That's What Friends Do: Chapter 1

20 years later . . .1

Tom slipped out of the double bed, walking straight into the en-suite, completely naked. He looked back at the blonde girl dreaming away, realising he hadn’t even found out her name. But that didn’t matter. He would be gone soon, and he didn’t even particularly care. The bathroom was cold. Tom looked into the mirror. 2

“Shit.” He wiped away the white substance hiding upon his nose. Last night must have been a crazy one, he thought. Tom stepped in the shower, pressing the button right in front of him. Water came out of everywhere, hitting his body. Nice and hot. After five minutes of rinsing the affair of his body, he was stood back in the bedroom. Fully suited. 3

He looked at his watch. 8.35 AM. Just in time to get to work. He opened his briefcase, making sure the beauty hadn’t stolen his wallet. Taking five crisp 50 pound notes. Leaving them on the bed-side cabinet. Then he made his getaway.4

*5

Carter splashed some water on his freshly shaven face. Tightening his tie. He looked in the mirror. His blonde hair looked perfectly groomed. But slightly messy. His Hollywood teeth, could dazzle anybody. Over the years his puppy fat had gone. His face was now what known has perfectly structured. Well defined features, a chiselled chin and bright blue eyes. 6

He walked out of the bathroom, picking his jacket up on the way. The sun was just rising. The first beams of light were shining through the glass wall. Carter boiled the kettle. Noticing Thomas still wasn’t up. Every morning was the same. Carter had to drag him out of bed. He walked across the open-planned apartment. Knocking on wooden door. No answer. So Carter knocked again. Harder. Still no reply.7

Carter opened the door. Not again he thought. The bed was made. And made perfectly. Like nobody has slept in it. He slammed the door. Looking at the pictures hung up around Thomas’s door. Loads of different ones, some with Carter and Thomas together. But mainly Thomas with his girlfriend, Steph, in Italy, some in France and a few in his parents house. 8

Carter looked the other way. He couldn’t bare it. He always had wanted to get rid of those photos. But sharing the apartment with Thomas he couldn’t. The metal clock above hung on the wall chimed. That meant one thing, time to go to work. Carter walked back across the apartment, ignoring the boiled kettle. He didn’t have time now. He picked his keys off from the side. Setting the alarm on his way out.9

The lift was slower than usual. After thirty seconds it finally reached the top floor. Carter questioned in his head whether to just take the stairs. But then door opened. He stepped in, sighing. Mrs Jackson from the second floor was stood next to the buttons. 10

“You going to the lobby?” Her Irish accent was very strong. Slightly annoying. Carter just nodded, trying not to start a conversation. Cause Mrs Jackson could talk for years. She looked at Carter, like how a kid looks at his parents. When they want something. “I was just wondering whether you could help me, my key wont work in my door properly.” 11

Carter looked the other way rolling his eyes. “That’s what the hotel staff are for. I‘m nearly late for work.” The lift door opened, revealing the hectic lobby.12

Mrs Jackson scowled. “Fucking faggot.” 13

Carter looked back. Laughing. “Have a nice day Mrs Jackson.” He walked through the lobby. A few people, who heard the conversation, stared. But Carter just shrugged it off. Smiling.14

*15

Thomas and Carter arrived at work exactly the same minute. Carter had just parked his Jaguar XF when Thomas entered the building‘s car park. Music blaring. 16

“Do you ever get a headache from listening to your music like that? It nearly deafens me, and I’m nowhere near the speakers.” Carter held out his hand.17

“Shut up you. You sound just like my mother.” Thomas grabbed his hand. Grasping hard. Pulling Carter towards his body. Every day for the last 10 years, they had greeted each other the same. “I’ve know you for yonks. And you’ve smelt the same every single day.” Thomas pulled away. Walking towards the office’s entrance18

Carter followed. Trying hard not to check his ass out in his perfectly fitted trousers. “Who was it last night then? Blonde or brunette?” Carter pretended to be interested. Man-to-Man chats like this were vital, to try and keep his cover. 19

