kissed her.  He kissed my Jamie.  Who did he think he was?  Coming in and just kissing my girl.  What a boot!  Who actually was he?

They broke apart and Jamie looked confused, but her lips turned up into a smile, grinning sheepishly at this bloke.  Was that planned?  Were they a couple?  What was the story about?  Why had I not been paying attention before?  Did Jamie like this guy?  The look on his face told me that he liked her.

Jamie went off stage, followed by this bloke, and they continued with the play.  I stared at her, willing her to look at me.  She obliged and let out a small gasp of shock, her eyes widening.  I just looked at her, my facial expression a mixture of so many emotions.  I didn’t know how to react.  I had never thought I’d be in this position, to be honest.  I felt protective – I wanted to rip this guy’s face off – but also sad, and I didn’t know why.

I just settled back into the plastic chair I was occupying and continued watching the performance, looking closely at the relationship between the actors, rather than the characters.  Though it wasn’t meant to, it came through in the way they acted; the way they positioned themselves, the looks that they gave each other when the other wasn’t looking.

I wasn’t happy to note that Jamie looked at the guy with confusion and consideration.  Like she was confused as to what had happened, but was considering him in more than just a first-impressions way.  I pictured me ripping the flesh from his skin, and it gave me a pleasure, just imagining it.  Oh, God, I had to control myself!  This brotherly possession of Jamie had to stop: I couldn’t protect her forever!  Eventually, I’d have to back off and let her live her own life.