“So, are you up for a tour? I’d love to show you around the campus,” said Annika, after helping Sofia put away her suitcases on top of the wardrobe.
Five minutes later, starting from the basement, they had gone all the way up, Annika pointing out all the utility areas, the important offices to keep in mind, the canteen, the library, the workshops, and of course, the resident club that had the unimaginative name “The Basement”, owed to its location within the building.
About the latter, Annika said there were rumours it came with its own resident ghost, which Sofia laughed off, but her roommate fixed her with a ponderous gaze saying she’d never dismiss a ghost story, without proper investigation. Sofia didn’t push the point further, yet, it seemed ridiculous to her that a ghost might frequent a student campus.
When the girls returned to their room, Annika sat on her bed looking spent, but the first thing she did is broach the same subject. “You don’t believe in ghosts then, Sofia?”
“No, I didn’t say that,” she replied, thinking it was uncanny Annika should ask this question, seeing that The Lady had been haunting her for a year, albeit only in her dreams. But of course, she’d never talk about this with a total stranger. “It’s just that when you think of ghosts, you imagine the attics or the basements of decrepit old houses, or the locked rooms of ancient castles,” she reasoned with a nervous chuckle.
“I see what you mean. But I like to keep an open mind. I am not ashamed to say I am very interested in these things. So I intend to investigate,” she said with a smirk, and a finger on her nose.
Sofia’s brow creased. “Investigate?”
“You know, go to The Basement and dance the night away at least once a week. If there’s a ghost, it’s bound to do something naughty sooner or later, right?” she said with a wink.
“Now, this has to be the most entertaining investigation of ghosts, ever,” said Sofia with a giggle.
“So, can I count on you as my helper and companion in this dreadfully intrepid adventure?” carried on Annika in the same amusing tone, making Sofia laugh.
“Of course!” said Sofia. As both of them laughed now, she decided she really liked this odd-looking girl from Sweden. This is going to be a great year; I just know it!
Chapter 39
Sofia left Grand Parade dressed in a fresh change of clothes: a t-shirt, cotton slacks, and a pair of gym shoes for maximum comfort. She walked past the fruit and veg market, taking in the vivid colours of the diverse produce and the loud voices of the people behind the stalls. She had a good look around her, gazing at the business buildings along the highway too, but her gaze finally rested only when she reached the roadside. Straight ahead, at the end of the highway stretching out before her, she could see the sea, tranquil and inviting, calling to her.
It took her just under ten minutes to walk down that highway to the promenade, where she stopped short, her eyes wide, mouth gaping open. Before her, she found the big signs of the Brighton Aquarium. Across from it, the Palace Pier stretched out into the sea, swarming with visitors, its entrance adorned with flags and garlands, beckoning to passers-by with the promise of fun.
If it hadn’t been for Sofia’s immense anticipation to see the West Pier at last, she would have gone in there and then, but it simply had to wait. She crossed the road at the traffic lights, then headed for the green railing to peer underneath. The waves came softly to shore, making a delicious sound on the shingle below, a sound that reached up to her ears in a way that made her heart flutter. The cry of the seagulls mixed with it perfectly, creating the ideal atmosphere for a relaxed, fun-filled day. The beach was full of tourists walking around, sitting on the shingle or lying on deckchairs. A multitude of children ran up and down near the water, squealing or curiously peering into small boats lying on the beach at a safe distance away from the water.
All this was such a huge pleasure to witness that Sofia forgot all about the West Pier for a while. And then, she turned her head to the right, and there it was in the misty distance, as if slowly rising from the water, the derelict West Pier at last before her eyes.
Sofia gasped and broke into a stride that was almost a run, unable to wait for a single moment until she was finally there. She followed the railing, as the busy traffic progressed along King’s Road beside her, her eyes never leaving the Pier as it came closer and closer into her line of sight, stirring inside her an elation she’d never known before. In just a couple of minutes, she was finally there.
