School Days - Chapter 10
Amy is just living her life, getting by with little of any of consequence happening. That all changes when Jake moves to town...
Sorry! I've been rubbish again...
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It was a week since Amy and Jake had had their ‘talk’ and they were both blissfully happy. They had spent the rest of the evening just talking, getting to know one another better after a phone call to Amy’s mum telling her she wouldn’t be back until later than planned.
They had spent hours talking about books, films, music, school, moving into the kitchen to grab some food and from there into a cosy living room with sumptuous sofas and toe-wriggle-inviting carpet. The décor was as amazing in every area of the house. Amy was tempted to ask for a tour, but felt a little intimidated. She was sure she would see all of the important parts sooner or later. For now, she was quite contented to wait and discover it bit by bit.
During all this time, however, Amy couldn’t help but notice one thing. For all that Jake had opened up to her earlier, he seemed reluctant to talk about his family any more now. Every time she tried to steer the conversation in that direction, he quickly changed subject or asked her a question about something she would have to consider.
Eventually, it was time for her to go home. Amy was looking forward to the car ride back with Pierce as she hoped it would give her a chance to wheedle some more information from him, so she was disappointed when another driver arrived with the car.
Still, she thought as she settled back in her seat, the same Shakespear’s Sister still in the player, it gives me some time to think before I get home and get bombarded with questions from my parents. Amy allowed her mind to play back over the past few hours. Part of her still couldn’t believe what had happened.
Jake had answered all of the questions that had been simmering away inside her since she first met him. Except, whispered a little voice in the back of her head, he didn’t. There’s still so much you don’t know… What else is he hiding?
Amy shook her head, determined not to listen to that voice…
…Well, not yet anyway. She’d give Jake some more time to get comfortable around her before pushing to hard about anything.
25 minutes later, and with no conversation between her and the driver who was apparently a lot more professional than Pierce, they pulled up in front of Amy’s house. It was almost 10, and she knew her parent’s must be beginning to worry. She was rarely out this late, and if she was it was usually at Tina or Ella’s, both of whose parents they knew.
After a quick thank you to the driver and having received a perfunctory nod in reply, Amy ran up the garden path and tried the door. It was locked. Though a little surprised, this was completely unheard of. Fishing her keys out of the back pocket of her bag, she opened the door, quietly shutting and locking it behind her again.
She was greeted by silence and darkness. Where were her parents? Normally at this time her dad at was sat watching some American drama on the TV, or her mum would be watching some documentary about ‘The Boy With No Fingernails’ or something equally ridiculous.
Frowning a little, she entered the kitchen to find it equally dark and quiet. Guessing that her parents had just got an early night she ventured upstairs planning on heading straight to bed. But as she reached the landing, she noticed that her parent’s bedroom door stood ajar.
Now thoroughly confused, Amy knocked the door lightly before venturing inside. The bed was made. Where were here parents? What was going on? She went and checked the twins’ room to find that empty too. Now starting to panic a little, she pulled her mobile phone from her pocket only to realise that the battery had died.
Exasperation now heaped on top of her nerves. She dropped her back and ran into her room, her fingers stumbling over the simple task of putting her phone on charge. She almost dropped it twice. As soon as she could she turned it on then paced her room impatiently waiting for the SIM to catch up. After a minute or so, she looked again, but there was still nothing.
Giving up on that plan, she ran downstairs and picked up the landline, frantically dialling her dad’s mobile number…
…Only to hear it ringing on the kitchen table. He really was useless sometimes. Hanging up, she quickly dialled her mother’s number. She was more hopeful this time, as she couldn’t hear any ringing in the house. Nobody picked up but, undeterred, Amy simply rang again. This time, her mother answered on the second ring.
"Amy? Amy is that you?" she questioned breathlessly.
"Yes, mum," Amy replied quickly. "Yes, it’s me. Mum, what’s going on? Where are you? Did something happen?"
Apparently ignoring all of that Amy had asked, her mum started talking again. "Oh, Amy, I’ve been so worried. We couldn’t get hold of you and then we didn’t know that James’ number or where he lived or his last name or anything."
