'Don't lose it!'
'I won't! Thanks, Liss.' I give her a hug. 'Honestly, I'll do the same for you when I'm a
member of an exclusive club.'
'You remember the password, don't you?'
'Yes. Alexander.'
'Where are you going?' says Jemima, coming into my room all dressed up to go out. She gives
me a critical look. 'Nice top. Where's it from?'
'Oxfam. I mean, Whistles.'
I've decided tonight I'm not even going to try to borrow anything from Jemima. I'm going to
wear all my own clothes, and if Jack doesn't like it, he can lump it.
'I was meaning to ask,' Jemima says, narrowing her eyes. 'You two didn't go into my room last
night, did you?'
'No,' says Lissy innocently. 'Why, did it look like we had?'
Jemima was out until three, and by the time she got back, everything was back in place.
Sellotape and everything. We couldn't have been more careful.
'No,' admits Jemima reluctantly. 'Nothing was out of place. But I just got a feeling . As
though
someone had been in there.'
'Did you leave the window open?' says Lissy. 'Because I read this article recently, about how
monkeys are being sent into houses to steal things.'
'Monkeys ?' Jemima stares at her.
'Apparently. The thieves train them.'
Jemima looks perplexedly from Lissy to me, and I force myself to keep a straight face.
'Anyway,' I say quickly, to change the subject. 'You might like to know that you were wrong
about Jack. I'm going out with him again tonight. It wasn't a disastrous date at all!'
There's no need to add the small detail that we had a big row and I stormed out and he had to
follow me to the bus stop. Because the point is, we're having a second date.
'I wasn't wrong,' says Jemima. 'You just wait. I predict doom.'
I pull a face at her behind her back as she leaves, and start putting on my mascara 'What's the
time?' I say, frowning as I blob a bit on my eyelid.
'Ten to eight,' says Lissy. 'How are you going to get there?'
'Cab.'
Suddenly the buzzer goes, and we both look up.
'He's early,' says Lissy. 'That's a bit weird.'
'He can't be early!' We hurry into the sitting room, and Lissy gets to the window first.
'Oh my God,' she says, looking down to the street below. 'It's Connor.'
'Connor ?' I stare at her in horror. 'Connor's here?'
'He's holding a box of stuff. Shall I buzz him up?'
'No! Pretend we're not in!'
'Too late,' says Lissy, and pulls a face. 'Sorry. He's seen me.'
The buzzer sounds again, and we look at each other helplessly.
'OK,' I say at last. 'I'm going down.'
Shit shit shit
I pelt downstairs and breathlessly open the door. And there, standing on the doorstep, is
Connor, wearing the same martyred expression he had at the office.
'Hi,' he says. 'Here are the things I was telling you about. I thought you might need them.'
'Er, thanks,' I say, grabbing the box, which seems to contain one bottle of L'Oreal shampoo
and some jumper I've never seen in my life. 'I haven't quite sorted out your stuff yet, so I'll
bring it to the office, shall I?'
I dump the box on the stairs, and quickly turn back before Connor thinks I'm inviting him in.
'So, um, thanks,' I say. 'It was really good of you to stop by.'
'No problem,' says Connor. He gives a heavy sigh. 'Emma I was thinking perhaps we could
use this as an opportunity to talk. Maybe we could have a drink, or supper even.'
'Gosh,' I say brightly. 'I'd love that. I really would. But to be honest, now isn't a completely
brilliant time.'
'Are you going out?' His face falls.
'Um, yes. With Lissy.' I glance surreptitiously at my watch. It's six minutes to eight. 'So
anyway, I'll see you soon. You know, around the office'
'Why are you so flustered?' Connor is staring at me.
'I'm not flustered!' I say, and lean casually against the doorframe.
'What's wrong?' His eyes narrow suspiciously, and he looks past me into the hall. 'Is
something going on?'
'Connor,' I put a reassuring hand on his arm. 'Nothing's going on. You're imagining things.'
At that moment, Lissy appears behind me at the door.
'Um, Emma, there's a very urgent phone call for you,' she says in a really stilted voice. 'You'd
better come straight away oh, hello Connor!'
Unfortunately Lissy is the worst liar in the world.
'You're trying to get rid of me!' says Connor, looking from Lissy to me in bewilderment.
'No we're not!' says Lissy, flushing bright red.
'Hang on,' says Connor suddenly, staring at my outfit. 'Hang on a minute. I don't are you
going on a date?'
My mind works quickly. If I deny it, we'll probably get into some huge argument. But if I
admit the truth, maybe he'll stalk off in a huff.
'You're right,' I say. 'I've got a date.'
There's a shocked silence.
'I don't believe this,' says Connor, shaking his head, and to my dismay, sinks heavily down
onto the garden wall. I glance at my watch. Three minutes to eight. Shit!
'Connor'
'You told me there wasn't anyone else! You promised, Emma!'
'There wasn't! But there is now. And he'll be here soon Connor, you really don't want to