Thomas~1

It was already warm out, the kind of early heat that made the pavement smell like sunburnt concrete. Tess adjusted the strap of the tote bag digging into her shoulder as she and Michelle made their way down the street toward the milk bar. Michelle was mid-rant, naturally.

"So Maxxie's doing pirouettes in the middle of the park again," Michelle said, waving her hands. "Dragged Jal into it too, she almost lost it. Threatened to whack him with her flute.

Tess snorted. "Maxxie still doing the whole dance thing?"

"Of course, It's Maxxie!" Michelle said. "He's gonna be famous one day."

They walked for a beat in lazy silence, Tess dragging her shoes a little. Michelle sighed loud enough to be performative.

"Paul's doing my head in," she declared. "He's always trailing behind me, trying to be my best mate. And the gnomes? They're multiplying, Tess."

"I hate the gnomes," Tess muttered in disgust. "They're almost worse than Malcolm's animal statues."

"Honestly, as much as I hated Malcolm, at least he didn't even bother with us." Michelle agreed

"What is it with Mum and men with bizarre statue obsessions?" Tess asked

Michelle snorted, nodding in agreement. "And then there was Ted. You know, I thought I liked him at first, but after a while, he just gave me the creeps. The way he acted around Scarlett? I mean, she's was 20 years old and acting like a fucking toddler."

"Don't remind me. They were too Incest-y for me." Tess made a disgusted face. "Hang on, didn't she like crash your birthday last year?"

Michelle's face darkened. "Worst. Day. Ever. Anwar brought that stalker girl who tried to poison me, Chris forgot to tie the tents down, and that bitch hit on Sid. Sid, Tess!"

"You're definitely over it," Tess deadpanned.

Michelle rolled her eyes but cracked a smile. "Shut up."

Their laughter faded into another stretch of silence. Tess fiddled with the hem of her top, her expression shifting.

"Speaking of people doing my head in—Katie's been a nightmare."

Michelle tilted her head. "What now?"

Tess let out a breath. "It's this whole thing with Emily and Naomi. Katie keeps making these comments, y'know, the type that are aimed at Naomi being a lesbian, which she says she's not. I tried talking to Emily about it all, but she's shut down and won't even tell me."

Michelle frowned. "Did something happen between them, or is Katie just being Katie?"

"No one really knows," Tess shrugged. "There was a kiss, I think? But now Naomi's acting like it didn't mean anything...I can tell it meant something to Ems though."

"She should just tell Katie to mind her own fucking business" Michelle said.

Tess groaned, "I did! But I know she probably won't. It's just getting annoying that's all, just listening to Katie rant about Naomi or trying to push this weird friendship with Effy."

"Wait—Katie and Effy?" Michelle said suddenly. "I mean, I know her. She doesn't exactly do friendships and no offence, definitely not with someone like Katie"

"Yeah, Katie's got it in her head they're gonna be best friends or something. It's bizarre."

Michelle smirked, clearly amused. "I'm so glad I don't have to deal with college drama anymore."

Tess huffed, kicking a rock in front of her, "Lucky. Katie keeps dragging me into things like I'm meant to referee, Emily's withdrawn, Effy barely speaks and Cook won't give up trying to piss me off!"

Michelle raised an eyebrow. "You've been mentioning him a lot."

Tess rolled her eyes, but her face flushed slightly. "He's just—annoying. Always thinking with his dick, trying to sleep with everyone in sight. It's ridiculous."

"Sure. And that's definitely not jealousy."

Tess flushed. "Piss off. He's not my type."

Michelle smirked but didn't push it. "Just saying. You rant about your friends more than anyone I know."

"They drive me mad," Tess admitted. "But they're my mates."

-------

The sisters entered the small, slightly dingy shop— the familiar musty smell hitting them immediately. Tess had practically grown up in the place. Sure, the shelves were filled with snacks that were probably past their use by, but it still gave her a sense of comfort in a weird nostalgic way.

