The Twist In Life

Chapter 18_ Three Fs stand for...

Harvey's house was huge, but not very extravagant. I had been there a few times before. He always invited me to his birthday parties. At first, in primary school, I used to come. But those parties always ended up in disaster. I didn't want his parents to think anything bad about me, so I stopped coming. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald were kind and loving. I used to think Harvey was adopted because he had nothing in common with them.

Harvey twisted the doorknob and pushed open the front door. I was a few feet behind him. Like the gentleman he wasn't, he didn't let me in first.

As soon as I stepped inside, I heard a terrible screech from somewhere very near me. I screamed in reply and flung myself forward.

Harvey had his back to me, and I crashed blindly into him, taking him down with me. Harvey's groan was followed by a roar of laughter from behind me.

I rolled off Harvey, my heart thumping loudly against my ribcage. I turned around and saw Jamie emerging from behind the door, with tears of laughter in his eyes.

I was still in shock, so I couldn't utter a single word. I placed my hand on my heart to placate it.

"Look at your face," Jamie laughed. "It's priceless."

I glared at him and got up from the floor, ignoring his outstretched hand.

"My heart is racing," I said, taking deep breaths.

"I know. I do have that effect on people," he said winking.

I rolled my eyes and was about to reply when Harvey groaned again.

"What's your problem?" I turned towards him and saw that he had his hand on his lower lip, which was covered with blood.

"Look what you did," I said to Jamie. He started laughing again.

"It wasn't that funny," I mumbled, feeling ashamed of my extreme reaction.

"Trust me. It was," he said, laughing again.

"Where's mom?" Harvey grumbled, getting up.

He went to sit on the sofa in the living room, and I followed.

"No one's home, it's only me," said Jamie, bringing a first aid kit.

He soaked a cotton pad in spirit and touched it to the wound. Harvey let out a howl.

"Mama's boy is crying," I teased.

"It hurts," he groaned. "And it's all your fault."

"My fault? It was Jamie who incited the chain reaction of events that led to your injury," I said indignantly.

"You can't outsmart him with that physics talk. You and solely you, are guilty for the injury," said Jamie.

"Yeah," agreed Harvey, nodding.

I flared up at once. My hands curled into fists on their own. "What about all the times you hit me?"

"I don't remember what you are talking about," he said.

"In primary school!" I exclaimed. "How could you not remember?"

"Haven't you ever heard of forgive and forget?" he asked.

I merely blinked.

"I have done the latter part. Forgotten," he said.

Before I could launch myself on him to add a bloody nose, both the boys burst into fits of laughter.

I glared at them to cover up my embarrassment. I uncurled my fists, sitting next to Harvey on the sofa.