Stayed Too Long at the Fair - 1. Story

Stayed Too Long At The Fair

by Sabat

Tom leaned in closer to Andrew, angling his head to Andrew's mouth as he tried to understand what was being said over the blaring music, squeals and screams. He still couldn't make out what his friend was trying to tell him so he turned to face him, walking backwards in time to Andrew's advancing steps, a comfortable waltz that only those truly familiar with each other can manage.

He shook his head, shrugged his shoulders and smiled. Andrew returned the smile with interest and passed Tom the bottle of coke they had earlier topped up with vodka. Tom took a swig from the bottle as Andrew took hold of his shoulders and gently turned him round, he leaned in closer, his chest against Tom's back, guiding him as they moved through the crowds. Andrew's lips brushed against Tom's neck and earlobe, stubble tickling the delicate skin and making him want to giggle. What must have been practically a yell came across as a whisper. 'Are you having fun?'

Tom nodded his head and turned to face Andrew, whose idea it had been to come to the funfair. Tom hadn't been keen when he first heard the plan but he had to admit, now that they were here he was actually enjoying himself. Obviously the alcohol was helping but the sounds of people having fun made for a contagious sense of excitement, after all who wants to be the lone serious voice in a sea of carefree abandonment? Besides, Tom thought, maybe it was time for him to have a bit of fun. Surely he was due one night off from everything.

The place was packed, a warm evening coupled with the fact that it was the last night the fair was in town had led to a huge turnout. At a little after nine a lot of the families with younger children had begun to depart, leaving the place to the older crowd. The atmosphere of the place changing as the excited cries of kids was replaced by the louder, more aggressive yells of teenagers.

Tom handed the bottle back to Andrew and took in a deep breath, the sweet, smokey smell of cooking food was for him one of the best parts of being out at a place like this, forget rides and sideshows, it was all about hot dogs and burgers and fried onions. God he was hungry he thought to himself as he watched Andrew take a drink. He was about to suggest heading to one of the food stalls when he saw Andrew's expression change, his attention focused on something behind Tom. Tom started to turn to see what had caught Andrew's eye when he felt a pair of hands grip his shoulders, he jumped and heard laughter behind him, turning round he found himself looking into the smiling face of Lloyd, Tom's friend from the part time job he had at the local supermarket and there a few paces behind Lloyd was Craig, Lloyd's current boyfriend who Tom barely knew but who seemed nice enough, certainly a lot nicer than his last partner had been. Tom still wondered if Lloyd really believed that he had rejected Curtis' advances at his birthday party. Lloyd had seemed okay since, making jokes and dealing with the situation in good humor, but he was always like that and so Tom couldn't help but wonder where the sarcasm stopped and reality started.

"I thought you were working tonight." Andrew said to Lloyd as Craig put his arm around Lloyd and the two of them stepped between Andrew and Tom.

"I was. I got off early, thought we'd see what was going on down here."

Craig handed a can to Tom who took a sip and coughed at the strength of the alcohol it contained.

"Jeez." Tom spluttered, trying not to spray liquid everywhere.

"Careful, that's one of his special cocktails, more whiskey than anything else." Lloyd said, trying not to laugh. Tom took another taste, more to prove he could handle it than anything else.

"It's not often we see you out Tom, where's what's his name, Michael?"

"Martin." Andrew interrupted.

"I don't know where he is, I don't really see him anymore." Tom answered.

"Oh. So what is this, a hot date?" Lloyd asked with a sly smile. Andrew blushed.

"We just wanted to do something, it's a nice night so, we thought we'd check this place out." Andrew replied, his composure recovered.

"Andrew had a date but it got switched to next weekend." Tom said. He knew that Andrew was sometimes the butt of Lloyd's jokes for his lack of success with men.

"It's not definite." Andrew said trying to sound casual.

