I watched my dad closely, his shoulders relaxed, and he smiled as he spoke to Noah. Yes! Clearly he didn’t think Noah was about to murder me then.
“I guess we should get going and let these kids get to the cinema,” Mum said. “It was lovely to meet you all. We’ll have to get together sometime.”
Bethan touched Mum’s arm. “That would be fantastic. We don’t know very many people here.”
“Ready?” I asked Noah. “Or do you need more time to do your hair?”
Finn laughed, offering his hand for a high-five. I took it, earning a glare from the guy I couldn’t seem to get out of my head.
“Okay, you are never meeting my brother again,” Noah said, pulling me off the stool. I swooned inwardly at the feel of his soft-yet-firm hand covering mine.
We made a quick exit, leaving my parents to continue talking to his, and set out for the shortcut to town. I was so looking forward to spending time with him outside school that I was practically skipping.
“Favourite holiday?”
“Hmm,” I murmured. “It’s between Christmas and Easter. Probably Easter.”
“Why Easter?”
“We go to visit my grandparents and they put on a massive egg hunt. They own a farm, so it literally takes all day to find the eggs. Then we light a fire in their living room, drink hot chocolate and eat our eggs. Sugar coma central, but I love it!”
Noah grinned down at me, and my heart soared.
“What about you?”
He frowned. “Holidays aren’t that big in my family. Christmas, I suppose. So you will be away over Easter?”
“Yep. In Cornwall so we’ll be there Thursday night until Monday afternoon. My friends usually do something Monday night if you want to come, too?”
“What do you do?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Just hang out. Imogen has an outdoor pool, so we spend the day in the water. The guys burn BBQ food.”
“You go in an outdoor swimming pool in April?”
“Yeah. Last year was okay, but the year before the English weather was not kind to us.”
“You still did it?”
“Yep, it’s tradition.”
“Crazy tradition,” he muttered, making me laugh.
We approached the cinema, and I saw my friends standing outside. I wanted longer alone with him. “And here we are. Hey, guys,” I said.
“Hey,” Imogen said, immediately taking a not so subtle step closer to Noah. “We can’t decide between scary or romantic.”
“Yes, we can,” Bobby said. “I ain’t watchin’ nothin’ lovey, so we’re going for the Slasher.”
Imogen rolled her eyes. “Fine! Whatever.”
“Slasher is cool with me,” I said. “Noah?”
He raised his eyebrow as if to say ‘or romance, really?’
Bobby clapped his hands together. “Settled then. It’s showin’ in half an hour so should we go to the arcade first?”
With previews, it’d be an hour before the film started.
Without answering Bobby’s question, we set off towards the arcade, opposite the cinema. Imogen stormed ahead. Since they broke up last year, Imogen had been cold with Bobby – because he broke up with her. She didn’t like that. Imogen Forest wasn’t supposed to be dumped.
“I think I’m going kick your arse at air hockey,” Noah said, nudging me with his elbow.
“Probably. I’m rubbish.”
Chris gave me a disapproving look. He knew I didn’t suck. I was actually champ of our group, but that didn’t mean I could beat Noah. I had no idea how he played so I didn’t want him to know I was good.
“Yep, Scar-Scar couldn’t hit it straight if her life were on the line.”
“Thanks, Chrissie!”
When I first arrived at school, Chris was the one to show me around, and he took me into his group of friends – which I quickly adopted as mine, too.
We got in the arcade, and the guys went to change some money. Chris grabbed my arm and led me to the sidewall. “What’s going on with you and the new boy?”
Trying not to grin like a moron, I shrugged. “Not much.”
“Not much? You two are all flirty, flirty, gonna suck each other’s faces off any minute. He’s watching us right now, trying to work out if there’s anything going on. Should I kiss you?” His face lit up with mischief.
I whacked his arm. “Don’t you dare, Christopher!”
“Fine, Miss Boring. Has he not tried anything yet?”
“I’ve known him two minutes.”
Imogen slotted beside us and raised her perfectly plucked eyebrows. “Maybe he’s gay.”
“So what if he is,” I replied, secretly hoping he wasn’t.
Chris rolled his eyes. “He’s not gay! He clearly knows you’re not easy.”
He was having a dig at Imogen because Im wasn’t playing along with the best friend thing. If she weren’t attracted to Noah, she would be as supportive as Chris.
We all looked over to Noah, who was watching me, talking to someone on his phone and frowning. He looked away as I made eye contact.
“What’s that about?” Chris said.
Imogen smirked and shrugged. “Probably his girlfriend.”
“Shut up, Im,” I said.
“Sorry,” she muttered, holding her hands up.