July 1998
One week before…
It had been a week since their party at Baz’s house, and despite several of the group thinking the night would conclude with them in the hut, it hadn’t. Holly got really drunk and ended up in a lot of trouble. Her dad, a stern and traditional man, was horrified when Baz reluctantly rang him as Holly started to throw up in a bush. Holly had been grounded for a month for it. And the group rule was almost broken, but Chloe insisted: if they couldn’t all go, no one should.
Despite Holly’s punishment, when the mine closed, tough parenting seemed to fall short, and it was just six days before her house arrest was over. With Jamie not needed at work, and apprenticeships yet to begin, they found themselves back at Baz’s, his parents out again. They drank and sunbathed and listened to Madonna’s Ray of Light album which Georgia, dressed in a pair of incredibly short shorts, insisted on. Michael protested, as did Jamie. In the heat of the evening, and with Georgia’s flesh on display, the boys didn’t really have any power. It got under Neve’s skin, as she watched Jamie trying not to look, but then again, they all noticed her. In just one short year, Georgia’s shape had changed from that of a young girl to that of a woman.
As the sun began to dip behind a low bank of clouds on the horizon, it was time to think about going home. Last week, when Holly was picked up, all of their parents learnt that their children had been lying to them. They had got away with it but knew they wouldn’t again. Neve, however, wasn’t ready for the night to end. She knew if they were caught, her parents wouldn’t care. They seldom seemed to notice her at all lately. Dad was still miserable because of the mine and Mum seemed distracted elsewhere. And besides, even if she were to get into the worst trouble when she got home, she and Jamie had been exchanging looks all afternoon, and on more than one occasion he made a point of touching her hand whilst passing a drink or holding her gaze longer than a friend should. She wanted to enjoy that for a little longer, perhaps even step it up a notch – maybe she would even steal a kiss from him.
‘I thought we were going to go back to the hut?’ she said, trying to stir her sleepy, drunk friends. The boys smiled, mischief in their eyes. Chloe sat bolt upright, but Neve sensed there was something nervous under the excitement.
‘Yeah, but I can’t be bothered now.’ Holly sounded a little annoyed that Neve had suggested their evening should do anything but end. ‘Besides. We were in so much shit last week.’
Michael broke into a laugh, quickly joined by Baz.
‘It’s not funny. I told you I didn’t want to drink, guys.’
‘It’s pretty funny.’
‘I think we should go back,’ said Jamie, eager not to let the evening end. Neve was hoping it wouldn’t for the same reason. ‘We could stop and get drinks on the way, maybe some Red Bull to wake us up?’
‘I said I’d be home before dark.’
‘Come on, Holly, we’ve not been there in like, forever!’
‘Since we saw that weird man,’ Chloe added quietly.
‘I’ve told you. He was just some lonely old soul, probably worked down there. He’s long gone now, and if not, he’s harmless anyway,’ Baz continued. ‘The real issue with your plan, Jamie, is who is going to serve us? No one has got any ID.’
‘Well, we could try?’
‘Or we could just stay here?’ said Georgia, her eyes pink and heavy from smoking some of Michael’s joint.
‘Georgia, we’ve stayed here for all our lives, haven’t we? We should be having an adventure.’
‘Fuck, yeah!’ Baz shouted, liking the idea of doing something reckless.
‘I’m in,’ nodded Michael. ‘What shall we do?’
‘Well, if we are doing this, Neve is right, we start by getting more booze,’ said Chloe, who was putting her shoes back on, preparing to leave, the nervousness gone.
‘But we don’t have ID,’ repeated Georgia with waning objection.
‘Or money,’ Jamie said, realising his own idea was horribly flawed, making Georgia smile, much to the annoyance of Neve, as she felt he should be on her side, not Georgia’s.
‘Shit, yeah. Well, that idea’s bollocksed. Still, Neve is right, we have to go to the hut, it’s ours. And we should be there tonight,’ said Baz, determined not to give up on the recklessness stirring inside. ‘Come on, let’s go,’ he continued decisively and as always, the group followed suit.
‘What about the booze?’ Holly said, hoping it would delay them.
‘If we are going to the hut, we’ll pass mine. I reckon I could steal some from my dad,’ said Georgia, her attention towards Baz. ‘But it won’t be much. Chloe, come with me?’
‘Sure,’ she said.
‘It’s a start. And then we can work out how to get some more,’ said Baz, a smile on his face.
The group left and made their way up the village, towards the entrance for the mine. They moved as quietly as a mob of drunk teenagers could, worried they would be seen by someone who would tell their parents they were out and up to no good. The village was more insular, more claustrophobic than other places because everyone was connected. More than just knowing everyone’s business, the mine meant they were each other’s business. Baz seemed to care less about being caught and was singing ‘Football’s Coming Home’ at the top of his voice, despite England losing to Romania the night before in the World Cup. Baz was right not to worry, for even with him singing out of tune and at the top of his voice, no one silenced him, no one asked any questions of the seven teenagers. No one cared.
As they turned onto the abandoned lane that led to the mine, the tension lifted. This was their lane now, leading to their hut. And standing in the middle of it, they waited for Georgia and Chloe to nip back to Georgia’s and come back with some of her dad’s alcohol. Neve stood a little distance from the others, trying to light a cigarette, the total darkness only illuminated for the length of a flint spark. Jamie joined her, lighter in hand.
‘Here,’ he said as he sparked it, allowing Neve to ignite the tip of her cigarette.
‘Thanks,’ she said quietly between puffs.
‘No problem.’ He smiled at her.
In the low light Neve watched him take a breath, like he was about to saying something to her, but before he could, Baz interrupted.
‘Here they come.’
Ahead, two dark silhouettes wandered towards them. Michael saw them and knew it was Georgia and Chloe, but he couldn’t stop the hairs on his forearms standing on end.
