false-looking nails - painted red - were lying on his skin.
Emma swallowed, tried to get rid of the angry feeling that had invaded. It was spoiling the glow, putting out the fire. Tasha laughed. She threw her head back so her wavy blonde hair bounced about and took a step closer to Guy.
Emma dug her fingers into the table top. She hated those girls. They were so confident and uncaring and Tasha was touching her boyfriend. Well, they had had three dates, that made it official in her world. What else could she call him if not a boyfriend?
‘Alright, love? Oh what’s this? A magician? Smashing,’ Mike said, settling back down in his seat.
She didn’t reply. She was too busy watching Tasha’s every move. She was still holding Guy and now her fingers were moving up and down his arm as they spoke. What were they saying? He’d told her he hated the girls. He thought they were superficial and pathetic. So why was he talking to them?
‘Do you want another drink?’ Mike asked.
Why was he letting Tasha hold his arm? Why wasn’t he brushing her off? She wished she could stop looking but she was transfixed. Like someone watching a horror movie. She didn’t want to see what was going on but she had to.
‘You alright, love?’
Mike had leaned across her line of vision. She moved in her seat to watch Guy remove Tasha’s arm and wave his hand in goodbye.
‘Emma?’ Mike tried again.
‘Sorry, Dad. What did you say?’ She held onto her glass and tried to will the heat from her cheeks.
‘Is everything OK?’ Mike asked.
‘Yes. Just trying to get a better view that’s all,’ she lied, turning her attention to the stage.
‘Another drink?’ Mike offered again.
‘Oh no thanks, Dad. Actually, Sally’s asked me to go to her caravan. She’s got a load of snacks and some board games we’re going to play,’ Emma told him.
‘Is she not here for the show?’
‘No, she’s having a late dinner with her parents. She said I could go round about nine…if it was alright with you.’
‘What’s the number of her caravan?’
‘Er…I’m not sure…but it’s the one right opposite the bicycle hire. I know how to get there,’ Emma insisted.
‘Don’t you want to see the rest of the show?’
‘Nothing could top the snake on the loose.’
‘There was a snake?!’
‘You missed it.’
She nearly said you missed it because you were talking to your new girlfriend but decided that wasn’t the way to get him to agree to let her go and see her imaginary friend.
‘Alright then, love but no later than eleven,’ Mike agreed.
A thrill rode over her. Then she noticed Tasha and Melody were looking her way. They were doing that thing some of the bitches at her school did. Looking over, whispering to each other and then laughing hysterically.
‘Could I have some money?’ Emma asked her dad.
‘Well…what for, love?’
‘I just want to get some snacks too. I can’t expect to eat everything Sally’s bought and not bring anything. I thought I might take some fizzy orange too. The shop’s still open,’ Emma stated, checking her watch.
‘Alright…here’s five Euros. Will that be enough? Just trying to be a bit careful with the funds,’ Mike said, handing the note to her.
‘That’s fine, Dad. I’d better go now if I want to catch the shop. I’ll see you later.’ She picked her book up from the table and stood up.
‘No later than eleven,’ he reaffirmed.
She smiled and made her way out of the clubhouse. What sort of wine could she get with five Euros?
Chapter Nineteen
Present Day
She’d lied to Chris. Not a white lie, like pretending that she liked a new shirt that he’d bought when really it was hideous, but a big, fat, blatant lie. She’d told him she needed to spend the evening marking homework. She knew Dominic would probably tell him she’d gone out when they saw each other next, but she had a plan for that. Ally would have a relationship crisis and need a shoulder to cry on.
Emma swallowed, tried to get rid of the angry feeling that had invaded. It was spoiling the glow, putting out the fire. Tasha laughed. She threw her head back so her wavy blonde hair bounced about and took a step closer to Guy.
Emma dug her fingers into the table top. She hated those girls. They were so confident and uncaring and Tasha was touching her boyfriend. Well, they had had three dates, that made it official in her world. What else could she call him if not a boyfriend?
‘Alright, love? Oh what’s this? A magician? Smashing,’ Mike said, settling back down in his seat.
She didn’t reply. She was too busy watching Tasha’s every move. She was still holding Guy and now her fingers were moving up and down his arm as they spoke. What were they saying? He’d told her he hated the girls. He thought they were superficial and pathetic. So why was he talking to them?
‘Do you want another drink?’ Mike asked.
Why was he letting Tasha hold his arm? Why wasn’t he brushing her off? She wished she could stop looking but she was transfixed. Like someone watching a horror movie. She didn’t want to see what was going on but she had to.
‘You alright, love?’
Mike had leaned across her line of vision. She moved in her seat to watch Guy remove Tasha’s arm and wave his hand in goodbye.
‘Emma?’ Mike tried again.
‘Sorry, Dad. What did you say?’ She held onto her glass and tried to will the heat from her cheeks.
‘Is everything OK?’ Mike asked.
‘Yes. Just trying to get a better view that’s all,’ she lied, turning her attention to the stage.
‘Another drink?’ Mike offered again.
‘Oh no thanks, Dad. Actually, Sally’s asked me to go to her caravan. She’s got a load of snacks and some board games we’re going to play,’ Emma told him.
‘Is she not here for the show?’
‘No, she’s having a late dinner with her parents. She said I could go round about nine…if it was alright with you.’
‘What’s the number of her caravan?’
‘Er…I’m not sure…but it’s the one right opposite the bicycle hire. I know how to get there,’ Emma insisted.
‘Don’t you want to see the rest of the show?’
‘Nothing could top the snake on the loose.’
‘There was a snake?!’
‘You missed it.’
She nearly said you missed it because you were talking to your new girlfriend but decided that wasn’t the way to get him to agree to let her go and see her imaginary friend.
‘Alright then, love but no later than eleven,’ Mike agreed.
A thrill rode over her. Then she noticed Tasha and Melody were looking her way. They were doing that thing some of the bitches at her school did. Looking over, whispering to each other and then laughing hysterically.
‘Could I have some money?’ Emma asked her dad.
‘Well…what for, love?’
‘I just want to get some snacks too. I can’t expect to eat everything Sally’s bought and not bring anything. I thought I might take some fizzy orange too. The shop’s still open,’ Emma stated, checking her watch.
‘Alright…here’s five Euros. Will that be enough? Just trying to be a bit careful with the funds,’ Mike said, handing the note to her.
‘That’s fine, Dad. I’d better go now if I want to catch the shop. I’ll see you later.’ She picked her book up from the table and stood up.
‘No later than eleven,’ he reaffirmed.
She smiled and made her way out of the clubhouse. What sort of wine could she get with five Euros?
Chapter Nineteen
Present Day
She’d lied to Chris. Not a white lie, like pretending that she liked a new shirt that he’d bought when really it was hideous, but a big, fat, blatant lie. She’d told him she needed to spend the evening marking homework. She knew Dominic would probably tell him she’d gone out when they saw each other next, but she had a plan for that. Ally would have a relationship crisis and need a shoulder to cry on.
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