I don’t know what time it is, but it’s late at night. The both of us are perched on the rooftop, sharing a cigarette. I watch my younger self inhale and choke on the smoke. She clearly grimaces and hands it back to me. I inhale deeply, biding my time. The edge of the cigarette crackles as I slowly exhale into the cold, night air.
It was the last school recital night of the year; students, teachers and parents filed into the dark auditorium, eager to watch the show. Unbeknownst to them, it would probably be the worst one yet. As the lights dimmed around them, the curtains pulled back to reveal a magician and his assistant, the pair caught in a loud argument over a lost bearded dragon. It took them minutes to realise everyone had been waiting for them to perform. Quite literally, they were two deers caught in the headlights.
The pale skinny boy in the photo looked foreign; dark curls, hard brown eyes, features etched into what seemed to be a permanent frown. Max sneaked a glance at the vanity mirror facing him; same physical traits and yet an entirely different person.
