A Hot Cold Summer

by Nova Weetman

  Something big and red drove past us. ‘Is that a double-decker bus?’ I asked.

  Mum and Tina both laughed from the front of the car. ‘Yep. Thought we’d take the scenic way home. Just so you could get an idea of London,’ said Tina.

  I was too excited to answer her. I couldn’t believe I was finally seeing all the sights. ‘Westminster Abbey?’ I asked, staring out the back window. ‘And Big Ben?’

  ‘How do you know so much about London, Frankie?’ asked Tina as she stopped at the blinking traffic lights.

  ‘Google,’ I said, half truthfully. When Jack came to Australia he’d stayed with us for nearly a month, and after he’d left, I spent a lot of time researching because I wanted to know more about where he came from and what it was like.

  Mum and Tina obviously had no idea how much I’d liked Jack then so I wasn’t about to admit that now.

  Then Tina piped up from the front. ‘I think Jack’s planning on showing you around.’

  ‘Oh. Great,’ I said. The thought made my heart race. ‘But he doesn’t have to. I’m sure he’s pretty busy.’ I hoped my pact would hold after I’d actually seen him. It was one thing promising Gen I could just be friends while he was still on the other side of the world but it was totally different when I was staying in the same house as him.

  ‘Never too busy for you, Frankie!’ Tina answered and smiled in the rear-view mirror at me.

  I tried to smile back but the truth was I still didn’t know how I felt about seeing Jack again. We’d had such an awesome time together before - so part of me was hoping it would be like that again. But the way he’d just stopped emailing me back without telling me why made me wary of getting too close.

  ‘This is the high street,’ Tina was saying. ‘And that’s where you catch a bus into town.’ She pointed out a stop. ‘There’re lots of good places along here to buy clothes, too,’ she said, more to Mum than me.

  Although I was planning on doing lots of shopping while I was here, I wanted to check out the big city stores rather than the little boutiques on the local high street. Actually, I didn’t have much money to spend, especially after I’d forked out a lot of my savings from busking on a new bike, but Gen and I had researched the cool shops to go to, and she’d written a list of things she wanted me to look out for. We’d joked that I was going to have to buy an extra bag to get it all home.

  As we drove, I stared out the window, taking in all that I could. It was so different to what I was used to. Lots of the buildings looked really old and even though the sun hadn’t come up properly yet, there were people everywhere.

  ‘So this is our street …’ Tina turned off the high street and into a more suburban-looking area. ‘And this is home,’ she said, pulling up outside a beautiful old two-storey house.

  It was exactly like the house I’d imagined. Skinny and tall just like Jack. Friends, I said quietly to myself. Just friends.

  ‘Come on, Frankie. Let’s go see if that boy is up,’ said Tina, as she led us up the steps.

  I really hoped he wasn’t, so I could have a shower and get changed before I saw him, but as we stepped inside, we were greeted by the smell of bacon and eggs, and loud music blaring from the kitchen, which meant only one thing: he was up.

  I felt quite nervous as we walked through the house towards the music. I’m not sure if it was the jet lag or the expectation of coming face to face with Jack, but I was feeling all churned up. We stepped into the kitchen. Jack spun round with a sizzling frypan, and I felt my heart lurch.

  He grinned. ‘Welcome to London, ladies! Hungry? I’ve done a fry-up.’

  His hair was all wild and crazy like he’d just rolled out of bed. But it didn’t matter, because he still looked gorgeous: the same scruffy brown hair, big brown eyes and perfect smile I’d remembered. But he was even cuter than I’d thought. How was I going to stop myself falling for him all over again?

  ‘Frankie? Do you still love crispy bacon?’ he asked as he piled it high on thick white toast.

  ‘Um, I’m not really that hungry, thanks,’ I said, even though I was starving. The plane food had been fairly ordinary and crispy bacon was pretty much my favourite thing in the world. I was rapt that he’d remembered, but I didn’t want to have to make small talk while we all ate together, at least not until I’d had some sleep, brushed my teeth and worked out the whole time-zone thing.

  But before I could escape, Tina manoeuvred me into a chair, handed me some cutlery and the plate.

