HeartBreaker | Book 1

Buddy

Chapter Six

Buddy

I sit on the bus flicking through the pages of the program I'm on my way to.

I don't know why I'm going, it's a complete waste of my somewhat worthless time, but I want to prove to Janine that it is.

And what better way to show that then to show up, sit through it and leave? If she shows up at my apartment again, I can just say that it wasn't for me and I see no point in it, at least I would've given it a shot.

I arrive at the community centre, surprisingly the seats aren't setup in a circular ring like I thought it would be, but it was arranged how a school assembly hall would.

A stage in the front and rows of seats behind.

I take a seat in the very last row and pull my hood down as I pat my messy hair. The room is semi full of tired looking adolescence, no sign of the people who I suppose are co-ordinating this event.

I put my headphones in and zone out as more people start to arrive, it takes my mind off the hope in their eyes.

A little while later I spot Janine walking along the aisle with a few people dressed similarly to her. Neat and tidy.

There's a man who I assume is the 'big boss' yet he's dressed more casual then his team. He approaches the front of the stage and begins to talk, I stop my music and listen.

He looks relatively young, early 30's perhaps, but his thinning hair says otherwise.

"Good afternoon guys, my name is Andrew and my team and I are responsible for the wellbeing of youth in Melbourne city. I'm so glad that so many of you were able to come. Let's skip all the small talk and get right into the activities shall we?"

Oh thank God for that. Andrew cleared the stage and introduced another lady who spoke about the 'buddy program' and what it hopes to achieve and some other things that I can't remember. Boy, this is putting me to sleep.

All of a sudden people started moving, they are holding small white cards walking in every direction as if searching for something. I must've fallen asleep with my eyes open or whatnot, because clearly I've missed something.

I feel like I'm back at high-school. I sort of get the impression that they are looking for their 'buddies,' their partners for this godforsaken program. I decide to sit and wait it out; wait for my partner to come to me.

I wait for a bit, everyone has a partner they're sitting behind making small talk I presume, everyone except me. Maybe I wasn't assigned a partner? In that case, I'm going home.

I decide to march up to Janine to give her the terrible news.

"Chris! Glad you could make it,"

"Yeah, look, I haven't got a 'buddy' so I'll just be on my way."

She steps back, "don't be silly, of course you have a buddy," she looks through her sheets of paper, "aha," she hands me a small white card with a name on it.

"Desirae Wiley?" I ask confused, "yeah, Des isn't here yet, but I'm sure she'll turn up soon."

This is not the outcome I expected. I plaster a fake smile on my face and walk back to my seat. Not only can't I go home, but I have to sit here and wait for my so called 'buddy' who is also running 34 minutes late. That's it, the universe is out to get me. 

The program is scheduled to end in 5 minutes and there's still no sign from my 'buddy.' I hate calling them that.

In a way, it's a blessing, this is the last time I'm ever talked into a program as cheesy as this.

When everyone and their buddies have cleared and it's only me and the social workers, Janine sadly gives me permission to go.

I don't know if she'd heartbroken because I've proven her wrong, or if she knows she'll never convince me of anything again.

Just when I gather my things to leave the doors fling open, meaning only one thing; the arrival of my 'buddy.'

I cringe, I was so close to never coming here again.

"There you are Des," breathes Janine, clearly annoyed.

When I turn around to finally see my buddy, all the air in my lungs is sucked out of my body.

Desirae Wiley is the girl I saw at King's Street that day, Desirae Wiley is the girl that I can't stop thinking about.