Crash

Danny
The Past

A smirk tugged on my lips as I tried to lighten the subject away from my granddad too much I didn’t want Amelia to see how much it affected me, she wasn’t a close part of my life but still. I was about to avert the subject when I felt Amelia squeeze my hand gently, a smile of her nude lips in a sympathetic way. I didn’t want sympathy but I was touched and confused at how she managed to know my granddad affected me that much.

“Believe it or not but I hate, hate being with the popular group at school, Nath was my friend since primary school and we’ve stuck by each other; because of the way we look we automatically got stuck with Becky etc, we didn’t want it but as time passed the will power or need to rebel became unimportant. Sometimes I just want to be able to talk to other people and not be stuck talking about the same things all the time, and all I hear from the girls is bitching about other girls or their flirting with me because of my looks – they don’t know me. Oh and speaking of them, they don’t know I’m also a closet rock music listener either”

I added emphasis on the last few words before letting up a built up breath escape, Amelia smiled apologetically before I sank further into the sofa. She had trusted me with her secrets and I had trusted her with mine, secrets that now unwillingly or not had forged a bond between the two of us. Something shared between the two of us, that no one else would be part of.

“Woah….that was kind of heavy for both of us – I had no idea. Shall we just watch a movie now? I think we both got more than enough –“

“Yeah I agree, I’ll let you pick”

Amelia nodded before she put Home Alone into the DVD player before sitting down on the couch next to me, our legs barely centimeters apart. Half way through the movie we sat in a comfortable silence before Amelia shot me a curious look.

“So what kind of rock music does Mr Popular like then?”

“Shhh people might find out my secret”

I joked covering her mouth with my hand before she pushed it away laughing, I smiled back before continuing.

“Nirvana, Nickelback…you get the drift, you?”

“Love Nirvana and Nickelback they were the bands my Uncle used to play on repeat to me when I was tiny. I actually have Nirvana’s 92’ live gig on DVD you want to watch it?”

“Sure”

She ran over to the DVD stand again and ran her finger along some cases before stopping at the one she was searching for. She stopped Home Alone and put in Nirvana’s DVD before jumping onto the sofa again. We both got comfortable and before long me and Amelia were both jumping on the sofa singing along to Polly, Teen Spirit and Lithium to name just a few, eventually both of collapsing down again in fits of laughter.

“You know Amelia you’re not like all the girls I know are you, you’re different. In a good way”

“Thank you Danny and neither are you, I judged you based on presumptions and I apologise”

“And just because you like Nirvana I think you might just be my new best friend”

The best friend word slipped out of my mouth without me even knowing, my mind was racing and I couldn’t take it back. However as I registered what I said I began to come around, we both had stuff in common and I didn’t care about being popular so much, not when I knew other people didn’t, like Amelia. Being friends with her wouldn’t be so bad – but something tells me I making a deal with the devil.

Amelia laughed out loud, tilting her head backward for affect.

“God that would never happen, the school would have a field day with that”

“I’m not joking, you’re different and I had a really good time with you. I would like you to be my best friend, stuff what the others think”

Her blue eyes went wide and her mouth fell open in shock before she nervously adjusted her glasses on her nose.

“You’re being serious, Danny you don’t want me as a best friend. You may fell rebellious now but it will backfire later –“

“I do and I don’t care I won’t regret it, you’re the only girl I’ve had stuff in common with. Be my best friend”

“Fine”

Amelia blurted out before she covered her mouth in shock, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of red. Laughing to myself my phone beeped inside my pocket, mum. Sighing I pushed it back inside my jean pocket.

“I love to stay and sing but mum needs me. I got to go”

“Okay”

We both got up and Amelia walked with me to the front door as I slipped on my black converse and my grey hoodie that she handed me, when I finished she opened the door and I stepped in the doorway smiling slightly.

“Well thanks for everything, especially Isaac”

She spoke nervously she leaned forward almost contemplating whether to hug me, but backed out. So I took the initiative and hugged her instead. She awkwardly wrapped her arms around me but eventually we both loosened up and became comfortable. I pulled away before I went to leave, she was about to close the door but I spun around to her.

“Shit wait I need my best friend’s number”

Laughing she held out her hand and I placed my mobile in her palm, she keyed in a few numbers before saving it and handing me back.

“Bye Danny”

“Bye Amelia”