It’s cute.

A few beads of various colours, and a sheep one too, I need to know where he got that bead from actually.

And then.

Not my name. That would be too simple.

“MUFFINS” spelt out in the alphabet beads. Our sleepover snack. Favourites.

A friendship bracelet. Nicely handmade....

She’s just a little poorly. That’s all.

He rocks her in his arms, like he did their newborn.

Her hand flops down.

Now now dear, none of that.

We’ll sit you by the fire.

Would you like a cup of tea?

How about a blanket?

Would you like to hold the baby?

Oh, it’s time to feed him. Okay. I’ll do that, shall I?

Let’s have some rest dear.

Wake up now, it’s morning.

Baby’s crying.

Feed it aga...

He’s tall, just the perfect height of course.

And those eyes, well of course they’d be the perfect green.

And that hair. His bloody hair. He’s got to spend hours styling that, no, he probably just wakes up looking like that.

And of course he looks like he benchlifts fire engines, hell, he probably can....

I’ve watched you every step of the way.

When you tripped up the science block stairs, sure I laughed a little once my heart stopped thundering, but I helped you up, my hand stayed a second too long on yours.

When you needed help with your English, I answered your questions, helped with your grammar.

When you were cold I gave you my jumper, when your school bag was too heavy I shrugged and carri...

I didn’t realise till today.

I’ve heard all the rumours about her, she got expelled from her last school because she slept with everyone in her boarding house, she- well. All the rumours.

But whilst one or two I know are truths, I still just see her. She’s short, the top of her head is… halfway up my upper arm. She’s slim, covers less of herself than Adam and Eve.

But I also see the rest.

The ...

It had been weeks.

This can be proven!

Every night.

Working through a thousand and one possible proofs.

Matrices and 4th dimensions.

And then, with a sigh and a slam of the book, they agreed. It cannot be proven! It must be false!

They began to work on proving that.

Little did they know, with just a little manipulation, that last page held the proof....

I take the key out the pocket, unlock the door, and sigh as I step into my haven, my safe place.

Not just 4 walls and a roof.

But art.

On every wall, his art.

My favourite piece hangs across the wall from my bed, so I can see it as I go to sleep.

It hurts inside to realise, he doesn’t even know I exist.

I’ve almost reached stalker level, and he hasn’t seen my face, doesn’t know my name, my a...

This sense of foreboding has been chasing me, biting at my heels, making me look over my shoulder, back round every corner.

And I get home.

And the windows are bleeding smoke.

I can feel the heat choking me from here.

My house has grown red hair and spits at me, hating me for that time I spilt paint on the stairs, flooded the kitchen, smashed the window, burnt the cake.

This is not home....

It had been weeks in building.

The dog getting hit by a car, Nellie breaking her leg, Mark’s bike being stolen, thing after thing going badly wrong, again and again…

It felt like hell drawn out, a future mapped in pain and suffering and loss.

And she finally let it out.

A thunderous roar throughout the house.

Windows rattling, audible on the street.

Continuous.

Until… she stopped. And she s...

Just a few words. That’s all it took.

And then the rift opened, dragging me with it.

“Natasha never liked you”

“Yes she did, you’re just saying that cus Mike cheated on you with Sammy”

“What? I didn’t-“

“Uh… mike? You did. Everyone saw. At that party last week”

“Why wasn’t I invited?!”

“You were dumbass”

“Was not”

“Do you guys even like us?”

And the rift opened. I don’t even remember who said w...