All the Way Home and All the Night Through by Ted Lewis Page A

them.”
    She smiled as though she didn’t believe me, as though she couldn’t have cared less either.
    â€œOh, I don’t,” she said. “Why should I?”
    Her girlfriend from the dance rolled up.
    â€œSorry I’m late,” she said, and “Hello” to me.
    We all stood about for two seconds. The other girl looked from me to Janet. Then they walked off. I joined Harry and the others. Hilary kept close. We kept bumping into Janet and her friend all night. Faint smiles. Hilary still kept close. We stayed together all evening. Later on we held hands and I took her home.
    I got to college early on Monday morning. I hung about in the entrance hall, waiting for the Horncastle students to arrive.
    â€œKaren,” I said when she came in, “can I have a word with you?”
    I took her aside from the others.
    â€œLook,” I said, “I don’t think we ought to go out anymore.”
    She looked surprised.
    â€œOh. Why not?”
    â€œNo reason I can tell you. I just don’t.”
    There was nothing she could say to that.
    â€œThat’s it then,” she said, after a pause. She smiled in a meaning-less way. Before she could say anything else I walked away, sweating with relief.
    I saw Janet at break.
    â€œEnjoy the fair?” I asked.
    â€œYes, very much. Did you?”
    â€œNot bad.”
    Then I said:
    â€œHas, er, has Tony come in?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œOh?”
    â€œHe’s got a bad cold apparently. He told Karen to tell me he wouldn’t be in today.”
    â€œSo he won’t be taking you to the fair.”
    â€œNo, he won’t.”
    â€œI see. Will I?”
    â€œThat’s what we arranged, isn’t it?”
    â€œThat’s what we arranged.”
    Imagine a sensitive child waiting in dread for its first day at school. Imagine a nervous man just before making his first public address. Imagine a schoolboy on his way to the headmaster’s study. That was me during the hours preceding our arranged meeting. I saw Janet from a distance on several occasions during the day. She looked as detached as ever. And suddenly not attractive --- lovely. I couldn’t imagine any reason on earth why she should be impressed by me to even the smallest degree.
    Janet approached me at break in the afternoon.
    â€œJenny and Alex will probably be coming along tonight. They were going on their own, but I thought they could come along with us so I asked them.”
    â€œGreat.”
    â€œWhat time shall I meet you?”
    â€œSeven.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œAt the end of the road, outside the pub.”
    â€œYou could go along with Jenny and Alex. I’ll have to go home first so I’ll join you there.”
    â€œOkay by me.”
    Nothing was going to work out, I could see.
    The rain poured down on my head. Jenny, Alex and I were waiting outside the pub. It was five to seven. My bones told me that she wouldn’t come. I was being indifferent for the benefit of Jenny and Alex. The lights from the stall-lined street which led down to the fair winked limply throughout the blurring rain. Traffic swished by and people straggled past in the direction of the fair. At five past seven I went into the pub, leaving the others waiting outside. I ordered a pint. The barman slid it across the counter. I gave him the money and Alex was standing behind me.
    â€œShe’s here,” he said.
    â€œI’ll be with you in two seconds.”
    My body jettisoned its indifference. I almost choked trying to get the drink down. I went outside.
    She was standing with Alex and Jenny. Her hair was done in its pony tail style. She wore a white roll-neck sweater and light blue jeans. My heart rolled over three times and I became constrictingly aware of myself.
    â€œHello,” she said.
    â€œHello.”
    We all turned into the street and started walking toward the fair. Alex and Jenny were in front. They were getting on