"Don't worry, I'll get all the gory details at work tomorrow." Lloyd said, winking. "Mind, if it's that weirdo from the bar I reserve the right to mock you ceaselessly."

"What weirdo?" Tom asked as the four of them moved out of the way of a group of girls that waved at Craig as they passed by, he waved back before turning to face Tom.

"He wasn't weird, he was just some guy who preferred Andrew to Lloyd." Craig explained, pulling Lloyd to his side, squeezing his shoulder and making a sad face which lasted for a few seconds before he laughed.

"The very definition of weirdness if you ask me." Lloyd said before adding "No offense Andrew."

"I know, none taken, anyway it's not him, it's not anyone, it's nothing." Andrew said dismissively.

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much." Lloyd said theatrically before noticing something in Andrews eyes that made him decide not to push it any further. "We were heading to the rollercoaster if you want to join us."

"Ummm." Andrew stalled. "I kind of had something else in mind."

"A fortune teller." Tom elaborated. "She's supposed to be really good. Why don't you join us?"

Having agreed, in spite of Andrew and Lloyds initial reluctance, to a plan of visiting the fortune teller and then checking out the rides the four of them set off, led by Andrew, through the crowds. The numbers thinned as they reached the outer edges of the fair and there, set off on its own stood a small wooden caravan, painted a deep purple and decorated with ornate carvings and etchings of stars and moons. They approached the steps which led to a heavy cloth drape that served as a door. As Andrew went to knock on the door frame the curtains parted and a large balding man stepped out and looked down on the group.

"For Madame Zula?" He asked in a deep gruff voice, then before they had a chance to respond. "Two at a time." He signalled to Andrew and Lloyd.

"Come on then, lets get this done. Maybe she'll know when I'll meet my Mr Right." Lloyd said as he grabbed hold of Andrew's arm and pulled him up the caravan's steps. Andrew struggled and looked back to Tom but he was no match for Lloyd's determination and he was pulled past the doorman and into the caravan.

"Hey." Craig shouted and rushed after Lloyd, ducking under the outstretched arm of the doorman as he tried to stop him following his boyfriend into the caravan.

"I said two at a time." The guy yelled after them.

"It's okay, I'll just wait." Tom was apologetic although he wasn't sure why, it's not like he had tried to get in to see Madame whatever.

"Oh what the hell, we'll be closing soon anyway." He stepped aside and motioned for Tom to enter the caravan.

The smell of incense hit Tom as he stepped into the darkened room, the only light came from two large candles that stood on a table in the corner. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom he became aware of Craig who stood off to the side, leaning back against the wooden wall. Having spotted Craig he realised that Lloyd and Andrew were also there, both sat in front of a tiny round table. Tom stepped towards them.

"Welcome." A light, high pitched voice breathed and Tom was shocked to notice that there was someone sat behind the table. She was incredibly small and dressed in such dark clothing that all that was really visible was a tiny pair of hands and the hint of a face, her head covered in some kind of scarf. Tom stood by Craig and looked down at the table, a set of large tarot cards was laid out over its top and swiftly the fortune teller gathered them up and began to shuffle the pack, her fingers flexing and flipping the cards with the expertise of a Vegas dealer.

"I am Madame Zula and I am your guide to the future." She whispered as she began to place cards face side down on the table, continuing until its limited expanse was covered. "You." She pointed a finger at Craig as she began to flip cards over. "I see a girl coming into your life, she will change you but you must embrace the change." Lloyd struggled to contain his laughter as he looked back at Craig who wore a horrified expression, Andrew poked him with his elbow as Madame Zula glared at them and gathered up her cards again. "You will treat this with respect or deal with the consequences."

"Sorry." Andrew apologized as he glared at Lloyd.

Madame Zula proceeded to place the freshly shuffled cards back on the table, again she turned them over slowly, this time her eyes fixed on Lloyd. When she eventually looked down at the overturned tarots her thin lips broke into a smile.

"For you I see success." She pointed at one of the cards. "Lovers, many lovers."

