Cassandra Jade's Facebook status read,
"Fucking whore stole my boyfriend!"
I clicked the 'like' button. Not
that I liked being called a fucking whore, but there was no disputing the fact
that I stole her boyfriend as I lay in bed naked next to the tanned and
perfectly toned body of Miles, her recent ex, but things are never as simple as
they seem.
I turned my phone off and smiled. I wasn't a vindictive bitch or anything but
Cassie had it coming to her. I slipped
out of bed and put my phone down on the console table so I wouldn't be tempted
to read the nasty comments her friends were sure to make about me. It was still very early and I could see the
sun just beginning to rise over the city skyline through the wall of glass that
was the penthouse suite's bedroom window.
The London Docklands were bathed in an orange glow and everything seemed
clean and new in the half light.
I got back into bed, wriggled down under
the black Egyptian cotton sheets and wrapped my arms around Miles. He stirred for a moment and whispered,
"Morning, Angel," but he soon drifted back to sleep, snoring
softly. I ran my fingers through his
spiky blonde hair. He still smelled of
sweat and stale beer from the gig the night before. Things had kicked off pretty bad but Miles
never let any of that stuff bother him, at least he didn't let it show.
I had met Miles 2 years before, back
when I was plain old Angela Blackman, a very naive 16 year old school girl with
mousey brown hair and a shy smile. The
boys at school never paid me much attention, apart from Simon of course. He was quite cute in his own way, not really
handsome but he had strong cheek bones and striking features that set him apart
from the other boys. He somehow looked
older, more mature than he really was. Perhaps
it was the dark stubble on his jaw line, the jet black hair that was speckled
with a premature hint of grey, or the way he carried himself with such
confidence, but people never seemed to believe he was only 17 years old. That was good in some ways, he never got
asked for ID when he was getting the drinks in, but it also made me feel
slightly inferior, which I hated.
Simon was in the 6th form at my
school. I'd seen him around but I'd never
spoken to him, not until the day I was sent to see the head teacher. I can't even remember why I got sent to the
office, it wasn't like I was a troublemaker or anything. I was a straight A student with a 100%
attendance record, but for whatever reason I found myself sitting on a plastic
chair in the corridor outside the head teacher's office. I was scared half to death that they were
going to expel me or something, when Simon came striding through the double
doors at the top of the stairs.
He slung his black canvas messenger bag
down on the floor and sat down on the chair next to me. He let out a sigh, put his arms behind his
head and stretched his legs out across the grey lino floor. His tight black jeans were a little too short
and I could see his red socks peeping above the tops of his black suede Chelsea
boots. Red socks, my dad had warned me
about men who wore red socks, some rubbish about them having rebellious tendencies
and how they were not to be trusted. Red
was my favourite colour, I liked them.
I don't think Simon even noticed me, it
was like I was invisible, that was until I dropped my bag. I could have died from embarrassment! I'd been rummaging through my stuff for a
tissue but in my hurry the whole bag slid off my lap and landed upside down on
the floor, spilling the contents all over the corridor. I looked up and caught Simon trying not to
laugh. He must have thought I was so
pathetic but when I caught his eye his expression instantly changed to a look
of sympathy.
"Please, allow me," he said in
his posh, deep voice. I was so flustered
I didn't know what to say. I got down on
my hands and knees and started gathering up my belongings, pens, pencils, strawberry
lip balm, hurriedly stuffing them back into my school bag. Simon reached over and picked up my mp3
player. It had turned itself on when it
hit the floor and he could hear the tinny beat coming through the ear bud
headphones. Out of curiosity he put one
to his right ear. He jumped back in
shock, his eyes wide.
"Bloody hell! You listen to Joy Division?" he asked in
surprise.
"Yeah," I replied nervously.
"How on earth do you know about
them?" he demanded.
"My cousin used to play them all
the time, he liked New Order too but I never really got into them."
Simon sat back down in the chair and
gave me back my mp3. I dropped my head,
too shy to look at him. I quickly put my
mp3 player back in my bag but Simon grabbed my wrist. Surprised I turned to face him, he swept my
long mousey brown hair off my face and studied me intently for a moment. He had the palest blue eyes I had ever seen
and I couldn't take my eyes off him. I
could feel my heart beating hard in my chest as I held his stare then he kissed
me! He kissed me on the lips, right
there in the corridor outside the head teacher's door! He kissed me!
