Where I Was Before You

36. the invisible man

It was very dark. Darker then it should have been for a summer night. Thank goodness Kaleb found me, I would be scared out of my mind if I had to walk out here alone. Well, alone with an emotionally incapacitated Mandy. It would be terrifying. I suddenly have a huge amount of gratitude for Kaleb and the fact that he's here with me. I want to thank him, but when I look back up at him, I can see he's thinking really hard about something, and decide to thank him later.

The quiet is so peaceful, in a slightly threatening sort of way. Like how you feel hanging out at a park after you've snuck out at midnight with your friends. A type of juvenile ecstasy. I breathe and just try to enjoy it. Forgetting about this weird and crazy situation for a couple of blissful seconds.

"What do you think happened? To Mandy, I mean." Kaleb asks. I didn't really know how to respond, anything could have happened. I didn't really question the fact that Mandy was crying at first, I just wanted to get her out of the club. But she looked like she was in so much pain...

"I'm not sure... whatever happened, it's gotta be something big. I've never seen her this upset." Kaleb's eyes fixed on the sidewalk, almost as if he didn't really hear my response. We turned the first corner, and I could see the street sign for Parsons Street.

"They really love each other, don't they?" He asked. And I was thrown off guard. Yeah, they cared for each other, that was obvious enough.

"I mean, they care about each other, sure," I reply.

"No, I mean they actually love each other. It's crazy, how I see Jordan move with Mandy, and her not even realise what's going on. He can't take his eyes off of her. Not even when we were dancing." I think about it for a second. I had to admit, even I joked about them being a married couple. But I never really thought it as more than a close friendship. Even when Mandy was sitting on his knee, and when he then picked her up and onto his lap at the club.. when there were other seats around.. when he would whisper into her ear, and tease her, tug on her waist, kiss her neck, when she would rest her head on his shoulder.. Oh god, he did love her, she loved him. They were way beyond close friends.

"Oh god.. you're right.."

"I mean, I was upset when he rejected me earlier, but I'm not even mad now. It's so obvious.. it's almost deafening how loud their attraction is." Jesus... oh, excuse my language. I don't really like to use religious related vocabulary. I don't want anyone to feel like the odd one out. But my goodness, it was quite intense. I could see the fear in Mandy's eyes, not even just because of this whole experience, but whenever she looked at Freddie in general. There was a sense of terror like she knew that soon she was going to say something or do something to mess it all up. Was that.. was that what this was? Had she finally done something that messed up their whole 'relationship'?

"And it's ridiculous! Because neither of them seems to have a clue!" Kaleb carries on.

We are approaching Parsons street and begin to turn. "It's frustrating.." Kaleb chuckles, and I just smile.

"They'll work it out, young love has no limits and crosses boundaries we can't understand," I say this.. knowing full well that whatever they have, is bound to crash and burn. If Freddie needed to go back home, and he obviously did, Mandy couldn't just go with him. She had a life here, a family, a job, an aspiration, although the last one might need some help, she still has it!

"Yeah, I hope you're right.." We start walking down Parsons Street, and I feel like the night has aged 5 hours just turning this corner. It was so dark, so dingy, but a little more welcoming than the previous streets. I let down my guard a little, knowing the chance of me getting stabbed here was a little bit lower.