Page 152 of The Friend Scheme
“As long as you’re not hurting anyone, you should just feel what you feel. I…”
She freezes. Dad and Suzanne have reappeared back in the bar.
I guess I’m going to find out if I’ve managed to bluff my way through this.
The pair make their way up to us.
“And?” says Cassidy, like she’s ready to fight.
“You’re off the hook,” says Dad, who is staring right at me. “I’m sorry that I was so nosy, Matt. I’ll give you more space from now on.Sometimes I forget that you’re a young man now and I shouldn’t be so domineering.”
“It’s fine,” I say.
“You know, I always thought I’d never act like my own father. Yet here I am, acting just like him. He never gave me any space when I was your age, especially when I started dating. I can’t believe I did the same thing to you.”
“Time’ll do that to you,” says Suzanne. “Want to have a drink and work through it?”
“I think I need more than one.”
“That can be arranged.”
The two head to the bar.
“Oh God,” says Cassidy. “If they get together because of this, I’m never going to forgive you.”
She pretends to gag.
“I’d understand fully.”
She smiles.
And then something comes flying in through the front window.
There’s a crunch sound, and then a fiery explosion.
I can’t move.
It was a Molotov.
We’re under attack.
Another Molotov flies in. It explodes through the other window this time. It hits the bar, and there’s a whoosh, and suddenly…
The bar goes up in flames.
CHAPTER THIRTY
The bar is on fire.
Everything caught so fast, and now the whole place is burning. It’s like something out of a nightmare. Huge orange flames snake up the walls. People are screaming. Smoke is already pooling at the ceiling.
It’s chaos.
I’m frozen. It’s like my feet are stuck to the floor. All I can do is watch as it all unfolds. I can barely even breathe.
I feel scorching heat.
People are shouting, but I can see only dark shapes.
