Midnight (15 page)

‘No, we don't. Well. Just the once.'

‘And what did she say about me?'

‘
I
don't know.'

I did know. Jasmine had said he seemed the only interesting boy in the whole school. But that was private, between Jasmine and me. She'd die if I told Will, I was sure.

‘I think we'll maybe play a game of Truth or Dare,' said Will.

‘Oh God,' I said.

‘Don't look so panic-stricken. It'll be fun.'

‘For you. No, Will, let's go out, please. We don't have to go all the way to Brompton Woods. We could go anywhere. We could just have a little wander in the park, or go round the shops. We've got Mum's tenner, look. We could have lunch in McDonald's. Or I'll cook us lunch.
I
could do the roast, I'm sure I could, though I'll have to get started right this minute.'

‘You go and make us a coffee while I ponder,' said Will.

‘OK, great, coffee coming up,' I said, shooting straight down to the kitchen. I made us both black coffees and I snaffled two truffles from Mum's secret supply in the tablecloth drawer. She always hid her birthday boxes of chocolates because Will and Dad would help themselves indiscriminately if she left them out on the sideboard.

Will came downstairs when I called, ate his truffle and then mine too. I decided not to object. I made burbling small-talk, switching on the television and flicking from channel to channel, suggesting we play an old game where we turned the sound down and acted out madly surreal voiceovers. Will was exceptionally good at this. I hoped he might want to show off but he shook his head. He drained his coffee, and leaned back in the upright chair, rocking it precariously on two legs.

‘OK, we've had our light refreshments. Now it's Jolly Japes time. Right, little Shrinking Violet, we'll play Truth or Dare.'

‘Will, stop it. It's a ridiculous game. And anyway, you don't ever tell the truth, and I'm useless at dares.'

‘Which should add considerably to the fun! Come on, indulge me. Then we'll go out. We'll buy a picnic at Waitrose and get the bus to Brompton Woods, OK?'

‘Promise?'

‘Well, it depends. Indulge me now, and then we'll see.'

‘I don't want to play, Will. I hate games.'

‘But we've never played Truth or Dare. Don't worry, it won't be the ordinary kids' game. It'll be my special variation.'

‘Which makes it much more scary.'

Will bowed as if I was complimenting him, grinning at me. He had very good white teeth but there always seemed rather a lot of them, giving him a disconcerting wolfish look. When I was little and Will played around threatening to eat me up I took it very seriously.

He rocked on his chair, almost but never quite overbalancing.

‘First Truth or Dare challenge, Violet. If you could have a love affair with anyone, who would you choose?'

I felt as if I was overbalancing myself. This was a very different kind of game. Will never seemed the slightest bit interested in my feelings and we'd never discussed love in our lives. I'd often
wanted
to, and long ago when we shared secrets I'd try to start Will off on the subject, but he'd always groan and make vomit noises and tell me not to be so boring.

‘You're hesitating, Violet. Come along, we'd better introduce a time limit,' said Will, going to the kitchen and getting Mum's timer. ‘OK,' he said, returning. He adjusted the clock mechanism. ‘You have precisely sixty
seconds in which to answer. Failure to come up with a truthful response or an acceptance of a dare means you will have to pay a dire penalty. Mmm, I shall enjoy making one up.' He sat back on his chair, chanting, ‘Tick tick tick.'

My thoughts ticked over in time. I remembered going to nursery school and some scruffy little boy with a skinhead haircut taking a shine to me. He said he loved me. I lied and said I loved him too, to be polite, though I didn't like his stubbly head, or his nose-picking habits. ‘That's good,' he said, exploring his nose thoroughly. ‘So we'll get married, right?'

‘I can't,' I said, too shocked to stay polite. ‘I'm going to marry my brother Will.'

When I got old enough to know I couldn't marry Will I decided I didn't ever want anyone else. Will didn't seem particularly interested in going out with any girls when he got into his teens so I had wistful fantasies about us sharing a flat together.

Now
I
was in my teens I could see this probably wouldn't work. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to go out with anyone, let alone have a love affair. I thought of all the boys at school. Jasmine was right, they were all rubbish.

I thought of Jasmine. I loved her, but not in that way.

‘Tick tick tick, ten seconds left. Penalty looming,' Will said.

‘Shut up, I can't think.' I shut my eyes tight to concentrate. Coloured lights danced behind my eyelids. When I was little Will told me these were fairy lights. I
spent hours with my hands over my eyes, trying to see them more clearly.

‘Fifty-seven, fifty-eight—'

Fairies!

‘I know! Casper Dream,' I said triumphantly, as the timer went off.

Will frowned. ‘He's not a real person.'

‘Of course he is.'

‘You don't know him. You don't even know what he looks like. That photo on his books is all blurry.'

‘I don't need to know him. I still choose him.'

‘OK, OK,' said Will, sighing.

‘So who would
you
choose, Will? Come on, it's my turn to play Truth or Dare. Who would you choose for a love affair?'

I set the timer and looked at Will. His eyes were very green, staring back at me without blinking. His face was impassive, utterly Zen-cool. I couldn't wait to hear what he'd say. I sat forward eagerly, holding my breath. Then the phone started ringing, making us both jump.

‘Leave it,' said Will.

‘But what if it's Mum checking up on us? She'll come back if we don't answer.'

Will frowned and picked up the phone. He listened for a second – then held out the phone. ‘Jasmine,' he said.

The timer went off, the sound filling the whole kitchen.

