One Day

another chapter

CHAPTER FIVE

Jason and Maria

Maria opened the front door of her house and let Jason in.

'Hi,' said Jason and kissed Maria. She took his head in her hands and looked at him for a few seconds.

'What are you looking at? Have I got something on my face?' asked Jason, and he kissed her again.

'No, I just wanted to look at you - you've got a lovely face,' replied Maria and walked into the living room.

'Are you OK?' asked Jason, following her. 'I haven't seen much of you this week.'

'I'm fine,' replied Maria. Then she turned and looked at Jason. She saw someone who was her best friend. She saw a person she loved, but she knew that she was going to change everything.

'Jason, sit down. I need to talk to you,' said Maria. She took his hand. 'There isn't an easy way to say this, but I've met someone else.'

'What do you mean - met someone else?' For a moment Jason didn't understand. Then his face went white.

'When I was on holiday with my family in France at New Year I met a man and...' (this was the difficult bit to say) 'and I think I love him.'

'You said you love me,' said Jason in a loud voice.

'I did. I do. I do love you, but maybe like a brother. I feel a different love for Francois.' Maria looked at Jason. 'Oh Jason, I'm sorry. I didn't want this to happen.'

'You don't love him,' said Jason. 'It was just a holiday romance. How can you fall in love with someone else? Have you heard from him since the holiday? Have you seen him? Does he say that he loves you?'

'Yes, he loves me too,' Maria answered. 'We've emailed each other every day, and he came to London last week for a few days. I saw him then when I stayed at my sister's.'

'You told me your sister wanted to spend some time with you,' said Jason. 'So that wasn't true, was it?'

Jason looked at Maria. He couldn't believe what was happening.

'When we finish school in the summer, I'm going to Paris to study. Francois is studying there at the moment,' Maria said, not looking at Jason.

'You've thought of everything, haven't you? When did you decide all this?' Jason asked.

Maria didn't reply.

Jason got up, put on his coat and said, 'I'm going. I can't stay here. It hurts just to look at you.'

'Will you be all right?' asked Maria.

'I don't know. And anyway it's not your problem now, is it?' replied Jason angrily.

'Jason, please don't,' said Maria. 'Don't go. We need to talk some more.' But Jason was already running out of the front door.

He ran and ran until he couldn't run any more. He wasn't angry any more, but just so sad. He started to walk slowly home. He hoped his mother was out - he didn't want to talk to anyone.

When he got to his house, he saw the lights were on. He tried to open the door quietly, but he couldn't.

'Is that you, Jason?' called his mother from the living room.

'Yes,' he replied.

She came to the door of the living room. 'Why are you back so early?'

'I'll tell you tomorrow,' replied Jason. 'I'm going to my room now.'

'Please can you come into the living room for a moment,' his mother said.

'Do I have to?' asked Jason.

'Yes,' his mother replied.

Jason followed his mother into the living room and saw a man sitting on the sofa.

'Jason,' said his mother. 'This is your father, Simon.'

Jason looked at the man and said nothing. Simon said nothing, but couldn't look at Jason. After a minute or two Jason said coldly, 'So where have you been for the last twelve years?'

His father replied, 'It's difficult, but let me try and tell you what happened.'

But Jason didn't want to hear any more things that evening. For the second time that day he ran out of a house. He went to the river and sat looking at the water. He felt lost. Everything was different. Maria loved someone else. A strange man - someone he called 'Dad' twelve years ago - was sitting in his house. Jason felt he was going mad.

The weather was cold and it was raining, but he just sat looking at the river. For a moment he thought about jumping into the water and letting it take him away. 'Who will be sorry? Nobody,' he thought. But, deep inside, he didn't really believe that.

He put his hand into his pocket and found some cigarettes. He lit one, stood up and turned away from the river. For hours he walked the streets of Bath. The rain was still falling and he was wet through. At about three o'clock in the morning he was outside the city's mail depot. There was a lot happening. Big vans were arriving with bags of letters. Jason was happy to stand outside the gate and watch the bags going into the building. He stopped thinking about his problems for a bit and time passed. One of the men shouted to him, 'Hey mate, you all right? Want a job or something?' Jason didn't answer.

A voice called out from inside the building, 'Harry, tea's ready. Leave those bags and come and get it.'

The big gate opened to let the next van in. And Jason just followed. The man at the gate didn't see him behind the van - he was too busy reading his newspaper. The driver got out of the van and went inside. Then there was nobody but Jason. He wanted to get out of the rain, so he got into the van and sat down between the bags of letters. It was dry and comfortable. He smoked his last cigarette and then closed his eyes.

He woke up a short time later when he heard the sound of people laughing in the building. For a moment he didn't know where he was. Then he remembered. He knew he must go home and talk to his mother. Then there was his father. Jason was angry with him, but he did want to know why he was back. 'And I don't want anyone to find me in this van,' he thought. He jumped out and waited in the dark for the gate to open again. When it did, he ran out.

A voice called out behind him, 'Hey, you! Stop!' But he didn't. He ran on. His head was hurting and his clothes felt wet and uncomfortable.

There was only one thing in his life that made him feel good - going away to art school in the autumn. It was really important that he heard from the London art school soon.