Girls Your Age 》fp jones

7

For the first time that week Lydia's dad was waiting in the kitchen for Lydia to come down. Rachel had yet again laid out breakfast for the girl, but knowing deep down that she wouldn't eat anything, just left out an empty bowl and a box of cereal.

"What time did you get home, mrs?" Her father spoke over his morning coffee.

"About midnight. Sorry Dad, I lost track of time." Lydia avoided eye contact as she walked over to the kitchen sink and poured herself a glass of water.

"I'm just happy you're making friends, sweetheart." He kissed the girl on the top of her head and put his empty mug in the sink. Lydia smiled. Could she even call FP a friend? She had definitely told him more about herself than she had told previous friends.

"By the way we're going over to Fred's for dinner tonight, so no dawdling home." Her father called as he shoved his feet into his work boots.

"Fred?"

"Fred Andrews my boss. He lives just across the road actually." Her father smiled and waved goodbye to her as he left the house. Lydia waited for the rumble of her dad's truck before she moved.

Picking up her denim jacket she got a whiff of smoke and cheap men's cologne. Feeling for her carton of cigarettes in the top pocket she left the house and locked the door behind her.

"I didn't know you smoked?" A cheery voice came from across the street as Lydia lit up, the tiny orange flame warming up her hands. She shoved the lighter in her pocket and blew the smoke in the direction of Betty that stood with the orange haired boy who she had forgotten the name of.

They stood waiting for the girl and Lydia huffed as she realised she had no choice but to cross the road and walk to school with them.

"Have you met my sister yet? She's in your year? Her name's Polly." Betty had been the one to break the awkward silence between them, well it certainly felt awkward to Lydia.

"I don't know. I don't really pay as much attention as I should do." Lydia shrugged. She didn't care about Betty's sister and she didn't care about school.

"Oh, well she's not in much really, she's kind of studying part time, isn't she Betty? Because she's a-" For the first time Betty remained quiet and nudged the ginger boy to shut him up.

"So what year are you guys in?" Lydia asked not really caring about listening to them answer, she just wanted the silence and the tension it carries to disappear.

"We're sophmores." Betty grinned seemingly back to her previous happy self.

Lydia thanked the heavens when she saw the school come into view, for once in her entire life, she was happy to be there.

"Mr Jones! What are you doing here?" Betty clearly shocked at the sight of the older man, but not as shocked as Lydia was.

"The boy forgot his lunch I made for him, so I just dropped it off." The man smiled and Betty and the boy with her smiled back. Lydia did not, instead she stood slightly away from them, the last of her cigarette balanced between her lips.

The bell had rang and echoed loudly through the school and out into the parking lot where they stood. Betty perked up. "Bye Mr Jones, we'll see you at lunch later Lydia." Betty looked back at the girl as she pulled the ginger with her by the arm towards the direction of their first class.

"Didn't know you had a kid." Lydia took one last drag of her cigerette and stamped the end out on the ground, in no rush to get to class.

"I have two actually. Only one lives with me though." He was leaning against his green truck, his hands stuffed in his worn out jean pockets. "Did you think I wouldn't." He chuckled deeply. "I'm certainly old enough." And for the first time Lydia saw the slight wrinkles etched into his worn skin.