6
Eddy wasn’t at school the next day, which came as no surprise to Richard as he waited at the gates, kicking his heels. He had arrived early, hoping to intercept Eddy before he slipped into the playground. But, as he guessed, there was no sign of him. Regardless, Richard waited until the bell sounded before he turned and shuffled, deflated and depressed. He had wanted to explain everything, reassure Eddy that it would all be okay, that they could continue being friends, that Stanmore wasn’t going to spoil anything ever again. But, as with everything in life lately, nothing ever went as planned.
All through the day, it was the same story. Masking his disappointment with a set smile, Richard went to the office at break time to see if they would allow him to use his mobile to make a call.
