ERIN SWANN
MIDDLESBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
8 YEARS AGO

‘Lizzy, she’s gonna kill us.’ I giggled, her hand dragging me into the costume cupboard. ‘She said we were allowed to go to the maths department and back, if she-’

            Lizzy’s rough hand grabbed my neck pulling me towards her as she kissed me, her red lipstick staining my lips, her tongue begging to get in. She grabbed for my shirt, fiddling for my tie but I grabbed her hands, pulling back for a moment.

            ‘We’re in a costume cupboard.’ I smirked. ‘Come on, I thought you said you wanted the first time to be a little bit more romantic than this?’

            ‘I don’t care Erin, I want to do this.’

            ‘Well can we do it this weekend, I’ve got an empty.’ I suggested, my hands teasingly playing with the bottom of her skirt. ‘Besides, if we’re not back in five minutes Miss Hicks is gonna kill us.’

            ‘What is it with you and that woman?’ She laughed.

            ‘I’ve just known her a long time and she can tell I’m lying a mile away so come on.’ I tugged on her hand, towards the door.

            Lizzy was a rock star, well that’s how I thought of her anyway. She wore a school uniform of course but she wore fishnet tights and combat boots, with at least six piercings in at all times. Her hair was dark chocolate brown but had streaks of blue in it. She always wore eyeliner and dark lipstick and a lip piercing, if I was so lucky.

            We headed back to class and thankfully Miss Hicks was too busy chatting about Shakespeare to notice how long we’d been gone. Lizzy sat in the row behind me but as I leaned back in my chair, I felt her fingers grace mine, it took all of my strength not to turn around.

            Miss Hicks was going on about Portia and what she represents in The Merchant of Venice but her eyes filtered around the class, asking opinions and nodding along with them, even if that weirdo Claire really was clutching at straws with her answers. I used to have Miss Hicks in primary school but then when I moved to high school she seemed to move with me, although apparently it had more to do with the better pay than just me.

            My phone buzzed a few times but when I went to check it I had to hold in a groan, since it was Mike that had texted.

            MIKE: I’ll be home a little earlier today, I can make dinner and we can watch that TV show you’ve been telling me about.

            I got where Mike was coming from but ever since I found out from the adoption agency that when I turned eighteen, that my records could be released to me we’ve both been a little on edge. I didn’t want to make him feel bad for wanting to know about my birth mother and I didn’t want him to get jealous that I wanted a relationship with her. Mike was my dad, through and through but I never knew why my mum gave me up and he wouldn’t tell me.

            I wondered if she was some sort of super-secret agent or a movie star, that would be cool. I hoped she’d want to see me.

            It was lunch time before I got the chance to text Mike back, saying that I’d love to spend the night binging the new show I’d gotten myself onto. However, when I got to the reception my eyes stopped when I saw a light navy military coat, the man who wore it had his back to me but I could hear the sweet laughter of Janine the receptionist as she handed something over to him. I couldn’t quite make the man’s voice out but it sounded familiar – was that…no it couldn’t be he died but he had the same hair, the same stance, the same tanned skin.

            ‘Hey you,’ Lizzy’s smooth voice rang in my ears as she took my hand, kissing me roughly. ‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’

            I laughed, running my hand through my hair nervously.

            ‘No, no just tired um…’ I trailed off, seeing the man in the military coat and lush gelled hair saunter out of the school doors. ‘Give me one minute, just one.’

            I ran off out the school doors, pushing them behind me as fast as I could, not even bothering to put my school blazer on, despite it being the middle of December.

            ‘Jack?’ I dared to ask and the man stopped. ‘Jack Harkness?’

            Slowly Jack turned around, his blue shirt tight against his skin but as ever, he wore that stupid cocky grin on his face.

            ‘I should of known I wouldn’t of gotten out of there without saying hello.’

            ‘You’re alive?’ I stepped slowly towards him, the grit on the path crunching under my shoes. ‘But Rose told me-’

            ‘It’s a long story,’ He cut me off. ‘But I’m okay, you should head inside.’

            ‘No way, you’re – what are you doing here actually?’ I asked. ‘You come back from the dead and you come here? Is the Doctor with you?’

            ‘No, no he’s not.’ Jack said, a little sadness in his voice. ‘I just wanted to check in on you, make sure the adoption went through okay.’

            It was then that I eyed the folder in his hand, filled with different bits of white and coloured paper.

            ‘Is that my file?’ I asked.

            ‘No,’ He said quickly. ‘No this is just something-’

            ‘I wanna see!’ I exclaimed excitedly. ‘I’ve never seen my own file.’

            ‘Yeah there’s a reason, now you need to get back inside.’

            ‘Where do you work? I can swing by after school, Mike won’t mind.’

            ‘Oh I think he would very much mind.’ Jack retorted. ‘Go live your life Erin, I’ll see you around.’

            ‘No please!’ I etched out, reaching for his hand. ‘Ever since Canary Wharf I haven’t had anyone to talk to about this and-’

            ‘Canary Wharf?’ Jack asked. ‘What happened at Canary Wharf?’

            ‘…Nothing because it hasn’t happened yet.’ I said cautiously. ‘Nothing, everything’s fine.’

            Jack laughed.

            ‘It’s okay but honestly you should head inside, someone’s waiting on you.’ He nodded towards the glass doors, where Lizzy stood, her arms crossed as she stared at the two of us.

            Oh this was going to be fun to explain.

            ‘Just say I’m a friend of your dad’s.’ Jack said. ‘Hell knows your young enough for me to pass for that.’

            ‘But can’t I get your number ya know, in case?’ I asked.

            Jack sighed holding out his hand and I practically shoved my small phone into his, where he punched in his number, then handed it back.

            ‘Emergencies only.’ He stated.

            ‘What?’ I asked. ‘Not even allowed to call just to say hello.’

            ‘Go live your life Erin, go worry about math or what to wear to prom.’ He said, patting me on the shoulder before turning swiftly on his heel.

            I wanted to go after him but I knew if Jack wanted to stay he would of and he had my school file, that had my address in it so he could pop by anytime he liked. I always remembered Jack fondly, he always knew how to make me laugh and he’d always tell the most bat-shit crazy stories. I wanted him to meet Lizzy, I wanted to see what he thought of her. Mike didn’t like her, said that she was too rowdy and a bad influence but I thought she was fun and exciting. She always took me to these abandoned places where no one else would find us, we could look up at the stars and grab some drink from the shop, chatting the night away.

            The rest of the day passed by quite uneventfully, nothing had changed, not even the way Lizzy held my hand but I didn’t care, I knew Lizzy and I knew she’d never leave me.