Getaway

Chapter 23

“Are you still there?” I asked Fletcher.

His chuckle was enough to confirm my suspicions.

“I swear your dad is psychic,” he told me, “I mean how did he know you were talking to me.”

“I wasn’t exactly being very subtle about having my phone in my hand and I didn’t whisper all that quietly did I?”

“Tut, tut, tut Nell,” Fletcher said, “anyway, your mum.”

“Well apparently Dad agrees with me.”

“Do you not miss her though?”

“I miss the mum that used to be there for me when I came back from a long day at school but I don’t know, it’s like she’s changed and that might not be a bad thing – especially for her – bit it still kind of hurts.”

“You’re surrounding awfully mature about this,” Fletcher teased.

“I’m seventeen,” I replied indignantly.

“You still can’t legally drink alcohol though,” Fletcher reminded me, “so technically you might as well be a child.”

I couldn’t be bothered to point out to Fletcher that his logic was flawed and so I said nothing and tried to change the topic of conversation. There was a few beats of silence but eventually the easy flow of conversation started to return properly.

“Are you flying back?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Fletcher said, “my flight is due to leave in a couple of hours. I’m bored in this stupid excuse for an airport so thanks.”

“I should probably go though, I need to sleep and if we talk any longer Dad will kill me before I get to say anything to you ever again.”

“I think you might be overreacting.”

“I don’t think I am.”

“Well I’ll talk to you later then,” Fletcher told me.

“Wait,” I said, “we’re still friends aren’t we. Even if we’re half way across the world from each other.”

“Of course we are,” Fletcher reassured me, “and anyway we might not be that far away from each other for too long.”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“Well you know I mentioned I play football.”

“You said you were shit,” I recalled.

“Actually I never said that,” Fletcher corrected me; “you assumed that. I’m actually quite good.”

“Does this have any relevance to what you’re about to say?”

“Well I might have just got signed to an English club, and they may be based not too far from where you live.”

“What are you trying to tell me Fletcher?” I asked.

“We’re going to be the best of friends, there’s going to be – hopefully at least – less than a mile between us.”

I sighed and Fletcher continued.

“You’re not sounding as excited about this as I hoped you might,” he said.

“I’m just not entirely sure whether I’m going to be able to put up with your enthusiasm on a regular basis,” I admitted.

“You’ll learn to live with it.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, “and it’s not like you’re going to be living in my house.”

“Well actually,” Fletcher told me nervously, “I was kind of wondering if I could stay with you guys whilst everything gets sorted.”