"I thought we were here to see the future, not the past." Lloyd whispered.

"But also loneliness. So many people around you but nobody close, be careful or you will be alone with your money." She continued.

"I'm going to have money?" Lloyd asked smiling.

"It does not buy happiness." Madame Zula snapped as she swept up the cards in one movement, her eyes flickering between Andrew and Tom.

"That's a theory I'd love to test." Lloyd replied.

"Who will be next, which of the lovers?"

"Oh we're not..." Tom stuttered as Andrew blushed.

"Let Madame Zula judge."

"Do Andrew, he's got a hot date coming up, will he get any action?" Lloyd joked, ignoring the furious glare Andrew fired in his direction. Madame Zula had already laid out the cards and was now quickly turning them over.

"I do see someone."

"Finally." Lloyd exclaimed

"It is someone familiar, someone you know well and soon they will realise that the two of you were meant to be together. Do not be scared and do not let them be scared, nothing good ever came easy." The fortune teller coughed and raised a hand to her forehead to adjust the headscarf. "Which leaves you." She spoke slowly, her attention focused on Tom who shifted nervously, moving his weight from one foot to the other. Gathering the cards from the table she held out the pack to Tom. "Shuffle them."

Tom froze, surprised by his sudden involvement in the procedure. It took him a moment to recover his composure enough to take the cards held out to him. He shuffled them slowly and awkwardly before handing them back and watching as several were lain out face up on the table. The room was silent as Zula stared at them, deep in thought.

"Let me guess, a tall, handsome stranger is coming to sweep him off his feet?" Lloyd said sarcastically. "I could put you out of a job lady."

"Yes someone will arrive to change your life, not necessarily a stranger. You're going to have to take your chances when they come though. This card here." She said picking up one of the cards and handing it to Tom. "This card represents change, while this card." She picked up another and again handed it to Tom. "It signifies that the change will come soon, or must come soon."

"I can't believe we're paying money for this." Lloyd muttered.

"You're not, I am." Andrew hissed under his breath.

"Well come on, how about we hear something useful, like this week's lottery numbers."

"You doubt my abilities?" Madame Zula asked in a voice that could freeze hell, she stared straight at Lloyd as she asked the question then swept up the cards from the table with one hand and took the two cards Tom held with the other, shuffled them quickly and began laying them out on the table again.

"There is a man in his life and what is between them must be settled soon. Time is of the essence because, let me see." She stared at the cards, laying another one from the deck onto the table and then turning her gaze to Tom. "You have until your twenty second birthday."

"To do what, find Mr Right?" Tom asked.

"No, to do everything, you see you'll be dead by your twenty second birthday."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The four friends exited the caravan in silence. Craig didn't know what to say, Lloyd was sure he'd say the wrong thing, Tom was too shocked to speak and Andrew was trying to control his rising anger. They slowly made their way back into the fun fair, just walking with no real idea of where they were headed. Tom shivered and pulled the sleeves of his jumper down to cover his hands, noticing this Andrew removed his jacket and put it over Tom's shoulders.

"She was just trying to scare us." Craig broke the silence.

"Exactly, the silly old bitch lost the plot." Lloyd said, joining in.

"Who's fault is that, hmmmm Lloyd?" Andrew snapped at his work colleague.

"Sorry for having the guts to say what we were all thinking, it's one huge con, ooooh you'll meet someone, live happily ever after, please, all these psychics are the same."

"She's the first I've seen to give an expiry date." Craig added before quickly shutting up as he saw the angry looks coming from Lloyd and Andrew.

Lloyd, who had taken the lead as they headed through the fair, paused, unsure where to head to. They seemed to have arrived at a main thoroughfare, the crowds were intensified and the noise louder than ever, it felt as though everyone had gathered at that one point. Feeling in the way he stepped off to the side of a stall and was soon joined by Craig, Tom followed as did Andrew who's eyes never left Tom, concern etched across his face.