"You get the bread. I'll sort snacks," Michelle said, already veering off toward the crisps.

Tess rolled her eyes. "I swear if you get those cheese and onion monstrosities again Chelle!"

Tess wandered toward the back, eyeing the suspiciously dusty loaves, when a loud crash sounded near the front of the shop.

"Oi! What did I tell you last time, eh?" the owner barked, brandishing a cricket bat. "Put it back or I'm calling the bloody cops!"

Tess snickered to herself, glancing over to see the shopkeeper scolding the boys. She wandered back to find Michelle still deliberating over snacks.

"Hurry up, would you?" Tess muttered, half-listening to the chaos near the counter.

"Cunt is a very bad word. Even in England, I think. Yes? What are they calling you? Is that bad?"

Tess turned, catching sight of someone new, —same age as her maybe, wearing three layers of clothes like he was expecting snow, with powdered sugar on his sleeve and a confused frown on his face as he calmly chastised the shoplifters.

Michelle smirked. "Impressive."

After the situation calmed down, Michelle tossed her chosen snacks onto the counter, paid, and the two of them stepped back into the bright sunlight. Just as they were about to head home, the boy from earlier approached them with a big smile on his face.

"Hello! I'm Thomas. So glad to meet you," he said cheerfully, holding out a hand still smudged with icing sugar.

Michelle hesitated for half a second, then shook it. "Michelle. Uh—hi."

Tess narrowed her eyes, shaking his hand a little more cautiously. "Tess. You alright? You look a bit um...rugged up."

"It is very cold here compared to my country," Thomas said, shivering slightly but still smiling.

"Oh yeah? Where you from?" Tess asked.

" I arrived yesterday from Africa," he said proudly, like he was still letting the words settle.

"Well, welcome," Michelle said, offering a friendly nod, clearly unsure how else to respond. "Maybe we'll see you around?"

Thomas grinned again and waved as they turned to go, still standing there like he hadn't quite worked out what came next.

Once they were out of earshot, Tess glanced back. He was still waving.

"That was... different," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Michelle grinned. "But he was kind of sweet. Like an actual gentleman."

"Bit odd though," Tess muttered, though a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

----

A couple of days later, Tess found herself dragging her feet to school, her bag slung lazily over her shoulder. The chilly morning air nipped at her cheeks as she strolled down the familiar streets. She caught sight of Emily a block ahead, walking alone. Picking up her pace, Tess caught up with her, falling into step beside her.

"Hey, Ems," Tess greeted, adjusting her bag. "Where's Katie?"

Emily glanced at Tess with a small smile. "She's getting a lift from Danny today."

Tess made a face, her dislike for Danny evident. "Ugh, of course she is. I can't stand that guy...Or his yellow car."

Emily's smile faltered, her gaze lowering to the ground. "God I know. He's... he's been around a lot lately."

"And by 'around,' you mean stuck to Katie like glue," Tess added, rolling her eyes. "How do you deal with it? He's such a knob."

Emily shrugged, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "I just ignore him. Katie's all over him, but... I dunno. He doesn't bother me as much as he used to. It's easier to just let her have her thing, y'know?"

Tess frowned, kicking a stray pebble along the pavement. "Still, it's shit that you're stuck with him so much. He's always giving other girls those sleazy looks. Makes me wanna throw up."

"Yeah," Emily murmured, her voice quiet. "But he's a footballer what did she expect?"

They walked in silence for a moment, the air thick with the weight of unspoken thoughts. Tess shot Emily a sidelong glance, biting her lip before speaking again.

"So... where'd you go after Cook's birthday the other night? You kinda disappeared," Tess asked casually, though the question had been gnawing at her for days. "I saw you and Naomi outside."

Emily's step faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered, her face tightening. "Oh... I just—uh, needed some air. Things got a bit... much, I guess."

Tess raised an eyebrow. "And Naomi? Did something happen between you two?"

