Road Trip

by Andie M. Long

  I can feel the shit-eating grin taking over my face. ‘Like me like you like cheese?’ I can’t help but joke.

  ‘More than cheese,’ she smiles. ‘But I’m scared.’

  I frown. ‘Of what?’

  ‘Of you hurting me. I don’t think I could take it if I was cheated on again.’

  God, that dickhead really did a number on her self-confidence. I stand up and walk over to her, dropping to my knees in front of her.

  ‘Katy, I’ve never cheated on anyone and I don’t intend to. I can’t promise we’ll be together the next twenty years, but I can promise that I’ll spend every day trying to make you happy. Isn’t that enough?’

  She smiles. ‘Okay. It’s enough.’

  Katy

  I’m so happy. I can’t believe it took something as simple as laying it all out there to find out where I stand. Felix and I are together now; that’s all that matters. He ended up parting my knees and going down on me right there on the dressing table stool. I think it was his way of apologising. I just really hope my dad didn’t hear.

  After orgasming against his hand to muffle the screams, he then decided to blow-dry my hair. It was strangely more intimate than any sex we’ve had. He was so gentle that I almost fell asleep.

  We spent the night laughing and joking with Mum and Dad over a curry and then we stuck on Dirty Dancing. Waking up in his arms this morning knowing I’m his was heaven, but I can’t help but have that niggling fear in the back of my mind. The thing is that we still have no idea about which jobs we’re going to get. Where we’ll be in a few months.

  But I have to just ignore it and grab life by the balls. Enjoy the present and try my hardest not to worry about the future. Felix is in the shower while I relish still being in bed. It's funny how this immediately feels like home to me. It must be because my mum has such a good decorating touch. She makes everything so homey. The thought of living by myself frankly terrifies me.

  Felix’s phone starts ringing. I look at the screen. It’s a withheld number. I could just let it go to his answerphone, but what if it’s a job offer, and his phone doesn’t record the message properly? I’d never be able to forgive myself. Fuck it. I press answer.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘Hi, can I please speak to Mr Montague?’ a woman asks.

  ‘Sorry, he’s unavailable at the moment, but can I take a message?’

  ‘Oh, yes please. If you could just ask him to call back Harrow school. We haven’t received his signed contract yet and we want a firm start date before we break up for the summer.’

  Wait, I’m confused.

  ‘Contract? As in, he has a job with you?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Right… and he knows this?’ I can’t seem to get my head round this.

  ‘Yes. Perhaps I’ve said too much. If you could please tell him to return my call at his earliest convenience.’

  I hang up just as Felix walks out of the shower, a small towel tied round his waist. I can do nothing but stare dumbly back at him.

  ‘Who was on the phone?’ he asks, towel-drying his hair, not a care in the world.

  I steel my jaw, a new anger broadsiding me. ‘Harrow school.’

  His face pales, his shoulders tensing. ‘Oh.’

  ‘Oh indeed. They asked if you could call them back.’

  He relaxes slightly, obviously thinking that’s it. Like I’m letting him off that easily.

  ‘And that you haven’t returned the contract yet. You know, for the job offer you’ve apparently had.’

  ‘Er…’

  ‘Er… what?’ I shout, erupting like a volcano. ‘How the fuck could you have not told me you got a job? And how the hell did you get one at Harrow? We acted like nutters.’

  He sits down on the bed, his head in his hands. ‘I went back in there and did another interview. They offered it to me on the spot.’

  My mouth hangs open. ‘You sneaky fucking bastard! Jeopardising my career and only thinking about yourself. How the hell am I supposed to trust you with anything, when you’ve done this?’

  ‘That’s why I was waiting to tell you,’ he says taking my hand.

  I throw it off me. ‘What, wait until you’d buttered me up, and I’d just go, oh okay. Whatever you say, Felix. I’m not some little Stepford wife who’s going to follow you around and wash your dirty socks.’

  ‘Whoa!’ he puts his hands up in self-defence. ‘I never said that.’