Dear C.D.,

Did you have lots of friends when you were at school? Maybe some of the tough kids teased you because you were quiet and sensitive and so very talented at art?

I expect you had one very special friend?

I wonder if it was another boy?

Did you really care about him?

Did you trust him?

Did you stay friends? I really really want to know.

Love from

Violet

XXX

‘
I'M SORRY, JASMINE,
but I can't really talk right now,' I said quickly.

‘Yes, you can,' said Will. ‘What does she want, your friend Jasmine?'

Jasmine giggled at the other end of the phone. ‘I can hear your brother! Look, I want some help with my homework. I can't do
any
of it. Especially the maths.'

‘Oh Jasmine, I'm useless at maths too,' I said.

‘I'm not,' said Will. ‘Tell her to come round. I'll help her.'

I stared at him. He didn't seem to be joking.

‘What did he say?' said Jasmine. ‘Did he say I can come round?'

‘Well—'

‘It's sixteen Heathland Road, right? I'll get Jonathan to run me over. OK?'

I looked at Will. ‘Do you
want
her to come over?' I mouthed.

‘Is this another Truth or Dare?' said Will.

‘What?' said Jasmine. ‘What are you two on about? Anyway, see you in ten minutes? Your mum won't mind, will she, Violet? I know you said she gets a bit funny about stuff.'

‘My mum's gone out. And my dad,' I said. I swallowed. ‘They're out all day, actually.'

‘Oh great. So we can have a party, you, me and your brother,' said Jasmine.

There was a little pause.

‘I'm
joking
, Violet,' said Jasmine. ‘OK, see you soon!'

I put the phone down. The plastic was slippery. I wiped my hands on my jeans, looking at Will. He looked back at me steadily.

‘Why did you ask her round?' I said.

‘Why shouldn't she come round? She's your friend,' said Will.

‘But you always hate my friends.'

‘I hate little Munchkin friends. Jasmine looks like she'll be more fun.'

‘Will, don't play games with her.'

‘As if I would,' said Will, his eyes glittering.

‘Don't spoil everything, Will. It's been so lovely this morning, the way it used to be. I wish she wasn't coming. I wanted it to be just you and me.'

‘And now it'll be just you and me and Jasmine,' said Will. ‘It'll be fine. Don't look so fussed. I'll be nice to your new friend.'

‘Really?'

‘Really and truly,' said Will.

I reached out and squeezed his hand gratefully. Will's hand was strangely damp too. He wasn't usually a sweaty anxious person. Maybe he was just picking up on my emotions. I felt so worried about Jasmine coming over. I scurried up to my bedroom, reaching up and setting all my fairies swinging. Maybe she'd think me an idiot, stringing a lot of limp rag dolls from the ceiling. No, she loved her own Jasmine Fairy, she said so. But was she simply being kind to me? Or even having a little laugh behind my back, like Marnie and Terry?

I stroked my collection of Casper Dream books. She wouldn't laugh at them. Jonathan had been so impressed that I had
The Smoky Fairy
. I could show Jasmine all my favourite colour plates. Or would she be bored, looking at books? I didn't really know. She was my best friend but I didn't really know her properly at all.

I ran out of my bedroom, slamming the door shut. I hurried downstairs, into the living room. I smoothed the sofa, shoving all the scattered Sunday papers into a heap, finding Dad's awful slippers and stuffing them out of sight.

‘It's your best friend who's coming, not the Tidy Police,' said Will, following me. He flopped onto the newly tidied sofa. ‘God, look at you. You're worse than Mum.'

‘Look, you could help! It was you who invited her,' I said, whisking things around. ‘And get off that sofa – I shall have to plump up the cushions all over again. Jasmine will be sitting there.'

‘Oh my, golly gosh, I didn't
realize
,' said Will, leaping up. ‘Shall I restuff each cushion while we're at it? Cover them with cloth-of-gold? Nothing is too good for the Jasmine bottom.'

‘Shut up,' I said, swatting him with one of the newspapers. Then I caught sight of myself in the mirror above the mantelpiece. I was still wearing my towel turban and old jeans and an ancient check shirt of Will's. I gave a little shriek and ran back upstairs.

‘Oh my, are we off to tart ourselves up for the royal visitor?' said Will.

But when I dashed downstairs again in my butterfly T-shirt and best jeans, my damp hair brushed out, bangles jingling on my arm, I saw that Will had changed out of his old tracky bottoms and torn T-shirt into his black jeans and a brand-new white T-shirt straight out of the packet. He wore his silver necklace round his neck – and he'd actually brushed his hair.

I was touched that he was trying so hard for me. We sat in our finery on the newly plumped sofa. And sat and sat and sat. I kept peering at the clock, leaping up every time I heard a car nearby, but Jasmine failed to appear.

Will eventually burst out laughing the tenth time I leaped up. ‘For God's sake, Violet!'

‘She said ten minutes! It's nearly three quarters of an hour. Where do you think she's got to?'

I was so anxious, desperate for her to get here. Yet I also couldn't help hoping she wouldn't come at all. Part of me wanted the phone to ring and Jasmine to tell me she couldn't make it after all. I didn't know why. I didn't think I needed to worry too much about Will. He seemed to be trying really hard to be on his best behaviour. He could be so beguiling when he wanted. I knew Jasmine didn't seem to like boys, but she'd actually said she quite liked the look of Will, hadn't she? It would be so perfect if we could all get on together, Will and Jasmine and me.