“I’m gonna sleep here.” He collapses face down in the hallway, and Trekkie runs out the front door. I dash out and shut the gate before the dog escapes down the street, but by the time I’ve done that, he’s already finished his business and is galloping inside to dig his snout into the back of his owner’s hair.
“Shall we get you into bed?” I close the door behind me and kneel beside him again. I seem to be doing a lot of kneeling today.
“I need snacks.” Pi pushes himself up, and his eyes fall to mine. A second later, a wide smile blossoms over his face. “Okay, bedtime.”
It takes me a few more minutes to coax him up the stairs. I help him peel off his clothes, then I find a bucket in a kitchen cupboard and wedge it beside his nightstand.
“Princess, I’m going to stay here tonight. Is that okay?” I don’t want to leave him in case he’s sick again.
“Mmm kay,” he replies.
I strip off my suit, find a phone charger, and climb into bed, and I let my eyes wander around the room. He’d removed all hisStar Trektoys a while ago when he was dating Georgia, and I hate that he felt it necessary to hide who he was from her. That he had to mask. If she doesn’t like the Seven of Nine figurines, then she shouldn’t be fucking with my friend.
Pi rolls from his side onto his back.
“No, sir, get on your side.” I force him to resume the previous position. “Do I need to big spoon you?”
“Yes,” he replies.
“Okay, fine. Let me just see if Abs has replied to my text.”
I lean across him, switch his lamp off, and grab my phone. There’s no message from Harry, but there are a few from Megan.
Good evening, you naughty, naughty boy. George’s drunk. She told me EVERYTHING.
E V E R Y T H I N G !!!!!?????!!!!!
So what do you want to do about us?
Your move.
Second Half
Chapter 30
Aiden
Friday 11th June 2027
There are no curtains for us to hide behind, so we’re all at the sides of the stage waiting to go on. People in the audience keep spotting things like Darby’s unicorn costume, Snatch’s pole, the roller skates, the bagpipes, and the place is buzzingwith chatter and laughter and excitement. It’s not the nervous energy I feel inside me, but I know that even if we fuck this up, it won’t really matter. Everyone’s still going to have a great time.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be silly and fun, and I realise that had been Eggo’s goal all along. He’d only ever meant for us to have a blast. I’d caught him chatting with Eksteen before we got changed for the performance, and part of me wants to run over and ask what the exchange was about, but right now it’s show time.
Abs and I climb onto the stage. Spotlights burst into life and plunge the rest of the hall into complete darkness. All I can see are glittering dust motes floating around the beams like summer mozzies. Silence falls. It’s as though the volume is being dialled down.
It’s better like this, not being able to see everyone. I can’t tell if they’re pissed at me for ruining their evening, which is always a bonus.
I can’t see Eksteen either, and perhaps . . . it doesn’t even matter what he thinks. Whether this scores us the co-captaincy positions, or just makes us look like tits, the only reason I’m up here tonight wearing a tearaway suit is forhim. Eggo. Finn.
I’m doing this all for him.
They could give the skipper job to Snatch for all the fucks I give. So long as I can keep doing things that make Finn happy.
I can’t even see him, but I know he’s there, waiting in the audience. I take my position behind my keyboard and Abs steps up to the microphone.
“Welcome, everyone,” he says. If there wasn’t already silence, there is now. The last titters and whispers drift away as people give their full attention to my friend. “To the first annual Cents boys’ awards night show.”
First annual? That fucker.
