CHERUB: The Sleepwalker - Robert Muchamore Page 0,93

at the same time.

The shape of Kerry’s face and taste of her spit were like visiting an old friend, and before he knew it James had unzipped Kerry’s overalls and got his hand around her boob. She grabbed his bum as he shoved her up against the wall.

‘God you’re sexy,’ Kerry moaned.

James was turned on like crazy, but Dana’s face kept popping into his head.

‘Shit,’ James said, as he pulled away, crushing a toy pony under his boot as he stepped back. ‘This is insane.’

Kerry looked at James longingly. ‘It’s still there, James. I pretended that I hated your guts, but I could never manage it.’

‘I don’t know,’ James said, running his hand through his hair and realising that this gesture is a bad idea when you’ve got paint all over your fingers. ‘This is screwed up.’

‘I’ve seen the way you look at me, James. I know you still fancy me and I’m more mature now. If you wanted to go all the way, like you do with Dana …’

‘Everyone thinks we’re at it, but we’re not,’ James protested. ‘I didn’t break up with you because you didn’t put out. We’re just too different and what I have with Dana is really special.’

Kerry realised she’d made herself sound cheap and turned bitter. ‘So what just happened? Was that nothing?’

‘Kerry, I’ll always fancy you,’ James squirmed. ‘But our relationship was the romantic equivalent of fitting the Titanic with jet engines and steering it towards Hurricane Katrina.’

‘We had rows,’ Kerry nodded, ‘but there was a lot of great stuff too. Maybe some of the best times of my whole life.’

‘For me too,’ James sighed. ‘Remember the heatwave when we sneaked out of bed and swam in the lake?’

Kerry smiled. ‘The KMG mission, when we had our first proper snog.’

Memory lane felt like a trap and James didn’t want to fall in. ‘Those days are gone,’ he said firmly. ‘When we started chatting on the bus to work two weeks back I kept thinking about you. But we’ve broken up twice, and to be honest I don’t want to go through all that stress again. Just because two people fancy each other, it doesn’t mean that they make a good couple. And I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings when we broke up, but it really works between me and Dana.’

‘Shit!’ Kerry screamed, lashing out at a turret and sending a tide of Playmobil men and plastic fairies over the castle walls. ‘Why’s it got to be like this?’

James choked as he saw the tears welling in Kerry’s eyes. ‘You said it yourself: I treated you like shit. One day you’re gonna find the bloke you deserve and I hope I’m there to see it as one of your best friends.’

‘I tried so hard to hate you when you dumped me,’ Kerry sniffed. ‘But I never hated you inside. I guess you are better off with Dana. I’m a complete basket case.’

‘No you’re not,’ James soothed, feeling sorry for Kerry but also getting a rush out of the fact she still wanted him. ‘You’re the sanest person I know. But it’s hormones and stuff, you know? Once the chemicals kick in, our brains turn to mush.’

‘Gemma called me earlier,’ Kerry said, changing the subject as she took a tissue from a box beside one of the little girls’ beds. She dabbed her eyes, but was careful because of the paint on her fingers.

‘Is she doing OK?’

‘Not bad,’ Kerry said, smiling doubtfully. ‘Danny’s out of hospital. Gemma’s looking after him, but apparently he’s been laying down the law and making snide remarks about what he’s gonna do when he gets better. And she’s still ticked off about the way Danny used her as bait.’

‘You think she might be considering giving him the elbow?’ James asked hopefully.

‘Fingers crossed,’ Kerry nodded. ‘Gemma wants us to go out for a beer on Friday; you, me and Dana. I told her that Bruce was due back, so I guess he’ll come too.’

James twisted his boot against the carpet pile. ‘Are you gonna dump Bruce? Because he doesn’t have much experience with girls, so go easy on him.’

‘I’ll see how it goes,’ Kerry shrugged. ‘I’ve not even seen the guy for two months.’

‘I always thought you two had fun together.’

‘Sometimes …’ Kerry smiled. ‘Quite a lot of times actually.’

James jumped as a girl rapped on the window. ‘OK lovebirds, tea break’s over, get your arses out here.’

The girl had no authority and James flicked her off, but they were