‘Nah,’ the rest of us chorused.
‘Why not? If we named a star, every time we looked in the sky at night, we’d think of each other.’
‘True,’ said Jo. ‘That’s sweet. Or … I know! My mum’s still got all my milk teeth. If you’ve got yours somewhere, we could have them made into jewellery then give it to each other.’
There was a brief silence before Ally, Mitch and I cracked up.
‘No words, Jo,’ said Mitch. ‘I can tell you now that I am not wearing a bracelet or necklace made from your old teeth.’
‘How about we become blood sisters?’ I said. ‘All we have to do is prick a finger at the same time then press it against each other’s to mix the blood.’
‘You lot are seriously weird,’ said Ally. ‘Sharing blood is too creepy and – like the tattoo – it would hurt.’
‘OK, so let’s just make a promise to stay friends then go and get pissed down the student’s union. We’ve earned it,’ said Mitch. She looked up at the bus stop. ‘The promise is that today, right here, at this magnificent, significant and noble bus stop—’
‘Noble?’ asked Ally.
I put my hand on Ally’s arm. ‘She’s on a roll, best let her finish.’
‘This place where we’ve stood a thousand times,’ Mitch continued, ‘in rain and snow and wind and sun; this place that has been a constant part of our lives since first year, we will swear here, at this landmark, that we will be friends for ever and always. Stand on one leg.’
Jo and I did as we were told. We were used to obeying Mitch’s mad instructions.
‘We’re eighteen,’ said Ally. ‘Oughtn’t we to act more grown-up now?’
‘Never, it’s very important that we don’t grow old and boring,’ said Mitch, to which Ally nodded and joined the rest of us on one leg. ‘Repeat after me.’
‘After me,’ I said. Mitch gave me a warning look. I grinned back at her.
‘I swear,’ Mitch continued.
‘I swear,’ said Ally, Jo and I.
‘That I.’
‘That I.’
‘Mitch, Ally, Jo and Sara.’
‘Mitch, Ally, Jo and Sara.’
‘Will never grow old.’
‘Will never grow old.’
‘And be friends for ever.’
‘And be friends for ever.’
‘Come what may.’
‘Come what may,’ we repeated.
‘Amen.’
‘Amen.’
We put our legs down but Mitch hadn’t finished. She put her left hand on the bus stop, Jo put hers on top, then Ally, then me. ‘Friends for ever,’ she said.
‘Friends for ever,’ we chorused.
‘And we promise to be each other’s bridesmaids,’ said Jo.
‘And name our children after each other if we have girls,’ I said.
‘Or boys,’ said Mitch.
Ally rolled her eyes. ‘OK, you could probably get away with a boy called Mitch, Jo or Al, but Sara? I don’t think so. The main thing is that we stay in touch and continue to be there for each other. That’s the main rule of friendship.’
‘And real friends keep their promises to each other,’ I said.
For a moment, Mitch looked tearful. ‘You really do promise? I’m the one being left behind here while you all swan off to college life and bright new futures.’
I put my arm around her. ‘We would never leave you behind, ever and you’ll have a bright future whatever you do because you are Michelle Blake and a force to be reckoned with. Anyway, it won’t be long before you’re off too, and in the meantime we’ll write and call with all our news and you must do the same.’
‘Deal,’ said Mitch.
‘Deal,’ said Ally, Jo and I.
Chapter One
Sara
2018
I was walking down the stairs towards the exit after the screening of our company’s latest drama production, The Rat, at BAFTA, when I noticed my boss Chris Lindsay. He was putting on his jacket ready to head out. It had been a glamorous night, the reception held upstairs in the David Lean room, where leafless trees in pots had been lit with white fairy lights creating a magical atmosphere. The area had been hot and noisy with chatter, the scent of perfumes and colognes wafting in the air as the TV crowd mingled after the viewing, picked at delicate canapés, sipped Prosecco and eyed each other up. I, being older than most there, was ready for my bed.
‘Hey Chris,’ I called. As he turned and saw me, I gave him my most winning smile. He didn’t return it. He looked away and walked towards the doors and out into the late summer night.
What the …?
Behind me, my agent Nicholas tripped and stumbled into me. I caught and steadied him, then we both almost fell down the last steps just as Rhys Logan, my arch rival and super bitch appeared at the top of the stairs. He looked as well groomed and smooth as ever.
‘Bit squiffy are we, Sara?’ he asked.
I took a deep breath. Rhys, of course, would have only drunk mineral water all night. ‘You know us,’ I replied with a grin. ‘Party party party. Can’t take us anywhere.’ I’d learnt long ago not to be defensive when Rhys was trying to wrong-foot me and I prayed he hadn’t seen Chris blank me. Rhys would have loved that, and it would have been all round the office by lunchtime tomorrow.
‘And what were you doing here?’ Rhys asked. Nicholas ignored his question and breezed out through the door on to Piccadilly.
‘Same as you, I’d imagine.’
‘Maybe. I was personally invited by the PR team.’
I’d been personally invited too, by the director who was an old boyfriend, but didn’t feel it necessary to say so.
‘Anyway, got to dash, early morning start,’ said Rhys.
‘I know. Way past your bedtime.’
Rhys shrugged. ‘The price of looking good.’
We both leant forward, air-kissed, and he was gone.
‘Did you see that?’ I asked Nicholas once we were outside and out of Rhys’s earshot.
‘See what?’
‘Chris Lindsay, he just blanked me.’
‘Nonsense,’ said Nicholas. ‘You’re Sara Meyers. He wouldn’t dare.’
‘You just blanked Rhys, and very few people dare do that.’
‘That’s different. Rhys is a tosser. You’re being paranoid, imagining Chris blanked you.’
‘No, he did.’
