Never Forget (Memories) (9 page)

I park up outside her house. "Sleep well, Jen."

She looks at me aghast and storms out of the car, slamming the door. Carl rolls his eyes.

"Sleep well? I'll give him fuckin '
sleep well, Jen
' when I sneak into his room with a spork to scoop out the inside of his balls so he better sleep well with one of his pretty little goddamn eyes open." She fumes and I can't help but laugh.

"Did she even pause for breath then?" I look at Carl.

"No." He shakes his head. "No, she didn't."

"Have fun, mate." I nod to him and he raises his eyebrows.

"I'll try to." He gets out and follows Jen into her house.

I can't think of anything other than that prick trying to pull his moves on Lexy on the way to my house. It's all I can do not to slam every door on my way upstairs when I get in.

I don't get angry easily. In fact, it takes a hell of a lot. I think that's why everyone was so surprised when I flew off the handle at Jen. I couldn't help it. The thought she'd done it to make me jealous...

I slam my pillow against my wall and grit my teeth. This completely irrational need to protect her is making me wanna get back in the car, drive over to Vi's and wrap her in my arms. Without letting go.

Now I'm angry at myself. If I'd kissed her by now would it have happened? No, no it fucking wouldn't have because there isn't a chance in hell I'd let her out of my sight. Turning away for five minutes caused tonight.

Jen's right. I need to pull my head from my ass and make my girl mine before it's too late.
 

CHAPTER EIGHT

ALEXIS

''What in the hell happened to your face?'' Dad all but shouts at Bing the next morning.

''Samuel!'' Mum exclaims. ''Can't you stay out of fights for at least one week?!''

I flinch at the anger in their voices.

''Some prick thought he could try it on with Lexy, so I showed him he couldn't,'' Bing says without glancing their way.

''Sam, as much as the fact you protect your sister warms my heart, you can't go fighting everyone that so much as looks her way,'' Mum sighs.

''If he did, he'd be fighting Alec every day.'' Dad laughs and Mum swats the back of his head playfully.

''He wasn't just looking my way,'' I mumble.

''If I didn't go in there and stop him there's a good chance your precious daughter wouldn't have been a virgin this morning, and not by her own choice!'' Bing snaps and storms from the room.

Silence.

''Lexy, baby, is that true?'' Mum says quietly.

''He didn't touch me, but probably.''

''I'm gonna go speak to Sam.'' Dad kisses the top of my head and leaves the room.

''He really did do it to protect me, Mum. If it wasn't him it would have been Alec. Please don't be angry at him.'' I look at her.

''Oh, baby, I'm not angry at him. At all.'' She hugs me. ''This is what I wanted you to be careful of.''

''I remember you said that. Why did you say it?''

''So you would pay attention..''

''No, Mum, don't fob me off like I'm eleven years old,'' I sigh. ''I want the truth.''

She nods silently and I see her swallow. I've never seen her look so weak – she's not a weak person. She's strong, independent, unbreakable.

She goes into the back garden and I follow her out. The air is sweet scented, all the aromas from Grammy's flowers mixing together. The sea breeze is light here, swirling past with a barely-there touch. 

''I was fourteen. It was so long ago, but it's burned into my memory.'' She gazes out at the sea, her eyes are glazed over with the memory. ''I was down at the Bay, with my friends at the time, and there was a group of guys there. One of them approached me – they were older, about seventeen, so I was flattered – and started chatting me up. He said he wanted to get to know me, so we broke off from the group and sat on the other side of the rocks. I was too young to know it was a bad choice.''

I reach over and hug her arm, resting my head on her shoulder. She takes a deep breath and continues.

''We talked for a few minutes, then he tried to kiss me. I kissed him back, at first, then he started going further and I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't. He said I'd asked for it, that I wanted it.

''He pushed it until I finally thought to scream. Your father and his friends must have just arrived at the beach, because thirty seconds later he appeared, saw what the guy was trying to do and beat the living shit out him.''

''Mum!'' I gasp. ''You don't swear, ever!''

''I do when you're not around.'' She smiles at me slightly. ''He drove me home, told your grandparents what he'd seen and Dad tried to get me to go to the police. I refused, I just wanted to forget.''

''I'm sorry I made you remember, Mum.''

''Don't be.'' She pats my arm. ''It's good to remember, sometimes. Do you know, that was the night I realised I was falling in love with your father?'' She looks at me slyly out the corner of her eye.

''I'm not likely to fall in love with Bing, Mum, so don't worry about incest.'' I snort and step away.

''Oh, I'm not talking about Bing. I'm talking about the dashing young lad that could barely take his eyes off you as he walked you to the front door last night, despite your brother being there.''

A small sigh escapes me and I sit on the iron-cast bench.

''Alec.''

''I think I know where this is going.'' Mum sits next me.

''He's dangerous, Mum.''

''Dangerous in the way he'd hurt you, or dangerous because he makes my control-freak daughter lose control?'' She raises her eyebrows and I nod, begrudgingly.

''Dangerous because he can break my heart. Dangerous because I'm scared he's already taking it.''

''It doesn't look like he's got breaking your heart on his brain, Lexy. From what I could see he wants to take it, and keep it.''

''He doesn't do keeping hearts, Mum, he takes them and breaks them. Believe me.''

''Have you ever seen him do such a thing?''

''Well, no, but Jen's told me..''

