December 2007 – The Party

Chloe had stayed friends with the young boy she had encountered on her first day. Not that it was always easy. For starters he wasn’t always at school. Chloe was not exactly a model student, but at least she always showed up. Tom was often missing. He’d told her recently, that the social had been round to see his mother earlier in the term. Told her that if Tom didn’t improve his attendance, the next step for her was court. With a possible prison sentence awaiting her. Tom couldn’t have cared less if she’d been put away. But it had been made clear to him he wouldn’t be allowed to stay by himself. He’d be at the tender mercy of the care system. So for that reason he’d been at school more often the last few months. And Chloe had seen a bit more of him.

Earlier that night she had texted him to meet her at the swings in the local park. She never knew where exactly he’d be. Just that he wouldn’t be at home. He made a point of avoiding the place like the proverbial plague. He texted back to say that he was already there. He was in their usual spot, in the new bandstand down by the boating lake.

When she got there, the place was deserted apart from the hunched, hooded figure sitting on the low wooden bench, studying his phone. She walked up quietly and could see he was looking at the photo roll. The pictures would be the ones he’d taken last week. In the same park, but high up at the tallest point. At the Cenotaph during the Remembrance Sunday parade. He’d hardly shut up about it all week. She walked softly up behind him.

“Have you got the cash?”

Chloe’s voice was only soft. Not much above a whisper. But it startled the boy and disturbed him from his reverie over his photos. Smiling, he recovered quickly and grinned, holding up a crumpled tenner.

“Great. I’ll give it to Dazza. D’ya know his mate Sam? The little one with the long hair.”

The boy shrugged noncommittally. He wasn’t sure.

“Well anyway, his brothers eighteen. And he’s going to get us a box of Stella from Tesco Metro. It’s only £8.99. So you’ll even get a quid change!”

The boy smirked and stood up.

“Come on then. We’re sorted.”

He led the way out of the bandstand and Chloe dropped into step beside him.

They arrived at the party as a group, Chloe, the boy Tom, Dazza and Sam with the long black hair. Tom was carrying the box of beer, holding it in front of him in both hands, walking between Sam and the girl. Dazza was riding his bike, stood high on the pedals, weaving a crazy pattern amongst them on the pavement. They turned a corner into a grimy street that was lined by cars on both sides. The music was washing out into the road from the front door of a small terrace that had the door wide open.

So there was no doubting exactly which was the party house. The four of them strolled through the door, and headed for the kitchen at the rear to deposit their bottles. Tom plonked the box down on the counter and ripped the cardboard open. Dazza had rounded up a bottle opener, and expertly popped the top off four. Chloe took a long swag and watched as Tom leaned back with the beer pressed to his lips.

She caught herself looking at him a little more closely. She’d always thought of their relationship as ‘good mates’. But lately, he was revealing a little more about himself. Chloe remembered their discussion about the Sunday parade. And an idea occurred to her that just maybe there was a way that they could get a little closer. Her train of thought was derailed by a hissed whisper in her left ear.

“Hey Chloe.”

Her head turned to the voice. Sam was nodding his head in the direction of the door out to the backyard of the terraced house.

“Yeh?”

There was a wary, questioning tone in her reply. Chloe wasn’t sure where this was going to lead. But one place that it wasn’t leading was a passionate rendezvous with Sam against the far wall of the back yard.

“I’ve got some shit with me. Me brother got it off some guy who comes in the shop.”

Sam’s brother worked in the local sex shop. She guessed he saw all sorts in there. He held out his hand. Inside was a small, crumpled plastic bag, containing some small blue pills, stamped with the shape of a tiger’s head. She shrugged and took two from the little pile. Her friend grinned.

“Let me know how you get on.”

Chloe thought she’d have a word with Tom afterwards to see if he fancied trying them with her.

A few hours later, with midnight approaching, she found herself trying to climb the narrow staircase. She needed a pee badly. But her legs were struggling to keep her upright. She leant on the wall for a breather, grabbed on tightly to the bannister and tried to stop the world spinning round her. Shit, was it the pills, or the Stella? Something wasn’t agreeing with her.

With an effort of will, Chloe finally managed to navigate her way to the toilet. Trying to find her way back to the top of the staircase, she spotted an open bedroom door. There was no one in the room, but the bed looked inviting. Maybe a little kip would sort her head out. Chloe fell into the room, sprawled onto the bed and passed out.

The next thing she remembered was being woken by something moving around next to her. Her eyes snapped open and she shook her head to clear the fog. For a moment Chloe had forgotten where she was. Then last night flooded back. Oh yeah, the pills, the beer and the party. Then she looked warily down to the bottom of the bed and could make out a cropped head of hair slowly emerging from a pile of crumpled bedclothes.

Oh shit! She searched her mind in vain for any clue as to what had happened after lying down on the bed. But it was just a complete blank. Who the hell was she sharing a bed with? With a mixture of relief and alarm, she made out the familiar features of Tom.

“Hiya.”

Chloe’s voice was a little sheepish. She hoped he could remember what had happened. But if he did, he wasn’t telling. At least he wasn’t letting on today. He smiled weakly at her, hopped out of bed, and swiftly disappeared out of the door.

“I’ll call you later.”

That was his parting shot as he stomped along the corridor to the bathroom.