"Jake," Amy corrected. "But what’s going on? Why have you been so worried?" The pause before the answer frightened Amy more than her mum’s ranting. "Mum?" she questioned gently.
"It’s your grandfather, Amy," she replied in a near whisper. Amy wobbled before collapsing backwards onto the stairs.
Her mum’s dad had had a series of minor heart attacks a few years previously, but had been fine for the past four. Before the twins were born, Amy’s mum worked part time in a local shop, leaving Amy to be looked after by her grandparents. Though her grandmother was rather strict, Amy had developed and maintained an incredibly close relationship with her grandfather. Though she no longer had as much free time to visit them, she still enjoyed doing so immensely.
"What happened?" Amy croaked, amazed that her voice was working at all. "Another heart attack? He’s got over them before, I’m sure he’ll be fine," gabbled Amy, desperate that the situation wasn’t as dire her mother’s tone implied.
When she answered, Amy could hear the tears in her mum’s voice. "He... He had… He had a stroke, Amy. He had a stroke and fell down the stairs." Her mother’s voice broke at this point, and she started crying hysterically. Amy heard what sounded like her dad’s voice in the background, trying to sooth his wife. The phone was put down on a hard surface and retrieved a second later.
"Amy?" Her dad’s voice was a lot calmer. "Are you okay, honey?"
Amy nodded before realising that this was no use. "Yes," she croaked.
"You’re lucky when you called when you did. Your mum only just turned her mobile back on. We haven’t been allowed to have it on on the ward." The level, familiar tones of her dad’s voice was helping to calm Amy a little. "I’m going to come and pick you up, bring you here."
"No," said Amy strongly. "You can’t leave mum on her own. I’ll work out a way to get there on my own."
There was a slight hesitation before he answered. "Call Tina. Ask her dad to give you a lift. He’ll understand. We called them before to see if they had Jake’s number."
Amy nodded resolutely. "Okay. I’ll see you soon dad."
"See you soon sweetie."
She hung up and immediately dialled Tina’s number. Tina’s mum picked up.
"Mr. Graham? It’s Amy. I’ve got a favour to ask you."
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It was a week since Amy and Jake had had their ‘talk’ and they were both blissfully happy. They had spent the rest of the evening just talking, getting to know one another better after a phone call to Amy’s mum telling her she wouldn’t be back until later than planned.
They had spent hours talking about books, films, music, school, moving into the kitchen to grab some food and from there into a cosy living room with sumptuous sofas and toe-wriggle-inviting carpet. The décor was as amazing in every area of the house. Amy was tempted to ask for a tour, but felt a little intimidated. She was sure she would see all of the important parts sooner or later. For now, she was quite contented to wait and discover it bit by bit.
During all this time, however, Amy couldn’t help but notice one thing. For all that Jake had opened up to her earlier, he seemed reluctant to talk about his family any more now. Every time she tried to steer the conversation in that direction, he quickly changed subject or asked her a question about something she would have to consider.
Eventually, it was time for her to go home. Amy was looking forward to the car ride back with Pierce as she hoped it would give her a chance to wheedle some more information from him, so she was disappointed when another driver arrived with the car.
Still, she thought as she settled back in her seat, the same Shakespear’s Sister still in the player, it gives me some time to think before I get home and get bombarded with questions from my parents. Amy allowed her mind to play back over the past few hours. Part of her still couldn’t believe what had happened.
Jake had answered all of the questions that had been simmering away inside her since she first met him. Except, whispered a little voice in the back of her head, he didn’t. There’s still so much you don’t know… What else is he hiding?
Amy shook her head, determined not to listen to that voice…
…Well, not yet anyway. She’d give Jake some more time to get comfortable around her before pushing to hard about anything.
25 minutes later, and with no conversation between her and the driver who was apparently a lot more professional than Pierce, they pulled up in front of Amy’s house. It was almost 10, and she knew her parent’s must be beginning to worry. She was rarely out this late, and if she was it was usually at Tina or Ella’s, both of whose parents they knew.