  ‘But it's what you meant. All that bullshit last night about us going wherever we get the jobs, it was all shit. You knew you had nothing to worry about. You’re going home to your parents, to a town you were raised in. And you expected me to just follow on.’

  ‘No. The reason I haven’t sent back the contract yet is because I wanted to speak to you about it.’

  ‘Yeah, right,’ I snort. ‘I don’t know why I thought you’d changed. You’re still the selfish manwhore you’ve always been. I wanted to see more, have some hope you were different, but leopards don’t change their spots.’

  ‘Ouch.’

  ‘Get out.’

  ‘What?’ he blusters in disbelief.

  ‘I said get out! I don’t want you here. Go back to your mother in Harrow.’

  ‘Katy, I’m in the middle of bloody Edinburgh. Where the hell do you expect me to go?’

  ‘Ugh, you’re so infuriating. You know what, I’m glad I told the Headmaster those pranks were all your fault. I can’t believe I’ve been feeling bad about the whole thing.’

  ‘You did what?’ he shouts, his eyes nearly popping out of his skull. ‘You blamed me? Katy, you’re the one that approached me. I was just trying to help you.’

  ‘Help me?’ I scoff.

  ‘Yeah, help you get out of your sad little bubble where you’re stuck up your own arse. I even helped expose that fucking cheating creep. But it seems you’re back to where we started.’

  I repeat his words in my head. Expose that fucking cheating creep.

  ‘Expose? What do you mean, expose?’

  His face tightens, obviously realising his mistake.

  ‘Did you… did you know Dick was cheating on me?’

  He swallows. ‘It looks bad, I know. But yeah. I overheard him in the pub and then I made sure that you’d catch him.’

  ‘I cannot believe you! Why the hell couldn’t you have just broken it to me gently, rather than to be forced to walk into the shit show that I did?’

  ‘I’m sorry. If I’m honest, I hated you back then. You kept slagging me off around work.’

  I gasp in disbelief. ‘So you actually did that to me as revenge?’

  He looks down at the floor, ashamed. ‘Yes,’ he admits on a whisper.

  ‘How fucking dare you! Get out of my house!’ I scream.

  ‘This is your parents' house, and I’m pretty sure your mother wouldn’t be as unreasonable as to chuck me out.’

  ‘Ugh!’ I scream. ‘Just get out of my sight now, Felix. I can’t believe I ever thought me and you could have something. We are so different.’

  He grabs his bag. ‘You’re right there.’ He slams the door in my face as I face dive the bed, punching the mattress like it's him.

  Katy

  I stay in my room for the rest of the day, too upset to risk seeing him. I can’t believe he did that to me. Totally screwed me over. There I was thinking we were in this together and the whole time he was just planning on moving back home and abandoning me.

  I suppose it's my own fault for pinning my hopes on a manwhore like him. Who was I kidding? Of course he was going to shower me with attention and try it on when I was the only female he was travelling with. I was stupid to think I was special in any way. That’s what guys like him do; they make you feel special, fuck you, then fuck off, never to be seen again.

  I shouldn’t have let myself get involved with anyone after Dick. Especially Felix Montague.

  There’s a light knock on the door. I sit up straight and dry my eyes. I don’t want him to think I’m af
fected by him, to give him the satisfaction. He’d probably enjoy it, the sadistic bastard.

  ‘Come in,’ I shout lightly.

  The door opens, but instead of Felix, it's my mum. She’s carrying a plate of scrambled eggs on toast with a cup of tea. Damn, I love this woman. I can’t believe they’ve moved away. And now I’m crying again.

  ‘Oh, love.’ She settles the tray on the side and sits next to me on the bed, wrapping me in a hug.

  I have a good sob into her top. Oops, I hope it's not new. I get quite snotty when I’m crying.

  She finally pulls back, probably soaked through to her bra.

  ‘What on earths happened with you and Felix?’

  ‘Oh Mum. It's all such a mess. I really don’t know why I fell for him in the first place.’

