Over Too Soon

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Kayla drew away from Brett, shaking her head. She ignored the grin she had the urge to return. “Whatever you’re thinking… no. Absolutely no. Definitely no. No way in hell. No-”

“Okay, I get the idea.”

“Good. Because I don’t like you very much. You tried to kill my brother.”

“I didn’t try and kill him. He was the one who did that.”

“I need to ring my parents and you’re coming with me. I’m not leaving you alone with Jeff.”

Brett grinned. “Don’t you trust me, Kayla?”

“Not at all. Are you coming willingly or do I have to drag you with me?”

“On one condition.”

“Which is?”

“You buy some food. Any food. I don’t care if it’s from a vending machine. Then you hold my hand when we come back here so I can see if I can eat it.”

Kayla hesitated. It wasn’t like she planned to go home tonight. And if it kept him away from her brother it was a small price to pay. She was surprised at how calm she was. She guessed it was shock. Maybe when everything fully sank in she’d be screaming like a lunatic. She frowned. Maybe this was all a nightmare. It had all the right ingredients for one. If only it didn’t feel so real.

“Well?” Brett interrupted her thoughts. “Is it a deal?”

Kayla nodded. “But you’re to stay in sight every moment I’m out of this room.”

“Deal.” Brett held out his hand.

Kayla shook his hand and turned towards the door. “Let’s leave you invisible for now. I don’t want to have to keep remembering to hold your hand all the time we’re outside this room.”

“Fair enough.” Brett fell into step beside her.

Resting her hand on the door, she turned to face him. “And don’t expect me to talk to you when I leave this room. I’d look like a lunatic.”

Brett chuckled. “That’s a bit boring of you.”

Kayla ignored Brett and pushed the door open. The corridor was empty. She supposed that was to be expected at this time of night. She hurried to the public phone since there were signs all over the place requesting mobile phones be turned off. Once she picked up the phone, she dug in the pockets of her jeans for some coins, dropped them in the slot and dialled her home number before she changed her mind.

“Hello?”

“Mum.”

“Where are you? You should have been home over an hour ago. You know you’re not meant to be out after ten when you have school the next day. You’ll never manage to get up in the morning and off to school on time.”

“Mum!”

“No need to raise your voice to me, Kayla.”

“I’m not coming home tonight. Someone has to stay with Jeff.”

“The doctor said Jeffery wouldn’t be alert before morning. There’s absolutely no need at all for you to spend the night with him. Stop carrying on and come home.”

“Who will be here with him in the morning?”

“I’ll call in and see him for a few minutes on my way to work. Your father has an early appointment so he won’t have time until tomorrow night. Which is why we have private medical insurance. At the press of a button Jeffery can have a nurse at his side. I want to see you home within half an hour. I don’t have all night to sit up and wait for you.”

Kayla shook her head in disgust. “I’ll be home in time to get ready for school in the morning. And you’ve never waited up for me before so I don’t expect tonight to be any different. Oh, and don’t keep ringing the nurses, they’re getting annoyed and I’ve told them there’s no need to pass on any more messages since they have more important things to do.” She hung up before her mum had a chance to say another word. Her gaze collided with Brett’s and she turned away to find a vending machine.

They silently walked the corridors and Brett pointed to the packet of chips he wanted when Kayla shoved a crumpled note into the machine. She grabbed the packet and headed back to the room. Anger kept her silent. She worried that if she opened her mouth she’d scream. Or ring her mum back and abuse her. Sometimes she found it impossible to understand why her parents had bothered to have children. Kayla shifted a chair closer to Jeff’s bed and reached out for his hand as she dropped onto it. The words she would have spoken caught in her throat. Spilling emotions in front of a stranger wasn’t her thing. Actually, spilling emotions to anyone had never been her thing. But she guessed that was to be expected with the way they’d been raised. Emotions were messy and unnecessary.

Brett took her hand. “You do realise it’s been over a week since I’ve tasted food. I hope you don’t expect me to wait the rest of the night before I can eat.”

Kayla glanced at her watch. “Not that you’d have much of a wait. Sunday’s nearly over. It’s not long till midnight.”

“Help me open the packet. I can’t do it one handed without making a mess.”

Kayla let go of Jeff’s hand long enough to pull on one side of the packet. She reluctantly smiled when Brett closed his eyes the moment he’d put a chip in his mouth. “They aren’t that good.”

Brett stared silently at her for a moment. “You tell me that when you’ve gone days without food. I might not feel hunger, but I’m left with a hollow feeling. Like something’s missing.”

Kayla remained silent. What could she say? Instead she watched as Brett slowly ate the packet of chips. When he finished, he sat on the floor beside her, his arm resting against her leg.

When Kayla began to struggle to keep her eyes open, she tapped Brett on the shoulder. She waited until he faced her. “What happened?”

“When?”

“How did you die?” He stared at her long enough she began to think he wasn’t going to answer. Not that she could blame him. She guessed it wasn’t something he wanted to think about.

He turned his head to stare straight ahead. “My eighteenth birthday actually landed on a Friday. We had all these plans…

Brett grabbed his wallet and smiled at the sound of the horn out the front. He stepped out of his room and nearly ran into Brian who held his hand out. Brett grinned. “What, not going to give me a break since it’s my birthday?”