Emily hesitated, glancing around like she wanted to be anywhere but having this conversation. "It's complicated. We talked, but... I dunno, it didn't really go anywhere. She's... she's hard to figure out."

Tess could sense Emily's discomfort but pressed on, keeping her voice light. "Was it just about that kiss, or is there more to it? I know Katies being a bitch about it."

Emily shifted awkwardly, her eyes fixed on the pavement. "It wasn't just the kiss. We've... I guess we've been... talking more? But it's weird. She's not really the open type, y'know? I don't even know what I want, let alone what she's thinking."

Tess sighed, softening her tone. "I get it. But you don't have to pretend like it's nothing, Em. It's obviously bothering you."

Emily looked up at her, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes. "Yeah, I guess. It's just... I don't want people making it a big deal, especially Katie. She'd freak."

"Yeah, Katie wouldn't take it well," Tess agreed. "But screw her, right? She's not the one dealing with it."

Emily gave a small, appreciative smile. "Thanks, Tess."

They continued walking toward school linking arms, the quiet between them now more comfortable, as if Tess's words had lifted some of the weight Emily had been carrying.

"Anytime," Tess said with a shrug. "And for the record, Naomi seems pretty cool."

Emily nodded, though her expression remained uncertain. "So how's Cook?" She teased

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?!" Tess said in a slightly frustrated laugh

--------

Tess sat at the back of her History class, wedged between Cook and Pandora, regretting her life choices. Her patience was wearing thin as Cook, naturally, couldn't sit still, his foot tapping under the desk and his chair creaking every time he leaned back.

Pandora was half in the conversation, half in some daydream about a boy she'd met at the bus stop a couple days ago. Tess had asked about it briefly, but as Pandora began to go off on one of her tangents, Tess quickly regretted it.

"So then he smiled, right? And I thought, wow, he's got really nice teeth. Like, proper straight. Not like mine, see?" Pandora flashed her teeth with an exaggerated grin. "Anyway, he was super polite! Offered me a doughnut and everything."

Tess nodded absentmindedly, her attention turning back to Cook, who was now leaning over her desk and grinning like an idiot. His leg was shaking under the table

Tess lightly nudged his twitching leg "Will you stop tapping your leg" She said frustratedly

"What's up with you today? You're all quiet," Cook teased, giving her a playful nudge. "Don't tell me you're actually gonna do work in this class for once?"

Tess rolled her eyes, pushing his hand away. "Maybe I would if you didn't act like a hyperactive ferret all the time."

Cook chuckled, clearly unfazed. "C'mon, you love me really."

"I'll love you a lot more when you shut up," Tess shot back, though a smirk tugged at her lips.

Cook ignored her jab, continuing on. "Seriously though, what's on your mind? Cookie can be insightful too, you know?"

Tess shook her head. "Oh you know, the usual. School. My stepdad. Katie. She can be so dramatic sometimes. "

Cook raised an eyebrow, leaning in a little closer. "Bummer. Thought you were made of tougher stuff, Tess. Drama's just the spice of life, innit?"

"Spice of life," she muttered sarcastically. "You're full of crap, Cook."

Pandora, who had been completely zoned out, snapped back into the conversation. "Oh! Speaking of spice, this boy I met—he smelled like cinnamon. Do you think that's a good sign? What do all the boys you've hooked up with smell like Tess?"

Tess choked on nothing. "Jesus, Panda."

Cook leaned closer, mischief written all over his face. "She's not gonna answer that—but I can tell you what I smell like."

"Like ego and body odour I'll bet?" Tess muttered, smirking.

Cook wiggled his eyebrows. "Come closer, I'll let you judge properly."

"Tosser."

Tess turned back to Pandora, half-baffled. "Panda, where do you meet these people?"

"The bus stop!" Pandora beamed. "He was just... standing there with a doughnut. He was nice. I think he liked me. Eff said he carried me home but thats because I passed out from the doughnuts — Oh and the spliff"

Cook bit back a laugh. "You're mental, Panda."