A big booth stood at the roadside right in front of the Pier, the sign informing her it housed the West Pier Trust. Big pictures of the Pier in its heyday hung by the entrance, enticing visitors to come inside and catch a glimpse of the Pier’s glorious past. Sofia made a mental note to do that too in time, then turned around and gazed over at Regency Square on the other side of the road, the words from her dream now playing again in her mind: ‘Meet me across from Regent’s, on King’s Road’.
The Lady in her dream had urged her to get there, and now she had. Although Sofia had dreamt of the word ‘Regent’s’ as opposed to the correct, ‘Regency Square’, this had been no coincidence. This was the exact place in the world that The Lady had referred to. The anticipation and the bewilderment that this stirred in her felt like electricity, like every cell in her body had just shifted, changing her forever, somehow.
Without further ado, she took the stairs to the beach from there. The shingle crunched under her feet as she paced towards the water, the sound so delicious that it almost hypnotised her. Dazed, she knelt at the edge of the shore to dip her fingertips in the cool water. Small waves lapped against the beach, as if caressing it.
Towering over her in a way that made her feel tiny, the West Pier stood ancient, hurt, and cut off from the modern world, like a discarded broken limb, like an open wound that was beyond closing. Sofia gave a shudder and sat down on the shingle, her legs outstretched before her, as she wiped unexpected tears from her eyes.
Right then, feeling overwhelmed by the experience, she thought she saw a shadow fleet past her eyes. But was it past her eyes, near her, or had it manifested up there, at the end of the railing, right before the decrepit Concert Hall, down the middle of the Pier? It was only momentary, the shadow that she’d seen. It was dark black and dull, and as soon as she’d registered it, it was already gone.
Sofia propped herself up on her elbows, gazing at the Pier again now, her eyes caressing every part of it in tender greeting. She took deep, thankful breaths of the delicious sea air and felt it soothing her inside, as she tried to calm down her overworked senses. I must be exhausted from the trip. I’m seeing things. I’ll stay a bit more, then head back to the campus for a nap. I think I need it.
***
In the evening, Annika and Sofia entered the cafeteria, feeling famished. A girl waved to Annika as soon as they approached the sitting area with their trays, and the girls went up to her to eat together. Annika knew her, and she swiftly made the introductions.
“Sofia, meet Sylvia, an English girl. Sylvia, meet Sofia. She’s from Greece.”
The two girls shook hands, and then they all started eating. The food was surprisingly good, albeit a bit strange to Sofia. She took some grateful bites and thought she could get used to it. Being unaccustomed to gravy, its texture and taste struck her as rather odd, and she found herself wishing she could have some olive oil and lemon juice to drizzle on her veg instead. Still, the ciabatta bread she’d been served wasn’t too bad.
“So, you’re Greek,” said Sylvia, tossing a strand of her long dark hair over her shoulder with a perfectly manicured hand. She was a stunning girl, dressed very smartly in a flower-patterned long dress, and she wore stylish jewellery too. She belonged in a fashion magazine rather than in a student cafeteria.
“Yes,” said Sofia, but before she could speak again, Annika put up her hand to cut her off.
“Stop! Can we skip this? It’s like fumbling in the dark without as much as a lighter. I’ve got a bette
r and faster way, Sofia.”
“Huh?” said Sofia, frowning.
“I mean look, I’ve come prepared and everything,” continued Annika, producing a crumpled piece of paper from the back pocket of her torn jeans. “Here’s the questionnaire. Trust me, you girls don’t want to know anything else about each other!”
“Oh yes, Sofia, I’ve already done this with Annika. It’s fun!” said Sylvia, sitting back and looking expectant, mirth causing her soft brown eyes to sparkle.
“Right, Sofia. Quick round of questions!” said Annika, opening up the note before her.
“Oh dear, do I want to do this?” said Sofia with a half- smile, but she seemed amused enough.
“Don’t worry; just the usual stuff, nothing intruding. I left that questionnaire in my other jeans, I’ll use that tomorrow,” joked Annika with a wink in her thick accent, sounding somewhat like a female Schwarzenegger, causing Sofia to relax, her amusement heightened. She stopped eating and sat back in her chair, waiting.