My face must have been a picture because
when he let me go he laughed at me. I
was in shock. I'd never had a boyfriend
before and I'd never had someone just snog me out of the blue like that. Simon stood up and turned his back on me as
if to walk away but then he stopped. He
turned back to face me and with a serious expression on his face he quietly
said, "I think I love you. Come on,
let's go!"
Before I knew what was happening Simon
had grabbed my hand and we were running down the corridor. We burst through the double doors, he dragged
me down the stairs and we didn't stop running until we were outside the school
gates. We crouched down with our backs
to the wall breathing so hard we could barely speak. I'd never felt such a rush of adrenaline, it
was exhilarating beyond belief. I knew
this was a bad idea. What was I
thinking? I was supposed to be seeing
the head teacher, not playing truant with a 6th form boy that I had only just
met! I had to admit though it was the
most exciting thing that had ever happened in my entire life.
Simon looked at me and smiled.
"Simon Wetherall, pleased to meet
you!" he said, offering me his hand.
Gingerly I shook it and murmured, "Angela Blackman."
"An angel, eh? You don't meet one of those every day! So Angel, do you come here often?" I couldn't help but smirk at his poor chat up
line. I wasn't quite sure what to make
of him. Was he wonderfully eccentric or
criminally insane? Whichever he was, I
was completely enthralled by him. His
posh accent turned my knees to jelly and his blue eyes were piercing like they
could see right through to my very soul.
"I'm going to get into so much
trouble for this, aren't I?" I mumbled.
"Oh I shouldn't think so, just say
you felt ill and went home. They can't
argue with that."
"I suppose," I replied.
"Anyway, where are my manners? Would you like to come to tea?"
This was all too surreal for me, but I
though what harm could come from having a cup of tea? It was only 11.30 in the morning, I couldn't
go back to school and I couldn't go home yet so I replied, "Yes
please."
"That's my girl," he said as
he helped me up onto my feet. He put his
arm around my shoulder and we walked up the hill to where the posh houses were. I wondered if that's what I was now, his
girl? It didn't seem like a very normal
way of meeting a boyfriend but Simon didn't seem very normal in the slightest
and I had to admit that excited me.
I wanted to know more about him, where
he came from, what other music he liked, but I was too scared to ask. Right now he seemed to like me and I didn't
want him to think I was boring or nosey or anything.
We walked on up the hill to the most exclusive
area in town, then we turned down a private driveway, lined on either side with
mature trees. I didn't think it was ever
going to end until we came upon a high stone wall with an imposing wrought iron
gate blocking our path. Simon casually
pressed the intercom and spoke into the microphone.
"Martha, it's me. Tea for two in the drawing room, if it's not
too much trouble." The gate swung
open, Simon took my hand and lead me through.
I was quite shocked when I caught sight of the house. It was bigger than I could have possibly
imagined, a proper mansion. It must have
had a dozen bedrooms at least. I knew
Simon was posh by the way he spoke but I had no idea he lived in a place like
this!
"Martha?" I asked.
"She's the housekeeper. It's just my father and I in this rambling
old place. My mother died years
ago. He lives in the east wing and I
live in the west, it's better that way."
"Oh I'm so sorry about your mum."
"Don't be!" Simon said curtly.
"You didn't know her and believe me
this world is better off without her."
He quickened his pace and rushed me through the front door and off
around a maze of corridors until we reached his room.
I don't know what I was expecting to
find but it wasn't this. Simon had
managed to transform the drawing room of a grand mansion into a teenage boys
bedroom. The walls were covered with
band posters from the 1970's and 80's, every surface was cluttered with books,
empty pizza boxes, overflowing ash trays and dirty tea cups. The furniture was antique but battered and
unloved and there was a modern divan pushed against the wall in the corner with
a stained blue duvet thrown across it.
"Do take a seat," he said,
ushering me towards a chaise longue upholstered in deep blue velvet fabric that
had now faded to a dull grey. "I'm
sorry about the mess, you just can't get the staff these days."
I sat down and at that moment there was
a knock on the door. A small elderly
woman shuffled into the room carrying a large tea tray set out with two cups
and saucers, a teapot, sugar bowl, milk jug and a plate of biscuits, the posh
kind that come in expensive boxes.
