Chapter 17: Date Night

Clarissa didn’t return to school that week, but I was surprised she sent me several text messages each day. She even rang me in the evening twice, just to tell me how much she was looking forward to our date on Friday. I’ll admit that, despite being nervous as hell about it, I was looking forward to it too.

The end of the week arrived alarmingly quickly.

I parked on the road outside her house at half past six and walked up the driveway to knock on the door. Her mother answered.

“She’s getting ready,” she said, her voice icy. “I’ll tell her you’re here.” Then she shut the door, leaving me standing on the doorstep.

I stared at the door, not quite able to believe she’d done that.

Perhaps that was her plan—to treat me so badly that I’d give up and leave her daughter alone.

“Just shut up and listen, you dumb fuck!” That was Jake Rogers’ voice.

I looked around but couldn’t see him. Then I noticed the window to the left of the door was ajar. The next time he spoke, it was much quieter, and I could hardly hear what her said.

“If he’s telling you to plead guilty then you damn well plead guilty, you understand? He is the best damn defence lawyer in the county, and you will do what he tells you. He got me off after that bitch claimed I raped her and stopped her from selling her story to the papers. He knows what he’s doing, damn it, so if he tells you to get on your knees and suck the prosecutor’s cock while the judge takes you up the arse, then you damn well do it. Do you understand what I’m telling you? Can you get that through your thick skull?”

He fell silent, presumably listening to the person on the other end. It couldn’t be who I thought it was, could it?

“Because he doesn’t think you stand a cat in hell’s chance, that’s why Del. You need to pick your friends a little more carefully in future. This bunch ratted you out at the first sign that they might have to share the rap. Look, if you plead innocent and lose, which you will, then you’ll go away for six months. That’s most of the rest of the season. If that happens, you can kiss Westmouth United goodbye, you understand? But admit it, say you’re sorry, and you’ll probably just get community service. You’ll be back on the team, and I’ll smooth things over with United for you.”

Another pause while he listened.

“You may be my cousin, but you got your brains from your dipshit father’s side, not mine. How fucking thick are you? Just do as you’re told for once, will you? You’ve already fucked things up with Clarissa, that’s going to make it much harder than it needs to be to bring that bloody company back into the family where it belongs. We’ve been screwed over long enough and—”

Just then, the door opened, and Clarissa appeared before me, looking even more stunning than ever in a short denim skirt and white blouse. She held a black jacket in her hand.

“Hi,” she said sheepishly.

I stared at her, and my mouth moved up and down even though words failed me. It was as if the connection between my brain and vocal cords had been temporarily severed. Finally, I managed to stammer, “Wow. I mean ... You look ... Wow.”

She blushed. I think she was actually as nervous as I was. My nerves were understandable; I was taking the best-looking girl in the school on a date against her mother’s wishes. But what did she have to be nervous about? She must have been on dates like this hundreds of times. Alright, maybe not hundreds, but certainly quite a few.

She offered me a timid little smile. “So ... What now?”

“Well, first...” I took her coat from her and held it open so she could slip her arms into it. This left her facing away from me. Then I placed my hands on her shoulders, which made her shiver, and whispered, “You look fantastic, but it’s cold out. Can’t have you getting pneumonia.” I kissed her ear, and she shivered again, then I spun her around and took her hand. “My lady, your chariot awaits. Well, Vicky’s old banger, but it’ll do the job.”

She grinned. “That—” She rolled her eyes dramatically. “—was so damn corny.”

“I know. Come on, let’s go before your mother bursts a blood vessel.” I nodded towards the window where Mrs Rogers was holding the curtain aside and watching us. She didn’t look the slightest bit happy.

Clarissa looked at her mother, waved, then with a smile she kissed my cheek and said, “Yeah, let’s go.”

In the car, she smiled at me as I started the engine. “Our first date! This is so exciting.”

“First? What about last weekend?”

“Given how it ended, I’m not sure it counts. Can’t we just pretend it didn’t happen?”

“Deal.”

I drove us to the leisure park on the edge of Westmouth, where the cinema, bowling alley, and ice rink were, along with a variety of chain restaurants. I parked as centrally as possible and then asked Clarissa what she wanted to do.