Part 20 (1/2)
”Are you okay to drive?” He asks, reminding me of the night he saved me from the side of the road.
Am I? I'm tempted to say no just so I can sit beside him in the car for a while.
”I'm fine.”
”Good, because we need to go. I need bed.” Hayley grabs my hand and pulls me towards my mum's car.
I turn and wave at Isaac over my shoulder. ”See you in school on Monday.”
”Drive safe, girls.” He calls back and heads to his own car.
It's not until I'm halfway home that I remember the shoes I left by the steps. I curse, but don't bother going back for them. It's late and I don't think I can handle it.
Chapter Fifteen.
Eloise I arrive at the school at nine. I decided to let Hayley sleep in, mostly because she wouldn't wake up and also because I'm a good friend like that.
On sluggish and aching legs that don't seem to have recovered from last night's school scare, I make my way towards the school, annoyed when I see only a handful of people inside tidying.
”I'm guessing n.o.body showed up for the boring bits then?” I comment dryly and grab a bag.
Mr Price Senior wants everything packed away properly so that it can be reused one day.
”Maybe more will come when it's past ten,” Mr Price Senior says around a large yawn.
”Where's Judith?” I look around for the sweet woman, expecting to see her in her chair attempting to help.
Mr Price glances around the small group and says quietly, ”She's been appointed a carer, so I left them alone to get acquainted.”
I wince along with him. ”How's she taking that?”
He gives me a look and he doesn't need to respond for me to know she's not taking it well.
”Where's Isaac?” I speak his actual name without thinking and the look Mr Price gives me is to be expected. ”Sorry... Mr Price Junior... I meant...”
He doesn't comment and only shrugs. ”Probably sleeping in like the rest of them. They did have a long night. I'm surprised you're here. I wouldn't blame you for taking the morning off.”
”I wouldn't have been able to sleep if I tried. I'm like my dad in that way. If there's something to be done, I can't just sit back and watch.”
”Definitely a trait you should be proud of.” He winks at me and moves away when his name is called.
The taking down is a lot easier than the putting up and we have the entrance done in little to no time. It's the rest of the school that proves to be a pain.
Only Hayley shows up at noon, along with Wesley, but n.o.body else bothers. Not even Mr Diplock or Isaac. I'll be telling them what I think about that when school starts again on Monday. a.r.s.eholes... leaving me to do all of the work.
”So we'll be making an announcement when school reopens on the amount of money that has been made for our chosen charity,” Mr Price says as we sweep the floor side by side. ”But I thought you'd want to know before then.”
”I don't mind waiting...”
”Just under five thousand, and that's after we take away the money that Crystal sponsored the night with.”
My mouth drops open and suddenly my aches and pains vanish, only to be replaced with glee. ”Are you serious?”
”Yep. Deadly. I can trust you to give her this?” He holds out a brown envelope with Crystal's name written on the front.
I nod and stuff it into the inside pocket of my jacket. ”I'll take it to her as soon as we're done here.”
”That's okay, you go. I'll have the janitors finish up tomorrow.”
I don't argue with him. I'm too eager to share the amazing news with Crystal.
”See you Monday,” I call happily and skip out of the school with a beaming smile on my face.
As I'm rus.h.i.+ng along the path I text Hayley and tell her I'll meet her at mine in an hour. I need coffee and Crystal to celebrate.
I don't think I've ever jogged anywhere in my life. That just changed. The money is making me paranoid. I'm worried I'll get mugged or lose it, so I keep a hand over my jacket where the envelope is hidden.
The cafe is open when I arrive, as I knew it would be, and I find Crystal sat in the back room with her feet up and a mug of tea between her hands.
I drop the envelope on her lap, startling her slightly. ”What's this?”
My smile widens as I drop into the seat beside her. ”Have a look.”
She peels open the envelope after handing me her cup and runs her fingers over the notes inside. For a long moment she doesn't speak, she only stares into the envelope with a glazed look in her eyes. ”How much?”
”They made just under five thousand. That's after they took away the money you spent.”
Her eyes glisten and so do mine. ”This is excellent! I never expected them to be able to pay me back.”
”I know, me neither,” I admit sheepishly, sipping from her cup before handing it back to her. ”We should celebrate.”
”Irish coffee?” She suggests.
”h.e.l.l yeah! You sit; I'll make.”
”Good la.s.s.” Her hand grabs my wrist as I go to stand and her warm eyes find my own. ”I'm so proud of you, of all of you. You've done a good thing.”
”Not without you.” I clear my throat in hopes it'll remove the lump there. ”I think I need that Irish coffee now.”
”Good la.s.s,” she says again, smiling softly. ”I know you're probably exhausted, but we close up soon. Would you mind helping the girls? Then you can bring the coffee through.”
”Of course.” I am exhausted, but I can see Crystal looks worse than I am and at her age she shouldn't be pus.h.i.+ng herself. I'll recover; I'm not sure that she will.
I wave to the girls as they serve the last few customers and get to work loading the dishwasher and cleaning the sides down.
We work together cleaning the tables and emptying the machines with mild and tired chatter. Every step I take just feels like one step too much, but I keep going, yawning every few seconds.