Mini McGuiness sat cross-legged on her bed, flicking through old photo albums just as she and Alo had done only a few nights previously. Somehow the pictures not only reminded her of fond memories but also of the weird, lanky red-head who she was still trying to work out exactly why she didn't loathe.
Mini smiled as she came to a picture of herself alongside her two best friends, Liv and Grace. They were sitting on a big red open-topped bus – Mini flashing a winning smile for the camera and her fingers positioned in a peace sign, a statement that at the time she'd thought made her look cool, Liv looking like she was having fun but not too bothered about the picture, and Grace seeming to be looking in another direction – probably at a landmark they were passing rather than the camera. Mini recognized the photograph as from a trip to London when they were all fifteen and in year ten. They'd bunked off school one Friday – there'd needed to be a lot of encouraging on Grace's part – and caught the train to London. They'd returned home late Saturday evening carrying many bags from Topshop and claiming to have spent the previous night at each other's houses. Mini laughed to herself as she remembered Grace nagging at her that they should be spending less time in Oxford Street and more time exploring and taking in the culture.
"You can find a top you like back in Bristol Mini", she'd told her. "I've always wanted to see the National Art Gallery".
"Well you bloody well go then", Mini had laughed in response. "I'm quite happy here thanks. What about you Liv?"
"I'll go wherever", Liv shrugged. "As long as there's a club nearby".
Grace never did get to see the gallery. Mini kicked her feet out in frustration at herself – why couldn't she have let Grace have just that one thing? She'd always wanted to see that place and now she never would. Not ever. Mini wished for the millionth time that she'd told her friend more often just how much she meant to her. Without Grace, nothing seemed to work.
She was interrupted from her thoughts by the sound of her mobile ringing, the screen displaying that Liv was calling. She hesitated for a moment before glancing back at the photo of the three of them smiling and decided to pick up.
"Hello?" Mini answered in a formal, emotionless voice as if speaking to some-one from BT not one of her best friends. Her only best friend, she corrected herself – she kept thinking in the mind frame that Grace was still alive.
"Mini?" Liv's voice made her seem as cautious about the conversation as Mini was. They didn't really speak much since the return from Morocco and when they did it usually ended disastrously.
"Well you called my fucking number who else were you expecting?"
At the other end of the phone, Liv smiled in relief. Mini may have been acting hostile towards her but at least she didn't seem to want to hang up the phone just yet, and her sarcasm implied that she wasn't too upset to talk. Liv had really missed Mini and the sound of her friend's familiar soft Scottish accent giving out put downs only reinforced that. Still, it was difficult talking to her and Liv wasn't entirely sure what to say – all she'd known was that she missed her and Alex had urged her to call. She turned to Alex himself, hoping he'd give her some kind of clue as to what to say now.
"Just tell her", he whispered. "Just tell her you miss her".
"Who's that in the background?" Mini asked. "You're not calling me while you've got a guy over are you? Because if you're getting your vag licked out right now I think I'd rather speak to you later".
"It's Alex", Liv smiled rolling her eyes. "I'm at his place".
"His place" was a bit of an understatement – with his Nan dead, his Dad away in God-knows-where and his Mum … Liv didn't know where his Mum was. Alex had never mentioned her and it had never occurred to Liv to ask. Whoever and wherever she was, she certainly wasn't here. Alex was left living in student accommodation and it wasn't half scabby – even Liv, who wasn't a person of high standards – didn't like to be there for long.
"Oh", Mini replied. "That's nice. Good to know I wasn't invited to this little get-together".
"Mins". Liv couldn't think of anything to respond to that other than her name. "Look", she continued, bracing herself. "I miss you. It's not the same without you. It's bad enough that she's gone – I can't lose you too. Not both of you – don't leave me on my own".
It took a while for Mini to reply and it wasn't until Liv heard her sigh down the phone that she was sure her friend hadn't hung up.
"Come over to mine", Mini said finally. "I guess we could do with a catch-up".
"Okay", Liv replied trying to contain her happiness, but also feeling an overwhelming amount of anticipation. "I'll be there soon".
