Page 1 of One Night in Edinburgh

Prologue

Craiglockhart High School, Sixth Year Common Room

‘I’m done.’ I bound through the door of the empty sixth year common room and leap on to Connor’s lap. ‘No more school exams – ever!’

He plucks out his earphones and pecks me on the lips, causing my grin to widen further.

‘Congratulations. We’re free… at last.’ He lets out a satisfied sigh ‘This is going to be a summer to remember.’

‘It so is.’ I casually drape my arm around his shoulders. ‘Let’s go out tonight. The others were talking about getting drinks in at Charlie’s – his parents are out for dinner, so we’ll have the place to ourselves – and then heading on to Subway. You in?’

Connor frowns as he contemplates this. ‘West End or Cowgate? And are the “cool crowd” headed there?’

‘West End. And no, they’re heading to George Street from what I’ve heard.’

‘Then I’m in. But only because I know you love it there.’

‘Awesome. It’s gonna be such a great night.’ This time it’s me who kisses him. ‘Hey, wait a minute… you love cheesy music as much as I do, so why—’

‘Steph,shhh…’ Connor puts a finger to my lips to silence me and jerks his head in the direction of a fellow schoolmate reading through some pre-exam notes. ‘Don’t go sharing my deepest, darkest secrets about. It’s not cool to be into cheesy music if you’re a guy.’

‘Shit, sorry.’ I lower my voice to a whisper. ‘Didn’t see Becca there. She’s a right gossip. Don’t think she’s paying any attention though.’

‘Here’s hoping. So, that’s us then. You’re off to uni in four months, and I’m set to enter the world of work full time.’ He puffs out his chest proudly.

‘I still wish you were coming with me.’ I put on a petted lip. ‘Won’t be the same without you.’

‘You’ll make friends quickly; it’s not like you’re moving away or anything. We can hang out when I’m not on shift, and when I’m working you can study. You’ll have to do some of that at uni, you know. It’s not all parties and nights out.’

‘I know. But I’ll missthis, you know?’

Connor chuckles. ‘You hate this place. You’ve been counting down the days till we can leave.’

‘Yeah, but it’s the schoolyard politics I hate – the stuck-upness and the judging and the bitching. Not this. I love being able to hang with you at break and lunchtimes, and being able to walk home together, and…’ I tail off awkwardly.

‘And what, Stephy?’ Connor fixes me with his piercing blue eyes. ‘Come on. Out with it.’

I shift awkwardly in his lap, adjusting my school blazer while self-consciously twiddling a lock of my deep red box-dyed hair. ‘I still don’t get why you’re not going to uni. Or college even. You’ll get the grades – not for one of the top unis, but good enough to get a degree and a decent job at the end of it.’

‘Uni isn’t the be-all and end-all.’ He shrugs. ‘I don’t fancy it; it’s that simple. Never been the academic type. I’m more of a practical guy.’

‘Yeah, but going full time in your weekend supermarket job is… well, it’s not moving on, is it?’

‘It is for me. They’re going to put me through their management training programme. That’s moving on, just not in the same way as you.’

‘I guess.’

‘And, as I’ll be earning and you’ll be a poor student, I’ll be able to treat you.’

‘Now that’s a plus for sure.’ I give him a cheeky wink, but then my face turns serious again. ‘I’m concerned for you is all, Connor. I want you get the most from life, and… I don’t want us to grow apart.’

‘So that’s what this is all about.’ He slips me off his lap and on to the seat next to him so our eyes are level. ‘Stephy, you and me are forever, you know that.’

‘I know… but—’

‘Hey… no “buts”… we made a pact. We’re soulmates. There’snothingthat can come between us.’

I drink in his floppy brown hair and the sincere expression on his face, and my heart melts like a Mr Whippy on a warm summer’s day. Connor is my world. He’s also the hottest guy I’ve ever met in my life. I can never understand why the self-styledbiatchesin my year have never given him a second look. But then Ireallywouldn’t want them to, so it’s actually a good thing.

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