The Goldsworth Series Box Set

by Davie J Toothill

  “Time to get up,” his mum called, “Don’t want to be late for school. Especially on a Friday.”

  When his mum had left the room, closing the door loudly behind her, Troy tried to close his eyes and remerge himself in the dream he’d been having. It had been about Aurora. Rather, he and Aurora had been having sex. She had been both beautiful and wild, moaning his name louder and louder with each thrust, and then Troy had been woken up at the peak of arousal.

  Brandy stirred beside him, and Troy rolled over, tracing his fingers along her stomach, then further down, slipping inside her. Brandy’s eyes opened and she eyed him quietly, but she said nothing, gave him no reason to stop. She gasped when he entered her and Troy allowed himself to believe that he was back in the dream, that this was Aurora that he was making moan.

  Afterwards, Troy got out of bed and went to have a shower, leaving Brandy lying on the bed looking bemused. As the hot water ran over him, Troy began to wonder if perhaps he had been cruel to Brandy. He had pictured her as somebody else, which he had done numerous times before, but this time it was personal. And then he’d finished up and left without saying anything to her. Brandy hadn’t called for him to stay, so Troy washed himself and decided to put it out of his mind.

  At breakfast, Jessie was unusually quiet and Troy eyed her with suspicion.

  “You alright Jessie?”

  “Yeah,” she replied.

  “She’s stoned,” Trent laughed.

  “Fuck off,” Jessie snarled, and retreated to her bedroom to finish getting ready.

  “What I want to know is where she gets her stuff from,” Tyrese said, “Because it’s not from me.”

  “Don’t look at me,” Trent laughed, and they both turned to Troy.

  “Nope,” Troy said. “She probably gets it off Jazz, that girl she’s always hanging out with.”

  The kitchen door opened again and Brandy walked in, washed and dressed in school uniform.

  “Troy, can I have a word?”

  “Sure,” Troy replied.

  “In the bedroom?”

  “Whey,” Trent whistled, “Lucky you Troy, ma boy.”

  Troy followed Brandy out of the kitchen and into his bedroom, knowing what she would say.

  “We need to talk about Clint and Aurora,” Brandy said.

  “I knew you would say that,” Troy sighed. “Look, let’s just fucking drop it right. We can’t stop them being together, you know what Clint’s like.”

  “Yeah, I do,” Brandy said. “And that’s exactly why we need to stop it.”

  “I ain’t in the mood for this,” Troy persisted. “Just leave it.”

  He walked back out, and could hear Brandy’s angry sigh before the door closed.

  As he finished the rest of his breakfast, Troy wondered at why Brandy was so obsessed with splitting up Clint and Aurora. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. He had fantasised about Aurora, so perhaps Brandy had fantasised about Clint.

  The thought made his anger rise and his insides clench. The thought of Brandy imagining it was Clint inside her instead of him. The image of Brandy and Clint, locked together, hands running over each other’s bodies, in Brandy’s dreams. Troy slammed his glass down heavily, and Tyrese and Trent both looked up.

  “Sorry,” Troy muttered.

  When Brandy reappeared, Troy looked at her. She looked annoyed. With him. Still, that wasn’t unusual. Brandy was the world’s moodiest girl, Troy told himself. She didn’t have fantasies about Clint, it just wasn’t possible.

  “Come on,” Brandy said, “Tamar’s waiting downstairs.”

  * * *

  On the walk to school, Troy found his mood souring even further. The thought of Brandy and Clint together wouldn’t leave his mind and each time Amal and Tamar praised Clint, which they seemed to be doing more often than usual now, Troy felt a surge of anger towards his best friend.

  “Are you alright, man?” Tamar asked, looking quizzically at Troy.

  “Yeah,” Troy replied bluntly.

  “Anyway, what I was saying was,” Amal continued, “Clint’s one lucky bloke. I mean, Aurora’s one of the hottest girls at school and he’s banging her.”

  “She isn’t one of the hottest girls in school,” Brandy interrupted, “You only noticed her at the party because Sasha put so much make-up on her. And Clint ain’t banging her, because she’s obviously still a virgin.”

  “No way, man,” Amal gasped, “That just makes her even hotter.”

  “Ripe, ain’t she,” Tamar added.

  “She’s nothing special,” Brandy argued.