"What should we do?" Lloyd asked, looking around.

"I think I'll head home." Tom said quietly. Andrew sighed, a disappointed look on his face.

"You have to stay, forget what she said, we'll have fun. Let's go on the rollercoaster, come on, please?" Andrew pleaded. Tom looked unsure.

"I'm in." Craig backed Andrew up with a reassuring smile. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"Oh I don't know, strapped into a metal box going who knows how fast and who knows how high alongside a boy with a curse, I'm sure there's nothing that could go wrong." Lloyd joked before apologising. "I was joking, I'm in. It's not like today's the day anyway."

"It is." Tom said guiltily, his eyes focused on the ground.

"What?" Craig asked, hoping he had misheard.

"It's his birthday tomorrow." Andrew explained.

"Twenty two tomorrow." Tom said as both Lloyd and Craig took a step back.

"Oh." Lloyd muttered, it was all he could think of to say. "Well not that it makes any difference. We'll still go on right Craig?"

"Erm, sure, why not?"

"Look you don't have to and to be honest I'd rather not anyway, like I said I think I'll just head home. It was really nice of you to bring me out here Andrew, I had a good time."

"Come on, stay please." Andrew said as he was shoved from behind, a group of drunken teenagers jostling past knocked him forward, he spun around furious and was about to shout something when Lloyd placed a hand on his shoulder and turned him back to face Tom.

"I'll tell you what, I'm going to take Craig to get a drink, why don't you two hang out and we'll meet back here in forty five minutes or so, then we can leave together if you still want to go. Craig's got an early start tomorrow anyway so we couldn't stay too late." Lloyd looked directly at Tom as he explained his plan. "Go on, stay for a bit longer, like I said it's not often we see you and I know Andrew would appreciate it. Anyway if you leave now I'll feel guilty, I was the one who pissed off the witch."

"Okay." Tom agreed reluctantly.

"Great, we'll see you later." Lloyd nudged Craig and they began to move away. Looking back over his shoulder Lloyd winked at Andrew. "Take good care of him."

Andrew turned to Tom and smiled, he was relieved that the night hadn't ended yet, there was still a chance that he could salvage something from the mess he had created. He looked around, wondering where they could go that would make things better, somewhere they could talk which wasn't easy to find in a noisy fairground, then inspiration struck. "Will you do something for me?" He asked Tom, who nodded and agreed without question. That was one of the things he loved about him, he trusted Andrew. The thought made Andrew blush, a flash of heat under the skin as he considered how easy it was to abuse trust. Still it was too late to have that kind of thought now. "Follow me." He said as he headed back out into the crowds.

Tom looked up at the Ferris Wheel that Andrew had led him to, he couldn't remember the last time he had ridden one. It wasn't too tall but it was big enough that it towered over the rest of the fair, the carriages it held seating only a couple of people. There wasn't much of a queue for it and so it wasn't long before they were paying for their tickets and Andrew was leading Tom into one of the carriages which rocked gently as they stepped inside, they both sat as the rides attendant slammed the door shut behind them and the ride jerked back into it's slow motion and they began to edge upwards, the gentle rocking continuing as they moved.

"This is safe right?" Tom asked, turning to Andrew and then looking out over the edge of the car which was now a metre above the ground.

"Of course. Look don't worry, she was just playing a joke." Andrew reassured him, patting Tom on the back and then letting his hand rest along the back of the carriage.

"I wish she'd picked someone else to play it on."

"You'll be fine, I'll catch you if you fall." Andrew smiled at Tom and shifted in his seat which made it rock. Toms hand gripped the door in response to the sudden movement. Noticing Tom's nervousness Andrew wedged his feet against the front of the carriage and pushed his back hard against the seat's back, then slowly he shifted his weight, building up momentum and making the car sway with increasing force. Tom shifted towards the middle of the seat and slapped Andrew's thigh.