  ‘Put something in your stomach,’ said Tina. ‘And don’t be deceived by Jack, this is the only thing he can cook. He’s just showing off.’

  ‘Mum. Don’t give away my secrets,’ said Jack, smiling at me.

  I wondered what other secrets he had - and if I’d get to know any of them while I was here.

  When Jack sat down next to me his leg bumped against mine and for a second everything stopped. I remembered how it felt the last time we’d seen each other.

  I must have looked a bit out of sorts because Mum leant over and asked, ‘You tired, honey?’

  ‘No,’ I said, yawning.

  Tina laughed. ‘Frankie, why don’t you go up and have a little sleep. When you wake up we can go and do something.’

  I nodded, realising I was totally exhausted. Suddenly the only thing I wanted to do was sleep.

  As I got up to follow Tina upstairs, Jack looked up at me. ‘If you’re not going to eat that …’ he said, gesturing at my unfinished breakfast.

  Before I could answer he snatched the bacon off my plate with a grin, and I couldn’t stop myself grinning back. Gen would have been horrified. She’d made me promise that no matter how cute he was, I wouldn’t be too friendly. And here I was, already grinning at him within ten minutes of arriving.

  Jack jumped up. ‘You eat, Mum, I’ll show Frankie upstairs.’

  ‘No, it’s fine. I’ll find it myself,’ I tried to insist. But Jack grabbed me by the arm and pretty much pulled me from the kitchen.

  Having him so close made my heart race, and I was so busy trying not to check him out from behind as he led me to the stairs that I didn’t hear a word he was saying.

  He must have realised I wasn’t listening, because he stopped at the top of the stairs and looked at me strangely. ‘Frankie? Did you hear me?’

  ‘What? Oh, sorry. I wasn’t really listening.’

  ‘Really? I have to say it again? I was just saying sorry for not emailing you back. I just figured that, well, you know.’

  But I didn’t know. I had no idea how he felt about it. All I knew was that kissing him was the only thing I’d thought about for months after he left. We’d had an awesome month together, and then, on the night before he was due to go back to London, we’d kissed.

  For the eight months since then, I’d been hung up on him, even though he lived on the other side of the world and wasn’t even in touch with me most of that time. We’d emailed for a while, but we kept it friendly and never really talked about the kiss. And then, one day, he’d stopped emailing. Just like that. I couldn’t work out what had happened. Even Gen got bored listening to me talk about him, and that’s saying something. No wonder she’d been so encouraging about Tom Matthews.

  ‘Anyway, Frankie, I didn’t mean to just vanish,’ he said as he shuffled awkwardly around. Obviously it was really hard for him to say it.

  I really wanted to know what had happened. But before I could work out how to phrase it, my mouth yawned.

  Jack frowned. ‘Am I boring you?’

  ‘No. I’m sorry. I’m just really tired,’ I said, feeling my eyes closing.

  ‘Yeah, course. Anyway, I’m really glad you’re here. We’re going to have some serious fun, Frankie,’ he said, and then leant down and gave me a hug.

  My whole body went sort of stiff as he pulled me close. I could smell his jumper and feel how strong his arms were around me. As unexpected as it was, I could’ve stood there all day, just being wrapped up in Jack’s hug. It took me back to that
night when it seemed like we were made for each other.

  He let me go and smiled. ‘I like your hair like that.’

  He liked my hair? Huh? I’d just been on a plane for two days. Maybe Gen was right. Maybe I shouldn’t have come. I’d only been in London for a few hours and now I was wondering how I could keep my hair exactly the same for the next two weeks.

  ‘I really want us to be good friends,’ he said as he showed me to the room I was going to share with Mum.

  ‘Yep. Me too,’ I said. What a liar! Of course I didn’t want that. I had heaps of friends. I didn’t need another one.

  ‘Have a good sleep,’ he said, and shut the door to my room.

  It’s pretty hard to sleep when the smile of a cute boy keeps popping into your head. It was like a little promise of something to come. As much as I tried to pretend I didn’t still like him, I couldn’t help hoping that maybe we would have a great time together while I was here. Maybe we would find some of the closeness we had in Australia. And maybe, this time, he wouldn’t break my heart.