“Favourite colour?” asked Annika.
“Blue.”
“Favourite sport to watch or do?”
“Gymnastics. I mean, to watch. I don’t do sports.” Sofia shrugged her shoulders.
Annika gave her an easy smile. “Don’t worry. No one’s grading here. There are no wrong answers. So, what music do you like?”
“George Michael, Chris Rea . . .”
Annika lifted an arm, then did a thumbs down and pulled out her tongue jokingly, never leaving her eyes off the note. The gestures caused the other girls to giggle. “What about actors? Who’s your favourite?”
“Tom Cruise!” said Sofia readily. She’d simply adored him since she’d watched Top Gun and had seen many of his other movies too.
“Really? He’s my favourite too. I’ve seen all his movies!” cut in Sylvia, her face alight with enthusiasm.
“See? That’s why my questionnaire is the best! Just four questions and you’ve already found a common interest. I will accept your thanks and congratulations now,” joked Annika, putting up her hands and closing her eyes, pretending to gesture to an invisible audience to stop applauding.
This caused the other girls to giggle uproariously.
“So, how long did it take you two to find common ground?” asked Sofia.
“It took us a bit longer. We had to wait till question number eleven,” said Annika.
“What was the question?” asked Sofia, still tittering with amusement.
“Favourite hobbies/pastimes. We both had swimming,” replied Sylvia.
“Oh, that’s nice. I love swimming, but I do prefer the sea to the pool,” said Sofia.
“You won’t see me swimming on the beach here, no way,” said Annika, shaking her head fiercely. “I like the water crystal clear, like in Crete for example,” she added, causing Sofia to nod appreciatively. “This is why I’ve already registered with a swimming pool nearby so I’m all sorted. Sylvia’s registered too. Why don’t you join us, Sofia?”
Sofia flicked her wrist at the suggestion and wrinkled her nose. “Nah, I’m not too keen. But you can keep asking me questions. I can’t wait to see what we have in common.”
It was a disaster. They had gone down to question fifty—the last one—and not even one of Sofia’s answers had matched Annika’s. Annika wore a face of disappointment now. “I thought my system was infallible. Oh well, I’ll just add more questions,” she said, causing the others to snigger.
After their meal, Sofia excused herself to go make some phone calls. She’d called her mother that morning, but she hadn’t called her grandmother yet since arriving in England. She dialled the number in Corfu and got through easily. The call lasted for a few minutes, during which she had to keep feeding coins unstoppably into the slot, but it was well worth it. Her grandmother had a lot of news to share. She said Dora was doing fine with her physiotherapy. The accident had left her with two broken legs among other things, but the doctors believed that in the next couple of months she’d walk again without the crutches. As for Akis, Gran mentioned he started English lessons in preparation for his big adventure around Europe the following summer. The last bit of news: Loula was getting over-excited as this weekend she was finally coming to England.
Sofia was particularly enthused to hear about Loula. Last time she’d spoken to her, she didn’t have a date for her arrival, as she was still waiting for Steve to confirm his leave with work before booking her flight.
Smiling to herself, Sofia dialled the next number. It was Steve’s. She thought it’d be nice to let him know she’d arrived, plus he was her only chance to see Danny again. Her pride was never going to let her just phone him on her own, even though she had his home number.
After just a couple of rings, Steve’s voice echoed from the other end.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Steve! It’s Sofia!”
“Sofia, what a lovely surprise! How are you?”
“I’m fine, thank you. I’m here in Brighton!”
“You’re joking! Crikey, I’ve lost track of time. When did you arrive?”
“Today. Classes start this Monday and I can’t wait.”
“I cannot believe you’re here, Sofia. This is so exciting!”
“And I just heard Loula is coming this weekend!”
“Yes, oh God, yes! I can’t believe it yet. It’s all happening so fast, my head is spinning.”
“You sound very happy, Steve. I am so pleased for you and Loula.”
“Thank you, Sofia. But you know, the old gang won’t be complete unless there’s four of us again. Now you’re here, I’ll get on the phone with that pain in the ass, and get you two to meet.”
