‘Yes, please. I don’t know, but everyone else did. Even Kam.’
‘Ooh. Well, that could be a good thing.’
‘How? How can my utter humiliation be a good thing?’ Pippa felt her face scrunch up, she didn’t understand why Lottie would say that. It wasn’t like her to be mean.
‘Look, you’ve got a huge crush on this new teacher and it’s not a good idea. If anything was to happen you’d be on cloud nine for a couple of weeks – you know you would – and then you’ll do your Pippa special…’
‘It’s not a serious crush. It’s just nice to have someone to think about as I drift off to sleep at night. I’m not letting it actually impact on my life. But pray tell, what exactly is a “Pippa special”? Bear in mind, I’m armed.’ Pippa nodded in jest at the drill sat on the table as she handed Lottie her mug and tried not to look as if she knew she was fibbing a bit.
‘You know. You know you know! You’ll be all loved up and then he’ll do something very human and you’ll decide it will never work.’
‘I don’t do that!’ Pippa put on her fiercest voice but she knew that her friend was right.
‘You do! Look how much you were into that Shannon, then you saw the way she ate a snickers and boom, ended the relationship.’
‘I can’t spend my forever with someone who eats the chocolate from the side first! That’s not right.’
Pippa’s outrage was real. How could Lottie not understand? Forever meant forever to her and if she was going to get grossed out every time her partner ate chocolate she couldn’t see that relationship lasting long.
‘Uh-huh, and then Adam: you were keen on him but when you found he liked to play poker with the boys once a month you ended that too.’
‘Poker is gambling, I can’t be with someone who gambles. That could escalate badly.’
‘He was a love, and he wasn’t a gambler per se. He was just someone who liked to get together with his mates now and then, have a beer and play cards. A far more normal hobby than mine I’d say.’
‘Yeah, but I don’t fancy you and anyway your hobby bought the shop!’
‘Rude. I meant taxidermy. My investing is not a hobby! Which reminds me I did a bit of digging on your new beau, and he seems highly thought off. Apparently, he’s some kind of whizz kid; everything he touches turns to gold. You could do worse.’
‘I’m not so sure. He’s an entitled prick with outdated attitudes, who thinks I should fall at his feet because he wants to date me, but only once I’ve lost a little bit of weight apparently.’
‘Ooh okay, maybe put the kibosh on him. But that’s not what I was trying to say, not the important bit. I was talking about you and the hot new teacher. My point was that you love your friends to bits – you’re the most loyal person I know – but the minute a relationship becomes more than friendship you get scared and drop people for the most inane reasons. You’ll do it to Kam, and then you’ll have to work together. It’s a bad idea. I’m your best friend; I’m supposed to be able to tell you what I think, so I have.’
‘Hmmpf.’ Pippa scowled, pulled her glasses back down and picked up the drill. Best friends were definitely overrated.
Chapter Seventeen
Kam sat on his longboard, feet in the water, staring up at the sky. This was his safe place, his quiet place. And he loved nowhere more than here. Being sat out at sea, just past the break and watching the activity on the shoreline, comparing it to the peace here. The perfect place to get his thoughts in order, create order from chaos and think about how he was going to deliver his lessons next week. This was mindfulness in action. And not just some recently discovered trend. Surfers had been doing this for years; the crazy adrenaline of riding a wave had its obvious reward, but this bit, this bit was important too.
He watched gulls circling overhead and how the clouds, few today, scudded across the sky like kittens with wool. Oh dear, maybe he had been spending too much time with five-year-old girls. He’d burst into a range of showtunes soon if he wasn’t careful, whiskers on kittens and such like.
‘Hey mate.’ Ben paddled out back to join him, thankfully dragging him from his current train of thought. ‘Waves are a bit mushy.’
‘Yeah, but you know, this is what I needed. It’s been a full-on week.’
‘Yup. It’s been weird getting used to not having you about the place, that’s for sure. You settled in okay on the south coast?’