''Jen's told you, are the main words there. So he's broken some hearts in past, so what? If he was around when I was your age I would have let him break my heart. He's a bit of a looker.'' She winks at me and I smile. ''His past is irrelevant, baby. It's the present and the future you should be worried about. Don't think about what he did before he met you, that doesn't matter. Sometimes in life you meet one person that changes the way you think, alters your perception of life and nothing else matters apart from them. I call them 'bada bing people'. Maybe you're that person, to him. Maybe you're the one who's changed the way he thinks, altered his perception of life. Maybe, Lexy, his pet name for you is more than a casual name-''

''You've heard that?'' My eyes widen at her.

''Uh, yes, Lexy. Does he even know your real name? Cause all he calls you is Princess - but it ain't the fact he says it, girl, it's the way he says it. And the way Alec says it, I'd place a bet on the fact you're his bada bing person.''

Uncertainty rises in me and for some inexplicable reason I feel tears prick at my eyes. I blink them back and take Mum's hand.

''Thank you,''

She stands. ''Go easy on him, baby. Let him show you who he is, not stories you hear from everyone else. You might be surprised at what you find out.''

''Funny,'' I say quietly, looking out over the Bay. ''He said pretty much the same thing.''

Mum strokes my hair once and goes back inside.

I said to Alec I would drop all the judgement, forget everything I'd been told about him, but can I really do that?

Can I really let myself trust him enough to let him show me?

Maybe I just have to open my heart to him, just a little.

~

''Emily.''

''No, mother.''

''Please, dear.''

''Mother, I am not getting you the Vino. You may have one glass tonight before you go to Bingo. That's all.''

''You're such a spoil sport.''

Mum kisses her cheek. ''Women of your age shouldn't be drinking Vino the way you do.''

''Oh, pish, Em, it's only a few glasses a week.'' Gram waves her hand dismissively.

I shake my head at her and log into Facebook. Both Mum and Gram carry on bickering in their loving way. In two weeks, I've gone from hating the idea of a summer in Lilac Bay to loving it.

Go figure.

I've barely signed in when my chat box pops up.

Princess. What are you doing tonight?

I try to hide my smile.

It's Sunday. TOWIE is on, of course.

''She's talking to her boy,'' Gram says knowingly.

''Shut up,'' I mumble.

''Oh, so you admit he's your boy?'' Her eyes twinkle as I look up at her, and a smile is playing on her rosy pink lips.

''I have no comment,'' I sniff.

Of course. Want some company?

''Emmy, you'll have to watch these two tonight when I'm at Bingo. I remember the trials and tribulations of young love all too well.'' Gram nods at Mum.

Maybe. Gram's going off on one again.

''Mother,'' Mum begins.

''No, no, I can see it in her eyes. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes are sparkling and she's trying to keep the smile off her face, I'll give her that, but she ain't tryin' hard enough. That's the signs of young love, that is. Why, Em, I remember the same look on your face the night you realised you were in love with Si.''

''Gram,'' I groan.

What about this time?

''I'm just sayin', Lexy girl. You could do worse than Alec Johnson.''

Oh, about how you're my boy and we're in love, apparently. She needs a bucket of cold water over her head.

You could do worse ;)

''She is right, you know, Lexy,'' Mum agrees. ''He's good looking, polite, and rather charming if I might say so.''

Oh, Mum, you have no idea.

Funny, that's what she said.

So we're in love, huh?

According to my Grandmother, yes. It's news to me.
Sort of. Maybe.

In that case, I'll see you at half nine.

He signs off before I can dispute it. I sigh.

''Lover boy has signed off,'' Gram announces.

''Do you have a tap on my Facebook account or something?'' I ask her sarcastically.

''Why would I need that? Your emotions are as easy to read as Fifty Shades of Grey was.''

''Oh, Gram. No!'' I shake my head. ''You're in your sixties! Why would you read that?''

''For the love story,'' she says. ''But that's not the point, girl. That boy's getting to you something chronic, believe me. You might not realise it yet, but he is.''

''Okay, can we change the subject?'' I look at Mum. ''She's getting carried away again.''

''Deny it all you like, Lexy girl,'' Gram continues.

''Gram! Please!''

''So he's coming over, then?'' Mum smiles at me.

I hold my hands out in defeat. ''He's coming over at half nine. He likes TOWIE. Who knew, huh?''

''It's not all he likes,'' Gram snickers and gets up. I throw the nearest object at her – a magazine – and she laughs harder. ''I fancy that Alec wants more than a bit of you, Lexy.''

''Uh, okay, mother.'' Mum takes her by the shoulders and directs her to the door. ''Cold shower for you.''

Gram winks at me and shuffles out of the room.

''I'll make sure your father is out of the way tonight.'' Mum smiles and follows Gram out.

Was I born into Cupid's family or something? Because I think someone forgot to give me that memo.

Sheesh.

CHAPTER NINE

ALEXIS

Alec rings the bell at half nine. I let him in kitted out in my Snoopy pyjamas and fluffy slippers.

''Nice pyjamas,'' he chuckles.

I give him a playful shove into the front room and flick on the TV.

''There's still half an hour until TOWIE,'' I say.

''I know. I want half an hour of your attention before you start drooling over Joey Essex or Ricky.''

I roll my eyes. ''I don't drool.''

''Huh.'' He scratches his chin and I sit down next to him. ''You could of fooled me. You looked like you were drooling the first time you saw these babies.'' He pats his stomach and a small laugh bubbles out of me.

''I think you need to go to Specsavers.''

''Really? So you weren't drooling?'' He raises his eyebrows.

I shake my head firmly. ''Nope, no drooling.''

''Then it's you that needs to go to Specsavers.'' He grins.