CHARACTER VIEWS DO NOT REPRESENT MY OWN. Please be civil in the comment section.
True to his word, any news of Dad never reached our ears. I didn't think Cole could be so petty but as the days merged into weeks, Seth and I settled into life with Jade and gradually, I came to the understanding I wouldn't be seeing Cole or James or any of the others any time soon, or if ever. I didn't know if I was glad realising that or sorry that I messed things up. Seth got miserable as people lost interest in the search to find Dad and more than ever, he resorted to staying in his room, playing video games. I had to coax him out to eat with Jade and I otherwise he'd be living in his own world, by himself and online players who all had fucked his mum.
I found myself isolated, too, but with my friends. Any messages I left were read and deleted, any calls I made were declined, and when the Christmas holidays made its way around, I had only Jade and Seth to wish a Merry Christmas too.
There was four days until Christmas, and Jade made a half-arsed attempt at decorating the shop but amongst the dark skulls, gore and blood on every t-shirt and anti-cross jewellery it looked out of place and tacky. I didn't have it in me to verbally dislike her half-an-hour attempt when she asked me my opinion as I came back from a take-away run. "Uh," I said, raising my eyebrows at the green LED lights outlining the doorway, and the red bobble hat on her head and the giant inflatable snowman she stuck in a corner. "Looks great!"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, I mean, I feel festive already," I set the bags of Chinese food down, hands on my hips, trying to look impressed. "That snowman, I'm telling you, the customers' will love him."
She caught my ruse, narrowing her eyes at me and slipped off her hat. "You're taking the piss, aren't you, you little bitch? It's fine, I know, it looks awful. I just thought I'd make an effort for Seth, kid's looking like he's got an appointment with the angel of death later on."
"He's missing Dad, that's all."
Jade made a noise, grabbing onto the bags I had set down and walking upstairs. "I bet he is. How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay," I said, and as awful as it was to say, I truly did feel alright. I didn't have nightmares keeping me up at night and my days were suddenly stopped by pangs of longing for my father. I was okay. "Have you heard from James recently?"
"No, but I suspect it's because they've not got any new leads."
"Can I ask you why you trust a bunch of misfits instead of the police?"
Jade set the bags down onto the kitchen surface, and she seemed to sag, sighing. "I trust them, Shay. You wouldn't understand."
"I'm not accusing you of anything, Jade," I said, leaning against the door of the fridge and I shrugged. "I'm just curious."
"I do their tattoos, they provide protection for my shop and for myself, and now you two kids. You probably notice you haven't been smacked in the face with a pile of shit yet and your tires haven't been slashed. This is a bad neighbourhood and you need all the protection you can get. Inviting the police to your door will irritate more than one person. It's better to go to them instead of the police. Not to mention, they're not afraid of going through unusual methods to get their result. I would be disrespecting them if I didn't go asking for their help."
"So, you went to them out of fear more than anything?"
"Don't play around, kid. This isn't living with your Dad, alright? No baking cookies, no trimming hedges and having a barbecue in your back garden. I don't want you asking people questions and I want you to stay out of their way. And don't speak to the police unless I'm there. They might not be good men but they're a lot better than some police officers and others around here, that's for sure." Jade was incredibly defensive, firing her words at me and slamming the boxes down as if she was trying to emphasise the importance of her words.
"Got it," I said, wanting to kill the conversation already. "No talking to the police, no baking cookies."
"Good," Jade verbalised, nodding over to Seth's bedroom door. "Ask your brother to pause the game and come out and eat."
I knocked on the door, twisting the handle and walking in to the dark room. I strode over the windows, ripping back the curtains and letting light in. "Are you suffering from photodermatitis, or something, pal? Why is it always so dark in your room?" Seth was perched on the edge of the bed, his gamer headphones on, his pad to his PS4 clutched tightly in his hands, yelling at me that the sunlight hurt his eyes.
"Like the TV screen doesn't? Come on, get up, food's here." I stood over him, watching him kill another player in a game of Call of Duty.
He yelled elatedly, standing up, pumping his fist into the air. "Yes! Suck my dick, bitch!"
Taken aback, I looked at him in surprise and chastise him. "Are you kidding me, Seth? Turn the game off now."
"But I'm winning!" he shouted back, stepping to the side to see the screen, his face painted with concentration, his thumb slamming down onto the buttons.
"Food is ready. Pause the game. Let's go," I waited for him at the door and he heaved a sigh as if he was an old man and muttered quickly.
"I've got to go. My sister's annoying me... yeah, yeah, we'll play later, okay?" he took off his headphones, powering down the PS4 and meeting me at the door. "Happy?"
I messed his hair. "If you weren't so adorable, I'd be angry."
Jade was sitting on the sofa, the food already laid out on the table, the remote control in her hands as her eyes fixated on the reality TV show. "Help yourself, kids."
"Are there any sweet and sour pork balls?" Seth asked as he went through the white boxes, pulling them open.
"No, but I got chicken balls," I said. "And crispy pancake rolls. Have the chicken balls with the fried rice, it tastes great."
There was a long moment of silence and appreciation as we all ate, watching the TV show with interest as the women got into another pointless cat fight while the tanned men egged them on.
"I want to move schools."
Jade was in the middle of shovelling noodles into her mouth, and she paused. "What?"
