Of Rage And Love

The rest of the conversation didn't go particularly well.

"Leaving?"

"Mom, you know I hate it here."

"But Jimmy -"

"Nothing's been the same since Dad died. Seven fucking years, Mom. I need to get out."

Jimmy trudged along the street, hand buried deep in his pockets, unable to forget the look on his mother's face after those words had escaped his mouth. He hadn't thought it would upset her that much.

"Jimmy, I know how hard losing your Dad was, it was hard on me too. But baby, please, I need you here."

He'd left, he couldn't stand watching her plead. She was a broken woman as much as she was a broken boy. It was like looking in a mirror. Except he didn't get upset, he got angry.

By the time he reached Tunny's house, he was fuming. It was Rach, not his best friend, who answered the door to him.

"Jimmy? What's happened? Why are you here so late?" She frowned. Rach was a pretty girl - slim with dark hair and mischievous brown eyes. And she loved Tunny unreservedly, meaning that Jimmy had been quick to accept her into his inner circle simply because she made the other boy so happy.

"Can I come in?" He was barely managing to keep his temper in check. As Rach stepped aside to let him through the door, she yelled for Tunny to get downstairs.

He came running, hastily re-fastening his shirt. Under different circumstances, Jimmy would have promptly begun to take the piss out of him.

"Jimmy, what's up?"

"I got home and Brad was out. Mom and I had a normal conversation, up until the point when I mentioned what we were talking about earlier." The other two could hear the edge in Jimmy's voice.

"What did she say?" Tunny asked tentatively.

"She freaked out." Jimmy met his eyes, and Tunny instantly knew why he'd come.

"Wait, wait, I think I've missed something here." Rach interrupted the two boys. Tunny's eyes widened, and through his rage Jimmy realised with a flash of horror that he'd just landed his friend in it. "Tunny?"

"We were, um..." He shifted awkwardly. "Leaving. We were talking about leaving, okay?"

There was that silence again. Jimmy briefly wondered if this would be everyone's reaction when they were told about this.

"Leaving?" Rach repeated. "Tun, not again."

"It was only hypothetical, Rach. I mean, it's never gonna happen is it?"

It was Jimmy's turn to stare at him.

"But you said -"

"Jimmy, please." Tunny was trying to get a point across to him without actually saying very much, but Jimmy wasn't having it.

"Right, fuck it then." He was back out of the door again before either of them could stop him.

"Jimmy -!" Tunny called after his retreating friend. Rach wrapped her arms around his waist, her mind far from easy. "Rach, you know I'd never leave you right?"

But that wasn't what she was worrying about.

"Tunny, is he gonna be okay?" She looked up at him.

You kinda amaze me sometimes, girl. He thought, kissing her forehead. "I'll go after him."