He's After Me

Chapter SIX



He turns up out of the blue one day, just when I’d given up on him completely. His timing is impeccable.

He’s waiting for me outside college, leaning against the wall opposite the front gates. It’s Zoe who spots him first. She nudges me in the ribs.

‘Nice!’ she says. ‘Take a look at that.’

‘Who?’

‘That boy over there. He’s staring at us.’

I follow her direction and my heart misses a beat. It’s him! Our eyes meet and he unfolds himself and stands up straight, his face breaking into a smile. He’s taller than I remember.

‘Wow!’ breathes Zoe. ‘D’you know him?’

‘It’s him,’ I say simply. ‘It’s Jem.’

‘Hi,’ he says, coming over. ‘I’ve been away. I’m sorry. But I’m back now.’

I wonder where he’s been. Far enough away not to be on Facebook. Is there anywhere that far?

But his ‘Sorry’ sounds genuine. And I like ‘I’m back now.’ Like he’s back in the place where he’s meant to be.

‘How did you know where to find me?’

‘Oh, I’ve got ways and means.’

‘Such as?’

He taps the side of his nose and grins, like he’s saying: Keep this out of it. I shake my head, trying not to smile.

What is it with him? He’s so secretive, so elusive. I’ve never met anyone quite like him before. I hold his gaze, determined to appear unimpressed, and he laughs softly, like he can read my mind.

‘Drink?’ he asks.

‘What, now?’ I dart a quick look at Zoe, standing behind me, taking it all in. We were going to hers.

‘It’s OK,’ she says quickly. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’

I wonder if he’s going to insist she comes with us, but he gives her his lazy smile and says, ‘See you,’ and she walks away. And then it’s just him and me.

One minute we’re heading up the road together and I’m trying desperately to think of something to say and the next minute, to my surprise, he’s leapt on to the platform of a bus waiting at a crossroads.

‘Come on!’ he yells, reaching out his hand for me. ‘The lights are changing!’

I run after the bus as it lurches away and grab his hand. He pulls me on and I stumble into his arms.

‘Thanks,’ I say, looking up into his face. His arms tighten as he laughs down at me. His eyes are crinkled, and when he smiles one side of his mouth lifts slightly higher than the other.

I want to kiss it.

He lets me go and bounds upstairs to the top deck. When I follow him up, he’s already sprawled at the front of the bus, feet up on the windscreen, arm along the back of the seat. I sit down beside him.

‘Mind telling me where we’re going?’

His hand moves to rest lightly on my shoulder. It feels good, like I belong to him.

‘Wherever you want, Anna,’ he says.

We end up down at the harbour, not that far from my dad’s place. We climb up on to the harbour wall to watch the waves crashing against the rocks. Before long we’re soaked but I don’t care. I feel wild and free, like the sea beneath me.

Jem runs along the wall, arms spread wide, as sure-footed and agile as a panther. I tell him to be careful and so he stands on his toes, right at the edge, his back to the sea, deliberately taunting me. He starts swaying like mad as if he’s lost his balance, his arms making huge circles. I can’t help it, I close my eyes – and that’s when he yells. I scream out loud, convinced he’s fallen over the wall into the churning sea. But when I open my eyes he’s still there, laughing at me.

I punch him and he puts his arms round me.

And then he kisses me.

Later, soaked through to the skin and shaking with cold, we take refuge under the awning of a boat, away from prying eyes. Jem wraps me in his arms but I can’t get warm.

‘You got me here under false pretences!’ I protest, my teeth chattering. ‘You said you were taking me for a drink!’

‘I am,’ he says and peers through the window of the boat. Then, quick as a flash, before I can say anything, he slips off his jacket, wraps it around his fist and punches out the glass. Putting his hand inside, he fiddles around for a bit, his face rapt, then the door swings open. ‘We’re in,’ he says, pushing me inside. ‘After you.’

‘Jem!’ I splutter, but he laughs at my shocked face.

‘Go on,’ he says. ‘It’s OK. It belongs to a friend of mine.’

‘He’s not going to be very happy when he sees what you’ve done to his window,’ I remark. ‘Where’s the light?’

‘Leave it,’ he orders. I peer round the dark interior. I can just about make out built-in wrap-around seating, a table and lots of little cupboards. Jem starts opening them. He chucks me some towels out of one and exclaims with delight when he finds a small fridge in another. ‘Trust a sailor to have booze on board,’ he declares triumphantly, holding up some cans of beer. ‘Make yourself at home.’

I sit on the floor and sip my beer while Jem towels my hair dry. Then I do the same for him. I’ve never done that for anyone before, except Livi. But this is different.

Afterwards we sit huddled together in a blanket for warmth, watching the moon rising over the bay. The boat rocks us gently. With my head on Jem’s shoulder, I listen to the sound of the sea lapping beneath us and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy. We talk and we talk and we talk and then we kiss.

And that’s how it all begins.





And so love’s arrow finds its target.

And she’d seemed such a sensible girl too, not the kind to lose her head over some bloke.

That’s love for you.