‘Yeah, it’s a whole different vibe, Penmenna. Well, I suppose Treporth is where I’m living. Both are very different to Newquay, but I like it. I really do.’
‘You back to work with me though now, right?’
‘Yup.’ Kam agreed. ‘I’m only contracted two full days a week in school at the moment so you’ve got me the rest of the time if you need me. Although, I’ve said I’ll do any supply they’ve got coming up. That’s okay isn’t it?’
‘Sure, of course. You need to get that foot in the door, and I imagine the day rate for teaching is better than what I can afford to pay you.’
‘About double. How did you do this week without me, anyway?’
‘Yeah good.’
Ooh, I recognise that smile. What have you done?’
‘Nah, I haven’t done anything.’
‘But?’
‘But I gave that new girl your hours this week and it worked out well. She’s cheerful and gets the job done. The punters love her.’
‘I bet they do.’
‘And she’s happy to pick up any casual hours that you can’t do, so if you do get extra work at the school then I’m covered.’
‘That’s great. That works well for me and from the grin on your face that works pretty well for you too.’
‘Well, she’s helluva cute, and we’ve got this mad chemistry. I was thinking about seeing if she fancied coming out with us to Motion tonight.’
‘That’s a line you shouldn’t be crossing just yet, not if you want her to carry on working for you. I’ve just been subject to the same conversation delivered by my new head, and trust me: workplace relationships are a definite no.’
‘Okay, fair point. I could just see if she was planning on going there anyway, and then mention we would be. I reckon it would be alright though. A surf hostel is kinda different from a school. You are still on for tonight? Teaching hasn’t put you off having fun has it?’
‘Yeah, of course.’
‘Excellent. And don’t think you got that past me either. What’s this about you being given an inappropriate relationship talk in your first week? If anyone had ever asked me if that was a conversation someone needed to have with you, I would have bet a fair hundred quid that no way. Not in this universe. You are the shyest man I know with the ladies, an absolute gentleman at all times. If anything, girls in the bar have asked how to get you slightly less gentlemanly.’
‘That was one. One! Not girls plural.’
‘Doesn’t matter. Point is, how on earth have you suddenly become some kind of predator? Last week it was surf beats and laid-back riffs and now?! Now you’re getting called into the headteacher’s office for being a bit too handsy. That makes no sense, mate, no sense at all. It just doesn’t fit with who you are, let alone your damn five-year thing.’
Kam trailed his fingers through the water, revelling in the feel of it against his fingers, laughing as his friend delivered his opinion, the kick of salt biting through the air.
‘Ha! I was not being handsy, you’re right about that. It was just a misunderstanding. You should have been there. I’m surprised I got off as lightly as I did to be honest.’
‘What did you do?’ Ben cocked his head as he looked at his friend, unable to believe what he was hearing.
‘It wasn’t me as such…’ Kam started and his friend snorted with triumph, head rocking back as his faith in his friend was confirmed. ‘It was just that the teaching assistant and I were looking for Sir Squeaks—’
‘You what?’
‘The teaching assistant and I were looking for the s
chool hamster, which had escaped. When we found it, she was so excited that she put her arms around my neck and kissed me on the cheek.’
‘Nice.’
‘In front of the whole class…’
Ben shouted with laughter.
‘…and as the headteacher walked in.’
‘Oh mate!’
‘It was unfortunate.’
‘I’d say. But not really your fault?’
‘No, not really. But it’s a small village and…’
‘Oh, you don’t need to tell me. I know Cornwall. So, people are talking, but what specifically are they talking about? It was just the one incident, surely.’
‘You’re right. There isn’t anything to talk about really, it’s just that Pippa…’
‘Isn’t Pippa the name of the girl you met for a drink last week?’
‘Um…’
‘Woah, so you’ve taken your colleague for a drink in the village, and now she’s flinging her arms around you in school?’
‘Oh, that’s not fair. You make it sound like she’s a bit weird and has a huge crush, and she isn’t, she doesn’t and that’s just not how it is.’
‘Nah, that’s not what I was doing. But I know you, so I imagine it was the two pints of Rattler…’
‘Korev.’
