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“Good to see you in one piece.”
“Yeah.”
“Listen,” she said, and I looked at her expectantly. “Why don’t you come around tomorrow, and I’ll try and get Piper down to talk to you?”
I shrugged. “It’s fine, Mrs Barlow.”
She looked me over like she didn’t believe me, but she didn’t push. “Okay. Well, the door’s open, hun. You just pop on over whenever you want. Carmen, I’ll see you later?”
Mum nodded. “And thanks again, Bree.”
Piper’s mum smiled warmly. “Any time.”
She and Mum hugged, then she waved at me again, and headed home.
“You want some coffee?” Mum asked.
I shook my head. “I’ll be in my room.”
“Oh. Okay, love.”
“Night, Mum.”
“Night.”
I headed to my room and sat in my window. I was in my room, but I wasn’t planning to sleep anytime soon. I was wired. I couldn’t stop thinking about Piper. And she was just there, across some grass and two driveways.
Her window was dark, but there were soft flashes of light. I recognised that light. She was watching a movie, or she’d fallen asleep with a movie on. I looked at the house and plotted a route from the back verandah to her window. There was a bit of roof just under it that would take my weight until she woke up. It’d be doable. I could do it. Even as drunk as I was, I could definitely make it.
But I didn’t.
She didn’t want to see me, and I didn’t want to risk her telling me it was for good. If I didn’t go over there, then she couldn’t tell me. So, I stayed in my window. I stayed in my window most of the night, and most of Sunday. Maddy was annoyed I wouldn’t play with her, but Mum made excuses for me.
It wasn’t until the wee hours of Monday morning that the sense of foreboding and panic set in. I woke before the sun rose and my heart was pounding like a fucking drum solo.
I had to do something. Anything.
If we didn’t drive to school together that morning, then I was sure we’d never be the same again. The idea she’d tell me to fuck off for good was fair less scary than the idea that we didn’t drive to school together. It made no sense, but I was beyond caring.
I was dressed and ready so quickly that there was little chance she’d even be awake yet. So, I had a full and proper breakfast and coffee with Mum even before Maddy was terrorising us. As soon as I heard Matt leaving, I knew Piper would almost be ready. If I timed it right, Bree could let me in, and Piper would have to talk to me.
I grabbed my bag and was beating Mum and Maddy out the door before they knew what was happening. Just as I got to the Barlows’ front door, Bree was opening it. When she saw me, she gave me a knowing smile, like she was proud of me.
“Morning, Roman. She’s upstairs.”
I gave her a nod and raced up the stairs. Piper was still in her room when I skidded to a stop in her door.
“Barlow–”
“Not now, okay?” she snapped, and I knew she was still pissed.
“Look, I’m sorry–”
“We don’t apologise, Lombardi. Those are the rules.”
“And when one of us is a fucking idiot and does something that needs to be apologised for?”
“That’s the whole point!” she yelled. “It’s impossible for us to do anything to the other that could possibly need an apology. I don’t expect you to be anything other than your true self with me and that’s all you’ve ever been. No apologies.”
