Chapter 28: A Plan Proposed

Of all the boy’s toys I treated myself to after getting my inheritance, my favourite was definitely my smartphone. It was one of those cool touch-screen ones that let you browse the internet and pick up your e-mails, download all sorts of weird and wonderful apps and take great photos, as well as make and receive calls, texts and picture messages. The trouble was the battery life was terrible. It only just made it through the day—and sometimes not even that long. I’d taken to switching it off and charging it up overnight, so it was fresh to take to school with me in the morning.

When I woke on Tuesday morning, I unplugged the phone and switched it on before getting in the shower so that it would have synced by the time I got out. After drying off and getting dressed, I found two messages waiting for me. One was a text from Clarissa—from her new number—telling me how much she’d enjoyed talking to me late last night. I replied with something similar. The second message turned out to be a photo, also from Clarissa. She was lying on her bed in a short, pale blue nightdress and an alluring smile. She wasn’t centred, it was slightly out of focus, and you could see her arm on the edge where she’d held the phone away from her to take the photo.

But, damn, she looked good enough to eat. I sent her a message saying just that.

Her reply was, “Is that a promise?”

She sent me another photo while I was having breakfast. She’d taken this one in the bathroom mirror. She had a towel wrapped around her body and her hair was wet. I sent her a three-letter reply.

“OMG!”

She was standing at her locker when I got to mine that morning. Our eyes locked and it was only when she blinked that the hold we had on each other was broken. I gave her the same small nod as the previous morning. Her smile was just a little wider. Then she left. She was wearing a short, black pleated skirt that swayed enticingly as she walked away.

“She’s not worth it.” For the second morning running, Grace’s voice snapped me from my own private world.

I faced her and said, “If you don’t stop doing that, you’re going to give me a heart attack.”

“Doing what?”

“Sneaking up on me unannounced.”

“Sorry. But you were staring after her with that long-lost look of someone who’s just had their heart broken.”

“I have just had my heart broken.” I had to play along, didn’t I? Or our little deception would get found out.

“I know. And I’ve told you I’m here to help. But I’m right. She’s not worth any more of your time. Or your tears.”

“I thought you were her friend.”

She didn’t answer for several seconds, then said, “Some things are more important than friendship.”

I looked her in the eye, making sure I had her attention, and replied, “There’s nothing more important than friendship.”

It took her several seconds to answer. “You mean that, don’t you?”

I nodded.

She smiled. “You’re amazing, you know? She doesn’t deserve you. Never did. And you don’t deserve the way she’s treating you.”

I sighed. “Just ... don’t throw away your friendship with Riss. Not over something like this. I’m not worth it.”

She put her hand to my face. “Yes. You are.” She withdrew her hand and straightened her back. “I suppose I better go and talk to her, then.”

As she walked off, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and read the text message.

“Pls pt ur pln in2 actn b4 i kill grace.”

I smiled. I was as keen to put the plan into action as Clarissa was—but for different reasons. She was worried that Grace may steal my heart. I knew there was no chance of that. I just wanted all the doe-eyed girls to leave me alone. Unfortunately, in order to put the plan into action, I needed to actually talk to the girl involved. Alone. And getting her alone was proving tricky.

I got through the morning and my lunch with my sanity—just. On my way back to the common room after eating, Emily fell into step with me.

“Rissa told me about your plan.”

“I figured she would.”

“Do you really think it’s a good idea?”

“It’s got to be better than the alternative.”

She grinned at me. “How many today?”

I grinned back. “Two from year twelve, one of whom I don’t even recognise, and three more in uniform, but they could have been year elevens or tens, I couldn’t tell.”

“Or even year nines.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Hey, I had a crush on a guy in the sixth form when I was that age.”

“You did?”

She shrugged.

“I swear, Ems, if I have to go through this much longer, I ... What?”

She giggled. “You called me Ems. It’s just Em to most people. Rissa’s the only one that ever calls me Ems.”

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. I don’t mind. I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all. What were you saying?”

“That if I have to put up with these girls throwing themselves at me much longer, I’ll go nuts.”

“All these girls throwing themselves at me. Sounds to me like you’re living every guy’s dream.”

“Nightmare.”

“Tell that to the other guys.”

“Yeah. I see your point.”

“I knew you would. Look, I’ll be honest, I think it’s a good idea in principle, but I’m just not sure she’s the right choice.”

“Can you think of anyone else?”

“That’s the thing—I can’t.”

“Neither can I.”

We’d reached the common room and, as luck would have it, the girl we’d been talking about was standing by the door talking to one of her friends.

“You going to do it now?” Emily asked.

“May as well.”

She nodded. “Good luck. Oh, and Paul—” She touched my arm. “—Just be careful. Okay. I don’t want you to get hurt. But I don’t want you to hurt her either. She’s been through enough this year already.”

I nodded and Emily went into the common room, leaving me to approach the friends. “Lils? You got a sec?”

She smiled at me. “Sure.”

“Can I have a word in private?”

She looked at her friend, who shrugged. Lily looked back at me and nodded. “Shall we see if one of the classrooms is free?”