Thomas shook his head. “I’m not telling you. But I will tell you something, she was a great fuck.” 20

Carter winced. Lovely he thought. “Take it you told Steph you was doing over-time. And don’t worry ill keep my mouth shut.” They walked up stairs. Reaching the top. 21

“Yeah that reminds me. Tonight, my parents are coming round. Having a special dinner with Steph and that.”22

“Ok well I’ll go out then, I don’t want to intrude.” Secretly he wanted too. He loved Thomas’s parents. Slightly more than he loved his own. 23

“Don’t be silly. I want you there.” Thomas put his hand on Carter’s shoulder.24

Thomas typed in 9043, automatically opening the doors. The room was large, painted a very bright white. It was a rectangular room, with four offices in each corner, each wall made of glass. The room was filled with shiny furniture, it was so clean it twinkled under the spotlights. In the centre of room was a desk, in the shape of a huge doughnut. 25

Alicia, the companies secretary, was dressed in a black all-in-one suit. She tiptoed, on her ridiculous high stilettos, from Carter and Thomas’s bosses office. Towards Thomas. She was mumbling to herself. She approached Thomas, stopping about a metre away from him. Carter knew something exciting was going to happen, he could feel it.26

Alicia moved closer to Thomas. Running her finger down his tie. As her finger reached the end she yanked it. Causing Thomas to bite his lip. “You think I’m stupid. You think I don’t know that you shagged my best friend last night. Then my other girlfriend the night before.” She turned to Carter and smiled. Then slapped Thomas, hard across the face. “Tosser.” She tiptoed off again, mumbling, towards her desk.27

Thomas was embarrassed. Even though he was a very confident man, he still didn’t like being belittled in front of the whole office. He grabbed his post of the front desk and walked into his office, checking not that many people saw the scene. Carter did the same, grabbing his mail, walking into his own office. Each office was identical; all having a strong glass table facing the door. A silver sofa on one side, a bookcase on the other. Different colleagues have added homely touches. Carter added photos of his family, since moving from Kent to London. He hardly saw them. But this way he could see them smiling to him every day. Thomas hadn’t added many possessions to his office. Just a little self-made box him and Carter made in primary. 28

Carter threw his mail on his desk. Turning on his Apple computer. It quickly loaded, his inbox appearing straight away. 729 unread emails. Think its time for me to get myself a secretary, can an online editor get a secretary? He thought. Carter and Thomas worked for Sniper magazine. The most bought men’s magazine in the world. For now anyway. Carter was a online editor, sorting out everything and anything on the magazines website. Thomas was higher-ranked then him. Basically his boss. In 2008 Thomas was promoted to Managing Editor. Carter thought Thomas would leave him behind, make new friends. But Thomas was adamant nothing would become between them, making sure their offices were on the same level. “Cause that’s what friends do,” he said.29

Thomas entered Carter’s office. Looking slightly flushed. His face extremely pale. “Marcus,” the company’s editor in chief, “is moaning, he wants you to post the Robert Pattinson interview as soon as possible. Before another magazine leaks the “adoption” story.” He wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Can I just have some of your water please? I don’t feel . .”30

“Too good. Yeah you don’t look it, drink it all up, you look dehydrated.” Carter was worried. He knew Thomas liked to have a good time, but this time it looked like he went over the top. “You didn’t take anything last night did you? Or snort something?” Carter sounded old again.31

Thomas’s face went paler. His body swaying. The room spinning. Then he just fell backwards. His eyes rolling. Carter screamed. Grabbing the phone handset, holding one. “Alicia call 999. Thomas has just collapsed.” Carter put the phone down, running to Thomas. Supporting his head with his hands. “Its alright Tom, I’m here for you. And I’m not going anywhere.”32

*33

A good-looking doctor, walked down the hospital corridor. His muscular frame showing from his uniform. He stopped in front of Carter, Steph and Thomas’s parents, clearing his throat. 34