‘Good choice, so it was the two pints of Korev that made you send me that emoji with the heart eyes when I asked how your first evening in the new flat was going. Heart-eye emoji, Kam! You’ve gone and got a crush on your teaching assistant, haven’t you?’
‘She’s not my teaching assistant. She’s a professional in her own right.’ Kam firmly made his point and knew that whether he had a crush or not there was nothing in this world that would make him endanger the security of a full-time teaching job in Cornwall.
‘Hahaha, Pippa doesn’t sound particularly Indian. Your mum is gonna have something to say!’ Ben laughed and laughed. He wasn’t far wrong.; Kam’s mum had been chucking him under the chin from the age of six and bragging to everyone how they were going to get him married to a nice Hindu girl. Ben had been witnessing it since primary school and their friendship spanning over two decades gave him the right to tease.
It also gave Kam the right to tip him off his board.
Chapter Eighteen
May had always been Kam’s favourite month. Spring was turning into summer and everywhere you looked there were signs that it was going to be a glorious year. Lambs were frolicking on fields; flowers were out in force and the vegetables in Penmenna Hall had been rioting. All was right with the world.
Today was the first bank holiday of May and he was walking through Treporth Bay along to Penmenna to meet up with Dan, who had invited him to come and join in with a kickabout this afternoon. He had loved football when he was growing up. He hadn’t played in an age but was looking forward to it.
The smell of garlic and seafood wafted across the Marina as he approached the stretch of chi-chi restaurants that peppered Treporth Bay, a very different scent from the deep spicing of a decent dahl that floated out onto the street when he was at home. He decided he’d have to eat at one of them one night soon, when he thought he spied Pippa, her back to him, as she sat at one of the tables outside the swankiest of all the eateries.
He got closer, a chuckle burbling from his mouth as he saw that it had to be her, no one else in the world – surely – would have the courage to wear such an outfit!
The woman had tightly curled hair practically bouncing on top of her head and her body was clad, shoulder to ankle in what appeared to be canary yellow spandex. Her confidence meant she got away with it beautifully rather than looking like she had escaped from a time machine and was looking for her way back to the exercise segment on Eighties breakfast television. As he got closer he could see the man with her appeared to be the idiot who had picked Pippa up from school last Friday.
His heart dipped a little as he realised this meant she had probably spent the whole weekend with him, no doubt getting ready for her new wealthy life that would whisk her away from Penmenna. He gave himself a quick telling off and pasted a smile on his face as his path took him past the table. He couldn’t be with Pippa anyhow, not without it messing his own life plans up, and he certainly wasn’t going to do that now, not when success could be so close to hand. Despite what Ben may have to say he couldn’t – didn’t – assume she fancied him like he did her, especially when you looked at the alpha male she was dating. Getting jealous was a pointless, selfish waste of time.
‘Hey, hey. Kam! Wait up!’ He hadn’t wanted to interrupt her date but it seemed as he walked by that Pippa had no such qualms, calling after him as he passed. He felt the smile broaden across his face as he heard her voice, turning on his heel to face her.
‘Hi, how are you?’
‘Good, good, thanks. Have you had a nice weekend?’ She beamed back at him, the canary yellow of her clothing a good match for the sunshine that radiated around her, although it was so tight that it left little to the imagination.
‘Yeah, not too bad. Caught some waves, chilled out and now I’m about to go and play football with Dan, you know, from the pub the other night.’ He made sure he held eye contact.
‘Of course, Dan’s sound. I can see you getting along with him. If you’re walking to Penmenna then and don’t mind waiting a sec, I’ll join you.’
‘Yeah of course but are you not…’
‘Oh no, we’ve finished lunch, haven’t we, James? Didn’t you say you had to go and see someone about something terribly important?’ She directed this at her date, who was not looking quite as smug as he had been a minute ago.