Seth repeated himself.
I turned to him. "Move schools? Why?"
"I'm tired of waking up early for a ten hour drive," he exaggerated. "By the time I get home, I hardly have any time to do anything, let alone homework."
"But Dad-"
"I'm not stupid. The chances of the police finding him alive are slim. It's been months. He's not coming back, I get it."
Jade and I exchanged a worried glance. We always tiptoed around Seth with the subject of Dad, and sugar-coated any information we decided to tell him. He wasn't a child but he was still young - and upset, for that matter. Hearing him speak like that was a shock, he was always up on Saturday ready to give out missing posters in the shopping centre. I wondered what changed.
"I like it here, Jade. I want to stay here." Seth said.
Jade melted into a puddle, squeezing his cheeks. "You are so adorable, Seth! But, I can't have you transfer. Your Dad would have my head, for one, if I did. And two, the school you go to is a great school, not like the one here. The pupils do bad, fail their exams, and the sixth formers are high on meth. Uh-huh, it's not happening. It's a dangerous school."
"It's not like our school is a safe heaven," I pointed out. "Daryl was shot and he died on school grounds."
Jade gave me a look. "You're not helping. He's not transferring."
"Why not? I mean, if Seth wants, than sure. I know I'm going to love the extra hours in bed."
"What? You don't mean - I thought you had more sense than this, Shay."
"If Seth is transferring, than I am, too."
"But your friends -" Jade had a weak argument.
"I won't miss them." I thought of the way how they all abandoned me when I needed them the most and scornfully said. "They're wankers, all of them."
"What about your A Levels?"
"Lockstone isn't the only college with my A Level subjects. It's not the teachers, it's the students. I work hard, you know I do."
Jade still didn't look convinced. "I'm not sure."
"I've already made up my mind," Seth said. "I'm transferring."
"As am I," I finalised the agreement.
+ + +
I was in the queue, waiting to pay for Jade's requested junk food so she could pig out while watching Netflix when I saw the tall black man and the skinny white boy in the fur coat. They were casually strolling through the doors of the store, and just when I thought they hadn't seen me, Irvin turned around, meeting my gaze and winking.
It was a split second decision. I dropped the food, lost my place in the queue and followed them outside. Irvin lit up a cigarette as I approached the two who waited for me outside the store. "Are you hoping for cancer?" I asked as I approached.
"Maybe, might be better than being murdered by a cop."
"You're not black," James shook his head, his gaze covered by a pair of black shades as he looked at something over my head.
"But I am biracial. I'm half Iranian, half white, do you think they appreciate my white side? Nah, they hate me even more for that. Mixed raced couples pisses racists off more than a black man walking."
"As always, Irvin, it's great to see you."
"You've only seen me, what, three times? Don't finger yourself yet, doll."
"Sorry. Next time I'll try to contain my excitement." I stomped on his cockiness, raising my eyebrows at him and he cracked a smile, holding his arms out for a hug.
He threw his cigarette away as I embraced him. "Fancy meeting you here, huh?"
"Real coincidence."
James spoke. "Yeah, let's go play catch-up. We'll give you a lift home. You haven't brought your car, have you?"
I shook my head, following them into their silver Mercedes. James started the car, pulling out of the car park. I sat in the backseat, waiting for one of them to speak up and explain to me why they followed me into the store. When they didn't, I asked. "I thought Cole didn't want anything to do with me?"
"He doesn't," Irvin said.
"He's a prick. If Jade paid him, why take his anger out on her? The least he can do is offer a refund."
"He lied. He was too pissed and proud to go back on his word. Of course, if you pay us you should expect a full service. We don't break our deals. We haven't got any word on your father that's why we've been quiet." James explained.
"Oh," I was pleasantly surprised and vocalised. "Did he manage to bring down that paedophile ring?"
"Yes, weeks ago."
"That's a surprise. I thought he couldn't function without my help. Sure made it seem that way."
Irvin twisted around in his seat. "Alright, enough catch-up. The police are going to come to you with news that your father is alive. Act surprise and most importantly, don't say anything to them."
"All they're going to say is what you already know. Your Dad killed that family. Cole told you this the last time you saw him. Feign shock and act dumb." James instructed.
"What? When did the theory of my father killing those people become a fact?"
"When we realised he's not missing. He purposely left on a revenge mission. The guy sure can hold a grudge, I'll tell you that." Irvin said. "Oh, Dorito told me to ask if you're pregnant. He said to kill you if you are. Are you?"
I saw the tattoo shop up the road and diverted my gaze to Irvin, frowning. "Tell your Dorito to trip of off a cliff. He's so irritating. Holy crap. I don't understand why he thinks I want his baby."
"Huh, I'll pass on the message." Irvin nodded. "Wait. Before you leave, I'm swinging by at Christmas to get my present."
"I haven't got my own brother his present yet, what makes you think I've got you a present?"
"I'll tell Cole to give you a visit if you haven't."
"I thought you were decent, Irvin," I sighed, opening the car door. "James is the only likable person out of you all. I'll see you later."
I slammed the door, walking into the shop.
Jade greeted me. "Where the hell is my food?"
CHARACTER VIEWS DO NOT REPRESENT MY OWN. Please be civil in the comment section.