"Thank you, Martha. That will be all," said Simon as he
cleared a pile of books from the coffee table to make room for the tray. I felt out of place with all this formality
and I started to wonder what the hell was I doing here? Simon must have noticed as he sat down next
to me and started to pour the tea.
"I suppose this is all a little
strange to you, isn't it? But we don't
stand on ceremony here. Sugar, Angel?"
"Yes, two please," I said with
my voice shaking. I still couldn't make
my mind up about Simon. He seemed nice
but there was more than a hint of psycho about him.
"You are rather privileged,
Angel. You are the first friend from
school I've ever invited here but I thought I'd take a chance on you because
you struck me as rather special."
"Me, special?" I asked.
"Of course, you don't meet many
Year 11 girls with perfect bone structure and an excellent taste in
music."
"I guess not," I replied,
sipping my tea and completely missing the compliment.
"I want to show you something,"
he said hurriedly putting down his teacup and dashing off to the other side of
the room.
Simon stepped over more piles of books
and discarded clothes, and he returned with a large metal box. He unlocked it and with great care he lifted
out what looked at first like a magazine in a plastic sleeve. He placed it in my hands and stared at me,
eagerly waiting for my reaction. As I
looked down I gasped. There in my hands
was a copy of Licht und Blindheit, an incredibly rare Joy Division record. I'd only ever read about it in books, I never
dreamed I'd see one in real life.
"Mint condition, never been
played. Would you like to hear it?"
Simon asked me quite casually.
"No!" I shouted. "I mean, yes of course I do but you
can't play it, it's worth a small fortune!"
"It's just a thing."
"Yeah, but it's a bloody rare
thing!"
"What the heck, you can't take it
with you, eh?" he said shrugging his shoulders.
I almost jumped out of my seat to stop
him but it was too late. He ripped open
the plastic cover, removed the record from the sleeve and with great care he set
it down on his record player. I didn't
know people still had record players. My
dad had got rid of his years ago but I remembered when I was little he used to get
drunk on a Saturday night and play some awful prog rock LPs and moan about how
modern music was soulless and that every band sounded the same.
There was a crackle as the needle hit
the vinyl. Simon sat back down next to
me and took my hand. I couldn't help but
let out a sigh as I heard the first notes of 'Atmosphere'.
"How did you know this was my
favourite?" I whispered, but Simon
put his fingers to my lips to silence me.
He gazed into my eyes and then kissed me again. It took my breath away. He pressed his body close to mine and ran his
fingers down my arm. It was magic, but
the song was over far too quickly. Simon
reluctantly pulled himself away and replaced the record back in its sleeve and
returned it to the box.
"I'd give it to you now but it
means too much to me. You can have it
when I'm dead."
"That's an odd thing to say!"
I blurted out without thinking.
"My dear, I thought you'd have
noticed by now that I'm rather an odd kind of person." We both laughed.
It was the most unusual afternoon. Simon played me some wonderful music by bands
I'd never even heard of. We lounged
about just talking, kissing and holding each other. I totally forgot I was supposed to be at
school until I got a text from my mum.
"Shit! I should have been home an hour ago!" I
panicked.
"Then you'd better tell your mother
that you were doing your homework at the library and hurry on home," said
Simon. He gave me a sad kind of look. I didn't want to leave him but I had to go
home sometime.
"Sorry, I'd love to stay but I
don't want to get into trouble and I've got to babysit my sister tonight."
"Of course, but please just wait
one moment before you go." Simon walked
over to his desk, he took a sheet of white letter paper from a drawer and
scribbled something on it with his fountain pen. "I didn't mean to get you into trouble
today. Please give this to your teacher
tomorrow." I looked down at the
paper, it read 'Please excuse Angela Blackman's absence from school yesterday. She was taken ill with food poisoning.' I thanked Simon and asked if I would see him
tomorrow at school.
"Most definitely," he replied
with a smile. He took my hand and walked
with me to the gate where he kissed me one last time. I was on cloud nine and I have no idea how I
managed to get home without being run over or something.
That night I couldn't sleep for thinking
about Simon. I was pretty wrecked the
next morning. I was too busy yawning to
notice him walking past me as I waited with my friends to go into morning
registration. I called his name but he
walked on by like he didn't even see me.
