Read Online Heartbeat Away by Laura Summers - Free Book Online Page A

by side on the bench.
    I shrug and avoid his eye.
    â€˜We drove past the other day. Mum and I,’ I say finally. ‘Thought I’d find out what it was like.’
    â€˜Long way to come, though,’ he says.
    â€˜There’s something special about this place.’ I reply.
    He’s completely still, staring down at the lake, watching as a heron swoops low over the water. ‘I come here all the time,’ he says quietly. ‘We used to —’ He hesitates, shakes his head slightly, then, forcing a small lopsided smile, begins again. ‘They say there’s a fish that’s been in this lake over fifty years.’
    â€˜Fifty?’
    â€˜Maybe longer.’
    â€˜No way.’
    He gives a small shrug. ‘I didn’t believe it either . . . so last summer we sneaked in after the park was shut. Middle of the night, dead quiet . . . no one around. We threw sweetcorn and a mashed-up dog biscuit onto the water and waited and waited. I was so tired I fell asleep. When I woke up it was cold and my friend looked at me and smiled. He’d seen the fish, all six foot of him, gobbling everything in sight, then slinking back under the surface again.’
    â€˜Why didn’t he wake you up?’ I ask.
    â€˜He said the fish would be under there another fifty years, so what was the rush?’ replies Sam.
    I look at the people in little boats rowing on the lake and wonder if they know about the monster lurking beneath them. I shiver slightly.
    Sam turns to me. ‘You’re cold. Come on.’
    As we get up, he looks around slowly, as if he’s waiting for someone, but all the skateboarders have long since packed up and gone.
    â€˜Sam?’
    â€˜Sorry . . . I was just . . .’ He picks up my bag. ‘Let’s go. ‘
    We head back down the tarmac path to the park entrance.
    â€˜I’ll be OK on my own,’ I insist, as we walk through the tall iron gates into the street. ‘You don’t have to come with me.’
    â€˜I know.’
    We exchange smiles. And for the first time, the sadness in his eyes melts away and I can’t help noticing how good- looking he is.

28
    We talk all the way home, but I say nothing about my illness or heart transplant – they aren’t the sorts of things I can easily slip into a conversation without killing it completely. Besides, I don’t want Sam to know.
    When we reach the end of my road, I know that in a couple of minutes he’ll turn round, wave goodbye and walk out of my life, probably for good. I’m not ready for that either. Usually the only boys who talk to me are those who want Alesha’s mobile number. But, besides being flattered by the attention, there is so much more I need to find out.
    I know now that what I’ve seen in my visions really exists. They can’t be a product of my over-active imagination or the side effects of all the strong tablets I have to take. I’ve met Sam for real and physically walked through that park. I can’t be going mad. My visions must mean something. But what?
    â€˜I can’t work you out, Becky,’ Sam says as we walk up my road.
    â€˜How come?’ I ask, with a nervous laugh.
    He shrugs. ‘There’s something about you.’
    I force a smile but don’t know what to say.
    â€˜I live with my mum, Auntie, three sisters . . . even the dog’s female,’ he tells me. ‘They’re all in-your-face bossy, noisy, messy and it’s always full-on make-up, boy bands and gossip. To be honest, most days it’s a relief to get out. But you’re different . . . a mystery. You’re so calm and quiet, but underneath . . .’
    â€˜Maybe you just don’t know me very well.’
    â€˜I guess not.’
    â€˜That’s my house, on the left. With the red front door.’
    â€˜Becky?’
    I turn to Sam, his dark brown eyes serious and thoughtful.
    â€˜Back in the park, why did you say you