Me,Myself and Life...Oh! And the Boy across the Road

Thursday 9th August

It was 6.30pm. We had just finshed eating dinner that my mum had cooked. She and Val Miller were sitting in the living room chatting merrily to each other like they had been friends for years. Mr Miller aka John, who I had only met tonight, was being entertained by Libby. And funnily enough he seemed to like it. She was in her playroom showing him all of her toys. And here I was with Max, on my own, loading the dishwasher. I had hardly spoke to him throughout the night, which suprised me greatly. This is not how I usually act, and I wasn't the only one to notice. My mum had noticed and commented on it a couple of times, and even my 5 year old lunatic of a sister had noticed. I, however, knowing the real reason why, had just passed it off as me still being ill.

No boy had ever had this effect on me before, and I didn't like it. I knew that soon enough, I would get pissed off with myself and start taking it out on him.

"So...", was my pathetic attempt of a conversation starter. "So, how come you've moved to London all the way from Manchester, seeing as you're so opposed to the idea?". That wasn't too bad.

"I didn't get a say in the matter. My dad got promoted, his new job is here. We had to move, no matter what I thought". His voice was gruff when he answered my question, but the sound of it still amazed me.

"Oh"

Silence once again.

"What school do you go to?", he didn't sound like he was remotely interested.

"King Edwards Grammar School. What school are you starting?"

"Longbridge Boys School. I didn't get a say in this decision either, y'know! I went to a boys school up in Manchester too, and it was hell on earth, I hated it! I told my mum I didn't wanna go to another one, but she wouldn't listen to me. Suprise, fucking, suprise! So, you're the next Einstein are ya?"

"What? No! What made you think that?!"

"Oh no, you sure aren't are ya? Because you go to grammar school, duh! Haha!" He was smiling at me now. Wow... I had to remeber myself quickly, and I smiled back.

"Ohhh! No it's not like that. My mum might seem like she has the mind of teenager, but she wants the best education money can buy for me and Libs"

"Ohh I get ya" He smiled at me again.

He would have to stop this smiling malarky if he still planned on having a conversation with me. Suprisingly though, it was getting easier to talk to him. I was starting to feel more like my 'usual' self.

We chatted about other 'stuff' for about another half an hour. Then the 'adults', including Libby came bustling into the kitchen.

"Come on Anna! Why don't you take Max to your room and show him your CD's. From what Val has told me about her son, you two have the same taste in music. Strange kids! I could never get the hang of it myself..." This sparked another conversation between Val and my mum about our 'strange' music tastes.

"Yes, come on now kids! Go upstairs! Us adults want to talk about stuff! And we wouldn't mind having a bottle of wine either! John bought over a fine bottle earlier..."

I was absoutely gobsmacked! This was Libby talking!

Max and I bother erupted into hysterical laughter.

"NO! ANNIE BANANNY! DON'T LAUGH AT ME! GET UPSTAIRS NOW!" That's more like it, back to her old tantrum self. By the way, 'Annie Bananny' was what Libby called me most of the time.

"You gonna show me your CD's then?" Max asked. We were still laughing at Libs, but she was getting really angry now, so I left the kitchen and Max followed. The last thing we heard of her was her being soothed by John.

"She's took a liking to your dad! No-one can usually get her to calm down. We usually just shut her in her playroom so she can throw her toys around and get it out of her system" I said as we entered my bedroom.

Inside I was thanking my mum for making me tidy my room earlier. I don't know what I would have done if it was a mess!

Before I could even say 'Make yourself at Home', Max was searching through my CD's shaking his head.

"Our mum's have absolutely no idea. Out of all of these CD's, I like three! You Me at Six, Enter Shikari and Tonight is Goodbye."

I laughed at him. "Yeah, I figured you were more into the 'older' stuff from your tee yesterday"

"Oh yeah, The Smiths. You can't beat them to be honest. Nahh, I don't just like the old stuff, I'm just not that into this stuff"

"Well, I'm sorry! But I beg to differ"

"Each to their own I suppose, isn't it?"

We talked more about ourselves after that. I told him about Jaz and Lils, who were coming over tomorrow, and he told me about his best mates from Manchester. They were Dale, Joe and Ben, and Max used to be in a band with them.

"What do you mean 'used' to be?" I queried. I could talk to him completely like my 'normal' self now. He still mesmerized me though, by everything he did. I just managed to keep it under control now.

"Well, it's gonna be hard keeping a band together when the guitarist lives in London and the rest of the band live in Manchester, isn't it?" He laughed at this, but looked upset at the same time.

"Ah, I see"

We didn't talk much about it after that, he still told me all about his friends though. Joe sounded like a complete heart-throb, Ben sounded similar to Lils, quiet around people she doen't know but quite the contrary other wise and Dale sounded a bit like Jaz. Loud, witty and saying stuff without thinking about it first.

"So, what happened to yours and Libby's dad? If you don't mind me asking"

"Oh no, not at all! Basically he was a prick. He conned my mum out of the majority of her money and then left her when she was 7 months pregnant with yours truly. My mum's pretty young, she's only 36. So she was 20 when this happened. She inherited a lot of money off of her dad, so she was pretty ditzy when she was younger. Even more than now! Anyway, my dad came along, wooed her, got her up the duff, stole her money, left her and I've never heard anything of him since! Not that I'm bothered. My mum became wonder woman after that! She continued her psychology studies at uni whilst pregnant with me, to get her life back on track. Now she's a psychologist, so she got herself back on her feet. and now we're fine. Libby's dad was absolutley amazing! Him and my mum met when I was 7 and he swept both me and my mum off our feet! Haha! They married when I was 9, had Libby when I was 11 and divorced when I was 14. It wasn't bitter though. They were just better off as friends, and they still are now!" Like I usually do, I rambled on for ages and put lots of emphasis into the storie. Everybody had always told me that!

When I was finished I looked at Max and he was just smiling at me, quite goofily too, so it made me laugh.

"What?! You put lots of energy into story telling, don't you?" He stayed looking at me and then laughed.

We chatted some more when we were interrupted by footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Anna Coleman! Take me to bed now! I'm tired and need my beauty sleep!" She stormed into my room, grabbed my hand and dragged me to her room. I looked at her fairy clock when we were in her bedroom and it was 10.15!

While I was reading Libs her faveourite Bratz book, Max came in.

"Sorry to interrupt. I'm off now. Nice to meet you properly Annie Bananny, and nice to meet you too Libby" I laughed at him and he winked back.

Oh-My-God! He stunned me!

"NO! You can't call her Annie Bananny! That's my name!" Libby shouted.

"Elizabeth Georgina Fox! Don't be so rude!"

"Really Anna! I don't care what you say! I'm astounded at this young boy! Nice to meet you anyway Max. Pop round soon again won't you? And tell John the same aswell! He wants to see my Lazytown DVD" She said it so seriously, it cracked me and Max up again, but once again, Libby got angry. She doesn't like to be laughed at unless she's been deliberately comical.

"Max, you better go, before she attacks you! See ya!" And with a small wave, he shut the door and left. I could still hear him laughing at Libby as he made his way downstairs.

"Now come on Annie Bananny! Don't get distracted! Now what did Cloe say next?" She pointed at the book and I was ordered to carry on reading.