I was mortified and nearly burst into tears on the spot. Yesterday he was telling me he loved me and
now he wouldn't even say hello! He
certainly was odd and I started to feel a little paranoid. Did he really like me or was he playing some
kind of game?
I sulked all morning and I didn't feel
like company at lunch time so I sat on my own near the tennis courts, eating my
cheese sandwiches and feeling rather foolish to be taken in so easily. I was so lost in my own self pity that I
didn't notice when Simon sat down next to me.
He placed a kiss on my cheek and whispered, "Hello Angel," in
my ear. Oh how could I ever have doubted
him? My frown turned into the biggest
smile. I wanted to fling my arms around
him right then and there but I resisted.
I couldn't make a show of myself in public, that would be so uncool.
"I've got something for you, close
your eyes," Simon said. Obediently
I did as I was told. I felt him slip
something in the top pocket of my blazer.
"I highly recommend you start taking these." I ran my hand over my pocket and felt a
blister pack of tablets through the fabric.
For a moment I was shocked.
"Pills? I don't do drugs!" I whispered under my breath.
"Not drugs, THE pill," Simon
replied in hushed tones. "I had my
father's physician write them up on a private prescription for you. I know we've only just met, it's just
apparently they take a couple of weeks to become effective and I have a rather
unfortunate latex allergy which precludes the use of other products. Oh God, I'm sorry. This is too forward of me, isn't
it?" He hung his head and ran his
long fingers through his jet black hair.
It was the first time I'd seen him not in complete control.
"No, it's OK. It's rather sweet of you actually," I
lied, not knowing what else to say.
"Sorry, I'm a fool. I'm too used to getting what I want and well,
I want you, Angel." He stared at me
so hard that it felt like his blue eyes were burning right though me. I blushed and looked down at my feet. How could I tell him that I wanted him
too? I didn't want him to think I was
easy or anything, but I didn't want to lose him either.
"It's OK, I've just, well... I've never had a boyfriend before," I
admitted.
"Neither have I," said Simon.
"What, you've never had a
boyfriend?" I said in jest. We both
burst into fits of giggles.
"I meant girlfriend,
obviously!" he sniggered.
"I figured that!" I said
smiling at him. This whole situation had
taken me by surprise but I had a good feeling about it now. Simon was weird but he was wonderful
too. "OK I'll take the pill,"
I said, giving him a nervous grin.
"Fantastic, I'll see you
later!" he said as he strode off towards the science block. Later?
We hadn't arrange me to meet later had we? Maybe he didn't mean it like that, but
whatever he meant I was completely love struck.
I couldn't concentrate on anything for
the rest of the day, every thought in my head was about Simon. I walked home from school in a daze, I pushed
my food around my plate at tea time, unable to eat a thing. All I could think about was Simon.
I went back up to my room to study but
it was hopeless. I gave up on revising
my French vocabulary and threw the text book across the room in
frustration. It clipped my blazer that
I'd draped over the back of my chair, knocking it to the floor. As I went to pick it up I noticed the blister
pack of pills sticking out from the top pocket.
I picked them up, turning them over in my hands, debating what to do
with them. It certainly was a strange
kind of present to give a girl you'd only just met, but Simon was rather
strange and that's what I liked about him.
He must be serious about me to even consider it and I guess it was good
he was being responsible and everything.
Before I'd realised what I was doing I popped one of the small white
pills from the blister pack. I looked at
it for a moment then I put it in my mouth and swallowed it. I hid the rest of the pills behind my poetry
books, I didn't want my mum to find them and I knew she would never look there.
I crashed down on my bed, listening to
The Cure through my netbook speakers when I thought I heard Simon's voice. At first I thought it was a hallucination. What was in those pills Simon had given
me? I presumed they were contraceptives,
then I heard it again. That was
definitely Simon! I ran to the top of
the stairs and peeked over the banister and sure enough, there was Simon on the
doorstep talking to my mum.
"Angela," mum called, "there's
a boy here for you. He says he's got one
of your text books."
I couldn't believe it! What was Simon doing here? How did he find out where I lived? Gingerly I started to walk down the
stairs.
"Oh, hi Simon," I said trying
to act all casual. "It's OK, mum. Simon was helping me with an assignment in the
library at lunchtime."
"Yes, but we didn't quite get it
finished, did we?" said Simon.