"Oh but don't bring bender boy", Mini added, referring to Alex. "I can't be bothered with the hassle of disinfecting my house after he leaves".
"I'll see you soon okay babes", Liv laughed before ending the call.
"You worked things out then?" Alex asked her.
"We'll see", Liv told him honestly. "I've got to go and meet her now though – is that alright?"
"You go", Alex smiled. "I've got lots of grinder requests I can respond to".
Rolling her eyes, Liv left his room and made her way to Mini's.
Back in her bedroom, Mini was sorting through her wardrobe looking for something to wear for Liv coming over. She wasn't sure why exactly as her in pyjamas wasn't a sight Liv hadn't seen many times before, but this visit somehow felt more important than the others. Mini changed into one of her favourite outfits – a top and short pencil skirt with many accessories and heels. She did her makeup and then looked at her reflection for some time – trying to take it all in – how young and thin she was. She looked like the typical teenager with her whole life ahead of her. Who would know she only had a handful of months until she'd be the size of a whale with her life as she knew it practically over? Mini brushed the thought from her head and turned to walk back over to her bed – she wanted to put the photo album away before Liv arrived.
"You look nice", Franky stated from Mini's bedroom doorway.
"What the fuck?" Mini exclaimed as she turned and saw her friend. "How long have you been there?"
She didn't really know why she was surprised – it wasn't unusual for Franky to just walk into somebody's house and stand watching them in the doorway until they noticed as if it were a socially acceptable thing to do. Mini doubted she'd ever figure that girl out.
"Not long", was Franky's vague reply.
"Helpful", Mini commented sarkily. "Well since you're here I suppose you may aswell make yourself useful. Liv's coming over soon and I need you to stay until after she's gone. I don't want to run the risk of being on my own with her – you know, in case I slip out any … information".
"You mean telling her you're pregnant?" Franky quizzed.
"If you want to think of it that way", Mini replied.
"Why don't you just tell people?" Franky asked. "Why don't you want them to know?"
"Oh you're always full of fucking questions aren't you?"
Mini could tell she was snapping and that there probably was no need for it, but she felt like enough of an emotional wreck as it was with confusion over her feelings for Alo, her pregnancy and of course her grief for Grace and the last thing she needed was any of Franky's curiosity shit.
"Sorry", Franky said quietly, sitting down on Mini's bed.
"Oh", came Liv's disappointed voice as she entered the room. "Hi Franky".
Liv didn't know what was going on with Mini, but there was definatly something. She'd almost gotten it out of her at her Dad's party until Franky threw herself into the equation. Now, with her here in Mini's room too, she knew there was no chance of discovering the truth this time either.
Liv liked Franky – she was one of her closest friends. But when she was with Mini … Liv generally got the feeling that they were a part of something special, something that only included the two of them. And Liv hated feeling left out, especially by two of her closest friends.
"Hey", Franky smiled.
"Oh - hi Liv", Mini said casually not even turning to face her. "You came just in time".
"Is everything okay?" Liv asked. "I heard raised voices".
"Oh yeah – that would have been me. Couldn't find my lip-gloss – freaked out for a moment there".
Liv knew this wouldn't have been an unlikely scenario but something about the way Mini said it and the way Franky looked meaningfully back at her made her feel once again like they were shutting her out.
"Oh fuck this", she declared, leaving the room and the other two completely puzzled.
"What happened there?" Franky asked.
"I have no idea", Mini replied honestly. "I don't know what goes through her head anymore".
"Do you want to get out of here?" Franky asked, unable to think of anything else to say.
"Yeah, actually", Mini said thoughtfully. "There is one place I'd like to go".
Mini didn't know why, but for some reason her heart was telling her that the only way to find the solution to her problems was by going to Creevy Farm. That there was something about the weird ginger kid with a horrendous taste in music, a dress sense that looked like he took fashion inspiration from the windows of Oxfam and had more pills than the local Boots Pharmacy that would make all her problems seem to melt away.
"Where?"
"To the farm", Mini replied. "I need to see him. I need to see him now".