the next day all the girls in my class had asked me about Theo. Even Jemima – though of course she made out he wasn’t worth bothering with.
But it didn’t work. Because everyone had seen him. Everyone had seen how fit he looked. I got a bit carried away, in fact. Hinting he was sort of into me. Hinting that he’d only pretended to have a message from my boyfriend because he wanted to ask me out himself. I mean, I didn’t come out with an actual lie. But I hinted. I definitely hinted.
I thought about calling him all day, trying to work out exactly what to say. I did it on the way home from school. My fingers were shaking as I dialled his number on my mobile.
But it wasn’t how I’d expected at all. First I got his mum, which was really embarrassing. And then Theo sounded really distant, like he didn’t want to talk to me at all.
I got all confused telling him what had happened with Dad. And my mobile kept cutting out, so he missed bits of what I was saying and I had to repeat myself.
And then it got worse. I couldn’t believe what he asked me to do. As soon as he’d suggested it he took it back and said he couldn’t expect me to do it. But I knew it was what he really wanted.
And I knew I was going to do it, even though part of me – a big part of me – knew it was wrong.
17
Theo
This was it. As soon as I put the phone down on Rachel, I knew. This was it.
I called Max straight away to set things up for Saturday week. That was the first weekend day we could all meet, when I wouldn’t be grounded any more and Rachel would have the chance to do what I’d asked her to do.
If she was really prepared to do it.
I couldn’t believe she would.
I mean, I hardly knew her.
But still. She’d said yes. She’d said she’d do it. If only she had the guts to carry it through.
I prayed that she did.
18
Rachel
Saturday morning finally arrived. I wandered into the kitchen and told Mum I was going out to meet up with some friends from my class.
‘We’re going to go shopping and then maybe get an ice cream or something,’ I said, ultra-casually.
Mum pursed her lips and stared at me suspiciously. I knew what she was thinking. What friends? I hadn’t gone out much all term and I never had people back to the house any more.
‘It’s Clara,’ I said, saying the first name that came to me. ‘And a few others. We’re looking for stuff for the school disco.’
I had, of course, no intention of going to the school disco. Though, if I was honest, I’d spent quite a lot of the last week imagining being there with Theo.
Mum nodded. ‘Have a good time, then,’ she said. ‘And sweetie, don’t buy anything cropped. It’s not a flattering look on you. Top or bottom.’
‘Right.’ Normally that kind of remark would have really upset me, especially as we were standing in front of a picture of Rebecca looking stunning in these cut-off trousers Mum always referred to as clamdiggers. But today I was only half listening to her. Most of my mind was focused on what I had to do next.
I checked the time as I walked through the hall. Ten-thirty a.m. Dad was still at squash. He never got home before eleven. And I planned to be out of here long before that.
I could feel myself speeding up as I climbed the stairs. I just wanted to get this over with now. My mouth felt dry as I darted along the landing and into my room. Backpack. Make-up and hairbrush. Purse.
I had everything I needed.
Everything except the main thing.
I crept to the top of the stairs. I could hear Mum clattering about in the kitchen. I gritted my teeth and marched into Dad’s office. His laptop was in its normal place beside the desk. I grabbed it and shoved it into my backpack. My hands were sweating as I zipped the bag up and swung it over my back. I sped downstairs, crept across the parquet floor and opened the front door.
Almost out.
‘Sweetie.’
I spun round, my heart thumping.
Mum was staring at me curiously from the kitchen
But it didn’t work. Because everyone had seen him. Everyone had seen how fit he looked. I got a bit carried away, in fact. Hinting he was sort of into me. Hinting that he’d only pretended to have a message from my boyfriend because he wanted to ask me out himself. I mean, I didn’t come out with an actual lie. But I hinted. I definitely hinted.
I thought about calling him all day, trying to work out exactly what to say. I did it on the way home from school. My fingers were shaking as I dialled his number on my mobile.
But it wasn’t how I’d expected at all. First I got his mum, which was really embarrassing. And then Theo sounded really distant, like he didn’t want to talk to me at all.
I got all confused telling him what had happened with Dad. And my mobile kept cutting out, so he missed bits of what I was saying and I had to repeat myself.
And then it got worse. I couldn’t believe what he asked me to do. As soon as he’d suggested it he took it back and said he couldn’t expect me to do it. But I knew it was what he really wanted.
And I knew I was going to do it, even though part of me – a big part of me – knew it was wrong.
17
Theo
This was it. As soon as I put the phone down on Rachel, I knew. This was it.
I called Max straight away to set things up for Saturday week. That was the first weekend day we could all meet, when I wouldn’t be grounded any more and Rachel would have the chance to do what I’d asked her to do.
If she was really prepared to do it.
I couldn’t believe she would.
I mean, I hardly knew her.
But still. She’d said yes. She’d said she’d do it. If only she had the guts to carry it through.
I prayed that she did.
18
Rachel
Saturday morning finally arrived. I wandered into the kitchen and told Mum I was going out to meet up with some friends from my class.
‘We’re going to go shopping and then maybe get an ice cream or something,’ I said, ultra-casually.
Mum pursed her lips and stared at me suspiciously. I knew what she was thinking. What friends? I hadn’t gone out much all term and I never had people back to the house any more.
‘It’s Clara,’ I said, saying the first name that came to me. ‘And a few others. We’re looking for stuff for the school disco.’
I had, of course, no intention of going to the school disco. Though, if I was honest, I’d spent quite a lot of the last week imagining being there with Theo.
Mum nodded. ‘Have a good time, then,’ she said. ‘And sweetie, don’t buy anything cropped. It’s not a flattering look on you. Top or bottom.’
‘Right.’ Normally that kind of remark would have really upset me, especially as we were standing in front of a picture of Rebecca looking stunning in these cut-off trousers Mum always referred to as clamdiggers. But today I was only half listening to her. Most of my mind was focused on what I had to do next.
I checked the time as I walked through the hall. Ten-thirty a.m. Dad was still at squash. He never got home before eleven. And I planned to be out of here long before that.
I could feel myself speeding up as I climbed the stairs. I just wanted to get this over with now. My mouth felt dry as I darted along the landing and into my room. Backpack. Make-up and hairbrush. Purse.
I had everything I needed.
Everything except the main thing.
I crept to the top of the stairs. I could hear Mum clattering about in the kitchen. I gritted my teeth and marched into Dad’s office. His laptop was in its normal place beside the desk. I grabbed it and shoved it into my backpack. My hands were sweating as I zipped the bag up and swung it over my back. I sped downstairs, crept across the parquet floor and opened the front door.
Almost out.
‘Sweetie.’
I spun round, my heart thumping.
Mum was staring at me curiously from the kitchen
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