After a quick thank you to the driver and having received a perfunctory nod in reply, Amy ran up the garden path and tried the door. It was locked. Though a little surprised, this was completely unheard of. Fishing her keys out of the back pocket of her bag, she opened the door, quietly shutting and locking it behind her again.
She was greeted by silence and darkness. Where were her parents? Normally at this time her dad at was sat watching some American drama on the TV, or her mum would be watching some documentary about ‘The Boy With No Fingernails’ or something equally ridiculous.
Frowning a little, she entered the kitchen to find it equally dark and quiet. Guessing that her parents had just got an early night she ventured upstairs planning on heading straight to bed. But as she reached the landing, she noticed that her parent’s bedroom door stood ajar.
Now thoroughly confused, Amy knocked the door lightly before venturing inside. The bed was made. Where were here parents? What was going on? She went and checked the twins’ room to find that empty too. Now starting to panic a little, she pulled her mobile phone from her pocket only to realise that the battery had died.
Exasperation now heaped on top of her nerves. She dropped her back and ran into her room, her fingers stumbling over the simple task of putting her phone on charge. She almost dropped it twice. As soon as she could she turned it on then paced her room impatiently waiting for the SIM to catch up. After a minute or so, she looked again, but there was still nothing.
Giving up on that plan, she ran downstairs and picked up the landline, frantically dialling her dad’s mobile number…
…Only to hear it ringing on the kitchen table. He really was useless sometimes. Hanging up, she quickly dialled her mother’s number. She was more hopeful this time, as she couldn’t hear any ringing in the house. Nobody picked up but, undeterred, Amy simply rang again. This time, her mother answered on the second ring.
"Amy? Amy is that you?" she questioned breathlessly.
"Yes, mum," Amy replied quickly. "Yes, it’s me. Mum, what’s going on? Where are you? Did something happen?"
Apparently ignoring all of that Amy had asked, her mum started talking again. "Oh, Amy, I’ve been so worried. We couldn’t get hold of you and then we didn’t know that James’ number or where he lived or his last name or anything."
"Jake," Amy corrected. "But what’s going on? Why have you been so worried?" The pause before the answer frightened Amy more than her mum’s ranting. "Mum?" she questioned gently.
"It’s your grandfather, Amy," she replied in a near whisper. Amy wobbled before collapsing backwards onto the stairs.
Her mum’s dad had had a series of minor heart attacks a few years previously, but had been fine for the past four. Before the twins were born, Amy’s mum worked part time in a local shop, leaving Amy to be looked after by her grandparents. Though her grandmother was rather strict, Amy had developed and maintained an incredibly close relationship with her grandfather. Though she no longer had as much free time to visit them, she still enjoyed doing so immensely.
"What happened?" Amy croaked, amazed that her voice was working at all. "Another heart attack? He’s got over them before, I’m sure he’ll be fine," gabbled Amy, desperate that the situation wasn’t as dire her mother’s tone implied.
When she answered, Amy could hear the tears in her mum’s voice. "He... He had… He had a stroke, Amy. He had a stroke and fell down the stairs." Her mother’s voice broke at this point, and she started crying hysterically. Amy heard what sounded like her dad’s voice in the background, trying to sooth his wife. The phone was put down on a hard surface and retrieved a second later.
"Amy?" Her dad’s voice was a lot calmer. "Are you okay, honey?"
Amy nodded before realising that this was no use. "Yes," she croaked.
"You’re lucky when you called when you did. Your mum only just turned her mobile back on. We haven’t been allowed to have it on on the ward." The level, familiar tones of her dad’s voice was helping to calm Amy a little. "I’m going to come and pick you up, bring you here."
"No," said Amy strongly. "You can’t leave mum on her own. I’ll work out a way to get there on my own."
There was a slight hesitation before he answered. "Call Tina. Ask her dad to give you a lift. He’ll understand. We called them before to see if they had Jake’s number."
Amy nodded resolutely. "Okay. I’ll see you soon dad."
"See you soon sweetie."
She hung up and immediately dialled Tina’s number. Tina’s mum picked up.
"Mr. Graham? It’s Amy. I’ve got a favour to ask you."
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