Scott Kellerman

"Mate, what's she saying?"

"Shh, she hasn't said anything yet, she's typing."

Why the fuck is this so nerve-racking?

I shush Jimi even though she obviously can't hear either of us through the screen, but my heart's pounding so fast I think it'll explode from sensory overload.

Jimi Skyped me with the intention of 'studying' for Physics – i.e. copying my homework answers word for word – but the second my phone pinged and my face went bright red, he knew who it was immediately, and little Physics had been done since then.

Evangeline texted me. She texted me. I mean, I know I told her to, but I hadn't expected her to actually remember. Nonetheless, the tiny slice of hope I was holding out sure was happy she did.

"Jesus Christ, how long does it take to type 'yes'?" Jimi whispers, having fallen into the same sense of anticipation as me.

"See, I told you the 'Monday' thing would put too much pressure on her. She probably thinks I'm trying to trying to force a date, or I'm some bloody, I dunno, obsessive stalker or something."

"Well..."

"Jimi, shut the fuck up."

He lets out a laugh, shaking his head. "Calm down then, mate. You gave her a day to give your jacket back, not a wedding date."

"Yeah, but – oh, she texted!"

"Shit, what'd she say? What'd she say?"

"Well, I don't know, do I, I'm opening it now!"

I'm frantic at the sight of the notification, as I key in my code and press the message. I'm glad Jimi's just as invested as I am, because I know that under any other circumstances, he'd take the piss out of me and call me a 'simp' for being so damn jittery over a text message.

"She said: 'Monday', with a smiley face, and 'thanks again Scott'..."

"What?" Jimi asks abruptly. "Why are you pausing like there's more? What did she say?"

I bite the insides of my cheeks to hold back the grin, and shrug as casually as I can,

"Uh, she said 'thanks again Scott' with one of them little 'x' things," I say, tracing the letter out nonchalantly. Jimi's reaction is more in line with how I currently feel inside.

"Are you serious? She put an 'x'? Scott, that's a fucking kiss!  As in 'x's and 'o's, kisses and hugs! Mate, EFC just sent you a bloody kiss! Why aren't you freaking out right now, holy shit!"

"Shh! 'Cause I'm trying to think of what to say back, man – okay, okay, how about 'don't mention it Evangeline, hope you're feeling better'?

"Yep, but add an 'x'."

"Hell no! I'm trying to be friendly, I don't want her to think I'm moving to her."

Jimi tuts as though he's some guru, and I'm the clueless student with too much to learn.

"Bro, you might not be trying to move to her right this second – obviously, she's freshly dumped, wound's still open..."

I roll my eyes at his crass explanation, but let him finish anyway.

"But think about the long-term. Won't future you wish you'd put an 'x' right now?"

"I'm not putting an 'x', Jimi. I'm going with the don't mention it and hope you're feeling better. I'll add a smiley face too, if it makes you feel better."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Chuckling as I type out the message, I turn the phone over once I'm done and take a deep breath out.

"Bloody hell," I laugh shakily, "that was intense."

Jimi beams at me threw the laptop screen, slapping his hands down on his desk emphatically.

"That was a big deal, mate. You're in."

"In where?"

He furrows his brows mysteriously, his voice dropping into a sage, stoned register. "In her mind, bro."

"Oh, come of it, Coker."

"I'm serious! Your jacket's in her room, she's seeing you on Monday, it's basically a done deal! Shit, I should have an advice talk show, I swear. Like that Dr. Phil lad or something."

I shudder at the idea of Jimi, barely capable of exercising good judgment over himself, giving advice to thousands.

"Good luck with that," I grimace.

"Scott! Darling, I'm popping out!" Chimes a silvery voice from downstairs.

"That your mum?"

I listen for the voice again. Sure enough, I hear her chattering away downstairs, most likely with the housekeeper.

"Yeah, gimme a sec,"I say, standing to my feet. There's nothing about my life that Jimi doesn't already know, so I don't bother to pause the call before trotting down the spiral stairway.

"Mum?"

My mother spins around to face me, her newly highlighted honey brown hair swishing behind her, standing out against the rich cream fabric of her jumpsuit. It's the first time I've seen her since yesterday afternoon – usually she's too tired from sprees in Selfridges and teas at the Shard to come all the way over to the other side of the penthouse. Every rose has its thorns, I guess. Plus, no teenager ever complained of too much privacy.

"Morning, darling!" She says, although it's past midday. "Thea said you were studying, so I didn't want to bother my little Einstein, but I wanted to let you know I was popping out."

She ruffles my hair at the 'little Einstein' comment, but Mum's always had a way of making everything endearing, even condescension.

"That's cool," I smile, scrunching my face at the tickling feeling. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, just up to Selfridges to do some shopping for the gala next weekend."

At the mention of Selfridges, I cast a sympathetic glance at her driver, Leo. It's one of Mum's absolute favourite shopping spots, which means that the poor bastard'll be there for hours, and I can tell he knows it by the humble smile he tries to muster.

"I know you're working hard, but you should really come out shopping with me one of these days, Scottie. Your graduation's soon, isn't it? You'll need a custom suit, surely. How does Armani sound, hm?"

Ordinarily, I do my best not to think about any part of graduation. Not that it's easy with the incessant reminders from teachers, and the emails about leavers' hoodies and the questions from everyone, all the time: where are you applying? What are you doing after sixth form? What's next for you then, Kellerman?

I've made my applications to prestigious universities all around the globe. I study hard. Mum and Dad have got a load of money ready to throw at me for whenever I decide to go. Yet somehow, I still don't have an answer to a single question.

I nod uncomfortably. "Yeah, it's a month and a bit away. Me and Jimi really have to get this Physics done though, Mum."

"Well, you don't want to leave it until the last minute, darling, trust me," Mum advises, pinching my cheek, but her demeanour shifts when she puts on her sunglasses dramatically, to deliver a final piece of news.

"Your father told me to let you know that he'll be flying in for your graduation."

"Really?" I say, unimpressed. I thought by now Dad knew better than to give me his word, given that he never actually stands by it.

"Mhm," Mum hums, reapplying her berry red lipstick in the foyer mirror, "he said he promises... but you know your father and his 'promises'..."

"They're as flimsy as his loyalty?"

"That's my boy," Mum smiles in approval with a final squeeze of my cheek before she heads out the door. "I'll be back soon, angel, have a good day!"

"You too, Mum. Later, Leo."

Once Leo's tipped his hat and I hear the Bentley start downstairs, I jog back up to my room, to see Jimi tapping his pen against the camera, and filling his cheeks with air like a pufferfish.

"Oh hey," he says when I pop back in frame. "All good?"

"Yeah, all fine."

"You sure? Swear I heard her mention your dad..."

"Hm?" I say, playing clueless. My dad's the last thing I want to talk about. The day's been good so far. "Nah, you must've heard wrong. What number were we on, again? 7?"

I flip through the dense booklet, avoiding the unmoving stare I can feel through the screen.

"...Yeah, 7(b)," Jimi says warily, deciding not to dig any further for now. I know he could, but I'm glad he doesn't.

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My Favourite Part (or MFP as I've started to call it), is so so close to 4K reads it's insane! Every time I get a comment from someone saying that they've read or are reading or want to read the story, I'm on Cloud 9 for EVER, so I just wanted to pop in to this chapter to say a massive THANK YOU!

Alsooo, I wanted to say thank you to 2 lovely users whose comments have absolutely made my day - (dearcloude and LarryAf2 ) and, ngl, make my day every single time I re-read them. 🙈 I appreciate you more than I can say! 🥺 SM x