One Perfect Summer

this!
    I try to concentrate on the movie, but it’s hard.
    Emily is still up when we get home. She comes out of the living room looking remarkably bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for this hour of the night.
    ‘Do you want a cuppa?’ she asks us hopefully.
    ‘No, I’m shattered,’ Jessie mutters, heading for the stairs. ‘See you in the morning.’
    ‘Oh, okay.’ She watches him go, a hurt expression clouding her face.
    I wanted to go to bed myself, but now I feel bad.
    ‘I’ll have one,’ I offer, but she continues to look disheartened as I follow her into the kitchen. ‘How was your evening?’ I ask.
    ‘Not bad.’
    ‘Not bad? That doesn’t sound too good.’
    ‘No, it was alright. It’s just my friend. She talks a lot about herself.’
    ‘What was she talking about?’ I ask.
    ‘Oh, just everything.’ The kettle boils and she sets about making us tea. I get the feeling she’s devoted more than enough attention to her friend tonight without talking about her to me as well. ‘How was your film?’ she asks, passing me a mug as we wander through to the living room.
    ‘Not bad.’
    ‘That doesn’t sound too good, either.’
    ‘No, it was good,’ I reply. ‘Weasley liked it. I was just a bit distracted,’ I add.
    ‘What with? Lukas?’
    ‘Mmm. And Joe,’ I admit, as the melancholy returns.
    ‘You do fancy Lukas, though, right?’ she asks.
    I nod, but I can’t look at her. ‘I just feel so disloyal to Joe,’ I admit, my bottom lip starting to go again. I glance up at her sympathetic face and hot tears prick my eyes.
    ‘Alice,’ Emily chides. ‘Where is Joe? He’s not here. You’ll probably never even see him again.’
    She says it in such a blasé fashion, yet her words cut me like a knife. I clutch my hands to my stomach.
    ‘Are you okay?’ she asks worriedly.
    ‘It really hurt when you said that,’ I whimper. She sits next to me, worry etched on her face.
    ‘When I said what?’ she asks.
    ‘About me never seeing him again.’ I can hardly speak.
    ‘But you probably won’t,’ she says gently.
    ‘Stop!’ I gasp, making her reel backwards.
    I know my behaviour is freaking her out, but I can’t help it. ‘Alice . . .’ She touches her hand to my arm. ‘Alice,’ she says more firmly, trying to bring me round.
    ‘I think I should go to bed,’ I whisper.
    ‘No,’ she says in a commanding voice. ‘Stop this, Alice. Snap out of it.’
    I open my eyes abruptly and stare at her, taken aback. She grasps my hand. ‘You’re a strong lassie,’ she says. ‘I know you are. So start acting like one.’
    What’s happened to the meek little mouse who moved in with us? Calm washes over me. Her words somehow do the trick.
    ‘Okay?’ she asks.
    I find my voice. ‘Yes.’
    ‘Good.’
    She squeezes my hand and forces a smile. ‘Come on, then; tell me about Lukas. Was he a tiger in bed?’
    I smile at her, but shake my head. ‘I don’t think I want to talk about it.’
    ‘Yes, you do. Does he have a fit body?’
    I giggle. She has me laughing again by the time we call it a night.

 
    ‘Am I calling too early?’
    My heart lifts when I hear Lukas’s voice. Last night’s insecurities had carried over to this morning.
    ‘Not at all,’ I reply with a smile. He sounds weird on the phone. We’ve only ever texted until now.
    ‘How was your movie?’
    ‘It was good. Did you go out with Harry and Matthew again?’
    ‘No. I stayed in my room and re-read Newton’s Principia .’
    ‘Wow. Fascinating,’ I tease, absent-mindedly twirling my hair around my fingers.
    ‘It was, actually.’ I can tell he’s smiling and all my worries fade away.
    ‘I suppose you’ll be too busy reading to see me today, then?’ I ask.
    ‘I might be able to squeeze you in.’
    ‘Sounds like fun,’ I joke. ‘What time?’
    ‘How long do you need to get ready?’
    ‘I can be ready as soon as you like,’ I reply.
    ‘Shall we go somewhere for breakfast?’
    ‘Um . . .’ I can hear the sound of an electric beater coming from the kitchen. I can’t ditch Jessie two days in a row. ‘Jessie is making pancakes. Why don’t you come over for a bit? We can go out afterwards.’
    I go downstairs to fill in my flatmates.
    ‘Ooh, exciting!’ Emily enthuses. ‘At last we’re going to meet the mysterious Lukas!’
    ‘Woo-hoo,’ Jessie says sarcastically.
    ‘Oi,’ I warn. ‘You’d better be nice to him.’
    ‘Oh, I’ll be nice,’ he says in a tone that doesn’t instil much