Read Online Rachel Does Rome by Nicola Doherty - Free Book Online Page B

himself – he’ll have to go home and change.’ I look back desperately
     over my shoulder. ‘We have to get out of here now!’ Not that I think Jay will turn
     violent, though he is a boxer; but he might threaten to sue me, or make me pay for
     his dry cleaning. Either way, it won’t be fun.
    ‘But how?’ says Maggie.
    We’re all looking around in an aimless panic when there’s a roar of mopeds, startlingly
     loud in the quiet street. We all turn around, and we’re relieved – at least I certainly
     am – to see that it’s three girls on Vespas. As they’re going past us, one of them
     slows down and calls out something in Italian. We all shake our heads, and she stops.
    ‘Are you all right?’ she says, in English. I can see blond curls under her helmet.
     ‘Do you need directions?’
    ‘Yes, thanks – we’re trying to get back to the centre. The Spanish Steps—’
    ‘We’re going to the
centro storico
,’ another one says. ‘Do you want a lift?’
    Lily, Maggie and I exchange glances before saying, ‘Sure!’ And we hop on the back
     of the Vespas with the girls.
    ‘Hold on,’ says one of them, and then we’re off, hair streaming in the wind, skimming
     dangerously close to the ground, or so it feels. Sights are flying by us. I see an
     ancient Roman theatre; a tall column with intricate sculptures all over it; a gigantic
     baroque-looking edifice covered with statues of soldiers, horses and flags. My new
     friend calls out over her shoulder, giving me the names of the landmarks as we go.
     I’ve realised that there is way too much to see in Rome to even try and remember all
     the names so I don’t bother. I just soak it in: my first ever Vespa ride!
    Eventually things start looking more familiar; we’re back in the same streets that
     I recognise from our first evening exploring. The girls stop their Vespas and we all
     climb off, breathless and exhilarated, stumbling a bit now that we’re back on solid
     ground.
    ‘Thank you!’ we all chorus. ‘That was great!’
    They wave and kick-start their Vespas again, buzzing off into the night.
    ‘Wasn’t that great? Like Charlie’s Angels,’ says Maggie. ‘They rescued us.’
    ‘I can’t believe I just rode on a moped without a helmet,’ I say. ‘
And
I haven’t looked at my guidebook all day.’
    ‘Rachel, you also just pushed someone into a hot tub,’ Lily points out. ‘I think
     that’s worth mentioning too.’ Our giggles ring out into the empty streets.
    We set off in what we think is the direction of our hotel, but soon we’re completely
     lost again. I’m about to ask Lily whether her phone is working, when we hear music.
    ‘Ooh,’ says Maggie. ‘Are you hearing what I’m hearing?’
    ‘Ladies, leave your man at home!’ says Lily. ‘The joint is jumpin’, jumpin’!’ She’s
     right; it’s Destiny’s Child. We follow the music and find ourselves at the door of
     a scuzzy little bar. It’s small and dark; the floor looks sticky. It’s a world away
     from the Playboy Mansion we just left. But we don’t even need to discuss it; we thrust
     some notes at the guy on the door, and charge in, desperate to get to the dance floor
     before the song ends.
    What follows is the best night out dancing I’ve had in years. We dance to ‘Jumpin’
     Jumpin’, ‘Get Lucky’ and then back to Destiny’s Child with ‘Independent Women’. Then
     we dance to ‘No Diggity’, and then for a change, ‘Sexyback’. It’s as if someone’s
     put his iPod on shuffle and plugged it in. In fact I think that’s what the DJ’s done;
     I see him lounging against the wall chatting up a gorgeous girl in a white dress.
    ‘I want to buy a drink but the music’s too good, I don’t want to miss a song!’ screams
     Maggie.
    ‘I’ll get you one!’ I hurry to the bar and order three Peroni beers, which we drink
     quickly until ‘We Are Never, Ever Getting Back Together’ by Taylor Swift comes on.
     Which means we have to run