He's After Me

Chapter TWENTY-FOUR



‘Anna! It’s OK. Anna! I’ve got you. You’re all right.’

I peer up at him, afraid to look, and I can’t believe my eyes. It’s him. It’s really him.

How could I do this? How could I conjure Jem up like this just when I needed him?

My knees sag and I sink to the ground, weak with relief. Jem crouches beside me, holding me safe in his arms.

‘Someone was chasing me,’ I sob. ‘Where did he go? What happened to him?’

‘It was me,’ he says. ‘I was following you.’

‘What?’ I look up at him. ‘Why?’ My voice rises in a shriek and then I’m hitting him on the chest, pummelling him as hard as I can. ‘You scared me half to death, you stupid jerk. I thought you were after me!’

‘I was.’ He grabs my fists. ‘Shhh. It’s OK. I was trying to catch up with you.’

‘Why didn’t you say anything?’

‘I didn’t want to scare you. I’d been waiting for you for ages. But when you came out of Zoe’s, you ran straight off. So I followed you to check you were OK.’

‘What were you doing hanging outside in the dark?’

‘I had to see you. You wouldn’t answer your phone. You’re right, I am a stupid jerk.’ His voice breaks. ‘I love you, Anna. I couldn’t bear to lose you.’

He looks so contrite. I reach up to cup his cheek and he grabs my hand and presses it to his lips.

‘You’re not going to lose me,’ I say. ‘Ever.’

‘Promise?’

‘I promise. It was a row, that’s all. Our first one.’

‘And our last. I will never, ever let you get rid of me.’

We walk through the empty streets together, arms wrapped round each other. The night isn’t scary any more, just peaceful. When Jem is on your side, there is no reason to be frightened of the dark.

When we get to Wharfside, I press the code and the front door swings open. As the lift whisks us up to the top floor, I am aware of Jem like I have never been before. Outside Dad’s flat I hand him the key. When he opens the door, he carries me over the threshold and places me on the kingsize bed, the one my father shares with Jude. I can’t help it, I freeze.

‘No,’ I say. ‘Not here. It’s not right.’

Jem looks down at me with amusement.

‘I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do,’ he says and I relax. My hand reaches up to the back of his head and I draw him back down to me, feeling his body against mine. Jem pulls away groaning.

‘Shit, Anna, make your mind up. Don’t mess me about.’

‘It’s OK,’ I say. ‘Don’t stop.’ And I forget all about what’s right and wrong and lose myself in him.

When I wake up, Jem is sleeping, one arm flung up behind his head, the other curled around me. I feel incredibly peaceful. Until I turn my head, that is, and the clock radio tells me it is 00:09. I sit bolt upright with a gasp.

‘What is it?’ Jem struggles up on to his elbow.

‘It’s tomorrow!’

‘So? We’re staying here for the night, remember?’

‘But I haven’t told Mum! I forgot to go home first.’

‘Tell her now.’

‘You’re joking!’ I mean, I know my mum loves Jem, but even she’s not that open-minded. ‘She’ll be worried sick.’

‘She’d have rung you if she was bothered.’

‘I switched my phone off, remember!’ I grab it from my bag and switch it back on.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Ringing her. Telling her I’m on my way home.’

‘Don’t go.’ Jem’s hand comes over mine.

‘I’ve got to!’

‘No, listen. She thinks you’re at Zoe’s, right?’

‘Right.’

‘Then tell her you’re staying the night.’ His eyes are large, pleading. ‘Please, Anna? Stay with me.’

‘I’ll try. But she might have spoken to Zoe already …’

Mum’s not very happy when I get hold of her.

‘Anna? Where have you been? I’ve been trying to get hold of you! I was just about to ring Zoe to find out where you were.’

‘I’m sorry! We forgot the time. Been busy with revision, so I switched my phone off. Look, Mum, I might as well sleep over at Zoe’s tonight, yeah?’

Mum hesitates. ‘I suppose so.’

‘I’ll see you tomorrow after college.’

Mum sighs. ‘OK. But let me know a bit earlier next time. I was starting to get worried!’

‘Nah! You don’t have to worry about me. I’m the good girl, remember?’ But there’s silence on the other end so I add lamely, ‘Sleep well. Love you!’ and click off.

‘OK?’ asks Jem and reaches out an arm to me. I snuggle in beside him, my head on his chest.

‘Fine,’ I say, and he kisses the top of my head, and within minutes I can tell from his regular breathing, he’s fast asleep again. But even though I am spending the night wrapped in the arms of the man of my dreams, in a kingsize luxury bed, I lie there wide awake in the darkness, my head in a whirl.