Chapter 18
ED
Then
Ed was really missing Evie. The last time any of them had seen her was at Mark’s pool party.
She had, of course, had another row with her mum and hadn’t been able to get her swimming stuff.
Once she’d arrived at the pool, she just dangled her feet in the water, with her skirt and shirt rolled up.
The weather was brilliant, and Ed and the lads had had a right laugh as they dive-bombed into the pool, literally soaking anyone nearby.
Evie stayed close to Ginny, as she watched everyone having a laugh in the pool.
Towards the end of the afternoon, Evie then had to go home.
They’d kissed briefly and then she was gone.
According to Ginny, she never showed at school the next day.
About a week later, the teacher told her that Evie and her family had relocated due to her dad’s job, but Ginny swore blind she had seen Mr Del Rio a couple of times at their house.
Whenever Ginny or Ed ever rang on their bell, no one ever answered.
Ginny and Ed still saw each other from time to time because she was now officially going steady with Jamie.
Ed poured all his emptiness and sadness into his music.
He decided to rewrite “Used to Be”, as it was always the song that everyone shouted out for at their gigs, and it was Evie’s song after all, and singing it made him feel closer to her.
Since Evie had left, many of the boys at St Augustine’s took the piss out of him, as they continually asked him where his girlfriend was.
With no word from Evie, Ginny and Ed both realised that they just had to get on with their lives, as best they could without her.
The Propellers had just done a gig at the local youth club where Jamie had somehow got absolutely wasted so Ed helped Ginny get him back home.
His parents were pretty cool about the state that he was in and put Jamie’s drunkenness down to a silly, youthful misdemeanor and thanked them both for getting him home safely.
Not wanting the night to end, Ed invited Ginny back to his for a drink and a smoke as his parents were out and weren’t due back for ages.
Once back home he fixed them a couple of beers and rolled a joint which they shared sitting outside in the back garden.
Although it had been a stifling hot and sunny day, now sitting on a bench in Ed’s garden as the temperature had dropped, Ginny’s thin denim jacket was no match for the plummeting temperature, so Ed took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
‘Thanks Ed. It’s freezing. God isn’t it strange without Evie being here?
’ Ginny said, as she took a drag from the joint, looking around the garden as if Evie was still there.
‘It just doesn’t seem right without her.
I miss her so much, but it must be so hard for you as well.
I mean you probably spent just as much time with her as I did! ’
‘You’re right. It’s so weird that she just left without telling either one of us. Something awful must have happened for her to leave so suddenly.’ Ed agreed, taking another sip of his beer.
‘I miss her every single day. Life’s just not the same without her.’ Ginny muttered, handing back the joint, as a big fat tear plopped on to her cheek.
‘I understand Ginny, I really do. Come here, please don’t get upset.
’ He said trying to console her with a big hug.
She just stayed there on the bench with her head lying against his chest as he rubbed her back trying to comfort her.
He wasn’t sure who kissed who first, but he did remember an innocent, comforting chaste kiss which suddenly turned into a full-on proper one.
Moments later they found themselves upstairs in Ed’s bedroom, hands all over each other, clothes being removed and the kisses becoming more passionate.
And afterwards, they just clung to each other, neither of them speaking as they knew that they had crossed a line, but it was definitely some sort of release for them both.
‘Oh my God. I don’t quite know how that happened.’ Ginny whispered, as she pulled the sheets closely around her to protect her modesty. ‘I’m supposed to be going out with Jamie, and you’re supposed to be Evie’s boyfriend!’
‘I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.’ He agreed, looking away from Ginny’s sad eyes.
‘It wasn’t just you Ed. It was me as well. I just wanted to be comforted tonight. And you’ve certainly done that.’ she said with a slightly embarrassed giggle.
‘Listen.’ He held her cheek and made her look at him, before quickly pulling his hand away, the innocent move not feeling quite so innocent in this moment. ‘I won’t say anything to anyone. You have my word. Now, let’s get dressed and then I’ll walk you home.’
He picked his clothes up off the floor and got changed quickly.
‘I’m going to lock up and then I’ll get you back home. OK?’ he said, trying to take control of the situation and get them out of it as fast as possible.
‘Thanks Ed. It’ll be our secret. I won’t breathe a word.’ Ginny said, as she reached for his hand and squeezed it, as if to seal the deal.
It wasn’t long before Ginny came downstairs, her smudged red lipstick freshly applied and her tousled hair in place once again.
It took about twenty minutes to get back to Ginny’s house.
They walked together through the streets of South West London and to anyone who might have seen them, they looked just like any other teenage couple returning from a night out instead of two friends who had together just betrayed the most important person in both of their lives.
They reached Ginny’s house and there was an awkward moment where neither of them was quite sure whether to kiss or hug goodbye, so they just stood there for a couple of seconds before Ed took the initiative and gave Ginny a chaste kiss on her cheek, as he whispered that he understood.
She nodded, opened the front door of her house and went inside.
Ed jogged all the way home, keen to get home before his parents.
He tidied away the evidence of their smoke and beers and laid down in his bed where his sheets now smelt of Ginny’s musky, heady perfume.
He couldn’t even remember what Evie’s perfume smelt like.
She’d been gone for exactly four weeks and two days, and it wasn’t getting any better to deal with.
What sort of boyfriend was he that he’d already slept with her best friend and betrayed one of his best friends in the process?
No wonder she left. Evie deserved so much more.