Follow Me Back by Nicci Cloke

a little red icon appears at the top of the screen. New friend request. There’s a couple there, actually – I’m a bit lazy about checkingit, since most people at Aggers think it’s normal to add you on Facebook even if they’ve never spoken to you, or never intend to. I skim through them; a couple of guys from football, a girl from my maths class. The newest is another girl, but I don’t recognise the name: Autumn Thomas. I click on her and have a look at her profile. It says she lives in Clapton, so I probably do know her – shemust go to my old school. I click ‘Accept’, and immediately a message pops up from her.
    Hey! Wasn’t sure you’d remember me ;)
    Erm, awkward. Do I admit that I don’t?
    Apparently, my silence speaks for me, because after a while, she ‘…’s, and then:
    How’s Gerber treating you this year?
    Oh. Mrs Gerber was my GCSE English teacher – at Aggers. So she’s not a London friend. Hmm.
    I don’thave her this year, I write, playing for time. Then,
    you living in London now?
    yeah
    my dad got a new job at the end of yr10
    Looking at her profile photos again, she does look really familiar. Reddish-brown hair, pale skin with freckles. Pretty, but not, like, in-your-face pretty. And then it hits me.
    wait – you used to sit two seats behind me, right? next to
    Next to Lizzie.
    yeah
    its so weird what happened to her
    so sad
    Nobody seems to really know the right word for the situation. Weird. Sad. No one’s sure.
    yeah, it’s really bad
    were you guys still friends?
    kind of
    we talked on here sometimes
    not lately though
    Yeah, well, you and me both, Autumn Thomas.
    Gotta go. Nice to hear from you.
    you too
    speak soon x
    I log out of chat but not out of my profile. And I click back onto my messages, and carry on living in the past.

hey
    You ok?
    yeah
    SO embarrassing though
    everyone’s talking about it
    it’s all over my newsfeed
    yeah well let them
    it’s nothing to do with you
    just cos she’s your sister doesn’t mean you have to feel embarrassed
    i know but i do
    and it’s school tomorrow and it’s all anyone’s going to be talking about
    what was she thinking??
    Someone else’s boyfriend is bad enough, but ontv…
    come on, you’re the one who said it isn’t real…
    they probably talked her into it
    I’d love to believe that
    but…
    urgh
    SISTERS!
    :/
    sorry
    If it makes you feel any better, i didn’t watch it
    didn’t you?
    that does make me feel better
    how did you know about it then?
    Scobie
    ahh I keep forgetting you’re back here
    yep
    back in the hood
    how’s it feel?
    good I think
    yeah good
    you don’t want to stay in London?
    nah
    not just yet
    i can stick it out here :p

    so you feeling 100% now
    yeah
    finally!
    Can’t believe i was ill all summer
    yeah really bad luck
    what a waste
    at least you made it through drama club
    yeah that was the best part
    well I look forward to hearing all aboutit in person
    yeah we’ve got english 4 th and drama 5 th , right?
    you’ll be sick of me
    haha it’ll be a novelty for a bit
    Been a long time!
    i know…
    I haven’t played Candy Crush all summer
    ahh I’m touched
    lol
    so you ready?
    Year 11? Last year? decisions decisions?
    yeah thanks for that, no pressure!
    yeah I’m ready
    a-level choices this year
    you gonna choose drama?
    maybe
    not sure
    i want to
    you should
    well let’s see if I get a better part than ‘Tree/Nymph #5’ in the show this year!
    hahaha
    you will
    I’m sure you will
    we’ll see
    well I better go pack my bag and stuff
    i’ll see you tomorrow…
    yes you will
    Sleep tight x
    you too x

T HE GYM IS pretty deserted; Sunday lunchtime, everyone at home eating happily with their families, bitching happily about other people’s families. I feel a little bit guilty, actually, because I’ve left Mum essentially home alone; Kevin’s been holed up in his office all weekend working on a new project, door closed. When a new business comes along, we don’t see much of him, and when