  “Why you so against her, eh?” Tamar asked her.

  “Yeah, you ain’t said anything good about her since, like, forever,” Amal agreed.

  Troy glanced at Brandy, watching her face. She looked flustered.

  “Don’t be such a dick,” she snapped, “I just wish everyone would shut-up about that slag.”

  Troy saw her eyes flare with anger. He didn’t know whether it was because she simply didn’t like Aurora or whether it was more. And now that such a powerful idea had taken hold in his mind, Troy was inclined to believe the latter.

  * * *

  In the girls’ bathroom, Sasha hastily reapplied her make-up and brushed her hair. The door swung open and Brandy sauntered in, looking angry, as usual.

  “What’s up with you?” Sasha asked, eyeing her friend through the reflection of the mirror.

  “Don’t ask,” Brandy sighed, dumping her handbag on the counter and checking her own reflection. “Troy’s just been annoying me, then Tamar and Amal started going on.”

  “So you two made up then?”

  “Obviously,” Brandy retorted. “What did you get up to last night then?”

  “Nothing much,” Sasha replied, although Brandy noticed her cheeks redden.

  “Come on,” Brandy grinned, “You can tell me. Did you meet Tamar or something?”

  “No, don’t be stupid, he blew his chance,” Sasha replied.

  “Yeah, anyway, he’d have been bragging about it all the way to school if you had.”

  Sasha laughed, and continued brushing her hair.

  “Why are you doing your hair in here?” Brandy asked, “You normally have it all set before school.”

  “Yeah, well, it got messed up on the way down here.”

  “Messed up? Don’t tell me the wind did that, it looks like you just got out of bed.”

  “Nope.”

  Brandy eyed Sasha suspiciously. As Sasha tried to ignore her and continue doing her hair, Brandy began to piece it together.

  “You’ve had sex on the way to school haven’t you?” Brandy finally asked.

  Sasha gasped. “How could you tell?”

  “For a start, you’re make-up’s all shit. Secondly, your hair’s obviously been pressed up against the inside of a car door.”

  “Shit, you’re good.”

  “I learnt from experience,” Brandy laughed. “And you obviously got laid last night too, but what I don’t get is why you didn’t tell me straight off.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Sasha smiled, “Let’s get to class.”

  “Oh no,” Brandy said, shaking her head. “You’ve been fucking that Wright guy, haven’t you?”

  Sasha looked down into the sink, looking embarrassed.

  “I’ll take that for a yes, then?” Brandy persisted.

  “Yeah,” Sasha nodded.

  “Why? I told you not to go near him.”

  “He’s hot and he’s funny,” Sasha explained, “And he’s cute. And it’s not like I need your permission to go out with anyone.”

  “Don’t start all this, I’m just looking out for you,” Brandy said, her voice rising.

  “Well don’t,” Sasha interrupted. “If it turns you into this control-freak, I don’t want you looking out for me.”

  “Sasha -”

  “Leave it out,” Sasha retorted, and stormed out of the bathroom.

  Brandy looked into the mirror and watched the d
oor close behind her. Eugh, she thought. Some people were just determined to fuck things up for themselves.

  * * *

  In the corridor, Troy felt his temper rising. Clint and Aurora had joined them, and rather than being their usual selves, Tamar and Amal seemed to have had personality transplants, being respectful to Aurora, as if she were some kind of Goddess.

  Above that, however, Troy was stung by the respect they showed Clint. It was as if the fact that Clint had managed to land himself with Aurora was a point that made him important, perhaps more important than him, the gang-member, brother of notorious criminals, with a girlfriend a thousand times tougher than Aurora.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Tamar asked, looking at Troy worriedly.

  “Of course I fucking am,” Troy replied, “If you’d stop asking me stupid questions.”

  “You and Brandy made up then?” Clint asked.

  Troy felt another stab of anger, but forced himself to smile.

  “Yeah, it’s all sorted,” he replied.

  The bathroom door to the left swung open and Sasha stormed out, and Aurora rushed off after her, skirt and bag swinging in her wake, catching Troy’s eye. He quickly averted his gaze, and Tamar observed him carefully, and Troy shot him a menacing look that turned Tamar away from him.

  “You coming out for a fag?” Clint asked, nudging Troy’s arm.

