building for a while. Squatters’ rights. It’s perfectly legal.’
‘Four days on our own.’ It is so tempting.
‘And four nights!’ His eyes soften and he picks up my hand and kisses it. ‘Anna, I can’t believe it, it’s the answer to our prayers. We can be together all night long.’
‘Jem, I can’t … Mum will be asking questions if I disappear for that long …’
‘Don’t worry.’ He kisses me – a long, unhurried kiss. ‘We’ll work something out.’ His lips move down to my throat. ‘We’ve got all the time in the world.’
Almost where he wanted to be.
Not with who he wanted to be with.
But he was getting there.
One step at a time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The next day at college I can hardly contain my excitement. I’m going to meet Jem after work and, if we feel like it, we’re going out tagging. Then it’s back to Dad’s.
I’m elated, but scared.
In my free period I go down to the library to try to get some work done. I’m so behind it’s difficult to know where to start. I need to revise for a test in Sociology but I’m missing half the notes. I bow my head and read over what I’ve got, trying to fight down a rising feeling of panic. I’m never going to pass.
‘Hi.’
I look up. Zoe’s standing in front of me.
‘Hi.’
There’s an awkward silence. We’ve hardly spoken since the incident in the common-room. she’s a bright girl, Zoe. I was afraid she’d found us out but she’d never mentioned it.
‘What you up to?’
‘Revising. We’ve got a test next lesson, haven’t we?’
She nods, eyeing my thin file dubiously. I close it with a thump. ‘There’s no point, I’ve missed too much.’
‘Borrow mine,’ she says and she hands me her file. ‘I’m up to date.’
‘Thanks.’ I smile at her gratefully. ‘You’re a life-saver.’ She smiles back.
‘Look,’ she says. ‘Why don’t you come round to mine tonight after college?’
I hesitate.
‘Sorry. Silly me. You’re busy,’ she says, her voice clipped, and turns away. I don’t want her to go.
‘No, wait!’ I’m trying to work it all out in my head. Jem’s going to work straight through today, he won’t be waiting for me at home. I could do it. I could go home with Zoe then nip back to mine to change and pick up my stuff and meet him as planned after work. I come to a decision.
‘That would be great, Zo, I’d love to.’
Her face lights up in surprise. ‘Brilliant! We can go out if you want? Or get takeaway? Whatever you want.’
‘Fine. I just need to phone to say what I’m doing.’
‘Jem?’ Her smile turns into a scowl. ‘He’ll talk you out of it.’
‘No he won’t! Anyway, it’s my mum I have to ring, not him.
She has the grace to look embarrassed. ‘Sorry. It’ll be great to catch up. It’s been ages.’
Damn right it has. Too late I remember I’ve been deliberately keeping my distance from Zoe since the newspaper incident. But it looks as if she’s forgotten all about it.
‘Better get on with my work,’ I say, indicating the file. ‘Thanks for the notes.’
I start working my way through them but it’s like wading through treacle. I’ve missed too much. I’ll never catch up.
My tutor thinks so too. At the end of the test he flicks through the meagre pages I hand in, his lips pursed.
‘Maybe you should consider dropping Sociology, Anna, and concentrate on your other subjects,’ he says, in front of everyone. My cheeks flame as the others exchange startled glances. Hypocrite! His voice is full of oily concern but all he cares about is his exam results.
The day goes from bad to worse. In English, where I thought I’d been more or less keeping up, Mrs Hopkins, my favourite teacher and my personal tutor, tells me my latest essay is not up to its usual standard. In French I get into trouble for not handing in my work. When I walk into the Art room, my Art teacher pretends to do a double-take. ‘How nice to see you, Miss Williams! We’d thought you’d left the country. Blah, blah, blah-de-blah …’ I walk straight back out again. I can’t take much more of this.
I’d have gone home, only I’d promised Zoe I’d wait for her, so I hang around in reception. Wrong move. Mrs Hopkins comes past and stops when she sees me.
‘Everything all right, Anna?’
‘Fine.’
‘Good. Only, I’ve just had a word with Mr Hall. He tells me he’s advised you to drop Sociology.’
Blimey, he didn’t waste much