Chapter 9

“It’s one of these little ones?” Eddie asked as he, Cassie and Adam walked along Baker Street towards Chloë’s house.

“Well, she’s living alone,” said Cassie, “It’s not like she needs three or four bedrooms.”

“But what about when her famous mates come to stay? I expected her to be over in Silverwood. Have you seen the houses out there? Man, now there’s some serious cash.”

Adam shook his head. “You don’t get it, do you? The whole reason she’s come to university is to feel normal for a while. How many students do you know that live in Silverwood?”

“Yeah,” said Eddie, “But she ain’t normal, is she? She’s a movie-star. If I had her kind of money—”

“But you don’t,” said Cassie. “So drop it. And you better behave tonight. Don’t go upsetting her. And certainly don’t refer to her as Not Normal. Or else.”

“Or else what?”

“Try me and find out. I’ve heard men don’t like being kneed in the balls.”

Adam stopped in front of one of the houses. “It’s this one. I think. It was dark last night.”

He put his hand on the gate, but by the time he’d opened it, Chloë had come out of the house. “I saw you coming,” she said. “Not that I was watching and waiting for you. Unless staring out the window every five minutes counts as watching and waiting.” She looked at each of the others in turn as they stared at her. “What? What is it?”

She looked down at herself. “It’s my outfit, isn’t it? It’s too flash.”

She wore a sparkly black knee-length skirt and white blouse. “No,” said Adam. “You look ... Fantastic.”

“Yeah,” said Cassie. “You look great. Not too flash at all.”

“But you’ve all got jeans on. Should I go and get changed and put some jeans on too?”

“No way,” said Eddie. “We haven’t got the time. The Mariner will be heaving when we get there as it is. If we wait any longer, we’ll not even get through the door.”

The air was chilly and the sky full of thick clouds, but Eddie insisted on walking into town because, by the time a taxi arrived, they could already be in the bar drinking their first pint. By the time they got to the seafront, it was drizzling with rain. Since none of them had an umbrella, they were grateful that the storm didn’t begin in earnest until they’d reached their destination. The Mariner was a popular pub among Westmouth’s students. It had a large, well-staffed bar and offered cheap, low quality beer.

“Ignore them,” Adam whispered to Chloë as someone pointed at her from a nearby table. They were standing in the entrance scanning the bar for either a free table or someone they knew. “Seeing you out on the town is still a novelty. It’ll wear off.”

“It better, or I’m going home.”

Cassie pointed to the far side of the room. “Kim and the guys over there!”

They fought their way through the crowd, Eddie leading, Chloë and Cassie in the middle and Adam bringing up the rear. Most people seemed too shocked to see the movie-star in their low-rent pub to do or say anything. They just stared. “I wish they’d give it a rest,” said Cassie. “It’s giving me the creeps.”

“How do you think I feel?” said Chloë, “I had it like this since the start of term.”

At Kim’s table, Cassie introduced Chloë to everyone and they were offered seats at the heart of the group.

“Don’t get up on my account. I’ll be fine here,” Chloë insisted.

Adam offered to get the first round of drinks and Kim accompanied him to the bar. “What’s she doing here?” she demanded.

“Same as everyone else. She wants to have a drink and a dance.”

“Does she have to do it with us?”

“She just wants to enjoy herself like the rest of us.”

“But she’s not like the rest of us.”

Adam sighed. “Oh, bloody hell, Kim. Give her a chance, will you? You might even find that you actually like her.”

“But I don’t want to like her.” Kim frowned. “Can’t you understand that? I mean, she has everything a girl could wish for. She’s beautiful, talented, glamorous and rich. She’s got everything I haven’t, and now she’s taking you away from me too.”

“Taking me...?” Adam shook his head. “She’s not taking me away from you. What do you mean?”

“Come off it, Adam. I’ve seen the way you look at her and I understand that.”

“How do I look at her?”

“The same way all the other guys do—like she’s Chloë. But what’s worse, I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”

“How does she look at me?”

“Like you’re the last chocolate chip cookie in the box. And she’s going to gobble you up and there’ll be nothing left for anyone else. Nothing left for me. All for a part in some stupid film that probably won’t even be any good.”

“You don’t still think this is all to do with method acting, do you?”

“It is to do with method acting. It has to be. Why else would she be here? Remember what I said at the start of term? She’ll be on the lookout for a boyfriend next. And I reckon she’s got her eye on you.”

Adam shook his head. “Kim, you’ve got it all wrong. Chloë and I are friends. That’s all. Just friends. And just because I’m friends with her doesn’t mean I can’t be friends with you. Does it? Give her a chance. Please.”

She looked away, her gaze falling on the table where Chloë sat with all the people Kim considered close friends. They were laughing at a story Eddie was telling. Chloë held Cassie’s hand tightly, as if for protection, but she looked relaxed and comfortable.

“Look at her,” Adam said over Kim’s shoulder. “She’s not muscling in on anyone. She just wants to make some friends. She just wants what we all want. To get through this course and have a good time doing it. She’s had a shitty time up to now because no one will give her a chance to show that she’s normal. That she’s just like everyone else.”

“But like I said, she’s not like everyone else, is she? She’s Chloë Goodman.” Kim turned to face him. “Okay. I’ll give her one chance. But that’s it. One chance.” She smiled. “I’ll do it for you.”

They returned to the table and handed out the drinks. Kim sat in the empty seat next to Chloë that Adam assumed had been meant for him. He sat in Kim’s old seat on the opposite side of the table instead and smiled at Chloë. She smiled back.

“So, Chloë—” Kim nudged the movie-star with her elbow. “—did you have any idea what old smarty-pants and Dr Banks were talking about this morning?”

“Not at the time,” she admitted. “I felt like a right old dunce.”

“Yeah, me too.” Kim laughed. “I reckon he must have cheated somehow. There’s no way he could have known all that.”

“Oh, he did,” Chloë giggled. “He told me this afternoon that he looked up one of her papers on the internet.”

Kim looked across the table and scowled at Adam. “Really?” She turned back to Chloë. “Well, you think he’d have told us beforehand so we didn’t look quite so stupid. I think we’ll have to get him back for that next time.”

Chloë looked at Adam as she answered. “Yes. We will.”

They stayed in The Mariner for a few hours before the Kim suggested they brave the storm and risk the short walk to Central Pier.

“Having fun?” Adam asked Chloë as they fought past the crowd to the exit.

She nodded. “Yeah. Thanks for suggesting I come.”

“No problem. I’m glad you came.”

They stood in the entrance porch and stared at the storm outside. Adam was shocked at how hard it was raining. Cassie grabbed Chloë’s hand and yelled, “Come on. Let’s make a run for it.”

“In these heels?” Chloë said.