Loud Like Love

Chapter Three: Ashtray Heart

'Dave!' Mandira flung her arms around his neck and gave him the tightest hug she ever had before. 'Oh my God, I missed you! Did you have an okay summer?'

Dave hugged her back with a chuckle. 'Yeah, it was all right. You?'

'Went to India,' she said with distaste, letting go. 'Hot as hell, and Mum spent the entire time trying to find my future husband. And my Punjabi sucks, so . . .'

'Hey, better than being stuck at a vineyard in Tuscany with my dad for three weeks.'

'You poor bastard,' said Mandira, shaking her head and laughing.

At lunch, they sat down together to discuss their summers in more detail. Mandira did not ask about Nick, for which Dave was grateful. He felt like he'd talked about his ex enough in the past few days.

'I mean, this guy is my cousin,' said Mandira. 'Second cousin, but still, you know? And I guess he was pretty good looking, but . . . I'm seventeen, and he was twenty-two. Thankfully, my dad put his foot down, said I was too young and he was too old.'

A shadow fell across their table as someone approached, and they looked up. It was Patrick Lawton, and Dave's mouth fell open in surprise.

'Hey.' Patrick looked mildly embarrassed. 'Is it okay if I . . . Can I sit with you guys?'

Dave looked at Mandira, who shrugged. 'Er, I guess. Sure.'

He sat, and a brief, awkward silence followed. Patrick looked from one to the other and smiled a lopsided smile. 'You don't have to stop talking on my account.'

'Oh.' Mandira smiled. 'I was just done with my story, anyway. Er, how are you? How was your summer?'

Patrick shrugged. 'Okay. Bit weird. How about you?'

'Basically the same,' said Mandira.

'Yup. Okay and weird just about sums it up,' said Dave. 'You know, Mandi, my mum made a complete one-eighty in her behaviour towards me this summer? We're talking about stuff and she's actually acting like she cares, taking an interest in my life, my love life, even. Everything. Being downright accepting of the whole gay thing. It was beyond bizarre, but . . . It's nice, you know? Having a parent I can actually talk to.'

'Yeah, that's my dad in my family,' said Mandira. 'I mean, I can talk to Mum about some things, but Dad's the rational one. The non-judgy one, I mean.'

'Must be nice,' said Patrick. 'I don't feel like I can talk to my parents about much of anything. They're . . . very Catholic.'

'Ouch. I'm sorry,' said Dave. 'My parents are Anglican. You know, not of the "we really believe in God" kind, more of the "going through the motions because we're English" kind. Dad's an arsehole, but that has nothing to do with being a Christian. More the other way around, like he's a Christian because he's an arsehole.'

Patrick laughed. 'So, he's not big on the gay thing, then?'

'You kidding? He was fucking livid when he found out. I was grounded, he only let me have my phone when I was at school. He would probably have disowned me if it weren't for the fact that I'm his only child, and he definitely doesn't want my cousin to inherit him.'

'Yeah, I'm not out to my family at all . . .' Patrick looked away, a slight flush creeping up his cheeks. 'Or anyone. Hey, Dave.' He licked his lips and looked at Dave again with earnest hazel eyes. 'I was a real dick last year. To you too, Mandira. I said some really shitty things. I'm sorry.'

Dave blinked. This was not what he had expected at all. After Patrick's clumsy attempt at flirtation during the winter dance last year, he'd been pretty sure he was into guys, but he hadn't expected him to come out and say it, least of all to Dave, after how he had reacted.