Page 84 of Everything That Kills Me
Zeph laughed. “No such jump.”
“God, you’re good,” Jack whispered.
“Does that mean I don’t get to play with your gun?” Zeph whispered back.
“Patience. The evening’s only just begun.”
They skated round together holding hands until more and more people began to pour onto the ice, then they changed back into their shoes.
“How come you skate so well?” Jack asked.
“My mum took me when I was small and then Elisa, Dad’s new wife was keen so I used to go with her and my stepsisters.”
Champagne topped up, they toured the rest of what was on offer. Live acts were due to perform at various times during the evening, some were famous names. No wonder they charged so much for the tickets. He kept hold of Zeph’s hand as they wandered round, crossing the fairy light-strewn Bridge of Sighs into New Court. Everyone was holding hands, or roamed arm in arm or hugged. No one took any notice of him holding hands with Zeph. He wouldn’t have cared if they had.
The dinner was great. It was hard to choose what to eat. He ended up with turkey stuffed with nuts and fruit accompanied by roasted vegetables. Zeph had his leg pressed against his under the table. Every time Jack looked at him, he was smiling. Mostly at Jack. Zeph had taken pictures constantly. Of all they’d seen, of the meal, of Jack, of the two of them.
“I know you said no pictures, but I’d never share them.”
Jack had always followed Thomas’s rule of not letting himself be photographed if he could avoid it, but how could he stop Zeph? What excuse could he possibly give that wouldn’t upset him?
But he’d delete any closeups from Zeph’s phone.
And when they’d finished eating inside, there was more to eat and drink outside. Punts on the grass were filled with ice and bottles and cans. There were cocktail bars, pizza ovens, a hog roast, popcorn, ice cream, chocolate fountains, white candy floss, shaved ice extravaganzas… The ball would go on until morning with something on offer in every court.Stand-up comedians, string quartets, rock bands… And the snow kept falling. It was impossible not to be impressed.
He and Zeph danced in a silent disco where they wore headsets, rocked in an 80s disco while an Abba tribute band banged out hit after hit, waltzed in a formal ballroom under glittering chandeliers and danced outside in the snow. They swayed, cheeks pressed together and Zeph sang quietly in his ear. Apart from learning a few ballroom dances with Thomas, Jack had never danced before. It was difficult to have Zeph in his arms and not be hard.
They had prime spots for the firework display that turned out to be a combination of pyrotechnics and lasers. Jack wasn’t easily impressed but the next twenty minutes were mind-blowing. Controlled bursts of fire into the air, along with dronescreating shapes, all synchronised to music from films, while the college itself was illuminated in its own light show.
When the last fireworks had died, Zeph leaned against him. “I would love to program a display like that.”
“More than work for you-know-who?”
“Can’t I do both?”
“Probably not.” Jack pulled him round and kissed him.
They stayed until two in the morning. Jack wanted to go back but he wasn’t going to be the one to say that.
“Have you had enough?” Zeph asked. “I have if you have. I don’t think I want to wait to have breakfast. I can’t drink or eat another thing. I want to save some of my energy to play with your gun.”
Jack took his hand and pulled him towards the exit. “And what are you thinking needs doing to it?”
“Lots of polishing. And if it goes off accidentally and hits me, it won’t matter.” Zeph grinned.
“I think you’ve been bad enough.”
“Oh good.”
Twenty-One
Zeph had drunk too much and eaten too much, but he’d had the best night of his life. Happy, happy, happy! Except the problem he’d already known to be brewing, had grown exponentially.
He liked Jack too much. There’d been no point in Jack warning him off getting attached. How could he help it? Why did Jack feel hehadto walk away? Zeph presented no danger. He didn’t know why he’d gone into witness protection or what his real name was. That didn’t need to change. Jack had ID, a passport and a driver’s licence. He wasn’t in hiding. Not in the literal sense.
Zeph wished he knew why witness protection was needed, but understood that was the one thing Jack couldn’t tell him. It was probably to do with Thomas, given Jack’s age when Zeph had first met him. But was there some reason why Jack had to keep moving? Was the travelling he’d mentioned as a reason for not attending university, or the switching between American colleges something borne out of necessity, not choice?
“Glad you’re not that drunk?” Jack nodded towards a figure curled up under a bush clutching a bottle, his friends struggling to get him to his feet, and laughing when they all fell over.
