Page 89 of Glow

“So that’s it?” Scott said, eventually. “You’re so weak that you’re going to run somewhere you fucking hate rather than face me? Where does that leave us?”

“Wow,” Prin replied. “This is the Scott I expected. Only thinking of yourself. Don’t you see? I can’t bear to stay here at the moment.”

“Fine,” Scott said. “Do what you need to. Don’t expect me to hang around on the off chance.”

The line went dead. Prin threw the phone across the room. This time the sobs were uncontrollable. Prin drew his legs up, buried his head and allowed the emotion to sweep through his system like a tornado.

Everything had come crashing down and he had nowhere in the world to go that was safe.

TWENTY-THREE

SCOTT

Scott lay on his bed, staring at the clouds through the skylight. Tears were rolling down his face. They seemed to have been a permanent feature for the last two days. In the end, he’d rung Debbie. She was the only one to calm him in a situation like this.

“I can’t believe it,” he said. “One minute everything is perfect. The next my big mouth strikes and I’ve fucked it all up. Why do I always do this?”

“Darling, listen,” she replied. “My mouth has got me into more trouble than I can remember. You get it from me. Is there no way Prin will listen to reason?”

Scott had played this over in his mind all weekend. As Sunday was coming to a close, the fear of going to work merged with the certainty that he was single once again.

“That might be a bit difficult,” Scott replied. “He’s going to Bangkok. He’s thrown the towel in and I don’t blame him. Who wants to be with me?”

“Enough of that talk. You are a wonderful and kind boy. Scott, you need to try with Prin.”

Fatigue overwhelmed Scott. Everything had become so fucked up. He wished he could just go to sleep.

“What’s the point?”

“Because I liked the Scott he brought out. You were the person I know you to be. Deep down.”

Scott sighed. “When do you fly?”

“Tomorrow, otherwise I’d tell you to come home. Will you be all right, Scotty?”

Scott forced a smile on his face. He had always been a proponent of fake it until you make it. “I’ll be fine. You two have a great time.”

“I’m only a phone call away.”

He terminated the call and lay still for a second. The television was blaring out downstairs. The volume was ridiculously loud. Scott welled up when he heard what they were watching.

Putting his dressing gown on, he padded down the stairs. As he went into the lounge, the opening bars toSpice World The Moviewere playing.

“I told you it would draw him out,” Eddie said.

Scott sank down on the sofa next to him. Tyler sat curled up in the chair. Scott was grateful Billy and Danny were nowhere to be seen. He must look like absolute shit. Most of the weekend had been spent crying on his bed and refusing entry to anyone who dared try to make him feel better.

“Can I get you anything?” Tyler asked, his face full of concern.

Scott shook his head. He’d barely eaten anything since Friday. His stomach rumbled as if on cue.

“I’m dreading work tomorrow,” Scott said. “Everyone will be taking the piss.”

“No one is laughing because no one will have any clue what is going on,” Eddie said. “Richard isn’t likely to broadcast that his son is a filthy thief. As for Prin, a handful of people know and they’re all your friends.”

Scott rubbed his temples. “Richard is going to be a total twat to me. That piece of shit won’t give this up easily.”

“For a while maybe,” Tyler replied. “He can’t keep it up or you’ll have grounds to take him down. You should know that.”