  I woke up to the sound of a guitar playing. At first I was really disoriented. The room was dark and I was still in my clothes. Then I remembered where I was: London.

  It was Jack playing guitar.

  I really wanted to see him, but I also wanted to look better than I had after getting off the plane.

  I found the bathroom and looked at the unfamiliar shower taps, shivering as I worked out which dial to use. I finally got in, scrubbed away at my jet-lagged body with some of Tina’s fancy shower gel, and started feeling human again.

  Back in my bedroom, I pulled everything out of my suitcase, looking for my jeans and my favourite red jumper, and started trying to fix my hair. Then I remembered that Jack liked it crazy and I stopped and messed up the front again so it looked more like it did when I’d arrived.

  As I walked into the lounge, Jack was sitting on the floor with his guitar on his knee, strumming.

  It made me think about all the nights back in Australia when we’d stayed up after Mum and Tina had gone to bed, playing our guitars softly so we wouldn’t wake them.

  It was on the last one of those nights that we’d kissed.

  I must have leant against the door because it creaked, and Jack looked around. I expected him to be embarrassed that I’d been watching him, but he just smiled.

  ‘Finally. I’ve been waiting all day for you to wake up.’

  ‘Really? All day? So that’s why I’m starving,’ I said.

  ‘Well, you’ll have to wait. The Mums have gone out somewhere for a few hours and when they get back we’re going to an Indian place up the road.’

  He’d always called them The Mums. I liked it, because it made it seem there was us and there was them. I realised this meant we had the house all to ourselves. I tried not to think about that.

  He patted the floor. ‘Come on. We still have time for a few songs.’

  When I’d met Jack, I was playing guitar in the school band, and only ever singing privately in my room. One day he overheard me and got so excited he made me realise I could sing and write songs. Now there was nothing I loved more.

  I sat down on the floor near him, but not too close. ‘New guitar?’ I asked, noticing the different wood and shape.

  ‘Yeah. It was Dad’s. My uncle had been looking after it since Dad died and he gave it to me last month. It’s a beauty,’ he said, touching the strings. ‘I like that Dad used to play it. It makes it even more special.’

  And it was. It was the sort of guitar I’d buy if I had the money.

  ‘Can I play it?’ I asked, not sure if he’d mind.

  He grinned cheekily at me. ‘Only if you sing “Tomorrow Land” with me first.’

  I rolled my eyes at him. ‘Nah.’

  ‘Oh, come on.’

  It was a song I wrote when Jack was staying with us, and I hadn’t sung it since, because it reminded me of being with him. I didn’t want to sing it now, especially with him sitting so close.

  ‘Pleeeeaaase,’ he begged.

  ‘I’ve forgotten how it goes,’ I lied.

  ‘Lucky I haven’t, then,’ he said and started strumming it on his guitar. ‘Join in, Frank.’

  Other than Gen, he was the only person who ever called me that, and it was strange how much I liked hearing him say it.

  As he hit the chorus, he looked over at me as if to say, Come on. I loved hearing him play. And I was amazed he remembered how the song went.

  I wanted to sing. We used to have so much fun jamming together - and it was my song, after all. But I wasn’t expecting we’d be like this again so quickly. I’d thought it would be strange for a while. I thought I’d be angry with him for how much he’d hurt me.

  But I just couldn’t help myself. I loved the chorus too much not to join in.

  ‘In my tomorrow land

  when you take my hand

  and open up the sky

  so that we can flyyyyy.’

  I hit the last note in perfect time with Jack. He gave a sharp nod, and we both stopped together. He laughed, and in that moment, it was like things were exactly as they used to be between us.

  ‘That was awesome!’ he said. ‘You have to sing it tomorrow night.’

  I looked at him, confused. ‘Tomorrow night?’

  Jack put his guitar down on the couch. ‘Our band’s doing a gig at a record store on the high street tomorrow night. They have this stage in the back where bands can play.’

  ‘Cool,’ I said, impressed. But it made me realise things had really changed.

  He nodded. ‘Well, hopefully. We haven’t had much time to practise lately. But if we do well, we might get a residency. It’s our first real gig.’

  ‘I didn’t know you had a band,’ I said, feeling sad that there were now obviously so many things I didn’t know about his life.

