We're Not Strangers Anymore

Chapter Eleven - Something Isn't Right

'Jamie, can you at least open a window if you're going to smoke? I don't mean to sound like a knob, and you can smoke in here if that's what you want, but my Mum will literally murder me if she gets a whiff of fags.'
Jamie frowned and pushed the bedroom window open, stubbing the cigarette on the white windowsill. Charlie sighed and raised an eyebrow.
'Cheers.'
'So, how did the big date go then?'
'Hardly a big date, was it? Come on, like a girl is ever gonna be interested in me.'
'Is that code for "it went fucking shit", then?'
'No, not really. It went well mate. Really well, in fact. I'm seeing her again in a couple of days, her parents are taking her away for the weekend. Monday is when I'll see her.'
'She said that? Dude, that's awesome, another date! Where's she jetting off to then?'
'Maldives. Just my luck, I meet a girl who I get on well with and she fucks off abroad.'
The boys laughed together for a few seconds before Jamie was brought to an abrupt halt - with a fit of physical wheezing.
'Blimey, some smokers cough you've got there.'
'Nah, smoking's well good for you. My Mum said so. That's why when my Mum found me with a pack of cigs last week, I only got the one cheek of my arse smacked rather than two. Did me quite the deal, if you think about it.'
Charlie laughed some more and then shook his head.
'Listen, I think we should talk about earlier this afternoon.'
'About what, Charlie?'
'About what I told you. You know what I'm talking about.'
Jamie glanced briefly out of the window.
'Look, I don't know what you think you saw, but I'm telling you, you're imagining things.'
'Am I though? I mean, am I really? And it definitely wasn't your Dad?'
'Definitely,' said Jamie, 'I told you this earlier.. my Dad was out.'
'And you know that for certain, do you?'
'Yes, I do. My Dad doesn't lie.'
'Jamie..' Charlie said, 'I know one thing for certain, and that's that something isn't right. I mean, something really isn't right.'
Jamie sat up.
'Wait a minute.. I think I know what you're on about. My Dad sometimes has friends come over, and it's possible that one of them was in the basement a couple of days ago.'
'What do you mean?'
'Well, neither me nor my Mum are allowed down in the basement, ever.. and it's always been that way. So it's got to be one of Dad's friends, he has a few, and they come over for a few beers every now and then.'
Charlie took the box of cigarettes in front of him, pulled one out and lit it.
'Yeah? And what do when they come over?'
'Discuss business, at least that's what my Dad says whenever I ask. Trouble is, I stopped asking a long, long time ago.'
Charlie frowned, taking another drag from his freshly lit cigarette. He was well and truly stumped.
'So, let me get this straight.. they just come over and "talk business" over a beer, for multiple hours?'
'I don't remember saying multiple hours,' Jamie said defensively, 'but yeah, that's pretty much it.'
'Something just doesn't seem right about it. The blacked out windows were enough to throw me, and I just.. I don't know. Just doesn't seem right mate.'
'Even I'm creeped out now Charlie. Will you walk me back?'
'Yeah of course, I said I would, didn't I? Come on, we best be heading off then. I'll go tell my Mum that we're off out.'
'Alright,' agreed Jamie, 'sounds good. And Charlie?'
'Yeah, mate?'
'Thank you.'