  Troy resisted the urge to punch his best friend in the face, and nodded, trailing after Clint down the corridor, suddenly aware that Tamar and Amal were at Clint’s side, not his own.

  * * *

  After school, Aurora walked back to the Goldsworth with Sasha. Clint had text her, telling her he was with Troy and would come and see her later. Aurora walked beside Sasha in silence, aware that Sasha was still in a bad mood about something.

  When they reached the Goldsworth, Sasha lit yet another cigarette and inhaled deeply, as if urging the smoke to dissipate her anger.

  “You fancy going to Zoe’s?” Sasha asked, suddenly turning to Aurora as if just noticing that they were together.

  “Yeah, okay,” Aurora nodded, “If you’re sure you’re okay.”

  Sasha sighed. “Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry about the chain-smoking.”

  “Why isn’t Brandy walking with you today?”

  Sasha closed her eyes and rapidly puffed on her cigarette several times. Aurora watched her with concern and made a mental note that Brandy was the most likely cause of Sasha’s bad mood. It made sense, Aurora told herself. Brandy seemed to be at the centre of most people’s bad moods from what she could tell.

  They reached Zoe’s front door and knocked loudly, so that they could be heard over the sounds of Sienna crying from inside. After a few minutes, the door opened and Zoe let them in, panting and sweaty, with Sienna under her arm.

  “Sorry about that,” Zoe called over her shoulder on the way to the kitchen, “Sienna’s been a nightmare today.”

  “That’s babies for you,” Sasha said, still puffing on her cigarette. “Zoe, is it alright if I smoke in here?”

  “Yeah, it’s fine,” Zoe nodded, “I don’t think babies mind it too much.”

  “I’m pretty sure they do,” Aurora said, “They just can’t say anything about it.”

  “Aurora’s right,” Sasha nodded, “Fucks up their lungs and shit.”

  “I’ll put her in the other room then,” Zoe said, and disappeared into the hallway.

  After a few minutes, in which Sienna’s crying softened and eventually disappeared, Zoe reappeared in the kitchen. Sasha had already put the kettle on, so all that was left was for Zoe to pour out three cups of tea.

  “How’s it going then, Zoe?” Sasha asked, eyeing her carefully as Zoe passed them each a mug of tea and joined them at the kitchen table.

  “Good thanks,” Zoe said, rubbing her eyes, “Tiring though. But mum says she’ll come down sometime and help out.”

  “Well, that’s nice of her to offer,” Sasha smiled, although Aurora sensed that she didn’t really believe Zoe’s mum would ever actually go through with it.

  “How’s school then?” Zoe asked. “Done much work?”

  Sasha and Aurora laughed and shook their heads.

  “Just the usual,” Sasha laughed. “Aurora’s been doing okay then.”

  “That’s good,” Zoe smiled. “Maybe someone I know will end up with at least one GCSE then.”

  “Hopefully,” Aurora laughed.

  “How do you feel about a night-out tomorrow?” Sasha asked, turning to Zoe.

  “Night out?” Zoe repeated. “As in drinking and clubbing and that?”

  “No, I meant a trip to bingo and a perm,” Sasha sighed, rolling her eyes. “Of course I mean a night out clubbing.”

  “Well, yeah, that sounds great,” Zoe said, “But I’ll need to find a babysitter.”

  “Aurora could do it,” Sasha suggested.

  Aurora and Zoe both looked at her, surprised by the suggestion.

  “Would you mind?” Zoe asked, turning to Aurora.

  Aurora remained quiet for a moment. She had been hoping to meet Clint and now she felt slightly put out that Sasha hadn’t invited her out either.

  “Yeah, I guess it would be okay,” Aurora said.

  “Awesome,” Zoe grinned. “Thanks so much.”

  “And she’ll need some company, obviously,” Sasha said, trying to sound blasé about it but failing. “Maybe Clint could come over, if he’s not doing anything, that is.”

  “Ooh, what a good idea,” Zoe suddenly piped in, “You’re so smart, Sasha.”

  Aurora looked from one to the other and back, confused by their sudden interest in her babysitting skills.