"Well you'd better come in then,"
said my mum as she ushered him into our tiny hallway. "Your dad's got the football on in the
room so why don't you take him upstairs so you can have a bit of peace and
quiet."
I couldn't believe it as I stood on the
stairs and watched Simon take off his Chelsea boots off and walk up the stairs
in his red socks to my bedroom.
"So, this is where my Angel lives,"
said Simon as he sat himself down on the end of my bed. He looked around the room taking in every
detail from the lilac walls to the battered old teddy that sat at the foot of
my bed.
"How did you find me?" I
asked.
"Oh it's not that hard to find
people you know," he said flashing his iPhone at me.
"Ah, I should have guessed!" I
said.
Simon jumped up and grabbed a book off
my bookshelf. "The complete works
of Sylvia Plath. I'm a big fan
myself. What was that Oscar Wilde quote
she used in The Bell Jar? Oh yes, 'Death
must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving
above one's head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no to-morrow.
To forget time, to forgive life, to be at peace,' or something like that,"
he said, reciting the quote word perfect.
"Yes!" I said, gazing up at
him in amazement. I was just about to
speak when the books toppled over and the packet of pills I'd hidden there fell
to the floor. My cheeks flushed and I
went to grab them but he beat me to it.
He held them up to the light and noticed that one was missing. He held them out to me with a smile on his
face.
"You might want to find a better
hiding place than that, my dear!" I
blushed even more and turned away but he turned my face towards his. "I'm sorry for surprising you like this but
I wanted to see you again. I've thought
of nobody but you all day. What kind of
spell have you put on me?" he asked.
I held his gaze. How could I tell
him I felt the same way? I couldn't find
the words but I could show him. Bursting
with confidence I raised myself up on my tip toes and leaned in to kiss him but
he pulled away, quickly grabbing my text book and sitting down on my bed.
"And that is why the invasion of
Poland was so important," he said quite calmly. A moment later my mum opened the door.
"Are you two alright up here? Would you like a cup of tea or
something?" she asked.
"We're fine as we are thank you,
Mrs. Blackman," said Simon, being as charming as ever.
"Oh OK, just give us a shout if you
need anything."
I managed to mumble, "Thanks, mum,"
as she closed the door behind her. Simon
began to laugh. I sat down on the bed
next to him and laughed too.
"How on earth did you know that she
was there?" I asked.
"Oh, I noticed the floor board at
the top of the stairs creaked quite badly and I knew from the way she looked at
me that she was too curious not to come in the room at least once."
"Thank you!" I said, blushing.
"Now, where were we?"
"The invasion of Poland?" I
asked.
"No, you were about to do this,"
he said as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. We lay on the bed just kissing and holding
each other for what seemed like an age, then Simon's phone alarm went off.
"I'm afraid I have to go, Bailey
will be waiting for me."
"Bailey?" I asked.
"My driver. I asked him to pick me up at 10. I didn't want to keep you up too late, you've
got school tomorrow. Oh, before I
forget, I hope you don't have any plans for the 17th because you're having a
sleep over at Alisha's house."
"What? That's my birthday weekend. Why am I going to Alisha's?" I asked confused. Simon reached into his pocket and handed me a
folded piece of paper.
"I'll see you at school
tomorrow!" he said as he left my bedroom and walked down the stairs. He put his boots on and popped his head
around the living room door.
"Goodnight Mr. and Mrs. Blackman,
thank you for having me," he said very politely, and then he let himself
out.
I opened up the paper Simon had given
me. It was a flyer for a gig at The Old
Ship, Unknown Pleasures plus support.
Doors 7.30pm. On the back was a
hand written note. Alisha will cover for
you. Meet me on the corner at 6pm. Don't forget your toothbrush :) Love you!
x
I checked my diary, the 17th was a
Friday, 2 days after my 16th birthday.
Simon was taking me out to see a band at the pub? I couldn't believe he'd arranged for me to
stay at Alisha's house, but wait, he said she'd cover so I wouldn't be sleeping
there. Oh how could I be so naive? Of course he'd want me to spend the night
with him, but my mum would never allow that, would she? I was so happy I could have screamed out
loud, but instead I curled up on my bed, barely able to contain my
excitement. I could still smell his
scent on my pillow and I fell asleep dreaming of my Simon.