The Route

Authors Note: I am deeply grateful to Talonias for allowing me the unique privilege of contributing to this story from it's creation. This route, as the title suggests, follows an theme but will stray into other areas too. This has been a fun and rewarding experience to write, I hope you enjoy the results. Dansak.

“I don’t think he can hold his liquor very well” Said, Alex

“You could say that,” Said Clara, Alex's best friend, while rubbing Ollie’s back as he was being sick.

“Oh crap, here comes my mom” Said Alex

Despite his mother offering to pay for a venue somewhere and have a large party for his eighteenth, Alex chose just a few close friends and family for a BBQ during the afternoon then beer and music around a fire in the yard in the evening. That summed up Alex pretty well. His mother got the beer for him, if he was going to drink then she preferred he do it where she could keep an eye on him. As it happens, Alex was not a big drinker so she need not of worried, but there was no telling his mother that.

The small group of friends were sat around the fire talking and singing along to the music, but as the sun went down so did poor Ollie. Ollie was Alex's old neighbor, after his family moved to the other side of town they stayed in touch. They weren't exactly close but they had known each other a long time and Ollie was generally a considerate and fun friend, not so much tonight though. When Clara spotted him looking a bit ill she and Alex took him up to the end of the yard to throw up, they were trying to avoid worrying Alex’s mother inside the house. At least that was the theory.

“What’s going on? Is he OK?” Said Alex’s Mom, shivering slightly in the late September chill.

“He’s fine Mrs. Curren, just the beer didn’t agree with him I think” Said Clara as politely as possible.

“Alex, did you have to bring him up to my roses?” His mother may have been speaking to Alex but she was looking at Clara when she spoke.

“Sorry Mom, he’s done now though”

Right on cue, Ollie launched the remains of his stomach contents at the roses.

“For heaven's sake,” Said Alex’s mother as she walked back to the house shaking her head and muttering to herself.

“I think I’m alright now, I’m sorry about the roses Alex” Said a mournful looking Ollie.

“Don’t worry about it Ollie, come on, let's get you on that lounger over there, you can sleep it off.”

Alex and Clara helped Ollie over to the lounger. Clara made sure he was on his side and would be able to breathe properly when he inevitably fell asleep, she covered him with a blanket then got him a glass of water and put an empty bucket next to the lounger. Alex admired the confident and practiced way Clara dealt with Ollie's over indulgence with a mixture of sadness and pride. When Clara was sure Ollie would be OK they went and sat back down with the others around the fire. Clara sat between her cousin Dani and her friend Paige, Alex plonked himself down next to his friend Finn. Alex’s older sister Sophie was there too although she spent most of the evening tapping away on her phone. Others had popped in to see him through the day but this was the small group of friends Alex wanted, nothing fancy, just a few beers, and some laughs.

If he had his way, Alex would have spent the evening with just him and Clara, as they normally did. But Clara would have none of it and persuaded him that this small gathering would be fun, and as usual, she was right. Although they were often mistaken for a couple they had only ever been the best of friends, nothing more. Alex’s father and older brother were killed in a car wreck the same year that Clara’s father ran off with some woman, they were both 9. Clara's mother Tessa started drinking shortly after and has struggled with ever since.

“I’m getting cold, I’m going inside” Said Sophie

“Shall I put another log on the fire” Said Finn who had split his attention between Sophie and Paige all day, but was not making the sort of progress he had been hoping for.

“No thanks, it’s getting late, I’ll just go inside” And off Sophie went. Alex knew she was probably going to keep an eye on their mother. Alex's mother was no less troubled than Clara's, after his father and brother died she had a sort of breakdown so it was to Sophie that Alex turned to for support. At 22 Sophie was four years older than Alex and still looked out for her younger brother, even though their mother for the most part was doing fine now, sort of. Unsurprisingly the events of their childhood and the support they gave each other forged a close bond between Alex and Clara.

“I should go to, my mom’s getting us up at some unholy hour to go see my nanna tomorrow,” Said Paige, an attractive dark blonde girl that Alex didn't know to well, Clara knew her from the college they both attended.

“Do you mind if I share your cab?” Asked Finn

“The more the merrier,” said Paige.

“Can I ask a favor, Finn?” Said Alex, and nodded towards the lounger

“Ah shit, do I have to?” Finn was annoyed, Ollie would cramp his style somewhat. He was a nice guy but Finn never stood a chance with Paige, she was far too smart to fall for lame half-drunken advances.

“Don’t be horrible Finn…Alex, we’ll take him.” Said, Paige

“Oh yeah, …we’ll take him…I was only kidding” Finn turned red as he spoke.

When the Cab arrived Alex and Finn shoehorned Ollie onto the back seat. The driver looked none too happy at the sight of Ollie but when Paige got in the front seat he took a shine to her so allowed Ollie in the cab.

Alex, Clara and Dani, sat around the fire chatting. “I’m going to the bathroom, back in a bit,” Said Dani jumping up and heading indoors. She was a lively, petite, dark-haired girl, a year older than Alex and Clara. Dani always seemed to be happy Alex noted as she went inside.

Clara moved around and sat next to Alex. She was wearing jeans, a grey woolen jumper and fur-lined beige boots. Her long brown hair was lose and shined in the glow of the fire.

“Alex…have you noticed that I didn’t give you a gift yet?”

“Yeah…but…I just thought maybe…” Alex was clearly flustered. Clara giggled at him and said,

“You thought I’d forgotten didn’t you?”

“Actually no, you’d never forget, I’m not sure what I thought really”

“Last month at my eighteenth you got me a signed Purple Rain LP. You’ve no idea how hard I racked my brains trying to work out what to give you for your birthday. It wasn’t easy you know, trying to match a present of that magnitude, I really couldn't find anything at all at first”

“I’ll never understand what it is about Prince you like so much but anyway, what did you decide on?”

Alex was actually relieved, it had been on his mind a little. Clara looked around to be sure they weren’t overheard then said,

''I promised myself that if I couldn't find anything, I'd get you another gift instead…me”