Page 77 of The Christmas Express
‘That doesn’t sound like someone with Big City Energy to me. If I can offer you some advice, I think you should take more risks, starting with getting yourself next door.’
‘This is completely the opposite advice I’m trying to make you take.’
‘Well, we are completely different people.’
Ember yawns again then, and flutters her eyes closed. ‘I have to go to sleep, man, I can’t think any more with this vodka-head.’
‘Alright, night night,’ I say, but she’s already zonked, and so I tiptoe out through the door to go and fill my water from the tap beside the shared bathroom.
The carriage is quiet but not silent, what with it being Christmas Day still, and not particularly late. I pause outside Sara and Joss’s room, and don’t hear anything.
I stop outside Luke and Joe’s room . . . nothing. I wonder if Joe is still up at the party?
Not that it matters, I’m not going to do anything tonight. I need a clear head. We need to talk properly, without the influence of mood lighting and music.
I pad back and forth along the corridor a couple more times. It’ll probably help with the hangover tomorrow if I get a little exercise now.
Just going to top my water bottle up a little more, then I’ll go back to my compartment, get a good night’s sleep.
I’ll sleep better if I stretch my legs out a bit more first. Ten laps of the carriage should do it.
The ball is in my court with Luke, that’s what he said.
‘Luke?’ I whisper, so quietly that even I don’t hear myself.
I listen at the door, but it’s still silent. Phew, he didn’t hear me either, that’s that then, off I go to sleep. ‘Luke?’ I say louder, tingling with excited defiance at myself.
The sound of a footstep on the floor comes from behind the door, and my heart and nerves skitter. I take two steps towards my door, as if I might have time to get back in before he comes out, then stop myself.
I should not go into his compartment. But I’m going to!
‘Hey,’ Luke says, opening the door. He’s in boxers and no T-shirt, the sly dog, and I try my hardest to look him dead in the eyes, and the eyes alone. ‘You came.’
A million thoughts twirl about, so fast I can’t keep up, but one important one pops out. ‘I wish you’d said hi, that day, in London.’
Luke exhales. ‘So do I,’ he breathes the words out and I fall into him, my hands cupping his neck, trailing on his skin, my arms around his neck, resting on his shoulders. We pause for second, just a second, with our lips close to each other, and when he smiles, I’m reminded of the best part of kissing him, and I’m not scared any more.
I kiss him, and it’s just how I remembered it, but it also feels new and real, because we came back to each other. I murmur his name and he chuckles, saying mine back to me, printing it onto my lips with his own,
Luke pulls me into him, and into his room.
Chapter 41
Ember
The train judders. A screech sounds somewhere underneath me. For a moment I’m disoriented by the fact I’m lying down flat.
Ah, yes. I’m in Cali’s compartment. And ah, yes, I drank a lot last night.
I stand up on shaking legs and open the curtain a crack, scrunching up my face against the blinding white of the snow, the sun risen and beaming, the sky blue, and the trees moving.
Oh my God, we’re moving! We’re moving forward again!
‘Cali,’ I say, not expecting the rasping wheeze of a voice to come out of my mouth. Ugh, I haven’t felt this bad since the morning after my birthday party at the beach. I try again. ‘Cali, the train’s moving.’ I pat her bunk, but it’s flat, and that’s when I look over.
There’s not even a hint of warmth on those sheets. I smile. That naughty girl crept next door after all. Well, good for her.
Damn, that makes me remember what might have been with Alex.
