Loose Ends

7 - It's a possibility

Same day 12:55

"Any luck finding him?"

Mia shook her head. "I've looked in all the usually places but he just doesn't want to show himself."

"What if he's gone to find Amy or Jerome?" Chris said. "We should look for them."

Mia grunted, not wanting to talk to Amy and her bitchy attitude but she feared if Tom would do something stupid, like get into a fight with Jerome then she had to stop it.

The canteen at this time was semi packed with students just hanging around and not really eating. Mia didn't find it difficult to find Amy. She sat on the table, her legs glowing orange with fake tan swung like a beacon on the table ledge. Mia sucked in her teeth and marched over.

Amy checked her watch for the final time, gathered her handbag and sunglasses.

"Hey wait up!"

Amy turned her head and her candy smitten face morphed to pure irritation.

"Are you seriously talking to me?"

Her sharp eyebrow rose. "I'm actually looking for Jerome."

Amy scoffed, her sunglasses resting on her russet hair. "And what do you want with him?"

Mia wanted to tell the truth, but she didn't want to give Amy ammunition.

"You know its Tom's funeral this Friday?" Chris stated.

Her irritation moved away and a new emotion formed; her eyes shielded wet and her several blinks try to keep them at bay.

"Are you going?"

"Of course I'm going," Amy taunted. "Although I don't know who would ever invite you?"

"It's open to all staff and students," Mia remarked. "Look I really don't want to chat to you. Just tell me where Jerome is?"

Suddenly Amy yelped, jumping, turned to wrap her hands around a lanky guy. He spun her once before noticing a girl, hands on hips and an upturn nose.

"Mia," Jerome noted, placing Amy to his side, placing his hand on her lower hip and the other scratching his shoulder blade. "What's up?"

"Did you say anything to Tom before he died?"

He glanced down at Amy, letting go and stood closer to Mia. His cocky smirking face turned sharp, shifted, as if something hidden came to the surface.

"We spoke. We were mates."

"What about?" Chris asked.

"Look," Amy interrupted, wrapping her arm around Jerome and pointing the other at Mia. "Whatever happened is none of your business?"

"So something did happen?" Mia countered. "I saw you and Tom arguing at the library."

"So? Every couple argues. You wouldn't know Mia. You've never had a boyfriend."

Chris stepped forward, wanting to hit her but Jerome yanked her back.

"Hey that's a bit harsh. I've got nothing to hide." She opened her pink lips to protest but he ignored her. "What do you want to know?"

Chris stared at Jerome. "What were you guys arguing about?"

Jerome eyed Amy and then turning to Mia. "Amy broke up with Tom because she wanted to be with me. Not that she told him. He guessed it and came storming after me."

Mia's lips tightened and her judgemental eyes bore at the two. "And then."

"He confronted me and demanded to know the truth."

"And that's that," Amy interjected.

"Something doesn't sound right," argued Mia; her eyes squinted side to side at the guilty persons. "How did he end up on the roof?"

Jerome gulped. "How would I know?"

"I tried talking to him," Amy began. "But he ran away from me. I chased him to the roof and he was livid."

"What did you expect?" Mia growled. "He's girlfriend dumped him for his friend."

"Did you push Tom?" Chris accused, his voice rising.

"What NO!" Amy's arm rose in disbelief. "I tried to stop him. Told him to calm down but he just told me to screw myself and then I left him."

"You left Tom, angry and on the roof." Mia glared at het two. "You are unbelievable. Come on Chris." She walked away from them.

"What would you have me do?" Amy shouted.

Mia turned from the doorway. "Well not leave him for a start." Without glancing she ran outside, Chris chasing after her.

Same day 13:20

Tom's eyes never left the spot where he fell to his death. He sat under tree opposite the library, away from the sun, although the sun didn't bother him. He just wanted to sit and think long and hard about a memory he couldn't recall.

He tried to put the pieces in his mind. Cassie said he fought with Amy about some guy and Chris mentioning Jerome, it made major sense what could have happened. Maybe Jerome pushed him, maybe Amy did? What if he accidently fell or worse decided to jump?

"No," he said aloud, convincing himself. "I ain't the type to commit suicide over some chick."

But she wasn't 'some chick'. She was Amy Stewart and his girlfriend for two years, on and off but she was his. Sure couples fought but she wanted to break up with him.

For who? Jerome Dale?

They were buddies. They always paired up in P.E or any other subject. He and Jerome would pick on the boffins sitting at the front by crunching paper balls and lobbing at the white board. Sports were their domain and when they teamed up, no one could beat them. The unstoppable duo.

And now all of this just changed. When did Jerome start seeing Amy? Did they ever hook up? Behind his back?

He turned to the side and saw Mia run out. She stopped outside the library, hands on her knees, panting with sweat trickling down her neck, to her chest. He hadn't noticed Mia like that. Peers since high school, he'd annoy her just to get a kick out of it. He liked winding her up. A day without that and he'd feel slightly unbalanced.

He also noticed Mia change from an unattractive brace case, frizzy hair girl to a pretty and brainy young woman. Still when she did transform from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan and had unyielding confidence, Tom was there to remind her of her past bookish ways.

When they left high school and arrived at college Tom was relieved to see Mia in his form class and he vowed he would have at least one common subject. After all her brainy thinking would be his advantage.

Only after his death did he discover that Mia Sparrow was the only girl to have truly known him. He never opened up about his family, not even to Jerome or Amy, but telling Mia felt so easy.

"Tom!" Mia yelled, stretching her head up, cupping her mouth.

"That's it," he finally confessed. It wasn't Amy or Jerome, it was Mia. She was his unfinished business. He couldn't care now about how he died. He was dead now and nothing could change that. He needed to tell her something and he wasn't afraid to put a label on it.

He glanced at his hands, only to find them fading slightly, like turning into the invisible man. He stood up and walked a few paces, before buckling over upturned gravel. He reached out to Mia who looked back suddenly.

"Tom. Are you there?"