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The chickens had scattered when she neared them, she’d heard the cockerel crowing from near the barn. She remembered knocking so hard she had to shake the pain out of her knuckles afterwards. She’d seen the tatty lace curtain at the downstairs window shift a little, knew there was someone behind it but no one came to the door. She stood back, called Denny’s name up at his window. Twice, three times.She opened her mouth for the fourth and then the door gave and there he was.
She’d asked him, ‘What’s up?’ because he didn’t look himself.
‘Nowt,’ he said.
‘You’ve been crying.’ His eyes were swollen and pink.
‘I haven’t.’
‘Are you all right?’ She stepped forward, he stepped back.
‘You shouldn’t be here.’
‘Well I am. And you should be on your way to the camp with me so we’re both in the wrong spot then, aren’t we?’
‘I’m not coming.’
‘Why?’ Wheedling disappointment.
‘I’m just not. It’s… not right any more.’
‘What isn’t?’
‘The three of us. It’s you two and me now, it’s not the same.’
She remembered feeling the sting of that. She and Jonah didn’t roll around snogging in front of him. When the three of them were together, they were the mates they’d always been.
‘It is the same, Denny, don’t be such a dick. But it won’t be the same if you don’t come. I’ve brought far too many burgers for just two people.’ She tried another tack and added, ‘Birds Eye – your favourite.’
She saw him pause, think, scratch his neck, he wanted to come, she could tell. She knew him inside out.
‘No. I can’t. I’m busy.’
‘Doing what?’ a cross note in her voice.
‘It’s none of your business.’
‘I’m not leaving without you.’
‘You’ll have to, because I’m not coming, I’ve just said, haven’t I?’
Her hands on her hips. ‘Why are you talking to me like that?’
That twitch of the curtain again. It annoyed her for some reason. He lived with oddballs and she didn’t want him to become one as well. She would not let that happen.
‘Get your tent and stop being weird. Whatever’s up, we can talk about it around a fire with some grub.’ She picked the ‘weird’ word deliberately, knowing it would needle him, snap him to his senses.
‘No, just get lost.’ Tears dropping down his face. She hadn’t meant to upset him.
‘Den—’
‘Are you DEAF?’
‘No I’m not deaf, actually. And I’m not moving either. I’ll stay here until your grandad turns up then, shall I?’
He strode towards her, pushed her back hard.
‘Denny!’
