We had found a new pub to play pool, much at my insistence, but not that anybody minded. The girls had been invited along too, so we made quite a group.
Ellie and Savannah were sat in nearby chairs, commenting on Sam’s prowess of playing pool and Luke watched on shaking his head at their words. Leonora and Cara kept fighting over one glass of cider that Cara seemed to be able to keep stealing from under her nose, and I was beating Tye at pool. Shamefully so, even though I was hobbling round the table with my plastered ankle.
“How is she still winning?” Sam complained again as I potted two balls at once.
I stood up, wobbling on my one good foot. Tye was suddenly behind me, his hands on my hips steadied me from falling over.
“She has a gift!” Savannah called with her sing-song voice. “Ten quid says she makes the next shot. Any takers?”
“I’m not betting against her,” Leonora said as she tried to take her glass back from Cara.
“I will,” Cara laughed. “Just push her over.”
“Hey!” I complained, but she shrugged in her classically innocent way.
“I can think of other ways to distract her,” Tye’s dark voice said in my ear, though perfectly audible for others to hear.
“Please don’t do them here on the pool table,” Luke shook his head as he took the cue from Sam’s hand. “I’d like not to get thrown out.”
“I think we’re likely to be thrown out of our flat at the noise the two of them make in the building,” Sam’s words earned a sharp elbow from Savannah.
“Like you two are any quieter?” I pointed out. Sam looked at Savannah with nothing but pride at this statement.
Tye brushed my hand, causing me to blur out the conversation and my focus to draw down to the ladybug now tattooed on the inside of my wrist. It was perfect. A simple ladybug. Not doing any of the weird things I had drawn before, just a solid reminder of Rosie. I loved it.
That day in the tattoo parlour, contrary to Tye’s assurance that tattoos weren’t that painful, I had practically squeezed the blood out of his hand. He remarked that we might need to go back to the hospital so he could check for broken bones. Despite the pain, I didn’t regret the decision. It was perfect.
The following few days, Tye had been reluctant to let me out of his sight, only really turning happy when the police confirmed to him that Kyle would do some time in jail and get counselling.
We had gone back to Exmouth after that, hobbled up to the bench we had been on before and ate more fish and chips. As the waves rolled in and I was commenting on the soreness of my ankle, I was surprised when he interrupted me.
“Sore, but it twinges –”
“You do realise I’m not going anywhere now.” His words were firm, but he was smirking as he looked back at me, eating more chips.
“Anywhere? I don’t think you want to stay on this bench forever. You’d get bored.”
“Oh I’m sure I could think of some imaginative ways to have fun on this bench with you.” He winked, sending that jolt of excitement back into my stomach. “But that’s not what I meant. I meant that I don’t want this to be a passing thing. You and me.”
“You don’t?” I’m not sure how big my smile was. I felt like one of those cartoons where the edges of their smiles stretch beyond their faces.
“No. Hooked on you, remember?” He looked back at me from his fish and chips. His cocoa eyes crinkled with humour when he saw my expression. “You’ll hurt your cheeks from smiling that much.”
“I don’t mind.”
“So, what do you say, princess?” He leaned forward suddenly, taking the empty foam box of chips from my hand.
“I say…” I paused, enjoying the pretend look of anger on his face at making him wait. “I’m hooked too.”
Now, as we stood by the pool table, it was very clear to me just how hooked I was.
“We could go back to the flat now,” he whispered, this time just for me to hear.
“Not yet,” I said loudly, hobbling away from him as the others turned to watch. “I aimed up my next shot. I’ve got to win this game first.”
I potted another ball.
“Yes!” Savannah punched the air, delighted at making more money. Sam beside her looked exasperated.
“For god’s sake, we’re going to lose all our money again.” He complained, looking at Tye. “Tye, you’ve got to –”
“I know, don’t worry.” He walked round to my side of the pool table. “I’ll distract her.”
THE END
Book 2 in The Exeter Running Girls Series coming soon…
