Gravity

Chapter 7 - April 2019

It was Saturday, just after five and I was standing in Joe's garden holding an umbrella over his barbecue while my friend was turning the burgers over.

It had been an unexpectedly sunny afternoon and, as all Scottish people do, we decided it was great barbecue weather after just the slightest hint of sunshine. Naturally the weather had taken a nasty turn in the blink of an eye but we were committed now and wouldn't stop.

"Will Angie not be pissed off that her umbrella's going to smell like burn now?" I asked.

"Nah. Knowing her cravings, she'll actually enjoy it," He laughed in reply. Angie was out at a friend's, leaving Joe to fend for himself. Hence the impromptu garden dinner.

"Fair enough," I shrugged before getting back on to our original topic. "So you really think I should go for it?"

"Dude I think you should one-hundred-per-cent go for it!" He cried. "Mostly because you've always wanted to get with her but also cause it would be a fucking ace story! Finally getting with the girl of your dreams after like fifteen? You can't even write that shit!"

"Evie thinks it's a bit of a stretch. Like, I don't actually know her or anything," I recalled the last time I'd brought it up when I'd visited Evelyn.

"Do you even know what type of music she likes?" She'd asked."No . . . actually remember that time in geography when she came into the class singing that random R'n'B song? What was it called again?" I asked, struggling to remember a Stacy story for the first time ever.

"How would I remember that?" Evie laughed in annoyance. "And besides it was so long ago; she was like fourteen! She's probably totally changed her music tastes. Remember when we were obsessed with Busted?"

Of course I remembered. Using hair gel to give myself a sideways Mohawk for the school picture was one of my ultimate regrets in life. God damn Busted.

"Hahahaha!" Joe cackled, interrupting my story. "Does your Ma still have that picture up in the living room?"

"Yup. Right on the wall as soon as you walk in the house," I groaned, embarrassed.

"Surely you can easily find out what music she likes? Do you nae have the radio on at work?"

"We used to but now Jerry won't let us. He's scared the news will keep going on about politics and Brexit and shit and we can't offend anyone for their political beliefs."

"Of course. Because why wouldn't he say that," Joe hissed. He hadn't met Jerry but already hated him with a passion.

"What I do know is that she really isn't into space as much as me and Evie are."

"That's because nobody on earth is! Get it? Earth? Planet joke."

"Fantastic," I nodded.

"Look, the point is you don't have to know her now. Just get to know her through work. It's not creepy. I don't get why Evie's so against it," He said, handing me a perfectly cooked burger.

"Thanks. I guess she doesn't want me to get hurt or anything but honestly I'm just so tired of playing things safe!" I yelled before putting my food in a bun and tucking in.

"You hardly play things safe. You're always doing stupid stuff."

"Let's not go there," I puffed. "Speaking of which though, you've been behaving yourself lately. You're surprisingly calm right now," I noticed.

"That's only because I'm sober to be honest," He laughed. "I only start freaking out when I have a beer. Is this what getting old is? When a chill out beer does the opposite for you?"