  She huffs a laugh, passing the tray of food to me. ‘You fell for him because he’s a charismatic young man. You’d have to be blind and stupid not to see that.’

  I grab the fork and stuff a bit of egg in my mouth. Damn, no-one makes eggs like my mum.

  ‘So what exactly happened?’ Mum asks, trying not to act as eager as she is.

  ‘Felix got the job in Harrow. He went back in and interviewed for it behind my back after he’d ruined my interview. He’s nothing but a selfish, no-good bastard.’

  I grab some toast and shove it in my mouth.

  Mum strokes my hair. ‘Don’t be too hard on him, love. The man was desperate for a job. Just like you were.’

  ‘Yeah, but I wouldn’t have done that,’ I protest before taking a sip of my tea. Ah, she always gives me an extra sugar when I’m sad. Then I remember I did try to leave him in bed the morning of that interview, so he didn't get there at all…

  ‘Is it really worth throwing everything away just because he didn't tell you he had a job? Did he tell you why he kept it quiet?'

  I think back to what he'd said about not having sent the contract back yet because he was going to discuss it with me. ‘Am I being melodramatic? It just feels like such a betrayal.’

  She rubs my shoulder. ‘It's because you’re so loyal, you always have been. But I know that man is crazy about you and I personally think that if you don’t swallow your pride and accept his apology you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.’

  I sigh. ‘When did you get so wise?’

  She laughs. ‘You get a new bit of wisdom with every wrinkle you uncover. And look at my face. I’ve got a few!’

  ‘Thanks, Mum. You’re right. I’m gonna go get him now.’

  I stand up. This must be love. Leaving my Mum’s eggs to go to him.

  ‘He’s not here, love,’ she says, as if she thought I already knew.

  ‘Huh? Where the hell is he?’

  ‘He said you’d told him to go. He apologised and then left. I had to loan him some money because he said you'd barely any money left.’

  ‘What?’ I jump up. ‘Well, where did he go? Did he get a taxi? A train?’

  She shrugs. ‘I assume he got a train. It’s a long way for a taxi.’

  ‘Shit! How long ago?’

  ‘Language, young lady,’ she berates with a huff.

  I grab the top of her arms, trying to communicate how important this is. ‘Mum, when did he leave?’

  ‘About half an hour ago.’

  I grab my dressing gown and throw my slippers on. ‘I can still catch him.’

  She barks a laugh. ‘There’s no way you’ll catch him.’

  ‘Wanna bet?’ I shout, already running down the stairs and grabbing my car keys.

  I race through the door, throw myself into the car and put my foot to the metal. I run almost every red light, while trying to mentally remember how quickly trains to Edinburgh come. Every hour? Every half hour? God, the thought that I might have missed him has me feeling sick to my stomach.

  I pull up outside, abandoning my car in a taxi bay and run inside. I’ve never been here before and I don’t know why, but I expected with it being Scotland that it would be a lot smaller. But it's enormous. I force myself to concentrate on the huge board with the names of the destinations. I see London Kings Cross. Leaving in one minute. Shit.

  I sprint towards platform seven, so fast I lose a slipper in the process and bound up the set of stairs. I see the train already in the platform. Crap. I push the automatic doors open, them going far too slowly for my liking, then I scan the busy platform, desperate to see his messy mop of hair.

  I spot him down towards the end. At least I hope it's him. I run towards him, the crowd in front of him making their way onto the train. Luckily people seem to get out of my way. It's probably because I’m still in my pyjamas. I must look insane. But if I manage to get to him I stand a chance of making things right. I just know that if he gets on that train there’ll be no going back for us.

  I reach out towards him just as he’s going to step onboard.

  ‘Felix!’ I scream, so loudly he jumps out of his skin. He goes to turn towards my girlish scream but must lose his footing. I watch as if in slow motion as his foot slips down into the gap between the train and the platform. Shit.

  I watch in complete horror as one leg goes right through the gap, his torso flying onto the train.