"Stop it. You're making me nervous."

"Sorry." Andrew laughed and relaxed, the rocking slowing until all that was left was the movement caused by the turning of the wheel. They were now halfway to the peak and looking out could see the spread of the carnival and further afield the lights of the town. The night sky was clear and the air becoming colder, breath now escaping in visible clouds. Tom leaned back and stared out into the distance.

"What are you thinking?" Andrew asked as he tried to follow Tom's gaze.

"Nothing. I'm just being sentimental, ignore me."

"What's wrong with being sentimental?"

"Nothing if you're an eighty year old woman. When you're our age it's just sad." Tom looked back at Andrew, who reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a miniature bottle of vodka which he passed to Tom.

"Lets forget being sentimental and have some fun then." Andrew said as Tom took a drink and held the bottle out, Andrew shook his head and motioned for Tom to keep it. "Why don't we go do something when we get down, the bars are still open. I could leave the car here, we get a taxi and we could make a night of it."

"Thanks but..." Tom stalled.

"You don't feel like it." Andrew finished his sentence.

"Am I that predictable?"

"We don't have to go to a bar, you choose. Say this was your one night, what would you want to do?"

"I don't know."

"Anything. Close your eyes and picture your perfect night."

"A movie." Tom said after a long pause for thought.

"Fine, we'll go to the cinema, I don't know what's showing though."

"No, just a movie at home, sat on the sofa with someone." Tom sighed. "Those were my happiest times." He shook his head. "God, I sound pathetic. I should want to go out and get drunk, have sex, do something exciting."

"I know I said we could do anything but don't you think we should have a few dates first?" Andrew smiled and raised his eyebrows.

"Are you looking forward to your date next week?" Tom asked, trying to steer the conversation away from his own personal life for a while.

"I doubt I'll go, it wasn't a real date just an invite for a drink, I mean I don't even think I really like the guy."

"You might when you get to know him." Tom said hopefully.

"Would you go out with someone you didn't think you liked?"

"I don't think I trust myself to know what I like anymore." Tom answered.

Andrew moved his hand forward and rubbed the back of Tom's head. They were approaching the pinnacle of the wheel's arc. Tom let his head fall back and gazed up into the night sky.

"We'll go back to my place, find something to watch and see in your birthday together, how about that?" Andrew said hopefully, he looked at Tom who was still staring into space, silent. A disappointed look crossed Andrews face. "You're thinking about him aren't you?"

"That obvious huh?"

"I just know you, that's all."

They sat in silence, Tom staring up at the stars and Andrew gazing at him. This high in the air the fairground seemed a million miles away.

"You still miss him?" Andrew asked, still looking at Tom who had closed his eyes.

"I guess. I miss the way my life was when I was with someone, you know just the little things. You have to make the effort when there's someone else there to consider, when you're on your own you can just, I don't know, not bother. I guess I've always been a team player, I wasn't built for going solo."

"So find someone new."

"I don't know if I trust my judgement anymore."

"Take a chance." Andrew said as Tom took another drink.

"You're right, I need to do something."

"So you'll go out for a drink with me?" Andrew asked hopefully. "Just a drink or we could go somewhere else, whatever you feel like it's all up to you." Tom seemed unaware he had spoken, he looked deep in thought.

"I need to get off, before I lose my nerve."

"What are you going to do?" Andrew asked.

"I need to go speak to him, I've put it off long enough."

The two of them spent the rest of the ride in silence. Andrew couldn't think of what to say to counter Tom's new found determination, this was not how he had hoped the night would turn out, but what could he do, he didn't trust himself to say the right thing, in fact he was sure he would make the situation worse if he tried to interfere again, he had done enough damage already.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Andrew lay on the grass verge overlooking the edge of the fair, the place was starting to empty now, the shouts and cries having long ago died down. He was sufficiently out of the way to avoid any departing visitors and so he lay there, hands behind his head, breathing deeply and slowly as he pondered where it had all gone wrong.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't realise someone was approaching until their shadow fell over him. Turning his head he looked up to see Lloyd who proceeded to sit down next to him.