“Would you? Would you do this for me, Steve?”
“Of course.”
“Oh, thank you! It means so much to me. But please make it sound like it’s your idea to meet up. Please don’t say I asked you.”
“Sofia, you didn’t ask me, did you? Leave it to me. He won’t know a thing. Promise. Is there a number where I can reach you?”
Sofia gave him the number of the secretary’s office and they hung up. As she walked back to the cafeteria, she felt as if her feet weren’t even touching the ground.
When Annika saw her, she pointed a finger at her, her eyes dancing. “What is your favourite board game?”
“Monopoly, of course.”
“Damn it, it’s Ludo for me.” She looked almost upset as she scribbled speedily on the note, then looked up again quickly enough, tilting her head. “If you could take one singer with you on a desert island to sing for you all day, who would that be?”
Sofia opened her mouth and was about to say ‘George Michael’, when Annika put up a hand, the look in her squinting eyes almost pleading. “All you have to do is say ‘Morten Harket’, and I’ll do a happy dance for you.”
Sofia’s eyes lit up. “The singer from A-ha? Right! Now I get the leather straps!” Her wide grin caused Annika’s face to brighten up with hope. “A-ha are fantastic,” continued Sofia, “But sorry, my heart belongs to George. You’re clutching at straws now, surely,” she said with a tittering laugh.
“Morten is God, you must be mad . . .” replied her friend, shaking her head.
“Keep trying, Annika.” Sofia winked, her face animated with gaiety.
Chapter 40
Two days later, on Saturday morning, Sofia set off to revisit the West Pier. This time, impossibly, her heart thudded against her chest even more violently than before. The reason was that as she walked briskly along the promenade, she was on her way to see not just her beloved Pier again, but also Danny himself.
The previous night, Steve had called to say he had great news. He had announced to Danny that Sofia was in Brighton, and his friend had voiced his enthusiasm at once, saying he wanted to meet up with her soon. Sofia had been overwhelmed to hear that. It had been impossible to hide from Steve the sentiment in her voice during that call, but she had made sure to suggest the perfect spot for meeting the boy
s. ‘Across from Regent’s Square, at the West Pier’, she’d said, and Steve had been only too happy.
When Sofia reached the booth of the West Pier Trust, she stopped outside the entrance. She stood there, glued to the spot like a sentinel, enough for an elderly man to confuse her for a staff member and to ask her a question about one of the pinned posters outside. Sofia laughed it off, explaining to the man that she wasn’t staff and urged him to go inside and ask instead. The hilarity of the misunderstanding eased her huge nerves somewhat, and it had been well timed as moments later, as soon as the old man disappeared through the door, she heard Danny’s excited voice. She whipped her head around, her breath catching in her throat, and she saw him standing there next to Steve, his arms open wide.
“Sofia! Gorgeous Sofia!” he said, and she fell into his arms, holding him tight. As she closed her eyes and breathed in his aftershave, she recognised it from Vassilaki. For a split second, it carried her back to their private walk along the river in Messi on his last evening on the island. Her eyes misted up, but she smiled then and moved away, eager to look at his face again. His eyes were dancing, as silently now he held her gaze, a huge grin across his face.
Steve approached then, breaking the strong connection Danny’s eyes had made with hers. It had been too intense to fight back, but Steve had placed a tender hand on her shoulder, and she’d found herself thankful for the distraction. Her heart beat impossibly fast still, as she embraced Steve and left a kiss on his cheek. Did Danny kiss me? Did I kiss him? Oh my God, I can’t even remember.
She broke her embrace with Steve, and Danny put an arm around her, squeezing her against him. “Sofia, you’re finally here! Here, at the West Pier! Seems too good to be true! Girl, you kept your word. You came, just like you said!” His eyes were ablaze with excitement, incredulity blended in with it. She met his gaze and with the backdrop of the blue wash and the Pier behind him, she found herself staring at two seas now, a vast one and the deep one in his eyes. She felt lost for words then and decided she’d never be able to choose, if asked, which one she found more magnificent and more alluring.
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