Chapter Twenty
“Holy crap, Suzy. After all you said about keeping your distance and being just friends.” Don’t you just love Maddie? She instinctively knows which buttons to press for maximum effect.
“I know. I know. But in my defense let me say it was an in-the-moment-once-only kiss. It won’t happen again. It can’t happen again. I’m going out with Guy now. Ryan’s history.”
My mind wanders back to that moment before sanity stepped in and made me pull back; when Ryan’s lips touched mine and my arms instinctively wrapped themselves around his neck. For one split second nothing else mattered. It was like the time we hadn’t see each other vanished in a puff of smoke.
Lucky reality hit before it went any further.
“And after this in-the-moment-once-only full-on kiss did he declare his undying love and beg you to go back out with him?”
“Shut up. Of course he didn’t. Well not really, he—”I pause a moment to replay in my mind the events of earlier. How understanding Ryan was and the way he accepted everything.
“He what? Come on spill. What did he say? God Suzy, I knew this would happen. This had freakin’ trouble written all over it.”
“I know that. But if you remember I wasn’t exactly given a choice, was I?” Leaning forward on the wooden bench I’m sitting on at the bottom of our garden I stare absentmindedly at the grass. Right now I feel so—so— awful.
“Well, what did he say after you told him no?“
“He said he’s sorry everything turned out how it did, and he wants to be friends. He asked me to go out again to the movies or something. Just as friends. But I think no. Guy wouldn’t like it.”
“Don’t tell him.”
“No. You know I don’t do lying.” A huge snort reverberates down the phone. “If you let me finish. I was going to say I don’t do lying unless absolutely necessary.”
“It’s okay, I get it. Virgin status and Truck-fest are the only things important enough to warrant deception.”
A giggle escapes my lips and I sit back and straighten my legs out in front of me. Out the corner of my eye I notice Dad walking toward me holding the phone in his hand. He waves when he sees me looking.
“Phone,” he calls. “Lori.” Oh no. I forgot I was meant to phone her, and I bet Mom didn’t tell Dad to say I’m asleep if anyone calls. Or he forgot, which is quite likely, he’s hopeless when it comes to remembering things. I hope he’s not heading for one of those memory diseases, Mom and I couldn’t hack anything else.
“Won’t be a sec,” I whisper to Maddie. “The other phone.”
I jump up from the bench, run over to Dad and take the handset from him.
“Hello,” I croak, while strolling back to the bench and sitting down.
“Suzy, it’s Lori. I didn’t want to phone your cell in case you were asleep. Your Dad said you’re in the garden. Are you feeling better? You don’t sound it.”
“A little, thanks.” I try to make myself sound breathless, but to be honest it comes across more like someone in a porn movie than a sick person. “Got so hot upstairs I thought I’d come out for some fresh air. I’m hoping it’s just a twenty-four hour thing. How was the picnic?”
“Well, apart from Guy wandering around all pathetic because you weren’t there, it was great. It was so sweet to watch him though. Rachel tried her hardest to cheer him up.” Yeah, I bet. Bitch. “You know, he’s really got it bad. I haven’t seen him like this since—well—since ages.” She giggles and I’m tempted to join in except it’s hysterical laughter bubbling inside me, what with everything going on at the moment, and if I let it out Lori will think I’ve totally lost it.
“I wish I’d been there, instead of stuck in my room with no-one to talk to. Not that I can talk for long.” Cue the cough. “Sorry, it sounds worse than it is. I’m sure by Monday I’ll be fine. Especially if I take it steady tomorrow.”
“Hope so. You know I said about coming to see you?”
“Mmmm,” I reply nodding.
“I can’t.”
“Oh no. Why not?” Yes!
“Mom wants me to go out with her and Dad to my aunt’s.”
“Poor you. Sounds really boring. You could always pretend to be sick.” I laugh, then panic she thinks that’s what I’ve been doing. “But then you couldn’t come over to see me if they thought you were, so probably not a good idea.”
“I don’t mind going. We usually have fun with them. So looks like I won’t see you until Monday, if you’re well enough to come back to school.”
“I’ll be there. We’ve got the English assessment and I can’t miss it.”
“No, best not to. Okay, I’ll see you then. Take care.”
I say goodbye and put the phone on the seat beside me. I then put my cell phone to my ear.
“Hey, Maddie, you still there?”
“I can’t miss my English assessment,” she mocks in a high pitched voice. “In case I damage my nerdy image.”
“It’s a good job you’re far away,” I say laughing. “Because this nerd packs a powerful slap when provoked.”
“Sorry. I should be used to it by now. Hey guess what? I forgot to tell you. Mom says I can come for a visit in the next school hols.”
“That’s awesome news. How come?”
This is so not awesome news.
I love Maddie to bits but how can I introduce her to all my friends? She’ll stick out like a sore thumb. Her clothes, attitude, the constant swearing. In fact everything I used to be. What the hell am I going to do? There’s only about six weeks before we break up. Shit. This is a nightmare.
“Mom said she knew how much we were missing each other and she managed to get me one of those cheap flights. I can’t wait to meet Guy and Lori and the others. And don’t worry I know I’ve got to pretend to be all goody-goody like you. Hope you’ve got something for me to wear. And I’ll need a few lessons in nerdiness before you let me loose on them all. I promise not to embarrass you.”
God, I couldn’t feel more awful if I tried. How could I have doubted her? She’s never let me down before, so why would she now?
“You bet. By the time you meet them you’ll be the biggest nerd in California.”
“I don’t suppose I’ll be able to see Ryan again, will I? He was such fun at camp.”
“Don’t push your luck.” I giggle. “Seriously, yeah I’m sure we can go see him at Starbucks sometime.” All in the line of duty, of course …