“Right, I’m extremely sorry for the wait. Thomas is perfectly fine. We’ve taken some bloods from him and done some full body x-rays. Just to make sure everything is tip-top. We should get the results back in a few days. For now anyway he can go home.” All of them smiled in unison. “He was muttering something as he was coming back into consciousness.” Steph smiled, hoping it was her name he was saying. “Something like Quarter? Is that significant to any of you?”35

Carter’s face lit up. “Me.” That’s the only words he could muster. He was in shock. Why would Thomas say his name, not his girlfriends, he thought. “My name is Carter.” 36

The doctor smiled, showing his perfectly white teeth. He genuinely looked happy. “Well you can go see your boyfriend now. I’m sure he would be pleased to see you.”37

Steph butted in. “He’s not his boyfriend. He isn’t a faggot. What room is he in? I think his girlfriend . .”38

The doctor’s face was red. Poor man, Carter thought. “He’s down the corridor, second on the left.” Steph and Thomas’s parents walked down the corridor. Leaving an awkward silence behind. The doctor went to open his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He turned around, walking away quickly.39

Carter felt bad. “Its ok you know. You only assumed. Don’t feel bad. You must just have a good gaydar.” Carter didn’t realise what he said until he said it. He felt strangely relieved. He had only told one person in his life. Now he had told two. 40

“Well they do say a gay person normally has a good gaydar.” The doctor’s bleeper sounded, he looked down at it. “Oh shit, I have to go. Emergency as usual.” He walked over to Carter. “This is my number, call me sometime.”41

Carter was in a state of shock. He put the piece of paper in his pocket. A sudden sense of happiness came over him. He just got a rather handsome doctor’s number. Get in, he thought. 42

*43

Thomas laughed. “So he actually thought I was a faggot? What a knob.” Thomas pulled more wine for his mum and dad. Looking at Carter, “not really good for our reputation is it mate?” Thomas laughed again. 44

Carter fakely laughed, and nobody really noticed. Steph and Thomas’s parents were all fixated on Tom, asking if he was alright every twenty seconds. They probably wouldn’t even notice if Carter had even left the table. 45

“I’m so glad you actually let me host this dinner. Well I say host. I mean watch as Carter cooks and Steph lays the table. Cause I wanted to make sure all of the people who are important in my life were all together, so they could witness this.” He stood up, taking a small box out of his pocket. Bending down on one knee. Steph screamed. “Will you do the honour of becoming my wife?” 46

Carter felt sick. He shouldn’t. He should be happy. His best friend getting engaged to the love of his life. But all he could see in his head was all of the girls he’s shagged over the last 2 months. Thousands clogged up his mind. 47

“Of course I will.” She screamed again, hurting Carter’s ears. “I’m going to be Mrs Archer.” Tears fell down her face, causing Thomas’s mum to start crying as well. 48

“Congratulations mate.” Carter patted him on the back. Walking away from the table, looking back at the little happy family. He needed something stronger to drink. Vodka. He poured a shot, necking it back straight away. A shit day had just got shitter. He felt shallow. He shouldn’t be feeling jealous, he thought.49

The phone rang. Ringing and ringing. Thomas shouted out for it, picking it up, walking away from the noise. “Hello its Thomas speaking.”50

“Hello Thomas, its Ethan Stone. The doctor from earlier. I know its late, and I’m very sorry to ring. But would you be able to come to the hospital, as soon as possible? We have your x-ray and blood results back.”51

Thomas laughed. “I’ve just got engaged mate. I don’t want to come all that way for you to say I’m fine.”52

Ethan went quiet. Not replying. “I think its best that you just come into the hospital. We can talk better and more clearly . . .”53

Thomas suddenly realised it wasn’t good news. He couldn’t move. “Just tell me.”54

“I’m really sorry Thomas. Especially telling you over the phone. The x-ray showed a Medulloblastoma. A brain tumour normally common in children, very rare in adults. I’m very sorry to say we haven’t caught it early.”55

A tear slowly fell down Thomas’s face. “How long have I got?” 56

“2 months at the latest.”