Love and Kisses

CHAPTER FOUR

Who says dreams can’t come true? On Saturday, when we met, Alex kissed me…French style, on the cheek. Really sophisticated! Maybe it’s what Polish people do. But I bet Jimmy Doohan wouldn’t! Or any of the boys in our class. Spotty things.

I know that’s not fair. They’re not all spotty and even the ones that are can’t help it. But they were just so young. I couldn’t imagine going out with anyone so young!

After we’d drunk our coffee we went for a walk and Alex held my hand. Electric shocks went shooting up my arm and zinging round my body. His hand was warm, and a little bit rough from all the building work that he did. I didn’t mind it being rough, I was just glad it was warm. I once had to hold hands with this boy called Roger Barlow in a drama class and it felt all damp and clammy. Horrid!

We walked along by the river, and I wished someone from school could see me. Preferably Beth, cos then the whole class would get to hear of it. Or maybe Kez Daniels. Kez is so pretty, and so popular, and she’s been going out with the same boy for, like, just about ever. They are deep in love and hold hands wherever they go, even at school. Nobody laughs; it’s too serious for that. I used to envy her. Sometimes, lying in bed at night, I even used to pretend to be her. Now I didn’t need to pretend. I was deliriously happy being me!

I just wanted someone to see me…but nobody did. I don’t know what I would have done if Ellie had appeared. My hand was glued so tight I’m sure I couldn’t have pulled it away. Fortunately, walking along by the river is not Ellie’s thing. I was safe for the moment…

“It nice, no?” Alex swung my hand as we walked. “Nice by the river…you like?”

I nodded, blissfully.

“Some girl, they no like walk. They say, no car, no go!”

I assured him that I wasn’t one of them. “I love walking!”

“Me, I like too. But one day I have car. I save money, then I buy. Then we go all over! All over country. You like come with me?”

My heart almost burst. Alex dropped my hand and put his arm round me, instead. “I very safe driver. You be safe with me.”

I felt safe. Completely safe. I think I would have gone anywhere with Alex.

Every day, now, both in the morning and again in the afternoon, he would be waiting for me at the building site and we’d stop and chat. Sometimes, if no one was about, he’d put his arm around me or hold my hand. Mum couldn’t understand why I was so eager to be on time for school. Not that I have ever been one of those people who always sneaks in late, but now I was racing out of the door before I’d properly finished my toast.

“What’s with all the mad enthusiasm? Have you got a secret admirer or something?”

Ha ha. Ellie sniggered; even Dad gave a little smile. Old boffin brain Tamsin with an admirer! What a joke.

One morning as I walked past the flats Alex wasn’t there. Marek explained that he was working indoors. And then he winked and said, “Wait! I get.” Putting both hands to his mouth he bellowed at an open window: “ALEXXXXX! YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS HERE!”

It did make me a tiny bit panicky, in case any of our neighbours might be about. The couple who live next door to us, Mr and Mrs Waugh (Dad calls them the Woffs) have always seemed a bit suspicious of our family, what with Mum and Dad being actors and Dad quite often being at home all day instead of out doing a proper job. Mum and Mrs Woff quite often have long gossipy chats together, so any news would be bound to get back.

“I see Tamsin’s got herself a young man…works on the buildings.”

I was living on a knife edge! I could be found out at any moment. But when Marek called me Alex’s girlfriend, it made my stomach go all wonderfully hot and gooey. Just three short weeks ago I’d almost despaired of ever being anyone’s girlfriend. Now here was this rude boy yelling it out for all the world to hear—and suddenly I didn’t care if the Woffs were about. I didn’t care if Mum did discover Alex and me were an item!

Marek gave me this big grin and said, “He come double quick! Break his neck, he not careful.”

We both agreed that morning that we couldn’t wait until Sunday to be together. Alex suggested we go to a movie. He said there was one on locally that I would like.

“We go Friday, maybe?”

Friday was good. I could tell Mum I was staying on for choir practice then going round to Katie’s. Just so long as I was home by eight-thirty, cos if it was any later they’d want to come and pick me up.

“I know eight-thirty is really early,” I said, “but my gran’s coming, and she’s only here for one day, so I’ve got to spend a bit of time with her. She doesn’t come that often and she’d be really upset if she didn’t see me at all, so if we could, like, catch the early show?”

I gabbled the lies out so fast I’m not really sure how much of it Alex managed to grasp, but he didn’t seem to think it was odd that I had to get home. He nodded when I said “my gran”. We agreed to meet after school at the Pamino Bar in the high street, then go on afterwards to the cinema. I had to tell Katie, because of missing choir practice. She said, “Miss Morgan’s going to be furious!”

“Just tell her I’m going to the dentist,” I said.

“Me?” said Katie. “Why me?”

I said, “All right! I’ll tell her.”

“So where are you really going? Apart from meeting Alex.”

It thrilled me every time she just said his name! I explained that we were meeting in the Pamino Bar then going on to a movie. Big mistake. She immediately wanted to come with us.

“You can’t!” I said. “We can’t both miss choir practice.”

“Why not? If you can, I can!”

“I’ve got a good reason,” I said.

“So’ve I, I want to see the movie! I don’t see why I can’t come with you. What difference would it make? I’d be quiet as a mouse! You wouldn’t even know I was there.”

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