Nate looks up sharply. Oh, now he’s awake! I knew this Elliot thing was a good idea.
“Since when?” Nate says.
His mum cocks her head slightly. “Since Jack discussed the idea with me at breakfast, because that’s what people do at breakfast, they discuss things. And people who just stay in bed, don’t.” She turns to Mr Nate. “I assume you’re ‘cool’ with this spontaneous and freewheeling idea?”
Mr Nate shrugs and smiles. “Yeah? S’what it’s all about, man!”
“OK, can you absolutely not use words like ‘man’, Mick? It’s humiliating for you.” She turns back to Nate. “So, chip chop, as soon as we’re allowed back in you need to get ready.”
I smile at Nate and he smiles back in this fixed, fake-looking way.
“OK?” I say.
“OK!” Nate replies.
And I know immediately there’s something going on, I just don’t know what.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
NATE
It was six years ago, so chances are he won’t remember, or will be as embarrassed about it as I am and won’t say anything, but no sooner have we pulled up and got out of the van outside this grim working men’s club where the talent show is being held than Elliot, in all his overexcited glory, bounds up like a puppy. He’s grown – of course he has – but he’s still the shortest out of the three of us. His hair is blond, which I assume runs in Jack’s family, but his is more choppy, chaotic, slightly haphazard, like he’s just tumbled out of bed, which is a look I can totally get on board with. He’s wearing a super-adorable NASA sweatshirt with jeans, and he’s such a bundle of unmitigated joy that I can’t keep a stupid grin from spreading over my face. And he clearly does remember and isn’t embarrassed because he grins, points at me in this tableau of joy and excitement and shouts, “TREE HOUSE!”
So, ahhh, here’s the thing, and the thing is there was a thing between me and Elliot in Jack’s tree house. I mean, we were ten, so as things go…
We kissed. We kissed each other in Jack’s tree house. It wasn’t… We were ten. It was super innocent, the end of a long summer when me and Elliot had become excellent friends, and I don’t know exactly how it happened, but it did. It was very quick. And neither of us knew what to do about it afterwards. I remember feeling like something BIG had happened. And then I quickly buried the feeling for another six years.
“That’s a weird way to greet Nate,” Jack says, eyes narrow with suspicion.
Elliot grins. “Nate knows what it’s about!” I laugh loudly and confidently, like Elliot’s just pissing about and his comment is only a bit of banter. Truth is, if Jack knows I was experimenting with kissing boys at the age of ten, he’ll put two and two together and realize he wasn’t the only kid questioning his sexuality at school, and that, actually, if I hadn’t backed away from him, we could have faced it together. And honestly, I’m just not ready for that conversation with Jack, because honestly, I’m not ready to have it with myself. Elliot goes to hug me, and then Jack, and then shakes hands with my parents. “Thanks for coming, guys!” Elliot continues. “It’s really good of you. Mum says you’re on some sort of wild road trip for the summer? Sounds cool. Me, I’m just doing my thing – this is my third contest actually, came third in the last one, so I’m on the up.” He nods and smiles. “Did you have prom?”
“We don’t talk about prom,” Jack says.
Elliot nods manically, then turns to me. “How’s things, Nate? It’s been AGES!”
I nod. “Yeah.”
Must be weird,” Dad pipes up, “when you’ve not seen each other since becoming men.”
I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment. “Dad, can you please just not?”
“Ha ha, puberty!” Elliot laughs.
I’m glad he finds the whole sorry fiasco amusing.
“So, I’ve put some free tickets for you at the door,” Elliot continues, “and there’s a table reserved for you at the front. I’ve got to go and get ready now, do my warm-ups and things, but I’ll see you after, and if I win, drinks on me, I guess! Well, Mum can buy them, but I’ll pay. Yabba dabba doo, right?”
“Sounds good, mate,” Dad says.
“OK, so…” He grins at me again, then pretends to make a couple of little boxing jabs at my stomach. “Boom, boom! See you later!” And he scampers off.
“Someone’s very excited,” Mum says.
Jack nods. “Yeah, they were thinking about having him medicated for a while, but I don’t think they ever did.”
Dad rubs his hands together. “I fancy a pre-show beer!”
“OK,” Mum says. “So I’m driving later, then?”
“Is that OK?” Dad says.
Mum doesn’t reply, just turns to us. “What do you want to drink, boys?”
“Just a Coke, please,” I say.
“Aperol spritz, if they do them,” Jack says. “Thank you.”
Mum takes a breath, clearly about to tell Jack he can’t have actual alcohol, but then sighs and says, “Oh, what the hell?”
I make to follow my parents and Rose in, but Jack tugs on my T-shirt to pull me back. “So,” he says, all sly and hushed. “Tree house.”
I shrug. “Yeah?”
“I wonder what the significance of the tree house is? I wonder why that’s the first thing Elliot would say to you?”
“I guess we spent a lot of time in your tree house that summer.”
I meet his eyes, unblinking.
“Lies,” Jack says. “I can’t wait to get to the bottom of this mystery!” He grins. “I’m going to visit the restroom. I’ll see you at our VIP table in the cabaret space.”
“Jack? I’m not sure it’s a—”
Jack holds his hand up as he flounces off. “I know! I’m very well aware this is a shithole, thank you!”
I watch as Jack disappears into the entrance, wondering if he’s guessed, or whether he somehow knows, or if I should just tell him, except, no, it’s all too … everything’s all too
