Jaffa Cakes: Chapter Six

Jade 29th August

When I switched my mobile on this morning, it was buzzing wildly with missed calls and texts from Dylan, all of them asking why I wasn’t answering him. I felt like hurling it across the room, but instead, I calmly pressed call and forced myself to speak to him. He answered after the first ring.

“Jade! Are you alright? I was beginning to worry when you didn’t reply yesterday,” he said, giving a shaky, unconvincing laugh. Even though he couldn’t see me, I raised my eyebrows.

“Sounds like someone is making a huge fuss over nothing. I told you, I was at a friend’s house,” I replied coldly, trying to make a point. I heard him suck in air, and I could practically see him fuming.

“I just thought you might want to spend a night with me, rather than some boring guy you only just met. You don’t have to be nice to him just because he’s going to our school.”
“I happen to like Jeff, Dylan! He’s my friend.”
“Alright, alright. I still don’t see why you didn’t want to come over, though.”
“Maybe because you were being an arse the whole time we were with Jeff, and you are still at it now!”
There was a short silence. “Look I’m sorry…”
“Call me back when you’ve grown up a bit,” I fired at him and hit the end call button. I felt quite proud of myself, if I’m honest. I’ve never been very good at standing up to people that annoy me, but I think I did quite nicely. Then I heard shouts from downstairs and went to investigate.

“I’ve made up my mind. Those are the conditions. Take it or leave it, Anna.”
“But I don’t like those terms! They’re crap!” I heard Anna shout, stomping her foot childishly.
“Don’t be so ungrateful, Anna,” came Brandon’s voice “I have some money too. Your mother is being very kind offering this much-”
“But I want everything to be perfect! How can it be now? We haven’t got enough money to have a proper big wedding. I won’t be able to have the dress I picked out. Even the bridesmaid dresses will have to be simple!”

I was sat on the stairs at this point, and I let out a breath of relief.
“Jade won’t mind,” Dad chipped in “And you will look beautiful in whatever you wear. As for a big wedding, you have Brandon and that’s what matters.”
“Oh Daddy!” Anna squealed, and I knew she was crying. Dad is good to all three of us, but Anna loves him a lot because he always seems to put a good light on what she thinks is a “bad situation.” Me? I was just thrilled about the bridesmaid dresses being simple.

I crept back upstairs, and noticed my phone was ringing. I thought at first it was Dylan, and got ready to scream at him again, but it was only Taylor. I had been hoping to hear from her, after the incident at the party, so I picked up.
“Hey Jade. Just wanted to apologize about the other night. I don’t remember a thing, but Dylan tells me you took me home. Thanks, it means a lot.”
“You’re welcome. Any time.” I paused, considering whether to mention what she had said and the bruises on her back “Taylor, I know you don’t remember but…there was something I you said that we need to talk about.”
“What?” she said sharply, and I could tell from her tone she was immediately on guard, ready to laugh off anything I said, or tell me I’m talking crap as usual. It felt weird knowing such a huge secret about her that I probably shouldn’t. I was about to go into a long speech about her safety and “I’m here if you need me” but at that moment, she thought of the perfect diversion for herself.
“Whatever it is doesn’t matter, as you haven’t told me about you and Dylan.”

I closed my eyes and groaned inwardly.
“I think we need a little chat about that, don’t we? Come over in a bit. It’s OK, my dad is out. We have a lot to discuss.”
She rang off without giving me a chance to reply, and I cursed myself. She knows how to wheedle out of any situation, I thought bitterly. I got dressed and rode my bike to her house. As I was cycling, I kept thinking of the night of the party. I was sure something about Taylor’s dad must be off. The way when she phoned she said It’s ok, my dad is out as though she would be worried if he was in the house. She had never let me meet him, in all the years I had known her, and if her dad was in, I was out. It occurred to me that it must have been her dad that had produced the bruises on her back, but who was I to interfere? She obviously doesn’t want me to, and how can I accuse a man I don’t even know? was the thought on my mind.

I sighed as I got off the bike and rang the doorbell. There are some things I just can’t solve.