Before Pandora could launch into more details about her mystery doughnut boy, their History teacher, Tom, sauntered up to the front of the room. Tess rolled her eyes. Tom, one of the younger teachers, always seemed desperate to prove he was "down with the kids."

"Alright, gang," Tom began, clapping his hands together and leaning against the desk like he was trying to look cool. "We're diving into a bit of history today. Boring, I know. But trust me, you'll thank me later when you know about... um... wars and revolutions and stuff."

"Wars and stuff. Brilliant teaching there." She said to Cook muttering under her breath

Cook stifled a laugh, but it didn't escape Tom's attention.

"Something funny, James?" Tom asked, raising an eyebrow and attempting what he thought was a laid-back smile.

"Nah, sir, just appreciating your... deep knowledge of history," Cook replied, his grin wide and shameless.

Tom looked momentarily flustered but tried to recover, adjusting his tie and nodding. "Yeah, well... history's important, right? Helps us understand why things are the way they are now."

"Right," Tess muttered under her breath. "Because knowing about old dead people really helps me with life."

Pandora, completely unfazed by Tom's attempt to bond, raised her hand eagerly. "Sir, do you know anything about... cinnamon?"

Tom blinked, clearly confused. "Uh... cinnamon?"

Panda nodded with enthusiasm, "Yeah! Like... ancient spice trade? Or maybe it was used in witch rituals? Or love potions?"

Tess nearly bit through her lip trying not to laugh. Cook was shaking with silent laughter beside her.

Tom, looking both confused and slightly defeated, rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, well... I'm sure there's a historical significance to cinnamon somewhere, but that's not really what we're focusing on today Pandora."

Pandora nodded thoughtfully, as if Tom had given her the most profound answer ever.

As the lesson finally dragged toward something resembling actual schoolwork, Tess leaned back in her chair, tapping her pen against her knee. She wasn't going to say it aloud, but it was kind of nice. Stupid, chaotic, annoying—but nice. And Cook, for all his energy, had actually managed to pull her out of her head for a bit.

The bell rang. Tess reached for her bag when Cook leaned in again, voice low near her ear.

"Oi Tess, come to this party tomorrow night yeah? It's gonna be mad" He said at a low whisper

"Depends. Where is it?" Tess asked.

"Now that's a secret but I guarantee ya you'll love it" He boasted and that had certainly intrigued her "Meet me at 8?"

"That doesn't sound sketchy at all." She mumbled

"That sounds wicked! Can I come?" Panda perked up

"The more the merrier Panda!" He chuckled

------

Tess and Pandora strolled through the corridors, veering past a bunch of loud kids in their year messing around with a stolen traffic cone.

"What do you have now, Panda?" Tess asked, tugging her bag higher onto her shoulder.

"Drama! We're rehearsing for this dance, and I'm a gazelle. I get to wear this really cool costume!" Pandora said, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"A gazelle? Right..." Tess raised an eyebrow, trying to stifle a laugh. "Well, have fun prancing. I've got psychology now. Kill me."

Tess rounded the corridor and fell into step beside Effy, who was walking ahead like she wasn't fully present. Tess matched her pace.

"Hey, Eff."

"Hey." Effy turned slightly. "You going to this thing Cook's been going on about tomorrow?"

"Probably," Tess said vaguely, still undecided.

Before Effy could say anything else, a voice rang out behind them.

"Effy! Effy! Excuse me!" Katie barrelled through the crowd like a hurricane in heels, shoving past a couple of boys without apology. "Oh my god, Eff—hi Tess—Eff, look at this top. Cool, yeah?"

Tess glanced over. It was red leopard print and very Katie. "Bold choice. I like it."

Katie beamed. "Thanks. Well, when you've got tits like mine, you've gotta flash 'em a bit, haven't you?"

Effy raised an eyebrow. "Sorry?"