  ‘It’s a bunch of friends from school. I play guitar and write most of the songs. Will you come? And sing?’ he asked, sounding excited.

  ‘Okay,’ I said, without thinking it through.

  Before Jack could say anything, someone called out, ‘Jack, who’s singing?’

  I looked up to see a girl standing in the doorway. She was wearing a short denim skirt, big boots and a striped jumper. She was probably about my age but she was wearing red lipstick and had her blonde hair cut short, which made her look older. And pretty cool.

  She walked over to where we were sitting on the floor.

  Jack smiled up at her as she came closer. ‘Asha, meet Frankie.’

  ‘Oh, so you’re Frankie,’ said Asha, barely looking at me.

  Great. This was feeling all too familiar. First Dad and Jan. Then Tom and Jasmine. Now Jack and Asha. Was she his girlfriend or just some random girl who had a key to his mum’s house? And why had she heard about me when I hadn’t heard about her?

  ‘Yeah, I’m Frankie,’ I said, feeling a bit defensive.

  ‘I’m Jack’s girlfriend. And the singer in the band,’ she said, sitting down so close to Jack her leg was resting on his.

  Girlfriend. I tried to hide how I felt about hearing that fantastic bit of news.

  Jack gave me a sort of half smile, like he was sorry he hadn’t mentioned it before. Then he turned to Asha and said, ‘Hey, don’t you think it’s a great idea? Frankie can sing “Tomorrow Land” at the gig.’

  She frowned at him. ‘Is that that song you’re always playing?’

  Jack’s cheeks flushed a little. ‘Yeah. It’s a great song,’ he said. ‘I think we should definitely play it tomorrow.’

  ‘Is it your song?’ she asked me.

  I nodded. ‘Yeah.’ Maybe I should have added, It was the song I wrote for your boyfriend and I’d almost got it out of my head until he stirred it all up again.

  Asha reached her arms around Jack and pulled him in close. Was it my imagination or did he look a bit awkward?

  ‘Well, really, the only thing that matters is what you think, Frankie,’ said Asha. I wasn’t sure if
she was asking me what I thought of her being Jack’s girlfriend, or how I felt about singing, so I avoided the question altogether.

  ‘I think I want to have a go on your guitar, Jack. Wasn’t that the deal?’

  Jack passed it to me. ‘All yours.’

  I moved up onto the couch, wanting to get away from them. I wish I’d known he had a girlfriend. At least I could have been better prepared.

  The guitar was lighter than I’d expected and it tucked into my body like a good guitar should. I strummed a few chords and the sound was amazing.

  ‘Wow,’ I said, as my fingers worked the strings.

  Jack joined me on the couch. ‘I know, right? It’s perfect,’ he said, excited. ‘It just makes everything sound so much better.’

  Asha was obviously feeling left out because she piped up with, ‘I thought we were supposed to be practising tonight, Jack.’

  Jack groaned. ‘Oh, sorry, Ash. We’re going out for Indian.’

  I was surprised he’d chosen to have dinner with Mum and me over his girlfriend. She was obviously surprised too because she shot him an angry look and said, ‘I thought this gig was important to you.’

  ‘Yeah, it is. Of course,’ he said as he took the guitar off me. ‘But –’

  ‘You’ll just have to miss dinner. We can get something later.’ She smiled at me like she’d won.

  I waited for Jack to make a decision. I really hoped he’d tell her he was coming with us. Instead he shrugged at me, like he had no choice.

  ‘Can you apologise to The Mums for me,’ he asked, with a guilty smile. ‘Next time, Frank.’

  ‘Sure,’ I said, forcing a smile. ‘Next time.’ I wasn’t about to show either of them how disappointed I was. It wasn’t just that he had a girlfriend. It was that he’d chosen someone like Asha over me.

  Dinner was a disaster. I only managed half a samosa, and Mum kept asking me if I was okay. She even leant across at one point and checked to see if I was feeling hot.

  Tina basically ordered half the menu, but after meeting Asha I just wasn’t hungry anymore. In the end I managed to pass it off as jet lag and Tina brought four boxes of leftover food home for Jack to eat whenever he showed up.