  ‘Agh!’ he shouts, ‘My balls! My fucking balls!’

  People jump off the train and gather to help pull him up. We rest him, lying down onto the platform, him still clutching his crown jewels. His face contorts in pain, so red he could audition as a tomato.

  I hover over him, but he’s got his eyes shut in pain.

  ‘Felix! Felix, are you okay?’

  He peers one eye open. ‘How the fuck do you think I am right now?’

  I cringe. Yeah, hardly the best way to grab his attention. Try to amputate his dick.

  ‘I’m so sorry. I just wanted to get your attention before you left.’

  ‘Well you bloody managed that,’ he croaks out.

  A man in a train uniform is stood next to him. ‘Do you think you need an ambulance, lad?’

  He huffs out a big breath. ‘Nah, I’m okay. I just…’ he rolls over to his side and attempts to sit up. ‘I just need a minute.’

  ‘Aye, I’ll hold the train.’

  Shit. He’s still planning on getting on the train?

  ‘Why are you in your pyjamas?’ he asks, as if he’s just noticed.

  ‘I came to stop you. Come back with me.’

  ‘But I thought you wanted me to leave?’ He looks towards the heavens. ‘Fucking women and their mixed signals.’

  ‘Aye,’ the rail man nods, looking at me with distaste.

  ‘Look, I’m sorry. But you have to admit, you did a shitty thing.’

  He sighs. ‘I know, I’m sorry. Truthfully, I was going to tell you, but the more I liked you the more I was afraid of how you’d react. I mean, look at how you did react. The truth is that I was shitting myself about not getting a job and at the time I didn’t think we were serious.’

  ‘And you do now?’ I ask shyly.

  He sighs. ‘I don’t know. I mean, will you ever be able to trust me? You’re always going to have this preconceived idea of me being some manwhore. We can’t start a relationship with no trust.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I do trust you. And I’m sorry I tried to get you to take the bullet in our school.’

  He laughs. ‘It’s fine. I’m over it.’

  ‘Lad, are you getting on the train, or what?’ the train man asks.

  I look to Felix. ‘Well, are you? Or are we going to give this a go?’ I ask, my tongue shaking I’m so petrified of his answer.

  He puts his hand up for me to help him to standing. Once there, he pulls me to him so our chests are flush, a devilish grin on his face.

  ‘Let the train go,’ he says to the man, without losing intense eye contact with me.

  I hear the doors close behind us.

  ‘So…’ I say, suddenly shy. ‘Does this mean we’re giving this a go? Like a real go?’

  He smiles. ‘It means that I’m crazy about t
he lunatic in the pyjamas, who nearly broke my balls. And if she can forgive me for being a giant dickhead, then I’ll gladly spend the rest of my life making it up to her.’

  I grin. ‘Why are you talking about yourself in the third person?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ he admits with a grin. ‘I started, so I thought I’d roll with it.’

  He grabs my face and pulls me slowly into him, our lips meeting in a beautiful union. It contains forgiveness, lust, and love.

  ‘Now we just have to work out where the hell we’re going to live.’

  He opens his wallet and pulls out a coin. ‘Let’s flip for it. Heads its Harrow, tails we go wherever you fancy. Either way the other has to be supportive and get a job in McDonalds if they have to. Deal?’

  ‘Are you sure?’ I ask.

  He smiles fondly down at me. ‘As long as we’re together, we can tackle anything. I’m happy to start my new life with you, wherever we end up.’

  I grin. ‘Okay. I’m in.’

  He flips the coin in the air and I wait for the fate gods to decide where our next journey takes us. Yet I know that as long as I’m with him we'll be okay.

  Even if we drive each other crazy.

  THE END

  About the Authors

  Andie M. Long

  Andie M. Long is author of the popular Supernatural Dating Agency series amongst many others.

  She lives in Sheffield with her son and long-suffering partner.

  When not being partner, mother, writer, or book editor, she can usually be found on Facebook or walking her whippet, Bella.

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