Chapter 7

I pulled out my phone to check the time, 12:15. What to do now? Get to Serena’s car and wait for her seemed the only option but when I got there Serena had beaten me to it and was not alone. From the way they were going at it I had to presume that she was giving George a workout and I didn’t feel like interrupting.

GOIN HOME CU 2MRW I texted and started walking. It was a warm night I had a jacket and thank goodness I hadn’t bought the heels that Serena wanted for me. A good time to stretch my legs and the 5 miles home would give me time to think without the pressure of friends and family.

A car pulled up alongside me with windows down and two young men in it.

"Want a lift home sweetheart" asked the passenger with a strong London accent.

"Thanks for asking but no thanks, I’m enjoying the exercise" I replied giving a little wave as they drove on.

It was a half hours walking later that another car drove past giving me a beep and chorus of catcalls from the boys hanging out the windows. They took the first turning left a 100 yards up the road leaving me thinking ‘Idiots will get arrested sounding a horn at this time of night,’ but only a minute later they were back having circled the block.

Fortunately I was right beside a house with the front room lights on so without even looking at the car I walked up the garden path and pretended to press the doorbell. There was a squeal of burning rubber as the car accelerated away and I breathed a sigh of relief - maybe walking home hadn’t been such a bright idea.

Time to cross the road and walk the other side so as to see the cars approaching me and be prepared. It was 1:15 with only a mile to go when I saw them approaching and slowing - the same two men who had offered me a lift in the city centre.

"It’s too late for a young girl like you to be out alone. Let us take you home" said the passenger simultaneously opening his door to get out.

I ran! I ran like 5 hours of tennis a week trains you to run. Again there was a squeal of tyres but when I glanced behind I could see the passenger chasing me and the car had done a U-turn to follow us. On my right was a path between houses through to the next street over. I was through it in seconds across the next street a jink left and right again through another path and at 1:21 was upstairs on my bed, arms round my knees shaking and rocking backward and forward.

It was noon when Litara gently knocked the door and came in with a tray of teas, toast and marmalade. I’d been asleep under the duvet with my jacket on the chair but had no idea of when I dropped off to sleep.

"We all heard you when you came in this morning - dad got up and was coming in to see you but I persuaded him not to. Was it a boy?"

"No it was my stupidity!" Slowly I described my whole day examining every detail for clues as to how I'd got myself in such a mess. It wasn’t just the men in the car, it was many small things: the tattoo, the flirting with Evan, my rock-chick outfit. Even bless her my new birthday present diamond stud earrings from Litara. I'd enjoyed it all so much but I hadn’t chosen any of it. I’d let it happen like a rider on a bolting horse.

By the time we’d finished the tea and toast I was talked out. "I need to get dressed and get moving. I’ll see you downstairs and Sis…thanks for listening.”

Litara left only to return seconds later to toss a roll of cotton wool and a bottle of cleanser onto the bed. "You make a panda look conservative at the moment".

Walking into the kitchen I don’t know what anyone was expecting but I was wearing neither bra or bandage. My hair was in a low ponytail, my jeans and sweat shirt were Dai’s but I was still wearing my diamond studs, red laces in my trainers and carrying the leather shoulder bag.

"Sorry I woke you all up last night. I won’t be here for lunch as I'm cycling down to the marina to try to rustle up some cleaning and varnishing work but if you make a roast would you leave a plate in the microwave for me but I’ll be back at 6:30. Have a good afternoon. Bye" and I was out the door before anyone could draw in a breath to answer or ask a question.

Despite my eccentric appearance I did quite well that afternoon as owners either lounged aboard their boats or secured them after a weekend sail. As long as the weather held I had deals enough to earn about £200 varnishing and I was even offered the opportunity to crew a yacht being delivered to Bilbao on the north coast of Spain but had to turn it down (leaving my details for future reference) as they were leaving on Wednesday.

With a feeling of accomplishment the ride back home was much more pleasant than the ride out and coming through the door I could hear the sound of Litara playing the guitar in the lounge. There seemed to be nobody else in the house so I went in picked up my guitar and joined her.

"Feeling better?" she asked and I answered with a smile. "You do realise I hope, that you don't look like a boy but like a girl who’s been hurt and is trying not to look attractive!"

That did it! "What made you so bloody clever Sis?" I laughed

"Playing guitar of course. I’d come in here or go up to my bedroom spitting with anger at mum or something that had gone wrong and work out my frustration playing and singing. Soon you would come along and you learnt to play to join in and sing ‘Don’t say I told you so.’