"I've been looking all over for you." Lloyd sighed. "You're a hard man to find."

"Where's Craig?" Andrew asked, his voice monotone, devoid of emotion.

"I sent him to get me a hot dog."

"I thought you were a vegetarian." Andrew said, half sitting up, the news had shocked him enough that he couldn't help but show an interest.

"I'm also extremely inconsistent, highly unreliable and a fan of instant gratification. I'm not Tom." Lloyd explained. At the mention of Tom's name Andrew's eyes narrowed and his lips pursed.

"Don't give me that look." Lloyd said, shaking his head.

"What look?" Andrew asked sullenly, turning his head away.

"The one that says that I've done wrong by, God forbid, mentioning something that you don't want to talk about. Where is he anyway?"

"Who?"

"Oh come on, you know who."

"He went for a walk." Andrew said reluctantly.

"I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?" Lloyd asked, sitting down on the grass.

"There's nothing to talk about." Andrew responded avoiding looking at Lloyd.

"Okay, can we try this a different way, how about being honest with each other? What do you say?"

Lloyd pulled a long blade of grass from the ground and toyed with it, tying it in a knot. "I thought I saw you earlier tonight, I wasn't sure at the time but it made sense later." Lloyd paused to see if Andrew would say anything but he remained silent. "You were outside that psychic's caravan. You got her to say that stuff to Tom didn't you?"

"No." Andrew said defensively.

"The truth remember. Come on, look I promise I won't judge or make fun, I want to help."

"That's all I wanted to do. It wasn't supposed to end up like this, I've screwed it all up." Andrew punched the ground as he spoke. "She was just supposed to convince him life was too short. I just thought if he could see that then he'd make the most of it."

"Not sit around pining for his ex?" Lloyd asked.

"Exactly."

"Yeah, I mean it's a waste of time spending your days waiting for someone who doesn't want you, right?" Lloyd said, tossing aside the piece of grass and turning to face Andrew. "Was that too subtle or just blunt enough?"

Andrew stood up and turned his back to Lloyd and the fair, he began to walk quickly across the grass. Lloyd scrambled to get up and follow him.

"I'm sorry." He shouted after Andrew as he hurried to catch up. "Come on you may as well admit it, he's not the only one pining. You've had a thing for him for as long as I can remember and what exactly have you done about it?"

"He was with someone." Andrew snapped.

"He hasn't been for how long now? Look I get it, it's scary, it's scary at the best of times but when it's someone you know you're gambling on a friendship but you can't go on like this. You've got to either tell him or give up on it, get down from the cross, someone needs the wood."

"It's not that easy."

"I know but have you ever thought that maybe he feels the same and like you he's just too scared to say anything? That fortune applies just as much to you as to him. What if today was the last chance you had to tell him how you feel, what would you do then?"

Andrew paused, took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"He's in your arms dying, what do you say? Trust me I know what it's like to regret not saying something to someone who's gone, no matter what their reaction might be nothing is worse than never having the chance to say what you need to say." As Lloyd spoke he reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out his phone. "Call him."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tom pressed his foot down on the accelerator, edging the speed of the car upwards. He knew that he shouldn't be driving but now that he was in the car he couldn't go back and so he found himself rationalizing his actions with the thought that if he was sober enough to realise he shouldn't be behind the wheel then surely he couldn't be that drunk.

It seemed strange to be traveling along these roads again, it was weeks since he had last been in this part of town and even in that short space of time things had changed, work starting on new buildings, the store he used to shop at boarded up, he guessed he thought that if he didn't move on then the world shouldn't but being out here now seeing the proof of times passing.

