Page 110 of When We Were Young

My heart jumps in my chest. What does he want to talk to me about? Maybe he feels bad about blanking me this morning. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding. Maybe he still likes me.

Me:Okay. I can be there in ten minutes.

Downstairs, the VIP area is now packed. I weave my way through the crowd and back along the winding walkway. The security guard gives me a nod as I leave.

The last twenty-four hours have been a rollercoaster ride. I can’t wait to tell Nathan all about it. The festival site is different in the dark, and it takes a moment to get my bearings. I walk for a while, then turn under one of the ribbon archways. I’m expecting to see the field with the circus tents, but it’s a car park full of lorries. I don’t know where I am. I head back towards the VIP area to ask the security guard the way to the totem pole.

Suddenly, someone grabs my hair from behind and yanks. My head jerks back sharply and the force of it drags me to the ground. I land in a heap, one leg folded under me, my torso twisted. I cry out in pain, but a sweaty palm smothers my mouth and a voice close to my ear hisses, ‘Shut your fucking mouth!’

Chapter 50

June 2016

Emily

Scott frogmarches Nathan away from the tents, back down to the main festival site.

‘You said she wanted to see Twisted Sphinx. When are they playing?’ I ask as we walk.

‘Now, on the main stage,’ says Nathan. ‘They’ll be finished soon.’

‘Where would you agree to meet?’ asks Scott.

‘Probably at the totem pole.’

Scott halts. ‘Text her now. Tell her to meet you there after Twisted Sphinx.’

Nathan pulls out his phone and does as he’s told with Scott supervising at his shoulder.

We trudge on down the hill and a moment later Nathan’s phone beeps.

‘Is that her?’ I ask him. ‘What does it say?’

‘She says she’ll be there in ten minutes.’

He leads us to the totem pole, and we wait in the space between two food stalls out of sight. Applause and cheering mark the end of the Twisted Sphinx set and a steady stream of people file past us towards the tents. We wait twenty minutes, but there’s no sign of Liv. After another twenty, I’m getting worried. Scott and I exchange looks. Nathan says he needs thetoilet, so Scott drags him off to the Portaloos, but it’s not long before he’s back. Alone.

‘Where’s Nathan?’ I ask.

‘Little shit gave me the slip.’ Scott runs both hands through his hair. I was worried before but seeing him riled ramps my anxiety up even further. ‘He was no help anyway.’ Scott pulls out his phone, dials and holds it to his ear. ‘Fucking voicemail again.’ He stabs at it and shoves it back in his pocket. ‘Okay, I’m going to look for her. You wait here in case she shows. Stay where it’s well lit. I’ll come back and check in with you in half an hour.’

I pace the area, examining every face I pass, my stomach churning. On my third lap, I see a figure coming up the dark path from behind the food stalls. I recognise the silhouette, but the gait is wrong – she’s limping.

‘Liv!’ I run to her.

As she steps into the light, I see she is crying. Her legs are streaked with mud.Oh my God– there’s blood down the side of her neck.

‘Liv?’ I call, my voice shrill.

She sees me. Her whole body sags and I think she’s going to run off, but she runs towards me, sobbing. ‘Mum!’

She slams into my arms, her body quivering.

‘Honey, are you hurt?’ I grab her shoulders and hold her at arm’s length. ‘You’re bleeding.’

Her fingers flutter to her right ear and come away bloody. She stares at it blankly.

‘What happened?’ I move her hand out of the way to see her earlobe is torn.