Undone(71)

‘And what?’

He shrugs again. ‘I suppose some of the girls haven’t always been too happy about it afterwards. I’m not saying … it’s just you should see the texts they send him, calling him a user and saying he took advantage of them or whatever.’ Lucas is still searching the window for answers.

‘But that doesn’t mean he actually raped anyone. Those girls knew what they were getting into – it’s not like people don’t know what sort of reputation he’s got … Unless … He hasn’t said anything to you, has he?’

‘No, no, nothing like that. It’s just … I suppose what I’m trying to say is I can sort of imagine some girl maybe regretting what they’d done, or maybe he kind of … you know, talked her into it a little bit. Maybe gave her an extra shot or two in her drink. Which is a totally different thing, right?’

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. It’s clear as anything that Lucas thinks Stu might have actually raped someone. Because even though he might not think it would count as rape, that’s exactly what it is. I remember what Stu was like in that greenhouse at the party. But then I also remember what he was like when I lied to him and told him I’d been raped. Suddenly I don’t know what to believe any more.

I say nothing and you can tell Lucas is regretting his choice of words but isn’t quite sure what to say to make things better. ‘He’s a good guy though, deep down. I know he is.’ He nods as if he’s convinced by his own words.

I slip my arms around his waist. ‘I think we should talk about something else, don’t you? I’m sure everything will be fine with Stu. And if you say he’s a good guy, then I believe you. I trust you, Lucas.’

This was clearly the right thing to say because the worry disappears from his face and the smile is back. ‘Do you? That’s good to know.’ He brings his face close to mine. ‘Don’t think I haven’t noticed you checking out my legs all afternoon.’

I slap him on the shoulder. ‘Checking out your legs? AS IF!’

He whispers in my ear. ‘You probably spilled that Coke on purpose, just so you could see me in shorts. I mean, really, Jem, I thought you were classier than that.’

‘Yeah, you’re right. You’ve uncovered my evil plan. Next time I’ll make sure a vat of Coke gets spilled on you so that you have to walk around school in nothing but your pants.’ He laughs and kisses my ear lobe. It tickles.

He takes a step back and grabs my hand. ‘I think we should hurry up and get back to my place, don’t you?’ There’s no mistaking the look in his eyes. He’s gone from stress and worry and doubt about Stu to complete and utter lust in approximately sixty seconds.





chapter forty-four


We have sex on the sofa because it seems that neither of us can wait the extra thirty seconds it would have taken us to get upstairs to his room. It’s pretty intense. He’s a bit rougher than before, which is weird considering what we’d just been talking about. Don’t get me wrong, I like it. And he’s not rough rough or anything weird like that. It’s just that there’s a noticeable difference in the way he kisses me, the way he touches me.

Afterwards, Lucas makes me a sandwich and we’ve just finished eating when we hear the sound of a key in the door. Lucas’s face is priceless. He looks at his watch, grabs our plates and legs it into the kitchen. As if the fact that we’re having a snack in the living room is the worst thing about this situation rather than the fact that my top seems to have been spirited away by invisible elves or something.

When a harassed-looking woman with car keys between her teeth, five bulging bags of shopping in her hands and a newspaper tucked under one arm walks in, I’m leaning over the back of the sofa on the off-chance the elves might have deposited my top there. At least I’ve got my bra on. And my jeans. So it’s not as embarrassing as it could have been if she’d arrived half an hour earlier. Still, it’s pretty much the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to me.

She lets the car keys drop from her mouth onto a little dish on the sideboard, takes one look at me and says, ‘Are you going to give me a hand or what?’

A nervous laugh bubbles up from nowhere and I do my best to turn it into a cough because the last thing I want is for Lucas’s mother to think I’m laughing at her. Because it’s obviously Lucas’s mum, unless a multitude of middle-aged women barge into his house on a regular basis. I hurry over to her. ‘Sorry, I …’ She hands me one of the bags, then holds out another, which means I have to abandon my lame attempt to cover my boobs with my right arm.

‘No need for modesty, honey. Really. Boobs are boobs … we’ve all got them.’

I’m tempted to drop the bags and run out of the house into oncoming traffic. Then I remember how bloody quiet this street is and decide to act like I’m totally cool with being half naked in front of this stranger.

Lucas comes back into the room and laughs. He f*cking laughs, the bastard. He’s not wearing a top either, but it’s OK for boys, isn’t it? The bastards. He holds out his hands and says, ‘Let me take those. You … er …’ He makes a flapping gesture in the vague direction of my chest.

I hand over the bags and look around, and that’s when I see the corner of my top peeking out from behind a cushion. Thank Christ for that. I pull it over my head and smile at Lucas’s mum. ‘Hi, I’m …’