Slowing as he approached a bend in the road Tom took a moment to ask himself 'What am I doing?' He couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that filled him, was it because he had taken Andrew's car? He wondered if Andrew even realised yet, knowing Andrew even if he was pissed off he wouldn't show it, he'd be disappointed, but probably more by the fact that Tom was heading to Martin's than anything else. Andrew had never approved of Martin, he hadn't come out and said it while they were together but he'd made it clear once they'd split up, in the guise of supporting Tom but it went deeper than that, he assumed that Martin hadn't loved Tom enough, that everything that happened was Martin's fault but the truth was more complicated than that. If anything it was the opposite that was true, he hadn't loved Martin, or rather he hadn't thought that he did until it was too late. Martin was the first man to tell him he loved him and he found himself responding in kind before he had time to think if it was true or not. The result was a relationship that was always clouded by the fact that Tom couldn't shake the feeling that maybe he wasn't so much in love with the person as he was in love with the fact that someone wanted him.

So here he was driving towards the home he used to share with a man he'd never known his true feelings for. It wasn't that he believed what the psychic had said, he'd have to be crazy to be that superstitious, but what if? What if everything ended tomorrow and he never had the chance to explain, tell Martin that he was sorry that he hadn't worked harder at the relationship. He still couldn't shake the feeling of guilt, he shouldn't feel like this, he was going to Martin's to try and make things right, what else did he have to feel guilty about? He did wish that he had explained things to Andrew. Poor Andrew, he had just left him standing at the fair and after he'd gone to all the effort of arranging the night out, the pangs of guilt he felt increased, that was it, he felt guilty about leaving Andrew. He would make it up to him tomorrow, explain everything and take him up on the offer of a drink if it was still open. It was time to move on but to do that he had to say goodbye to the past first then he could concentrate on the future.

Tom focused on the road, he didn't remember it looking quite like this, had he taken a wrong turn? Looking around he decided he must have done, nothing here looked familiar, he needed to find a place to turn around. He jumped as he felt his leg vibrate, it took him several seconds to realise that it was the phone in his pocket that was vibrating. Trying to fish around in his jeans while keeping his eyes on the road he couldn't quite manage to get his fingers down far enough to grab the phone, he shifted in the seat and finally managed to grab the edge of it's casing and pull it from his pocket, just as it stopped vibrating, whoever was calling had given up. Tossing the phone onto the passenger's seat it landed on Andrew's jacket which he had lain there. It was sweet of him to have given him the coat to wear but then that was Andrew for you, he was always thoughtful and how did he repay his kindness? By stealing his car and leaving him in the middle of nowhere, that had probably been him on the phone wanting to know what was going on. The one guy in his life who still mattered and he was doing everything he could to lose him.

The phone began to vibrate again and Tom reached for it, feeling around the jacket trying to find where it had landed. His hand finally brushed over it so he grabbed it and brought it up to his line of sight, taking his eyes from the road to focus on the screen, it was Andrew. He answered it with an instant apology.

"I'm sorry, I'll come straight back once I'm finished." Tom said.

"What, where are you? What are you doing?" Andrew asked.

"I'm going to say goodbye to Martin, you're right, Madame Zula was right, everybody's right, it's time for me to move on."

"Listen to me before I lose all my nerve I have to tell you something." Andrew said, his voice crackling as it came out of the phones speakers.

"What?" Tom asked knocking the phone on the dashboard. "You're breaking up."

"I love you." Andrews voice hissed

"What?"

"I love you." Andrew repeated, his voice cracking even more. Tom hit his phone again and it fell from his hand onto his lap. He fumbled around trying to find it, looking down to see if it had fallen onto the floor he spotted it by his leg and grabbed it, looking back up to the road in time to see the lamp post he had swerved towards, it was too late to even react to it. The phone dropped from his hand, bouncing on his knee and landing between the two front seats.

"I love you. I should have told you a long time ago." Andrew's voice was clear now but nobody could hear it.

© 2009 Sabat

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