Jay hops out of the front door, “I’m off out!” he shouts as the door closes behind him. A beam of light obscures his already restricted vision; he lifts up his hood to cover his swollen face and sets off walking down the street. With everything that’s happened Jay was relieved to find out the world around him is carrying on as normal, he waves at the local shopkeepers and small talks with people he notices on the path.

“Yooo, wagwaan!” Jay looks up and sees his school friend Leo holding out his fist.

“Yo” Jay responds, “Where we going?” he asks as the two seamlessly transition into carrying on. Leo hesitates and laughs, Jay looks at him with a puzzled look and goes to ask what’s funny.

“Nando’s init.” Leo said with a smirk, “Fuck sake… Nando’s is so dead!” Jay shouts, Leo laughs again and says “I knew you wouldn’t wanna go!”

Jay kicks a bottle, “It’s chill, just expensive init…”, “Nah nah, we’ll split your bill trust. Don’t worry fam.” Leo replied, he claps his hands together and smirks. Jay shakes his head and sighs.

“Yoooo!” Leo shouts and three more follow up greetings come from the entrance of Nando’s, “Yes Jay” said Rakim as he stepped up from resting on a bollard, they touch skin and everyone greets. “Come I’m bare hungry!” said Temar,

“Go in then! Blockin’ the door you dumb cunt, I’m starvin’ too!” shouts Leo,

The five of them are shown to their booth table and each jump in, arguing between them about who’s sitting where.

“Yo that waitress is bum you know.” Said Temar, “Obviously, I’m on it init” said Simon rubbing his hands together. “Fuck off Si!” said Rakim and they all laugh, making jokes about him never getting any. As they’re having the usual conversation about who’s hitting which girl and how much money they made the last few days, the waitress comes out and taps Jay on the shoulder,

“Um, excuse me Sir… C-could I ask you to take your hood down inside?” She said with a nervous look, the conversation stops and silence ensues, all eyes staring at the waitress. Looking her up and down and nudging each other, the other guys start whispering and giggling quietly.

“Oh, yeah… Sorry.” Said Jay, taking his hood down and revealing his battered face.

The waitress gasps and pauses for a moment, before thanking Jay and returning to the kitchen. Jay turns to watch her walk away, his face shaped with concern, he was unhappy he made her nervous and thinks he gave her the wrong impression with the scarred face and hoodie. “Fuck me Jay, did you get hit by a bus or summet?!” Said Simon loudly, the restaurant falls silent for a brief moment to look over at their booth, before moving back on with their conversations.

“Nah, I just tripped init…” Said Jay, “Fuckin’ hell, off the empire state buildin’? Look at your eye!” Said Si again; this time even louder than before, a bang on the table comes from the booth next to them.