Page 30 of Textbook Romance

You had sex on a kitchen counter. We start ascending the stairs towards the staff room. ‘Something about a cat. The one who gave you that scar on your eyebrow.’

‘That scar was from a really tough street fight in which I stopped an old lady from being mugged.’

I raise an eyebrow at him.

‘Damn Ed, ruining my street cred. It was a feral kitten I saved from a skip. His name was Sushi because he was ginger with little white paws.’

‘That’s kind of adorable.’

‘I know,’ he says, a broad grin creeping across his face, his hands adjusting his hi-vis.

‘I was talking about the cat’s name, not you.’ He laughs loudly and I think this is what I like about Jack. It’s not quite flirting, but it just flows so very well. I like the thin veil of innuendo in our conversation which entertains me even though I know it won’t go anywhere. We stop in a stairwell that overlooks a playground and watch groups of kids huddled in the mid-autumn air, nibbling on sandwiches, gazing at phones, trading in banter and play fights.

Jack turns to me, looking like he might be taking a long breath. ‘Anyway, while I have you here. I just want to say that if ever you need a peri-peri friend again, I quite enjoyed our chicken date last week.’

‘It wasn’t a date,’ I say, almost reprimanding him. ‘It was company. And while I have you here, I liked the chicken emoji, by the way. Keeping it classy.’

At least I’ve handled the chicken-sized elephant in the room. It’s dealt with, we can move on. I’ve drawn a line under what I think about the foundations of this acquaintance.

‘It’s because we had Nando’s – the chicken,’ he replies.

‘The cock,’ I whisper, for some reason looking down at his crotch in case he didn’t get the message. I shouldn’t have looked down.

‘OH my GOD…!’ he shouts and two girls at the other end of the corridor turn around. ‘I just sent a very innocent chicken. You thought I was sending you a…?’

It’s my turn to go bright beetroot now.

‘Oh dear, it’s just… I shouldn’t have raised it. The cock…’

‘You shouldn’t have raised my cock?’ he laughs.

And for some unknown reason, I push him. I cup my hands to my mouth. ‘I shouldn’t have pushed you. Oh, my days, stop saying cock!’

‘You said it first!’ he says, bent over laughing. I am lucky the corridor is clear and those two girls have moved on. ‘So that’s why you didn’t reply?’

‘I didn’t know what to do with it.’

‘The c?—’

I put a hand up before he has the chance to say the word again and turn this into innuendo. ‘I was embarrassed because I didn’t know how to respond. I didn’t understand what you were hinting at and, deep down, I really didn’t know if perhaps this was some sort of pity flirting.’

Jack steps back for a moment in shock, his expression changing. ‘Seriously? No, it’s not like that at all. I think you’re kind of…’

I put a hand to the air. ‘Sad and damaged? I know.’

His brow stays furrowed. I mean, there is truth in that. Have Ed, Mia and to some extent Beth put you up to this? Just go and flirt with the sad old divorcee, boost her self-esteem, make her feel happy for a short moment. Because I don’t really understand otherwise why you, a handsome and obviously intelligent young man would be here, talking to me, making me laugh. Why would you want to enter my sad, complicated life? Why would you want to be another complication?

‘Zoe…’ he says, brushing against my arm, but I back away.

He looks up at me, confused.

Why does he say my name like that? For a moment I look into his blue eyes and feel petrified at how it makes me feel.

‘THIS WAY!’ a teen male voice suddenly roars, and the moment is interrupted by a stampede of boys running towards us.

‘Keep up, Mr and Mrs Rogers!’ one of them screams, his bag hanging off his shoulders.

‘BOYS!’ I yell but this does not deter them.

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