  Sasha was looking at her, as if waiting for something to click. Suddenly, it did. Aurora realised why Sasha hadn’t invited her clubbing and why she’d suggested she baby-sit for Zoe. She and Clint would be alone together once Sienna fell asleep in her cot, and that meant that they would be undisturbed for perhaps hours. Aurora felt herself blush, and Sasha smiled, seemingly aware that she had finally understood.

  “Great, so all that’s sorted then,” Sasha smiled.

  “Yeah,” Aurora said, trying to keep herself from smiling, “What time should I come over?”

  “Anytime really,” Zoe replied, “About seven? You can have a few drinks with us if you want?”

  “Sounds great,” Aurora said, finding herself grinning again.

  Zoe’s phone bleeped, and she flicked it open and sighed.

  “Who is it?” Sasha asked, once Zoe had sent a reply.

  “Brandy,” Zoe replied, “I asked her to come out tomorrow too.”

  “Oh, Zoe, why’d you do that?” Sasha groaned, suddenly back to the bad mood of before.

  “What did I do?” Zoe asked, confused.

  “Don’t worry,” Aurora intervened, “Sasha and Brandy had some kind of falling out earlier.”

  “She’s just so controlling,” Sasha blurted out.

  “Go on, you might as well tell us everything now,” Aurora prompted her.

  “Okay,” Sasha sighed, although Aurora could tell she was relieved to finally be able to vent her frustration out.

  Aurora and Zoe listened as Sasha told them about meeting Wright, and about Brandy’s warning about staying away from them, and then about how Sasha had snuck back out and met him anyway, and then met him again on the way to school.

  “And I’m supposed to meet him again later tonight,” Sasha finished.

  “Well, I don’t see what business it is of Brandy’s who you can and can’t date,” Aurora said.

  “Exactly, that was my whole issue with her,” Sasha said, smiling at Aurora.

  “What do you think?” Aurora asked Zoe.

  “Erm, I guess she was wrong to do it,” Zoe said, “But she was looking out for you. Some guys round here, well, you know what they’re like.”

  Sasha was glaring at Zoe, and Zoe quickly began to blush.

  “Obviously, she was still wrong to have a go at you
about it,” Zoe added quickly, “With you liking him so much and all that.”

  “Exactly,” Sasha grinned. “Now, I’d better get going, I’m meeting Wright in an hour and I need to freshen up.”

  “I’ll bet you do,” Zoe laughed, “Change your knickers and all, they must still be the same ones from this morning.”

  “Cheeky bitch,” Sasha laughed, standing up.

  Aurora stood too, “I’d better go too, I need to let Clint know about the babysitting tomorrow.”

  “Okay, thanks for coming round guys,” Zoe said, reaching for her phone as it started to bleep again. “Oh, wait. Brandy’s coming out tomorrow night. Sorry, Sasha.”

  “Don’t worry,” Sasha sighed, “Just as long as she doesn’t go on about Wright.”

  After leaving the flat, Sasha hugged Aurora.

  “Good luck with Clint,” Sasha said, a knowing look in her eye. “I’m sure if he’s got any plans he’ll drop them in a hurry, though.”

  With a wink, Sasha turned on her heels and walked down. Aurora walked up to her flat and let herself in. She knew that Clint would say yes. Even if he was busy he would change his plans, just like Sasha had said. The thought of being alone with Clint for a whole evening filled her with both excitement and nerves. She wanted nothing more than to be with him and she felt sure that she wanted to be with him, but the thought of having sex made her nervous. At least, she thought, Clint would be gentle and caring with her, as he always was. Smiling now, Aurora picked up the phone and dialled Clint’s number.

  * * *

  In Troy’s flat, Brandy threw the phone down on her bed and swore angrily to herself. Troy, lying on the bed, watching her, raised his eyebrows.

  “What’s the matter, babe?”

  “That stupid cow, that’s what’s the matter.”

  “Who?” Troy asked, “You’re not still going on about Sasha and your little tiff, are you?”

  “No,” Brandy hissed, “Not that you even know what that’s about.”

  “Then who?”

  “Fucking Zoe, that’s who.”

  Troy sat up straighter on the bed, weary.

  “What did she do?” he asked.

  “She’s agreed to let Aurora and Clint baby-sit her baby tomorrow night,” Brandy ranted. “Me, Sasha and Zoe were supposed to have a good night-out, no mention of that stupid bitch and now she’s back there at the centre of attention.”