I nodded.
‘So, what did he say?’
‘He just said “Hey, aren’t you Elena from college?” and I said “Yeah”.’
‘Did you mention the kiss?’
‘He did. I said I’d forgotten.’
‘Good for you!’ Rachel clapped her hands in delight and laughed. ‘He always had a girl on the go, didn’t he? That’ll bring him down a peg or two.’
‘Oh, Rachel, he was lovely.’
‘Maybe so, but he shouldn’t have kissed you like that and just left.’
I shrugged. ‘I wanted him to kiss me. I was glad he kissed me.’ I collapsed sideways onto her sofa, clutching a cushion to my chest. ‘It was the best kiss ever.’
‘I know you were glad. But I wanted to kill him. You got really sad after.’
‘But that was my fault for being so pathetic.’ I sighed and lay for a while, staring at Rachel’s television. She’d paused whatever she was watching so that the actors’ faces were frozen mid conversation. Everyone looked like they were screaming. ‘I’d better give Alex a ring, actually. Let him know where I am.’
‘I’ll put the kettle on.’
Rachel got up and went into the kitchen while I dialled Alex’s mobile. He picked up on the fourth ring. ‘Elena? I was going to call but I lost track of time.’
I could hear voices and laughter in the background. The sound of glasses clinking. I frowned.
‘Where are you?’
‘Just having a catch-up with the boys. I’ll be home in ten minutes.’ His voice was slightly slurred.
‘You’re not driving, are you?’
‘What are you, my mother? No, I’m getting a taxi.’
‘Good. Well, I was just phoning to say I’m at Rachel’s.’
‘Oh! Aren’t you at home either?’
‘Not yet. If you’re still out, I’ll stay here with Rachel.’
‘Okay.’
‘See you tomorrow.’
‘Yeah, see you.’
I rang off, feeling annoyed.
‘Did I just hear you say you’re staying here tonight?’ Rachel asked, coming back into the lounge.
‘If that’s all right with you?’
‘Of course. It’ll be like old times.’ She beamed at me before going back into the kitchen for the tea.
I thought about Alex. He hadn’t told me he was going to the pub tonight.
‘Did you tell him about the lift?’ she asked after a moment.
‘No.’
Rachel shot me a curious glance but I ignored her and stared at the TV instead. I didn’t want to talk about Alex. I didn’t want to even think about him right now. My insides felt heavy and I was suddenly exhausted.
‘Do you want a bath?’ Rachel said. ‘You look sort of dusty.’
‘Ooh, yes, please.’
‘I’ll run it for you. And I’ll find you some pyjamas.’
‘Great. Thanks.’ I got up and followed her through to the bathroom. ‘You know at sixth form?’ I said, leaning against the doorframe while water gushed into the bath.
‘Yeah?’
‘Was I a complete freak?’
‘Not a complete freak, no,’ Rachel said, as she poured bath oil into the bath. ‘Well, only when Daniel was around anyway.’ She laughed merrily.
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. ‘Did I make it really obvious?’
‘Noooo.’
‘Because he said he remembered me fancying him.’
‘He did? Big-headed bugger!’
‘I just can’t remember really. I’ve blocked it all out. Other than the kiss, that is. I still remember the kiss very well.’ I sighed happily and Rachel rolled her eyes.
‘Well, the kiss might have been a giveaway that you fancied him, you know? You were all over him like a rash.’
‘I was not!’ I protested. ‘It was a sweet, innocent kiss.’
‘Girl, you were stuck to his face like a limpet!’
‘Oh, get lost!’
Rachel laughed as she pushed past me to go into her bedroom. ‘All the girls fancied Daniel Moore anyway. He was in the school band, for goodness’ sake. He had a different girl every week.’
My shoulders slumped. He had always been surrounded by girls at college. I’d been amazed when he’d turned up at the prom without a girl on his arm. I wondered if he still had women flocking around him, or if that was just a college thing.
‘Look at you! Moping over him already. You have a boyfriend, remember? He’s a crap boyfriend, granted, but you have a boyfriend nonetheless.’ She was rummaging in her chest of drawers now, red hair tumbling around her face. The oil she’d poured into the bath smelt heavenly as it mingled with the steam swirling through the bathroom.
‘I know, I’m not moping. It’s just that I have this really lovely memory of Daniel at the prom and I don’t want it ruined by memories of me being a complete dork or of him being a male slag.’
‘You did look very cute together at the prom. But he’s just one guy, and it was just one kiss a long time ago. There’s no point putting him on a pedestal and making yourself miserable over him. I never saw the appeal myself.’
‘Well, you had a crush on a different boy every week!’
‘Yes, and when I left sixth form I didn’t cry and mope for ages because I was missing one guy.’
I sighed. ‘You’ve cried and moped about other guys since though.’
‘Well, yeah. But I try not to. They’re just men, after all. Go on in there.’ She pointed to the bathroom door. ‘Your bath’s nearly ready. I want to finish watching my programme.’
‘You’re so bossy!’
‘That’s right. I am.’ She smiled and pushed a pair of pyjamas into my arms.
Rachel’s bathroom was as pretty as the rest of her house. A small mirrored alcove in the wall contained three pillar candles. I lit them with some matches I found on the windowsill and switched off the light. Slipping into the bath, I let the warm water lap around my aching limbs. The scrape on my leg stung for a moment, but then the pain went away and I relaxed. I closed my eyes, thinking about Daniel. I couldn’t believe that, out of all the people in this city, I had managed to get stuck in a lift with him. It already felt like a dream.
I thought back to my college days. Rachel was right; I’d been obsessed with him and it had been painful watching him with other girls. I had loved him with every inch of my seventeen-year-old heart and soul. Loved him in that unconditional, unrequited way most girls afforded to pop stars and actors. While my friends had pictures of Take That taped to their walls, I had drawings of Daniel. I’d even photocopied the sixth-form photograph and enlarged it so I could see his face better. He’d been in my English class and I could barely utter a word in front of him.
Thinking back now, I wasn’t sure why I’d felt like he was so unattainable. I had been quiet, shy and a bit clumsy (I was still clumsy, according to Alex), but looking at things through adult eyes, there was no real reason why he’d seemed so distant. I suppose it was all the hormones