“And risk you drinking the rent money? Be real. I wasn’t born yesterday.” Brian continued to hold out his hand.

Brett pulled his wallet from a back pocket of his black jeans and handed over the correct money. When Brian tucked the money in his shirt pocket, Brett grinned. “Not going to hand some of it back with a happy birthday?”

Brian laughed. “My great grandfather was Scottish. What do you think the chances of that are?” He clapped Brett on the shoulder. “But I’ll say happy birthday. Only because it doesn’t cost me a cent.”

“I bet they’ll bury you with the first dollar you ever earned.”

Brian nodded solemnly. “Yep. It’s a family tradition.”

The car horn sounded again. “Gotta run. Don’t wait up for me. I won’t be home before daybreak.”

“As if I’d bother,” Brian called out after him. “I’ll probably wake up in the morning about the same time you’re walking in the door.”

Brett hurried across the front lawn to the car parked on the side of the road. He grinned when heads and hands were poked out of the windows, to cheer, the moment they saw him. A can of mixed spirits was shoved in his hand as he opened the rear door.

The boy beside him opened a similar can. “How’s it feel to be of legal drinking age? Finally.”

“Great. Means I no longer have to hassle you to buy my drinks for me.” Brett dropped the cold can beside him while he buckled up.

The laughter was punctuated with happy birthdays and Brett glanced around at his friends as he opened the can. Nick drove tonight, Jake sat in the front passenger seat and Trevor was next to him. The only one missing was his girlfriend, Chelsea. She was at her cousin’s engagement party and hadn’t been able to get out of attending. He had a feeling she hadn’t tried hard as she desperately wanted to be a bridesmaid.

Jake turned in the seat to face Brett. “You ready for a big night?”

“Where are we off to first?” Brett asked.

“We couldn’t decide where to take you so we’ve worked out a schedule. Three parties, two pubs and four nightclubs. Hope you’ve had your Weetbix.” Trevor grinned.

“No probs. I could hit twice that many places.” Brett had a mouthful of his drink and grinned. “The question is, can you lot keep up?”

There was good-natured arguing on the heels of his question and before long they pulled up in a crowded street. Brett looked out the car window. He guessed this was one of the parties.

Nick took out his phone. “Time check peoples. Mine says eight forty-two.” Phones were taken out and they made sure they all had the same time.

“Isn’t this a bit extreme?” Brett checked the time.

“Set alarms for nine-thirty.” Nick ignored Brett’s question. “If we get separated, we meet back at the car at that time.”

Brett shook his head, with a grin, as he set his alarm to vibrate. Otherwise there was no way he’d know his alarm was going off once the noise of a party surrounded him. “Mission accomplished.”

Nick pointed at Brett in warning, a grin barely held back. “I’d be nice to me if I was you. I managed to talk them out of some of the more interesting pranks they wanted to play on you for your birthday. I could let them go ahead.”

Brett swung his door open. “We going to party or sit in the car and talk all night?”

Trevor threw his door open and yelled over his shoulder as he raced towards the party. “Last one inside buys a round at the first nightclub.”

Brett slammed the door behind him and raced after Trevor, rapidly catching up with him. They burst through the open front door, grinning and arguing over who was first. Within minutes of arriving, Brett felt like he’d said thanks a million times to birthday wishes and had been offered so many drinks he’d begun to wonder if the night would end in alcohol poisoning. Trevor and Jake offered to help drink the cans so he didn’t risk it.

By the time they’d been to the two pubs, the other party and one of the nightclubs and were on their way to the next one, Brett felt hungry. He pointed to the twenty-four hour service station.

“Think we can pull up? I want to grab something to eat. They should have something in the hotbox. Even if it’s crumbed oil.”

Nick pulled up at one of the bowsers. “Might as well put some fuel in while we’re here.” He took out his wallet and handed over thirty dollars. “Pay for it while you’re in there, will ya?”

“And grab me something to eat. Not oil. An ice cream. One with a chocolate coating.” Trevor handed him a ten dollar note.

Brett looked to Jake. “Anything for you?”

Jake shook his head, an exaggerated look of disappointment on his face. “We’re meant to be drinking, not stopping for food. You lot won’t last till daybreak at this rate.”

Brett grinned. “Just refuelling. I bet I outlast you.”

“Ten bucks says you pass out before me.” Jake held out his hand.

Brett shook it. “Done.” He got out of the car, headed inside and grabbed an ice cream from the freezer to the left of the door. He crossed the room and eyed what the hotbox had to offer. A frown formed when he glanced over to where the attendant served someone at the other counter. It looked like a whispered argument was in progress. He sighed. He didn’t want to be stuck in here all night waiting to be served. He grabbed a packet of chips instead and headed for the attendant.

The man with a hooded shirt whirled when Brett dropped the chips and swore. Brett’s gaze was drawn to a gun pointed at him. There was a loud sound and he saw the attendant cover his mouth with his hands. A scream cut through the silence.

The ice cream slipped from Brett’s fingers and pain exploded through him. The man with the gun ran towards him. Another loud sound and then the world became hazy until it ceased to exist. His last image was of the gunman running past, his mouth open and moving, his eyes filled with terror. Brett’s last thought was that the gunman was only a kid. One younger than him.