The Friends We Keep(28)

Evvie attempted a run, which quickly became a jog, which settled back into a walk, Evvie clutching the stitch in her side and breathing heavily. When the pain had subsided, she walked briskly up the high street to the King’s Head, nervous about walking in on her own.

Gone were the hordes of students. A few locals were dotted around, sipping pints, but it felt deserted, and sad. She hesitated in the doorway, but couldn’t bring herself to go in. It felt completely different without the students, and not a place she belonged.

Closing the door quietly behind her, she had made it halfway to the corner when she thought she heard her name. She turned, startled, to see none other than Evil Ben making his way toward her from, presumably, the King’s Head. She had seen the locals, but she hadn’t seen him. He, on the other hand, had clearly seen her.

Great, she thought, with a deep internal sigh. The last person she wanted to see. She had nothing to say to him. It would appear he was slightly drunk, and she braced herself, wondering whether he would be Charming Ben, whom Maggie had encountered that time with her parents, whom she had had a vague glimpse of the other day in the pub when he joined them for drinks, or Evil Ben, whom she had worked with all those years ago.

It would only be seconds before she found out.





thirteen


- 1989 -



Evvie!” He walked toward her with—somewhat bizarrely—arms outstretched, as if he was about to hug her, and with what looked like a delighted smile on his face.

Evvie took a wary step back before finding herself embraced by him in what felt like a very awkward hug. Why on earth was Evil Ben hugging her? She patted him stiffly on the back before expertly disengaging herself.

She looked at him and realized he looked altogether too happy. “Are you completely shit-faced, Ben?”

He laughed. “Not completely. We’re on a scavenger hunt, and you, my dear Evvie, are exactly the woman I was hoping to see.”

“Who’s on a scavenger hunt, and why did you want to see me?”

“I’m on a scavenger hunt with my mates. It’s Rich’s twenty-fourth birthday, and this is how we’re celebrating. I’ve been stuck on item number eight.” He swayed ever so slightly as he reached into his pocket and brought out a piece of paper, handing it to Evvie to read.

She scanned the first few items, mentally rolling her eyes. A 36C bra. Of course. Take a picture hugging a teddy bear. She thought of Topher then, of his Sebastian Flyte teddy bear phase when they first met, as a pang of missing her friends washed over her that was so sharp, she inhaled deeply with a shake of her head before going back to the list. A pair of earrings that you have to wear at the final party. Find a lightsaber. Snog a celebrity and take a picture. Evvie looked up at Evil Ben.

“Item number eight says snog a celebrity and take a picture.”

“That’s why I was going to look for you. Someone said they’d heard you were here for a few days.” He grinned. “You’re the only celebrity I know.”

“I’m hardly a celebrity.”

“You were in that TV show, so you’re the closest thing I could find.”

“Even if that’s the case, I’m not going to snog you.” Evvie shook her head in disgust, appalled that he would even ask.

“Oh, go on, Evvie,” Ben pleaded. “It’s just for a scavenger hunt.”

“Why would I do that? What’s the big deal about a scavenger hunt?”

Ben shrugged. “Nothing, but I’m competitive. I was hoping you’d take pity on me. If I won, you could come to Rich’s party with me. How’s that?”

Evvie stared at him. Normally she’d say no. She would have no interest in going to a party with Evil Ben, but normally she wouldn’t be on her own with a very long week stretching in front of her.

“Go on,” said Ben. “I tell you what. Even if I don’t win, you could come to the party with me.”

“What makes you think I would want to go to a party with you?”

Ben paused, thinking. “Pity?”

Despite herself, Evvie laughed. “When you say snog, what do you mean? Tongues or no tongues?”

There was a long pause. “No tongues.” He peered at her. “Unless you want to.”

“I definitely don’t want to.” Evvie thought of Maggie’s face if she knew Evvie was even considering snogging Ben. But this was just a game, and at least going to a party would give her something to do. A kiss, especially one without tongues, meant nothing.

“Do you have a camera?” she asked, before Ben triumphantly pulled a small disposable one out of his pocket.

“One kiss,” she said as Ben whooped and fist-pumped the air.

“Here?” he asked, looking up and down the high street.

“No!” Evvie was horrified at the prospect of kissing in the middle of the street. Looking around, she saw the alleyway next to Dorothy Perkins, and pointed. “Let’s go there.”

Evvie walked in front of Ben, shaking her head to herself at what she was about to do. Never in a million years had she ever imagined she would be kissing Evil Ben.

They stepped into the alleyway and faced each other as Evvie suddenly felt a jolt inside her stomach. She wasn’t sure what it meant, but she didn’t like it. Let’s get this over with quickly, she thought.