good,” I say, smiling back.
“So come on,” Lily continues, finishing the last of her sickly-smelling brown drink. “Is that all you did today? What else happened?”
I remember the best bit of my day, and smile.
“I met Will. We went for a coffee.”
I nearly spat Coke across the kitchen table.
“I’m sorry, did I hear that right? You met Will?”
“Yes, he was lovely. He took me for a coffee. Well, obviously I didn’t actually have one of those, just a glass of water, but he said that’s what he was having.”
I couldn’t believe it. I’d left her for just a few hours and she’d already had more of a date with Will than I’d ever managed – or ever would manage by the sound of it. Aria was sitting in the kitchen I’d sorted out for her, eating food I’d provided and was sleeping in a bed I’d made. The very least she could do was keep her hands off the guy I fancied.
“How was he?” I asked through gritted teeth, but she was oblivious to my discomfort.
“He was really great, really helpful in explaining where things are. We had a nice time.”
She gave me one of her sunniest smiles.
“Likely to see him again?” I said as casually as I could manage.
“Yes, I think so. He seemed very happy to help me understand the area.”
The late afternoon sun appeared from behind a cloud, bouncing off a window opposite and shining through the only gap in the net curtains, briefly throwing her face into shadow. I was glad I couldn’t see her expression as I jumped up to rinse out my glass, hoping that the activity would calm me down. It didn’t work.
“Look, Aria.” The words burst out before I could stop them. “Up here you don’t go picking up the boys your friends fancy, do you understand?” I gave her a pointedlook. “You know I like Will.”
“You didn’t tell me he was a special friend,” she said in a very even voice.
I still couldn’t see her face.
“OK, let’s make it clear now. I’d rather you didn’t make a move on him.”
“What do you mean?”
“Making a move – it means getting him to like you,” I said.
“I’m not ‘making a move on him’ then. He’s just explaining the area to me – where everything is.” She paused for a moment. “And he’s already promised to do some more of it tomorrow when you are out.”
“Doesn’t he have to go to school?”
She shrugged her shoulders.
“It seems to be finished, or that’s what he said. Honestly, we had a lovely time. He thinks I’m funny, you know.”
There was a smile in her voice.
“He thinks you’re funny.” I repeated her statement slowly, trying to keep my emotions under control.
“Uh-huh, and he’s really happy to help me again. He said so.”
The damage was done then. There was no way that he was going to look at me now, not if he thought he was getting somewhere with Aria. After all this time, all the plans I had for Will, she had snatched him from under my nose. And added to that, she seemed to have no idea ofthe pain she was causing me.
“Why couldn’t you just leave him alone?” I asked, knowing how whiney I sounded but unable to stop. “Why did you have to arrange a date with Will? I’ll have no chance now.”
“I don’t understand why you’re so upset. I’m not doing any harm. It’s not as if I’m about to breed with him!”
For a moment I was speechless.
“Do you have any idea of the effect you’ll be having on him?” I finally managed to whisper.
“What do you mean? What effect?”
“You’re stunning, Aria. Every boy we pass has his tongue hanging out, including Will. You’re just leading him on and he’ll be disappointed in everyone else, especially me!”
“Why? What are you talking about?”
I knew I was being unreasonable, but I couldn’t stop.
“It might suit you to come swanning up here and steal other girls’ boyfriends, but it’s just too unfair, especially when you have a gorgeous boy of your own begging you to come back!”
There was
“So come on,” Lily continues, finishing the last of her sickly-smelling brown drink. “Is that all you did today? What else happened?”
I remember the best bit of my day, and smile.
“I met Will. We went for a coffee.”
I nearly spat Coke across the kitchen table.
“I’m sorry, did I hear that right? You met Will?”
“Yes, he was lovely. He took me for a coffee. Well, obviously I didn’t actually have one of those, just a glass of water, but he said that’s what he was having.”
I couldn’t believe it. I’d left her for just a few hours and she’d already had more of a date with Will than I’d ever managed – or ever would manage by the sound of it. Aria was sitting in the kitchen I’d sorted out for her, eating food I’d provided and was sleeping in a bed I’d made. The very least she could do was keep her hands off the guy I fancied.
“How was he?” I asked through gritted teeth, but she was oblivious to my discomfort.
“He was really great, really helpful in explaining where things are. We had a nice time.”
She gave me one of her sunniest smiles.
“Likely to see him again?” I said as casually as I could manage.
“Yes, I think so. He seemed very happy to help me understand the area.”
The late afternoon sun appeared from behind a cloud, bouncing off a window opposite and shining through the only gap in the net curtains, briefly throwing her face into shadow. I was glad I couldn’t see her expression as I jumped up to rinse out my glass, hoping that the activity would calm me down. It didn’t work.
“Look, Aria.” The words burst out before I could stop them. “Up here you don’t go picking up the boys your friends fancy, do you understand?” I gave her a pointedlook. “You know I like Will.”
“You didn’t tell me he was a special friend,” she said in a very even voice.
I still couldn’t see her face.
“OK, let’s make it clear now. I’d rather you didn’t make a move on him.”
“What do you mean?”
“Making a move – it means getting him to like you,” I said.
“I’m not ‘making a move on him’ then. He’s just explaining the area to me – where everything is.” She paused for a moment. “And he’s already promised to do some more of it tomorrow when you are out.”
“Doesn’t he have to go to school?”
She shrugged her shoulders.
“It seems to be finished, or that’s what he said. Honestly, we had a lovely time. He thinks I’m funny, you know.”
There was a smile in her voice.
“He thinks you’re funny.” I repeated her statement slowly, trying to keep my emotions under control.
“Uh-huh, and he’s really happy to help me again. He said so.”
The damage was done then. There was no way that he was going to look at me now, not if he thought he was getting somewhere with Aria. After all this time, all the plans I had for Will, she had snatched him from under my nose. And added to that, she seemed to have no idea ofthe pain she was causing me.
“Why couldn’t you just leave him alone?” I asked, knowing how whiney I sounded but unable to stop. “Why did you have to arrange a date with Will? I’ll have no chance now.”
“I don’t understand why you’re so upset. I’m not doing any harm. It’s not as if I’m about to breed with him!”
For a moment I was speechless.
“Do you have any idea of the effect you’ll be having on him?” I finally managed to whisper.
“What do you mean? What effect?”
“You’re stunning, Aria. Every boy we pass has his tongue hanging out, including Will. You’re just leading him on and he’ll be disappointed in everyone else, especially me!”
“Why? What are you talking about?”
I knew I was being unreasonable, but I couldn’t stop.
“It might suit you to come swanning up here and steal other girls’ boyfriends, but it’s just too unfair, especially when you have a gorgeous boy of your own begging you to come back!”
There was
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