How To Stop Smoking

She can't even spell suspicions

 

Chapter Fifteen

Rob

"Man, I can't believe Olympia got me a job with her dad," El was practically bouncing off the walls in excitement, he had been for the week since I told him.

"Really? I'm sure you've told me one or two or three hundred times." I teased, El scowled and punched me in the arm.

"That was unnecessary." I muttered, rubbing the spot on my arm.

"I'm just really excited, like you know how hard it is to get these kinds of jobs?  Her dad's restaurants are world renowned, people would be desperate to hire me."

It was times like this when I remembered about El's dramatic flair, times when he judged which pair of black trousers to wear for his first day at the restaurant by which ones made his bum look better. As soon as El realised i had no idea what he was talking about he gave up asking and just bought a pair.

"Where's Joey?" I asked him, I hadn't spent much time with him since he rejected the invitation to meet up with Olympia and Kat.

El faltered, and looked at me out of the corner of his eye before replying, "He's er, busy."

"Busy with what?" He seemed uncomfortable, El never was a good liar.

"Homework." I raised an eyebrow.

"So that's what you're going with? Homework?" 

El shrugged, "Apparently, there's a first time for everything."

"I'm off to go see him, find out what his problem is."

"Rob." El demanded, stepping in front of me, blocking my only exit, "just leave him be, you know he's like, you've got a girlfriend and he's not happy about it."

I stopped, "this is about Olympia?"

El sighed and put his head back, "oh fuck, I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

"Tell me what? Spill. Now."

With a sigh El ran a hand through his hair, "Just go talk to him yourself."

Pushing past him, I hurtled out of the door and out of his house, once on my bike I forced myself to calm down. Riding a motorbike in this state is a terrible idea no matter how mad I am.

When I was significantly calmer, though still pretty pissed, I set off. Joey lived the furthest away out of all of us but it took next to no time on my bike. The route to Joey's house was engrained into my brain, I'd travelled it often enough. We'd been friends for so long that for him to suddenly leave my life with no explanation was uncalled for.

Soon I was pulling into the big Tudor house that Joey called home, boasting five bedrooms and a big garden, as well as rooms big enough for great parties. The driveway had Joey's Land Rover parked next to a red Mini I'd never seen before. Joey's mum and step-dad had prevented him from driving his car again until he earned enough money to pay back the repairs from his latest accident.

He'd driven straight into their driveway gate because he forgot it wasn't automatic.

I parked the bike and went to the front door, as I lifted my hand to knock the door opened. Melody appeared, eye make-up smudged and pulling a t-shirt over a pink bra. She rushed past me and got into the Mini, starting it up and driving away.