Steven Dunne - Deity

Rusty smiled. ‘Thanks,’ he said, talking to the table.

‘Aye. Well, don’t get used to it,’ said Lee. ‘I’m not a fucking waiter.’

Rusty placed a pound coin on to the empty tray without looking up.

The Refectory Manager looked down at it in surprise, if not gratitude. ‘Blimey. Think I’ll have it framed.’ He nodded his appreciation before trudging back to his till.

‘Waiter service, eh?’ teased Kyle.

‘Hark at Simon Cowell over here,’ added Becky.

Rusty was embarrassed. ‘My mum was a waitress for a while, and they earn a pittance, so I try to leave a tip if I can.’

Adele beamed at him. He squirmed under her gaze. ‘That’s very thoughtful of you, Rusty.’

‘Yeah, thanks for the drink, bruv,’ said Kyle, taking a swig of Coke.

Rusty examined the camcorder strapped to his right wrist. ‘No probs.’

‘I can’t imagine your mum as a waitress, Rusty,’ said Adele. ‘She’s so pretty.’

‘It wasn’t for long. And there was nothing else she could get in Chester.’

‘Don’t they need models in Wales then?’ asked Fern, turning to grin at Becky. To her surprise, Becky looked away, unsmiling.

‘She must be raking it in now though, if you’re such a moneybags,’ said Kyle.

‘Not really,’ said Rusty. ‘But it was my eighteenth last week so Mum’s spoiling me.’

There was an uncomfortable silence round the table from all except Fern. ‘Happy Birthday,’ she said gaily, missing the sudden mood-change. ‘Did you have a party?’

Becky and Adele rolled their eyes at Fern until she became vaguely aware she’d said the wrong thing.

Rusty smiled at the table, equally unaware of her faux pas. ‘No. But my mum bought me this new camcorder.’ He brandished it proudly. ‘And a cake.’

‘Your mum sounds nice,’ said Kyle warmly. He nodded sadly at the others. Poor Rusty. Nobody knew. Eighteenth birthdays were a big deal in a life so short of landmarks. They were an excuse for wild partying and drunken revelry with friends, extravagant presents from parents and maybe even a cruise round Derby, hanging from a Stretch. Assuming you had friends, of course. He looked at Rusty and realised he knew very little about him.

Suddenly Rusty looked up into his eyes. ‘What’s a MILF?’ The others darted their eyes around the table in panic. ‘That is what Wilson called my mum, isn’t it?’

It was difficult for the others to keep a straight face in the ensuing silence. Fortunately the writer among them came to the rescue. ‘It stands for Mums I Like Fine,’ said Adele, with a quick glance at Fern to discourage giggling.

‘That’s right,’ agreed Becky. ‘And Wilson’s such a good judge of personality.’ She stared at the top of Rusty’s head, then open-mouthed at Fern and Adele. Was this guy for real? Social skills zero, street patter zero. She sneaked a glance at Fern, who was starting to snigger, and Adele who was mouthing at her to stop.

Rusty looked up again and smiled. ‘Funny, I had Wilson down as a bit of a knobhead but he’s right. Mum’s the best. It’s been very difficult for her, having to move again.’ He looked away again, embarrassed, and no one pressed him to finish. They’d all heard the rumours of bullying.

‘It’s my eighteenth tomorrow,’ said Kyle, changing the subject. He looked round at his fellow students with an apologetic smile. This time even Fern was on message and looked intently at her drink. ‘Don’t worry,’ he continued. ‘You don’t need to waste your weekend on me. I’m not having a party either. Things are tight at the moment. There’s just me and Mum. Daddy Warbucks offered to pay but Mum doesn’t. .’ Kyle’s voice became more halting and he began to wish he’d said nothing. ‘Well,’ he finished tamely.

‘I couldn’t come anyway,’ said Fern, trying to hide her relief. ‘My parents are taking me Bournemouth for the weekend. Lame or what?’

Adele laid a hand across Kyle’s and fixed him in her gaze. ‘You should celebrate.’

Kyle looked at her with his doleful eyes. ‘Should I?’ He emitted a half-laugh. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘Well, I think so. You only get one eighteenth. And on a Friday too.’ She smiled but felt a stab of pain. Friday was always her special night with Adam. The first time they’d made love was on a Friday, last summer at his cottage.

‘He doesn’t have to celebrate if he doesn’t want to,’ said Becky.

‘Celebration implies happiness,’ said Rusty almost to himself.

‘Rusty’s right. There’ll be other times,’ said Kyle. ‘When I’ve. .’ He hesitated, then smiled sadly. ‘But thanks, Ade.’

Adele’s face hardened. ‘Suit yourself,’ she replied. ‘You can sit in the corner fondling your Morrissey posters and feeling sorry for yourself. But I’m coming round at seven with your present and you damn well better be there, Faggot.’

Kyle’s mouth fell open and there was shock and surprise around the table. Adele raised an eyebrow and glared at Kyle and he glared back. A second later Kyle’s mouth curved into a huge grin as Adele started to chuckle. ‘You saucy bitch,’ he screamed at her in his campest voice. ‘You’re so un-PC, girlfriend.’

‘That’s a date then.’ Adele laughed and everyone joined in. Even Rusty managed a thin smile.

Kyle looked around the table. ‘And you guys are all invited.’

‘Going Bournemouth,’ repeated Fern.

Becky looked at her sternly. ‘Yeah, leave me dangling, ho — that’s dread.’ She turned reluctantly to face Kyle. ‘I normally wouldn’t waste a Friday on you, Faggot, I want that understood, but if Fern’s dumping me then I’m sure I can find an hour for you — as long as we’re not listening to the fucking Smiths all night.’

Kyle smiled at her. ‘Great. I’ll lay on some booze. Uncle Len can afford it. What about you, Geek Boy? You gonna come?’

Rusty looked at him, puzzled. ‘Me?’

‘Yes, you.’ Kyle nodded.

Rusty was still confused. ‘You mean come to your party? As a guest?’

‘No, as a waiter, you sherm. Yes, as a guest.’

It took him a little time for the penny to drop. Then his face lit up. ‘I could film it for you,’ he said. ‘You’ll be the stars. And I promise I won’t get in the way.’

‘We’ll let you know if you do.’

‘And I could bring another DVD,’ he said excitedly. ‘Have you seen Badlands ?’

‘Is it as good as Picnic at Hanging Rock ?’ asked Adele.

‘You liked that?’ asked Rusty.

‘It was wicked,’ said Kyle. ‘Wondrous.’

‘Pretty good,’ conceded Becky.

Fern looked less certain but nodded in agreement. If Becks liked it, she liked it.

Rusty managed to lift his head towards Adele. Her eyes were still red from the tears. ‘What about you? Ade?’

Adele stared off into the distance. ‘Haunting,’ she said finally.

Rusty smiled and looked briefly at each in turn, before returning his eyes to the floor.

Becky held her hands open. ‘Just one thing, Geek Boy. What happened to the three girls in the film?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, where did they go?’

‘They disappeared. They walked up Hanging Rock and were never seen again.’

Becky pulled a face. ‘I know that. But it’s a film — what happened to them in real life?’

‘You’re missing the point, Becks,’ said Kyle.

‘ I’m missing the point? Cheeky fucker.’

‘But you are,’ said Kyle. ‘See, it doesn’t matter what happened to them.’

‘It matters to me.’

‘Kyle’s right,’ said Adele. ‘What matters is they left of their own accord, on their own terms.’ She looked over at Kyle, who held her gaze for a second.