Being Grey (Beings Trilogy) (16 page)

“And……?”

“We’re going to the funfair.” Poppy is excited.

“We? You’re coming?” Should be another fun date. I love her but a threesome?

“Jason asked if you had any plans as he wanted to take you. I said it sounded like fun so Jason invited roommate David along. A double date. And besides, I’m not letting you out of my sight before the party.”

I guess it’s sorted then. “What time we going?”

“In about an hour so get a move on princess.”

It would be a weird combination if everyone could see it. Poppy and I with our pure
Beings
, next to two guys with dark
Beings
. But all four of us having fun.

We’ve been on the Ferris wheel - a baby London Eye - thrown hoops and eaten candy floss. This truly is gross but essential.

“Shooting range!” Poppy squeals and dances off with David virtually dancing after her. Jason and I are following slowly.

“I’m glad I had a chance to meet with Adam and David yesterday. Adam isn’t as bad as I thought.” I admit. Bad yes, but there’s definitely worse out there.

“Thanks for saying that. And I can see David is glad we went.” Jason nods at the two of them.

It’s comical. Poppy is leant over the rifle looking at David with a ‘is this how you do it?’ expression.

“Come on, let’s join them.” I say, running up to the booth.

Poppy and I win three in a row against the boys, no surprise, which gets us ‘beginners luck’, grumbles from Jason. We get huge bears for our win; the boys get to carry them.

Poppy and I are walking ahead when she whispers “Did you bring up Ian?”

“No, it seems a bit rude to ask my ‘may be’ boyfriend about one of his best mates.” I reply.

“Hmm, I see your dilemma. Want me to ask David?”

No. But I can’t say that. I would be jealous of Poppy knowing anything about him. I feel protective? No, that’s not right but I feel something between Ian and me. I haven’t met him, barely glimpsed him but there’s an attraction? An electricity between us? I don’t want him to have that with anyone else. It’s special.

“Honestly Poppy,” I begin, “I’m having so much fun tonight. I know it’s going to come up sooner or later but can’t it be later?”

For a brief moment uncertainty flitters across her face and then it’s back to sun shining Poppy. “Deal, but only if we can go on the horses.” And with that she runs off again, dragging David along with her.

We escaped the haunted house, eventually. For some reason we kept ending up back at the beginning and I was laughing so hard by the time we really did find our way out I thought I was going to die. We played coconut shy, the rubber duck thing and even went in the freak show. Freaky. Its dark out and getting late.

“I suppose we had better take you girls home.” Jason says and David shoots him a killer look. I don’t think poor David has ever had so much fun but he also looks completely pooped.

We walk the short distance home, Poppy with her arm looped through David’s ahead of us. I know there’s no chance of a romance there but she’s been fantastically sweet with him tonight without leading him on. I would swear his
Being
has lightened.

“I prefer fun
Alice
to psycho Alice.” Jason whispers in my ear.

“Ha ha, so do I as a matter of fact.” I reply.

We’re at the gate to the house. Poppy gave David a hug and a ‘toodles’ wave and slips into the house. David walks love struck back to the car which is parked up the street as we hadn’t used it to go to the funfair.

“See you again soon?” He asks.

“You’d better.” I joke. This time it’s me that leans in for the kiss. It’s longer than the last one and just as scrumptious.

“Wow. Goodnight
Alice
.” He’s walking backwards smiling and bumps into the gate.

I’m giggling at him as he tries to open it but is fumbling so bad he ends up jumping over the low wall instead. He waves and is gone.

I walk up to the front door and am closing it slowly behind me when I feel a presence. It’s dark so I can’t be sure but I think there’s someone across the street. Underneath the lamppost that has been out for weeks.

Poppy is already awake and attempting to cook breakfast. The smoke alarm woke me. As I get to the kitchen she’s smacking the alarm with a broom trying to turn it off. I pull a chair over, step onto it and hit the button.

“I wanted to do breakfast.” She says grumpily as I plop down on the chair.
 

“Tea and I’ll do it.”

She opens the windows to try and let some of the smoke out. “I had fun last night. I don’t fancy David or anything but he’s alright. Maybe if we can break the crowd up he has potential. What do you think?” she asks passing me a cup of tea.

Last night. The kiss. Or should I say kisses?

“He’s alright.” I nod. “But I definitely think Stefan is more your type.”

“I wish.” She says dreamily. “Can you believe it’s only two weeks today until the party? Should we be planning something or go shooting? Want to go fencing, running, riding?”

“I have a much better idea. I’ll make breakfast, you choose a movie and we relax. When we run out of movies, we call the others to bring more over.”

“Excellent idea. After all, we need to preserve our strength.” She says laughing, running into the lounge to see what movies we need to catch up on.

“Bacon, eggs and sausage.” I yell.

“Yes, yes and yes please.” Is the response as the doorbell rings.

“Who was it?” I say after a minute.

“Morning mad hair lady. I’ll have some of that.” Stefan says, ruffling my hair to make it worse.

“And me and Luke are here too.” I hear Robbie call from the lounge.

