Treehouse

"So, what to do now we don't have to worry about Sara?" I asked Steffan.

"Whatever you want."

I thought about that. However hard I tried to make my mind up, I just couldn't. I didn't know what I wanted.

"I don't know, you decide."

"Well, maybe you should eat."

"Yeah, okay then."

Hand in hand, we strolled to the food court. Together we queued up at the finest restaurant: Greggs. How romantic.

"What're you having then?" he asked casually.

"Hmm, just a sausage roll." My mind started to sing the song about sausage rolls. I got carried away and started to sing aloud to the tune of I love Rock 'n' Roll. "I love sausage rolls, put 'em in the oven and they come out tasty..."

Chuckles came from above me.

"Please tell me you didn't hear that."

"I would, but that'd mean I'd be lying. And I would never, ever lie to you."

"Really? Why?"

"Yes really, really. I promise I will never lie to you."

"Wow, thanks." He hadn't answered my second question. "But why promise something like that?"

"Because," he halted. "I'll tell you later."

"Okay," I sighed. " One min, I'm just going to the toilet, sorry."

"Okay,"

I left the queue and made my way to the lifts. It was only now that I realised how abnormal this was that I was out without Sara. Right now I would normally be trailing through some expensive clothes or shoes shops. Weirdly, it felt better. I felt like I could be myself.

The thought of being myself scared me slightly. As much as I wanted to act like me, part of me didn't. Somehow, subconsciously, I had managed to create myself a new persona in front of Sara, I was a quieter character who followed her like a sheep. And I wasn't the first to notice, I had to be told. My friends had realised it before me. But had Steffan? Maybe he had, but I just hoped he hadn't.

But how would I be able to come across as the real me when all I've ever been is a lie? I had always been shy, since before I could remember. After a while of thinking, I made my decision. All I could do was to try to be myself, I would try my best and just hope my best is good enough.

I could see Steffan waiting for me when the lift doors opened. He handed me a sausage roll and put his arm around my waist. My arm wrapped itself around his waist to return the favour.

"Do you want to go anywhere else?" he asked me.

"No," because in his arms was the only place I longed to be.

"'Kay then, let's go."

Arms tied around each others waist we walked down the stairs along the tunnel and back upstairs.

"Shit," Steffan said as we got onto the platform.

"Shit," I repeated.

We had missed the train. All that could be seen was the last carriage pulling out of the station.