"Breasts, girl. You should try it," Katie replied, striking a pose with her chest out.

"I never try," Effy said simply.

Tess exhaled sharply, trying not to laugh. Katie blinked at her like she'd missed something, then glanced at the time.

"Shit. I'm late. Laters!" she shouted, already disappearing into the stream of students.

Tess shook her head. "Fucking hell."

She barely had time to breathe before someone had been slammed into her shoulder, sending her stumbling.

"Shit, sorry," she muttered, already annoyed.

"No, my apologies. That was my fault," came the familiar, polite voice. The boy stepped back.

"Thomas?" Tess blinked.

He smiled. "Tess! Hello!"

"What are you doing at Roundview?"

Thomas beamed, "I've got a job here now!"

"Here? Jesus. Good luck with that," she said, glancing at the overflowing bins and crushed Red Bull cans lining the floor. "They're all wankers. The lot of them."

Thomas laughed lightly. "Wanker? I'll keep that in mind."

He looked around, arms awkwardly full of litter-picking supplies. "This place is... strange. Everyone is loud. And they care about nothing."

"Practically a human zoo." Tess muttered.

Thomas tilted his head. "Where is your friend? The one with the sparkly jacket?"

"Oh, Michelle? That's my sister. She's out of school now. Lucky cow."

"Your mother must be very beautiful then," he said earnestly.

Tess blinked, a surprised smile tugging at her lips. "Smooth, Thomas. Real smooth."

"I do try," he replied proudly.

"Well, I gotta head to class before someone accuses me of skipping." She turned to go. "Good seeing you again, Thomas."

"Goodbye!" he called brightly, waving a hand still holding a crushed Coke can.

-------

Tess walked next to Katie, the late afternoon chill nipping at her fingers as they crossed the street toward the bus stop. Katie was fiddling with something in her coat pocket, grinning like an idiot.

"What's got you so happy?" Tess asked, raising an eyebrow.

Katie pulled out a bracelet, one that sparkled obnoxiously in the fading light. "Danny got me this. Cute, right?"

Tess squinted at it. "Ugh, not this again. Seriously, how much more tacky shit is that guy gonna buy you?"

Katie gave her a playful shove. "Oh, stop it, Tess. You just don't know him like I do."

"Because he's a complete knob," Tess muttered, shaking her head. "I don't know how you deal with him."

Katie laughed, letting it go. "Whatever. You need a boyfriend. Or, like, a situation. You've gone full nun lately."

"Cheers."

"No, I mean it! You used to be a right flirt. All ooh, boys, danger, eyeliner. Now you're dead inside or something. You're turning into Emily."

Tess let out a long breath, toeing a crack in the pavement. "I dunno... I guess I just don't care about all that right now. Not after the disaster that was last year."

"Yeah, he was a dick. But come on. You're letting one knobhead ruin it for all future knobheads. That's tragic."

Tess gave a weak smirk. "I know! But it's not that simple, he was a real shit head. Put me off the whole thing for a while...Besides can't be arsed. Feels like effort."

Katie linked her arm through Tess's, tugging her closer. "Effort is what the fun lives in, babes. And anyway, you're Tess Richardson! You're, like, supposed to be out there breaking hearts and all its what we do... or what we used to anyway"

Tess laughed under her breath. "Maybe I do miss it...just a tiny bit. Being wanted. Having a bit of a thing."

Katie's eyes lit up. "Exactly! Tomorrow night, we're going to Cook's mysterious party, and you're gonna find someone.

"Great," Tess muttered. "Can't wait."

Katie did a weird shimmy-dance, her voice going sing-song. "We're gonna find you a filthy little rebound..."

"Oh my God, stop." Tess shoved her. "You're vile."

"Love you too," Katie grinned as the bus pulled up. "Now get on. You're coming whether you like it or not."

Tess climbed aboard, exhaling as she dropped into a seat. Maybe Katie was right. Maybe it was time to stop ghosting her own life. Even just for one night.