“Oh and Annabel is on her way over.” Stefan can see me trying to figure out how 5 rashers of bacon and three sausages will feed us all. “I’ll run to the store.” He says.

He’s back in ten minutes by which time Annabel has shown up. I’m cooking up the hugest breakfast ever.

“So what did you have in mind for today?” I ask Annabel, who’s helping me cook eggy bread.

“Honestly? Nothing. I was just going to sneak over and see if you wanted to have a lazy day. Paint nails, watch movies, that sort of thing. Then the boys called me. Early.”

“That’s exactly what we were going to do.” I tell her. “Breakfast’s ready.” I call.

The boys run in as if they haven’t eaten for weeks and start loading up their plates.

“So what’s the plan?” I ask Stefan as we sit at the too small kitchen table.

“No plan. I brought the new Robert Downey movie, Jackie Chan, that creepy one that got great reviews. Just fancied a lazy day with my friends, is that Ok with everyone else?”

“Robbie?” I ask, amazed if we were all thinking same thing.

“Monopoly and a pack of playing cards.” He says, showing us the cards in his pocket. “But I’d rather watch movies first.”

“Yeah, new Jackie Chan.” Luke pipes in.

Brilliant. The only thing better than a lazy day is a lazy day with your closest friends.

We watch Jackie Chan first. I don't know if it's just us or whether he is one of the funniest people in film.

Stefan is repeating every line with an attempt at a Chinese accent and Robbie is attempting all the moves. Luckily only one lamp has broken so far.

There's a great fight scene that Robbie and I try to replicate which is impossible in the space we have, so before you know it we've rearranged the furniture to make room. Annabel laughs so hard when I accidentally land the perfect kick, right in Robbie's chest, that I think she'd have wet herself had the bathroom not been right there.

Poppy is using the opportunity to cuddle up to Stefan and put her face in his chest laughing that she can't watch anymore. He's got his arm protectively wrapped around her but he can't take his eyes off the idiots on show.

Soon we have to flop on the floor as we're laughing too hard to stand. The only one not dying laughing is Luke who is looking at all of us with pity but still with a smile on his face.

Have you ever laughed so hard you don't know how to stop so you make that 'huuuuuh' noise? Like trying to breathe out loudly? Well Stefan did that which made the rest of us laugh all over again. We're complete idiots.

"Have you seen this?" Annabel asks with tears pouring down her face. "The next movie has loads of fight scenes. I don't know if I can take anymore." The end of that sentence got so high pitched I literally blew snot bubbles laughing.

"Can't can't take it. Hurts. Stop it." Poppy says holding her ribs in, to which the reply is we all jump on top of her to start tickling her. Luke first.

Chapter Thirty

I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Part of me keeps thinking about Ian and the other part of me (the sane one) keeps telling me to warn the others because now he knows where I live. Where Poppy and I live. And that's not good.

I'm starting to think of him as my secret. I’m confused.

So, a change of scenery is my plan. I can't keep fancying Jason and fantasising about Ian.

I called Robbie earlier and asked him a big favour. The police are releasing my car back to me, but after Poppy laughed that it might be covered in blood and yuck, I'm not keen to collect it myself. Robbie agreed immediately, perhaps excited at the prospect of blood and yuck on the bonnet?

When the car is back tomorrow, I'll drive to
Bath
and spend a couple of days with my sister. Lisa was excited on the phone. She'll have a few lectures to go to, but not enough to spoil our time together.

So Sunday turns out to be another slob day. After roast pork with mum and dad, I wobble home and park myself on the sofa for a movie. I'll give it half an hour before there's room for ice cream.

Die Hard is on and I love a Bruce Willis action flick. It's almost midnight and Poppy has just walked in, bearing all kinds of Tupperware. Parker had made Cook bake all day for us, and we have desserts and pies in all shapes and flavours.

"You're going to have to eat most of this yourself," I explain with a mouth full of gateaux, "I'm going to see Lisa for a couple of days. I'll leave when Robbie shows up with the car."

Poppy nods, mouth too full to speak.

And hour and a big bit later, Bruce saves the day and the film ends to some whooping from Poppy! It’s almost 2am and it’s been a great night.

When I wake, the sun is high in the sky and I can hear giggles from downstairs. Lots of them.

I pad down barefoot, and sat huddled in the lounge window seat is Poppy, Annabel and my Mum, the three of them laughing and blushing.

"What's going on?" I ask, making them all jump.

"Oh,
Alice
!" Poppy screams, "come and see! Robbie brought your car back!"

Dread sinks in my stomach. What did the police do to my car? I have no idea what chemicals the forensics use and judging by the giggling and the look on these three faces, it must be so bad it's funny.

Instead of joining them at the window, I head straight for the front door, throwing it wide open. And I must still be dreaming!

My little Golf is having a wash. And oh my, it needs one more often. Robbie and Stefan are bare-chested in heat, the sun light bouncing gold off their tanned muscles. Soap suds, water and two fit half naked men. I could wake up to this more often. I look back at mum and the girls with my mouth open in a big ‘O’ and Annabel falls off the seat laughing. She’s gotten awfully giggly lately.