‘I’m sorry, guys,’ Georgia said, disappointed. ‘Dad was up, seemed really keen to talk to Chloe about college. I couldn’t get anything.’
The group wandered further into the canopy of trees, deeper into the darkness until they reached their hut. One by one they crawled inside, where they lit candles and turned on the radio. It had been over a week since they were there and there was a warm, damp feeling in the air. The heat of the summer evaporated the remnants of empty hooch bottles and lager cans that lay around the place, leeching the vapour into the air. With no ventilation besides two small spy holes, the air became thick. Michael began to tidy, as he often did, as the others settled into their space.
‘So, here we are, and there is nothing to drink. Great,’ sighed Neve, who was slumped into a beanbag.
‘Yeah, some “night to remember”,’ complained Holly, out of character. ‘I’m just gonna go home.’ She moved towards the hatch to leave.
‘No, don’t go,’ Baz said, stopping her in her tracks. ‘Come on. Let’s celebrate our freedom from school.’
‘How long can we possibly celebrate leaving school? It’s been weeks now,’ Holly asked.
‘Until we start something new, come on, it’s a big deal. We are free of that place.’
‘Not really, I’m going back for sixth form.’
‘We are all free besides Chloe then,’ Baz laughed. ‘My point is, we finished, together, which is shocking because I would have put money on Michael being expelled.’
‘Yeah right, if anyone was gonna get kicked out it was you,’ chuckled Michael.
‘And,’ Baz continued, ‘I know I keep banging on about it, but this is our last summer together.’
‘You’re so pessimistic,’ Georgia said. ‘Surely it will be like this every summer?’
She looked around for confirmation, but no one was able to do so. Baz was right: after this summer, everything would change. And in the silence, the room felt sullen. A light bulb went off in Baz’s head and grabbing an empty bottle of 20/20 he told the group to sit around the coffee table.
‘Baz, if you think I’m playing spin the bottle with you, you’re dreaming. I’m drunk, but I’m not that drunk,’ said Georgia.
‘We’re not playing spin the bottle, and anyway – rude!’
‘So, what are we playing?’ asked Michael, rolling a joint.
‘We…’ continued Baz, proud of himself for having the idea, ‘are going to have a game of truth or dare.’
The group reacted, the idea exciting them. Truth or dare would mean that Neve would undoubtedly get to kiss Jamie, especially if she went for a dare. She exchanged a glance with Chloe, who knew exactly what she was thinking. The gang moved into a circle, apart from Holly who was still by the hatch entrance, watching. Baz placed the bottle on the floor in the middle of the group who shuffled into place around it, ensuring they were equidistant to one another. Neve and Jamie caught each other’s eye. As Baz had proposed the game, he got to spin the bottle first; he twisted it hard, and the bottle somersaulted. The group held their breath, waiting to see where it would stop. The top finally rested, facing Chloe.
‘Truth or dare?’ he asked.
‘Umm, dare. No, truth.’
‘OK, truth,’ interjected Georgia. ‘Chloe, who do you fancy from school. A teacher, I mean.’
Chloe shot Georgia a look; she knew full well who Chloe fancied from school, and she was annoyed that Georgia had indirectly betrayed her trust by asking her. The rules were the rules. So Chloe told her friends she had always liked Mr Hawes, the school’s drama teacher who was probably close to fifty, and far too old for a 16-year-old to like.
‘But he’s so old!’ protested Baz.
‘Yeah, but he’s mature and wise.’
‘Oh God, Chloe, that’s kinda gross,’ said Neve. ‘And anyway, why didn’t I know about this?’
‘Because you can’t keep secrets, Neve. Shall we move on?’ Neve knew Chloe was right, but it didn’t take the sting out of her words.
Chloe spun the bottle, it wobbled and stopped on Jamie. ‘Truth or dare.’
‘Truth,’ he said quietly.
‘Oh, let me have this one!’ said Michael, grinning from ear to ear. ‘So, Jamie, in keeping with the previous question, who do you fancy from school?’
‘I don’t fancy any of the teachers.’
‘I mean students, which student do you fancy from school?’
Jamie opened his mouth to speak and closed it again as the colour rushed to his face.
‘So, who is it?’
‘Can I change it to a dare?’ he asked, barely able to look up in case he caught Neve’s eye.
‘Nope, rules are rules,’ said Baz, enjoying watching his friend squirm.
‘Baz, Michael. We all know the answer. Does he really need to say?’ said Chloe, trying to help out Neve who was blushing so intensely, her cheeks were the same shade of pink as Michael’s stoned eyes.
‘Yes,’ the boys replied simultaneously. ‘Jamie! You have to answer!’
‘Neve,’ he said quietly under his breath.
‘Sorry, mate, didn’t quite catch that, could you speak up?’
‘I said…’ he paused and looked over to Neve sat opposite before looking back at his feet. ‘I said Neve.’
The boys exploded into applause, whooping and cheering their friend, slapping him on the back and tousling his hair. ‘Finally, he’s bloody said it!’ Baz applauded. The girls smiled sympathetically at both Jamie and Neve, who couldn’t look at one another.
‘OK, we’ve tormented the lad enough,’ Georgia said. ‘Let’s carry on. Lover boy, your turn to spin.’
Jamie leant forward and spun the bottle. It landed on Michael.
‘Truth or dare?’ he asked, his voice still quiet, his embarrassment still raw.
‘Let’s mix this up a bit. Dare.’
‘OK, I’ve got one,’ Neve interjected, wanting to make Michael pay for embarrassing Jamie. ‘As we’ve run out of booze, go into the village and get some from the offie.’
‘Neve, we’ve been through this. We’ve got no money or ID.’
‘Exactly. I dare you to steal some.’