‘Well, yes, but—’
‘Great. Then I’ll walk home with Kam – we work together – and that saves you dropping me off. It’s such a lush day, I’d like to do that. I’ll just nip to the loo.’ James looked blindsided as she moved her chair out from under the table and dashed into the restaurant. Kam didn’t feel a pinch of sympathy. He hadn’t anticipated seeing Pippa today, and he had been almost disappointed that the bank holiday fell on Mondays, meaning he would have one less day in the class with her. He liked the idea of walking back over the beach in her company. Already he felt lifted and he’d only been in her presence a minute or two.
James however didn’t seem quite as pleased about his date scooting off. He stared at him coldly for a minute or two as Kam stood there feeling a bit awkward, and then stood up and came right up to him, invading Kam’s personal space without a qualm, narrowing his eyes as he opened his mouth.
‘I don’t know who you are but I see the way you look at her, so consider this a gentle warning: she’s mine – always has been – and no one else is getting her. I let her get away from me years ago and I’m not making that mistake again. So, if I see you sniffing around her again I’ll be making sure you never walk, talk or stalk again. I suggest you suddenly find yourself busy. Got it?’
‘Woah, I’ve only just met you. I’m not trying to sleep with your girlfriend.’ That was true. It didn’t mean he didn’t want to, but he certainly wasn’t actively trying. If anything he was actively not trying. Kam pulled himself up tall as he spoke, ‘I work with Pippa. Her personal life has nothing to do with me, and no, I’m not suddenly busy.’
‘Seriously, you’re going take me on, are you? I know people, mate and—’
‘Hey! What’s going on.’ Pippa came back out of the restaurant. ‘Everything all right?’
‘Yep, fine. Just chatting.’
‘Hmmm.’ Pippa fixed James with a hard stare. ‘Okay, I’m going to talk to Mum and tell her what we discussed and then hopefully everything will be sorted. I’ll let you know how it goes. Right, beachwards.’ She slipped her canary clad arm through Kam’s and smiled up at him, James’ eyes lasering into his back as they wandered away from the restaurant.
‘I don’t want to cause trouble.’
‘Oh, it’s fine. You know what families are like. Relationships are always complicated. Plus, the cheeky
bugger called me Big Bird and said I was an embarrassment.’ She used her hands to indicate her outfit from hair to foot and grinned mischievously as she did so, looking a little bit like that had been her intention. Kam couldn’t hide his laughter; with her hair in those tight curls and that outfit she did look a little bit Sesame Street. ‘Anyway, let’s not talk about him. Instead you can tell me all about you. What do you normally do on a bank holiday?’
‘What, at home?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Well, I’d usually do what I’ve done this weekend: go for a surf, chill out. The only difference is I’d probably nip in to see my family. Bank holidays are nice; my dad is always in a good mood because he can charge double time if there are any call-outs; my mum moans that we never spend them with her any more like when we were kids, but has a smile on her face as she does it. But we do try to get there, unless we’ve got to work. Hema works in a cafe and makes it over for the evenings, and if Anuja doesn’t have a performance she heads over. It’s nice. Mum cooks and my sisters and I bicker. Usual family stuff. I miss them but I do love it down here.’ It was true, he loved Cornwall. He could see why people made such a fuss about it. He would be happy to stay here forever.
‘I’m such a homebody I can’t imagine ever moving far away. I had a girlfriend once who wanted me to go and travel for six months. I was excited, but when it came to it, I was so homesick I came home again after three weeks and that was the end of that.’ Pippa shrugged her shoulders as if her early return home had been inevitable.
‘Huh, I spent two years touring the surf circuit, trying to carve out a career for myself, but in the end I came home too.’
‘Ah, that’s interesting. Why leave? Is that why you decided to teach down here?’
‘Yeah, mainly. I left the circuit because my love of surfing was dwindling as it started becoming something I had to do rather than something I chose to do. So I went back to Middlesbrough, not because I was homesick like you, but because I realised that surfing professionally wasn’t for me and my nan was poorly. I wanted to be near her, so I came home, did my degree (admittedly a couple of years later than most) and decided to stay in the UK and be near my family.’
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