26

A blast of cold air wafted into the kitchen as Jamie swung the front door open. He had a terrible habit of leaving it ajar while he peeled off his jacket and kicked off his shoes, always taking his sweet time. The rest of the house was left to suffer the icy draft until, as an afterthought, he’d finally close it. Tonight was no exception.

“You’re letting all the heat out!” Mum shouted from the living room, her voice sharp but familiar. It was one of her favorite sayings, practically a family catchphrase by now.

“Sorry,” Jamie called back, not sounding particularly sorry at all. He rolled his eyes as he trudged into the kitchen and slumped into the chair opposite Alice. His sharp gaze immediately landed on her cup of tea. “Have you just boiled the kettle?” he asked casually, though the implication was clear.

Alice suppressed a groan. In their house, that was code for Make me a drink. She didn’t mind doing it on most days—it was easier than enduring Jamie’s endless hinting. Tonight, though, she had an ulterior motive. If she played her cards right, she might finally get some information out of him.

“Fine,” she said with exaggerated exasperation, standing to make his tea. She grabbed his favorite china cup from the cupboard, the one with the faded floral design, and dropped in a tea bag. Two sugars, no milk—just how he liked it.

As she prepared the drink, she casually tossed out her first question. “So… you’re hanging out in the park now?” She wrinkled her nose, feigning disapproval. “I didn’t think you’d be into that place.”

Jamie scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “Honestly, I hate that dump. It smells like piss, and there’s always weirdos lurking about. But Adam likes it, so…” He shrugged, trailing off as if that explained everything.

Alice slid his tea across the table and took a seat, her curiosity piqued. “Why does Adam like it so much?”

Jamie rolled his eyes again, this time more dramatically. “It’s convenient for his ‘customers,’” he said, making air quotes with his fingers. “It’s secluded, you know? Less likely to get caught.”

Alice’s heart gave an uncomfortable jolt. She’d known about Adam’s dealings for a while now, but hearing Jamie say it so plainly made it feel… dirtier. She forced herself to sound indifferent. “Do many kids from your school hang out there?”

Jamie snorted. “No, Alice. Crackheads hang out there. Most people have better things to do, like chill in the town center or go home.”

“You don’t sound thrilled about it,” she observed, watching him closely.

Jamie let out a long sigh. “I’m not, really. I mean, it’s fine, but I wish that lot would listen to me once in a while. I’ve suggested loads of better places to hang out, but Adam…” He shook his head, exasperated. “He’s so bossy. Everything has to go his way.”

He sure is, Alice thought, though she kept that to herself. Instead, she said, “He has that stereotypical alpha male vibe.”

Jamie blinked at her, tilting his head. “He does? What makes you say that?”

Alice froze. Brilliant, now he’s suspicious. She scrambled to sound casual. “Oh, you know… it’s just the way he acts. Always walking in front, telling everyone what to do. That angry look he has all the time. He’s confident, I guess.”

Jamie stared at her for a moment, then his lips curled into a smirk. “Oh my God. Are you completely obsessed with him or what?”

“What? No!” Alice cried, her cheeks flushing an unmistakable red. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve just… noticed him about.”

“Noticed him about? What, through binoculars?” Jamie teased, laughing. “You know this is the same guy who used to make my life hell, right?”

“That was Ste,” Alice argued weakly, though she knew it wasn’t the whole truth.

Jamie raised an eyebrow. “Really, Alice? You can’t do better than my school’s drug-dealing bully?”

“I don’t like him!” she insisted, but her voice lacked conviction.

“Plenty of girls do,” Jamie said with a shrug, sipping his tea. He made a loud slurping noise, as he always did with hot drinks. Alice resisted the urge to wince.

“Well, not me,” she said firmly. “As if I’d ever go for someone like him.”

Jamie chuckled. “Yeah, it’d be pretty shitty if you did.”

Alice stiffened, biting back the retort that rose in her throat. I’m only in this mess because I wanted to help you, she thought bitterly. How dare you judge me after what I’ve done for you.

“I’m not even sure if Adam’s into girls,” Jamie mused, interrupting her thoughts. “He never has a girlfriend. More of a shag ’em and dump ’em kind of guy.”

Alice shrugged, pretending not to care. Inside, her emotions churned. The news was a mixed bag: he didn’t have a girlfriend, but he wasn’t exactly relationship material either.

“There is something about him, though, isn’t there?” Jamie continued, slurping his tea again. “I mean, even I can see it.”

“Please don’t tell me he’s your type,” Alice said, half-joking, though she couldn’t hide the flicker of panic in her voice.

Jamie shrugged. “I don’t really have a type.”

They chatted for a while longer, drifting into lighter topics. Jamie told her about how he’d “sorted out” Ste, grinning with pride as he described how the former bully was now eating out of his hand. Alice smiled, but guilt tugged at her. Ste was awful, sure, but he’d had a rough upbringing. It wasn’t easy to feel entirely good about his downfall.

When they finally said goodnight, Alice went to bed feeling restless. Her mind swirled with questions she couldn’t answer, and even after hours of tossing and turning, sleep didn’t come easily.

The next morning, she woke with bleary eyes and a pounding headache. Groaning, she dragged herself out of bed, barely managing to pull on a warm jumper and her least-unflattering jeans. There was no time for breakfast—or much of anything, really—so she grabbed her makeup bag and rushed out the door, planning to apply it on the bus.

As she jogged to the stop, the crisp morning air biting at her cheeks, a voice called out behind her.

“Hey.”

She squinted against the harsh sunlight, raising a hand to shield her eyes. The figure standing by the bus shelter was tall, his dark hair catching the light in a way that made her stomach twist.

It was Adam.

What on Earth is he doing here?