Forget Me Never

said, and despite how you infuriate me, I still care about you, I thought. But I didn’t say so. She knew, anyway.
    ‘Sophie,’ I said, laying my hand on her arm. It wasn’t really the right moment, but it might be the only chance I was going to get. ‘I know what happened at Paloma’s party.’
    When she didn’t respond I said, ‘Paloma told me. We had a gossip in Waitrose the other day – in the chutney aisle.’ If Sophie raised a smile at that, it was there and gone in an instant. ‘Why didn’t you tell me? I had no idea!’
    ‘Why weren’t you there? School was hell for me afterwards – everyone calling me a psycho for going after Zoe like that. Completely getting the wrong idea – I can’t even begin to describe it. And I look awful in that video, but I was trying to surprise you by showing I’d made an effort. I was really banking on you being there, Reece . . .’
    Sophie had a helpless expression in her eyes. That told me exactly how deep this had gone. I bit my lip, trying not to get too hopeful about Sophie admitting she’d made an effort for me.
    ‘You were acting funny after the play. Then you ignored my texts. I thought you weren’t bothered about me any more.’
    ‘Of course I was bothered! That was why I never tried with your new mates – it felt like they were taking you away from me.’
    ‘You thought I’d let that happen?’
    ‘I’m not the easiest friend to have.’ Sophie looked away. ‘I know that, but seeing you having fun with other people made me think I was in the way. And I saw photos of you at the bar that night enjoying yourself.’
    There was a creak from outside. We both tensed, but when nothing happened we relaxed.
    ‘Soph,’ I said, ‘I’m sorry I let you down. But you get why I didn’t come to the party, right?’ She nodded. ‘Everyone disappoints you once in a while. That doesn’t mean you can’t trust them any more.’
    Sophie’s voice was almost inaudible. ‘I’ve been let down so many times, Reece. It’s so hard to trust anyone now. It’s easier to run away.’
    ‘At risk of sounding like a shrink . . . if you run away from everything, one day you’ll look round and there’ll be nothing left. Some things are worth sticking with, even if they aren’t perfect.’ I paused. ‘Hey, go me! That was pretty profound.’
    She made a snorting sound; for a moment I wasn’t sure whether it was laughter or crying. ‘Are you saying you’re worth sticking with?’ she asked.
    ‘Right now you’ve not got much choice.’
    Sophie paused. I got the impression she was weighing up whether to say something or not. ‘Those girls . . . You know, the posh ones that joined your mates sometimes. Was there ever anything going on with that blonde one? She liked you. I could tell.’
    I wasn’t sure what she meant at first. Then I realized. ‘Were you jealous ?’
    It was ridiculous, but I couldn’t help being pleased. Perhaps she’d been lying when she said she didn’t fancy me.
    ‘Maybe.’
    ‘Nothing happened,’ I said. ‘Know why?’ I paused. ‘She wasn’t anywhere near as interesting as you.’
    It was hard to tell, but I was pretty sure she blushed. Crazy hope surged inside me. But all she said was, ‘Can we agree that that’s in the past? Just . . . it seems unimportant now. I should have talked to you about the party . . . Sorry.’
    I was too distracted to reply properly. Her face was really, really close to mine, so close that her hair was actually brushing my cheek. We’d been sitting next to each other so long that I could feel the heat from her body. It was totally the wrong moment, but I was so tempted to lean a few inches closer and kiss her . . . But then voices came from outside. Patrick and Kyle.

SOPHIE
    I wasn’t sure exactly where Patrick and Kyle were at first. After a moment I realized they had to be on the other side of the wall, outside the house. Hearing my name, I froze, shushing Reece when he opened his mouth.
    ‘. . . said she had a young cousin,’ Patrick was saying. ‘Knew that girl reminded me of someone. Wonder if Danielle told her anything?’
    ‘No way of knowing for certain.’ Kyle spoke more softly; it was hard to make out every word. ‘She’ll deny everything.’
    ‘Whatever. It’s not like Danielle was important. Aiden and Cherie shouldn’t have got her involved if she couldn’t be trusted. Odd though. She sent me an email saying she needed to talk to me, the day before she died . .