Sometimes

Chapter sixteen

The bus smelt of fish and chips, making my stomach rumble.  I looked to my left to see a couple tucking into their lunch on the seat across from me. I’d been at work since nine this morning and now, being half past one, I was starting to feel the effects of only eating a banana and a biscuit for breakfast.  I was even beginning to regret declining the melted chocolate bar that Leanne had found at the bottom of her bag. 

    “Harriet!”

I jumped at the sound of Cassie’s voice.  My hunger was taking over my brain and I’d forgotten to answer her question.  Pushing the phone back towards me ear, I finally replied.

    “Yes, Cass.  I arm wrestled him.”

Cassie sighed.  “Why?  Are you mad?”

I rolled my eyes.  “No.  But he asked me, and it meant I got to hold his hand for a bit, so I thought ‘why not?’”

    “Because he probably thinks you’re some macho bloke now, that’s why.”  She sounded annoyed.  “All that work I did, getting you a new haircut and letting you borrow my dress when we went to The Rooster.  I might as well have not bothered.”

    “It’s not that bad,” I tried.  “He was smiling at me all evening.  I didn’t get home until half ten.”

    “Why, were you discussing gym routines instead of flirting?”

I tutted.  “No.  We talked about music actually.  You know, he likes the band that Zelda King’s boyfriend’s in.”  I held my breath, hoping that by talking about Zelda, Cassie might ease up on me.

She sighed again, more dramatically than before.  “Well, I guess that counts for something.  But still, next time he asks you for an arm wrestle, ask for a snog instead.”

I could feel my cheeks warming up.  “Cass!”

    “What?  You’re gonna have to do some serious point scoring to get him back on side.”

Cassie’s words bounced around my head for a moment, but I wasn’t focusing on them.  All I could think about was the feel of Sonny’s skin on mine and the way he’d been talking to me.  Just me, without adding anyone else into the conversation.  I could feel a girly giggle bubbling up inside of me.

    “Aiden doesn’t think I did bad at all.  He thinks I did the right thing, by joining in, rather than just sitting on the outside.”

    “And what does Aiden know?”  Cassie sounded hurt.  “He’s single, isn’t he?”

    “Yes,” I replied. “But he’s a guy, Cass.  He knows how guys think.”  I heard Cassie scoff on the other end of the phone.  “He’s working with you, not against.”

    “I know, I know,” Cassie insisted.  “It’s just that I like helping you.  I don’t want him taking all the credit when you and Sonny start going out.”