Read Online Just a Girl, Standing in Front of a Boy by Lucy-Anne Holmes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lucy-Anne Holmes
Ads: Link
her and lean forward over the bar.
When Mum was lying in bed whimpering goodbye to me, she held out her arms as though she wanted to hug me. I didn’t know what to do. It would have felt very odd if I’d have gone to her. We haven’t been tactile as a family for years and years. I’m touchy-feely with everyone else in my life, except my mum and dad. Anyway, I pretended not to notice Mum’s wide arms and just said cheerio.
I lean further forward to try to get the bar girl to notice me. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Buttocks! There’s that bloke again. The bloke from the chemist. It’s him. Joe King. I don’t want to see him again. He is perched on a stool at the end of the bar in a deep discussion with a portly older man. He hasn’t spotted me. He looks serious and passionate about whatever he’s saying. The older man is nodding intently back. Ooh, now he’s made some joke. The older chap is slapping him on the back. They’re laughing. Proper laughing. None of the fake stuff. Real throw your head back, don’t care how it looks laughter. It makes me smile. He’s seen me. Damn. He’s caught me grinning like a loon in his direction. He’s stopped smiling. Well, you can’t blame him, I must look like a stalker. He’s still staring at me though. Oh, now, my breathing’s gone all funny, shallow and quick. Do I look away? Oh, I hate this, I don’t know what to do.
‘Fan, what you playing at? You just missed the bar girl, she was right by you,’ Philippa says, smacking me on the bottom.
‘Oh, bum cheeks, sorry.’
I look back at Joe but his seat is empty now. Thank goodness for that. Back to normality. Now concentrate, Jen. I focus on the bar girl, trailing her with my eyes so she comes to me next time.
‘Two Jägerbombs, please.’
‘Hi.’ It’s him. I recognise the voice. It’s quite a sensational voice. I feel his breath on my neck. I turn. Woah, our faces are close. Gosh, he’s just… beautiful. I am so glad I got rid of the golden guinea pig this afternoon.
‘Hi.’
‘Hello.’
‘Ur, huh, humm, humm,’ I say. Brilliant. Meet man. Lose power of speech.
He smiles. I smile too. It’s not my fault. His was infectious.
‘Can I get you a drink?’
Better, Jenny. Better.
‘Nah, best leave it till after. I’ve had a few beers already.’
‘Oh, yeah, course.’ I don’t know why I said course. I don’t know what he’s on about. But we’re looking into each other’s eyes. Wow, his are greeny blue with brown flecks in them.
‘Sorry, this is Philippa, the bestest friend a girl could wish for,’ I say, leaving his gaze and passing her a drink.
‘Hi. I’m Joe. Joe King. Brilliant feat of naming by my parents.’
I love how he immediately comments upon his name before others have the chance to. I suppose it’s like me calling myself Fanny. I could have insisted that everyone call me Jenny. But actually Jenny Taylor was bullied and she became Fanny. My name is so much a part of my experience that I may as well acknowledge it. Sometimes I feel a little proud that I’m called Fanny. It’s like putting a belated middle finger up to the bullies. Perhaps that’s why Joe King makes light of his name too.
Philippa holds her drink in front of her open mouth.
‘Right, I better get up on stage. Enjoy the show,’ Joe says.
Now my mouth is hanging open. He’s only in the band.
‘Well, shit a brick.’ Philippa exclaims after he’s gone. ‘Did you not feel that sexual chemistry?’
‘Oh, wow, yeah, he seems really nice. You should go for it.’
‘Not with me!’ She throws her head back and shakes it. ‘With you! You tool! The bloody sexual chemistry between you two! Even I need a lie down. You must be on fire. Bloody hell, Fan! Oh, my God!’ She starts laughing.
‘I don’t know what you’re on about. I met him earlier in the chemist, that’s all.’
‘Shut up, you. Let’s just see what this very interesting night has in store.’
We knock back our drinks and then move into the
When Mum was lying in bed whimpering goodbye to me, she held out her arms as though she wanted to hug me. I didn’t know what to do. It would have felt very odd if I’d have gone to her. We haven’t been tactile as a family for years and years. I’m touchy-feely with everyone else in my life, except my mum and dad. Anyway, I pretended not to notice Mum’s wide arms and just said cheerio.
I lean further forward to try to get the bar girl to notice me. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Buttocks! There’s that bloke again. The bloke from the chemist. It’s him. Joe King. I don’t want to see him again. He is perched on a stool at the end of the bar in a deep discussion with a portly older man. He hasn’t spotted me. He looks serious and passionate about whatever he’s saying. The older man is nodding intently back. Ooh, now he’s made some joke. The older chap is slapping him on the back. They’re laughing. Proper laughing. None of the fake stuff. Real throw your head back, don’t care how it looks laughter. It makes me smile. He’s seen me. Damn. He’s caught me grinning like a loon in his direction. He’s stopped smiling. Well, you can’t blame him, I must look like a stalker. He’s still staring at me though. Oh, now, my breathing’s gone all funny, shallow and quick. Do I look away? Oh, I hate this, I don’t know what to do.
‘Fan, what you playing at? You just missed the bar girl, she was right by you,’ Philippa says, smacking me on the bottom.
‘Oh, bum cheeks, sorry.’
I look back at Joe but his seat is empty now. Thank goodness for that. Back to normality. Now concentrate, Jen. I focus on the bar girl, trailing her with my eyes so she comes to me next time.
‘Two Jägerbombs, please.’
‘Hi.’ It’s him. I recognise the voice. It’s quite a sensational voice. I feel his breath on my neck. I turn. Woah, our faces are close. Gosh, he’s just… beautiful. I am so glad I got rid of the golden guinea pig this afternoon.
‘Hi.’
‘Hello.’
‘Ur, huh, humm, humm,’ I say. Brilliant. Meet man. Lose power of speech.
He smiles. I smile too. It’s not my fault. His was infectious.
‘Can I get you a drink?’
Better, Jenny. Better.
‘Nah, best leave it till after. I’ve had a few beers already.’
‘Oh, yeah, course.’ I don’t know why I said course. I don’t know what he’s on about. But we’re looking into each other’s eyes. Wow, his are greeny blue with brown flecks in them.
‘Sorry, this is Philippa, the bestest friend a girl could wish for,’ I say, leaving his gaze and passing her a drink.
‘Hi. I’m Joe. Joe King. Brilliant feat of naming by my parents.’
I love how he immediately comments upon his name before others have the chance to. I suppose it’s like me calling myself Fanny. I could have insisted that everyone call me Jenny. But actually Jenny Taylor was bullied and she became Fanny. My name is so much a part of my experience that I may as well acknowledge it. Sometimes I feel a little proud that I’m called Fanny. It’s like putting a belated middle finger up to the bullies. Perhaps that’s why Joe King makes light of his name too.
Philippa holds her drink in front of her open mouth.
‘Right, I better get up on stage. Enjoy the show,’ Joe says.
Now my mouth is hanging open. He’s only in the band.
‘Well, shit a brick.’ Philippa exclaims after he’s gone. ‘Did you not feel that sexual chemistry?’
‘Oh, wow, yeah, he seems really nice. You should go for it.’
‘Not with me!’ She throws her head back and shakes it. ‘With you! You tool! The bloody sexual chemistry between you two! Even I need a lie down. You must be on fire. Bloody hell, Fan! Oh, my God!’ She starts laughing.
‘I don’t know what you’re on about. I met him earlier in the chemist, that’s all.’
‘Shut up, you. Let’s just see what this very interesting night has in store.’
We knock back our drinks and then move into the
Similar Books
