The Suburbs

ten

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

[Mary Oliver]

• • •

The novelty of being the new kid had started to wear off. The school corridors were familiar, the faceless students now had names, and the teachers had stopped letting him slack off. The first couple of months had been fun; he was a new person in a new town living a new life. But now his house had become a home and he was getting tired. The streets of London seemed further away than ever.

"What's up?" Rhea asked Kody over a plate of macaroni cheese in the school's crowded canteen, "You look down."

He was playing with his food; a telltale sign of a lack of energy. "I'm bored." He replied honestly.

"Of us?" Christopher asked jokingly.

"Nah." Kody replied, only half serious.

"You should come over for dinner tonight." Isabel offered, "My Mum's doing a roast."

"Thanks, Issy." Kody said sincerely, and he meant it. She was sweet, kindhearted, and considerate. She had quickly become one of his closest friends.

"Can I come?" Christopher nudged her, eyes wide with longing, "I can not miss one of Jane's roasts."

"No." She declined simply.

"What?" He moaned, "Why not? Babe-"

"Because I saw you last night, and the night before that, and the-"

"Fine." He pouted, "Can you save me some potatoes though? The crispy ones with the-"

"Oh my god, you are unbearable." She snapped, and the irritation that flashed in her crystal eyes proved that she meant it. She dropped her cutlery and stood up abruptly. "Come over at seven, Kody." She told him, tying her golden hair back with a scrunchie. Kody had noticed that she did that a lot - tried to find something to do with her hands whenever she was feeling anxious. "See you later." And she left, just like that.

"What the fuck just happened?" Rhea stared between the pair of boys, her expression blank.

"I don't know." Christopher watched his girlfriend walk away, knotting his fingers into his ginger curls in frustration. "Why can Kody go but not me?"

"Maybe they're fucking." Rhea giggled, winking at Kody suggestively.

Kody sighed heavily, "Not helpful, Rhea." He murmured, getting up from the table and following Isabel without a word. He tried to find her but the corridors were empty.

"Kody!"

He turned around at the sound of Arlo's soft voice. He was stood in the middle of the hall, clutching multiple folders, backpack hanging from his shoulder. He was wearing his glasses today. "Hey." His lips melted into a smile at the sight of him. Dimples, freckles, green eyes. Fuck, he could stare at him forever.

Arlo looked over his shoulder nervously, presumably checking that no one else was around. "You busy tonight?" He asked. They hung out most nights. They did homework together, watched movies, listened to music, played board games, assembled puzzles, and whatever else elderly couples liked to do at seven PM on a Saturday night. Kody liked it. They were comfortable together.

"I said I'd go to Isabel's for dinner." He told him apologetically, "What about after school?"

"I can't. I've got a doctors appointment."

"Is everything okay?" Kody's entire demeanour softened with concern.

"Everything's fine." Arlo insisted, but when Kody's gentle amber eyes shot him a quizzical glance he elaborated, "It's nothing, Kody. It's just a checkup; I have them all the time. Doctors love changing my meds at every chance they get."