Another two weeks have already passed. And I was lucky. My work shifts were such that I didn't have to meet Jamie once.

Today is Friday and I only have to work in the morning and at lunchtime. Then I have two days off again.

"Hello?", I answer my mobile after it has rung a few times and get on the train.

"Yes, hello, this is Reiss," he greets me.

"Yes, I know. Your name is on the screen. What's up?", I ask him and sit down on a seat.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm taking Mum to the clinic today. And then I would have the weekend off. If you want, I could take you to Brighton with me. Then we can do something," he says and I look a little surprised. Luckily he can't see me now, otherwise he would ask why I look like that.

"Um, yeah, why not? I have to work until 3 p.m. today but then I would be free for the weekend," I say and look out of the window for a moment.

"All right. I need two hours to get to this clinic anyway. So it's possible that I won't even be finished by 3 pm. But send me the address where you'll be at that time and I'll just have a look," he says again.

"Yes, okay. I have something to do afterwards anyway. I'll write to you then," I say again.

"Okay, all right. See you later," he says and hangs up.

There's just one problem. I don't have any clothes with me. I certainly can't walk around there for two days in the same clothes.

I quickly look at my watch. It's only 10:15. My shift starts at 11am. Actually, I wanted to go for a walk in the park to clear my head a bit. But that doesn't seem to be happening.

So I get off at the next station and take the direct route home.

In my room, I take the small suitcase out of the corner and stuff a lot of clothes into it. It would probably last me 3 weeks, but I'd rather have too much than too little.

Who knows, maybe half of it will get dirty and I'll have to change 7 times a day?

"Mum? Are you awake?" I ask after hearing a knock at the door.

"Yes, I'm here," she says from right behind me.

I wince a little because I'm so scared.

"Why are you packing?" she asks me.

"I'm going to Reiss for the weekend," I say and close the suitcase.

"I'm glad," she says.

Did I just hear that right?

I look at her a little puzzled.

"I've been alone a lot lately. I've had a lot of time to think and I've realised that I've been a bad mother to you and when I get back I'll do everything I can to make it up to you, if only a little, if you'll give me the chance," she says and looks at me expectantly.

"No, Mum. You weren't a bad mother. You did your best," I reply. We both know that's not quite the truth, but at least she's acknowledged it now and that's the first step towards recovery.

"I have to go again, too. But I'll see you soon," I say and give her a big hug.

I have to take a deep breath in the air. I don't know when I last hugged my mother.

I drive all the way to work again and am still too early.

"Hello, so nice to finally see you again. The sight of you makes the whole day 10 times better," is all I hear in his voice.

I don't turn to him, but just roll my eyes.

"Do you have time today? Do you want to meet up?" Jamie asks again.

He seems to understand everything in this world, except that I'm not interested in him.

"Okay. What time?", I ask him and he looks at me with a smile.

"At 3:30? At my place?" he asks and I just nod.

He then leaves again very quickly and leaves me to do my work in peace.

At noon, I send Reiss the address where I will be as arranged and slowly make my way there.

At 3.30 p.m. on the dot, I stand in front of the huge gate and ring the bell once.

After a few seconds, the gate opens and Jamie is standing in front of it.

"You are one minute late. But that doesn't matter. Come in," he says and smiles at me.

I better get this over with quickly.

"No. Let's stay out here, please," I object.

"I wanted to talk to you," I start.

"I wanted to talk to you too," he says, hope flickering in his eyes.

"You've become really important to me lately and that's why I wanted to ask if maybe you'd like to be my girlfriend?"

Oh God. No. What kind of situation have I gotten myself into here?

"No, Jamie. I'm here to tell you the complete opposite. I'm not attracted to you at all and I'm here to tell you that we could never work out.", I say and see all his hope disappear from his eyes.

"I don't understand. But we fit together so well. We come from the same worlds," he says again and I have to laugh a little.

"No. No. I lied to you about that. Our worlds couldn't be more different. I don't want anything from you. Please accept that," I say again and am then interrupted.

"Excuse me, can you tell me if this address is here?" a man asks, showing it to us on his mobile phone.

"Yes it is, but we are in the middle of an important conversation," Jamie replies, a little pissed off.

"Yes, I didn't want to disturb you, but I'm supposed to pick someone up here," he says again.

"No one here needs to be picked up by someone like you," Jamie says, still angry.

Only now do I look at him a little closer. Omg. I know him.

"Jadon?" I suddenly ask out of nowhere and for the first time our eyes meet.

"Aayana?" he asks, just as shocked as I am.

"What are you doing here?", I ask him again and for a few moments I forget that Jamie is still standing here.

"I'm supposed to pick you up," he says again.

"Okay. I'll be right there," I say, indicating that he should wait in the car.

"Who's that?" Jamie asks me after Jadon has left.

"It doesn't matter. I'm leaving now, Jamie. I wish you the best. And I'm sorry I don't feel the way you do," I say and before he can stop me again, I leave.

I open the passenger door, drop into the leather seat and take one deep breath.

"Is everything all right?", Jadon asks me again.

"Yeah, I think so," I say and look out the window.

"But now you have to explain to me again what you are doing here," I say and then look at him challengingly.

"Reiss said he couldn't make it to get you and I was around here anyway, we'll meet him at his place," he says and drives off slowly.

"Are you going to Reiss's too?", I ask and look out of the window again.

"Yes, we have a free weekend this weekend. Last time we were at my place and this time we're at his," he says.

"Now I want to know what happened with that guy," he says and I start to tell him the whole story.

When I'm done, it's quiet for a moment until he starts laughing.

"Heyyyy, why are you laughing now?" I say and nudge him a little. I try to stay serious for a bit, but then I have to laugh too.

"What a dick," he says, still laughing.

"And how are you doing?" he asks a while later, after he has stopped laughing.

"Pretty good, and you?" I ask him back.

It's funny to see a good friend again after 4 years. Without having had any contact in this time.

We talk a bit more about almost everything that happened in the last few years.

"Nice to see you again. The last time I saw you, you were 16. You've changed a lot," he says.

"You too. I almost didn't recognise you," I say and smile at him a little.