Charlie and Me

Chapter Six

I was glad of the night's warm and semi-humidness. If this had been midnight on Blackpool's promenade it would've taken at least a week to dry off. As it happened by the time Charlie walked me to entrance of the Corfu Sea Garden Hotel my dress was almost bone dry.

He said he'd enjoyed the night, and my company, casually asking for my number until I had to confess I didn't own a mobile, so gave him Kelsey's instead. How embarrassing. I must've been the last of the girls not to own one, but those things were expensive and I didn't have a loaded father to keep it topped up with credit. Any money I earned from the sandwich shop had gone on financing this trip of a lifetime and any books I needed for uni; the bursary paying for tuition and everything else.

I was still in a semi-euphoric state as I watched him stride back to the old town, and nearly passed out when he turned to blow me a kiss. Who needed chemical enhancement to have a good time? I had the only thing I'd ever need; a boy named Charlie.

'What do you mean, you didn't bring your phone?'

'Someone would've stolen it! Ronnie Edwards told me his stuff got pinched from their hotel room in Ayia Napa in June. I'm not risking that, and who's going to call me all the way out here anyway? I've coped nineteen years without one, Amber; thought I'd be able to go another week. Those things fry your brain, anyway.'

I felt like crying. Newly safety-conscious Kelsey had decided not to bring the one and only way of contacting my new object of obsession. Not only was there now radio silence but he'd probably think I was ignoring him when the phone rang out unanswered in Kelsey's bedroom back home. Why didn't I accept that stolen Nokia off Darren when I had the chance?

No. I was starting over. No dodgy gear, no fake merchandise...I was so dense. Everyone had hooky gear. 

Now I'd have to go hang around Roto's like a lemon waiting for him to start work. Or was it Taco's? I couldn't even remember which bar he worked in. Was he there every night or only on weekends? In my wonderful Amber fantasy land he'd call around noon and ask to spend the day on the beach or around the pool, just like a real couple.

This was all Kelsey's fault. She'd already told me three times to shut up about him, said she'd heard enough about Charlie to last a lifetime which I severely doubted. I didn't even know his second name. She also didn't think he was that good looking. What did she know? She'd been sticking her tongue down the neck of some weirdo from Cardiff the last time I'd looked. Beer goggles hardly an appropriate term; never in a million years much more apt.

'Amber, will yous give it a rest! I don't have my phone and if you want to see him again it's not like he's leaving anytime soon. Just find yourself another Charlie.'

Kelsey was out on the balcony and happily waving at someone on the other side of the pool. 'What about that group of guys over there on the sun loungers? There's at least ten to choose from. Get your blue polka-dot bikini on and go and show them what they're missing,' Kelsey instructed.

'I don't want some random guy, I want Charlie!' I said, thumping the pillow on my bed like a toddler.

'Amber, you don't come on a girls holiday to Kavos to mope around after a guy you're never going to see again. Don't be letting the side down now; I think you're currently bottom of the leader board and we need to win that prize.'

I don't even care what the prize is.

'Screw the leader board, you're not understanding me. I'm going to marry that guy someday.'

'You have more chance of marrying the balding guy you snogged in the pool, and he was already married! Just stop whining about him, there's plenty more where he came from.'

But there wasn't. Charlie was one in a million, and last night he became the dream my life had been waiting for. I'd felt complete, like we were the only two alive and the music and the stars and the sea and the beach were just for us; our own perfect paradise. Waking up next to Kelsey snoring had made me crave the daydream that much more. My life had been spent growing up next to crack heads and benefit cheats, car thieves and armed robbers. I was allowed one shot at happiness, wasn't I? Surely life couldn't be that cruel.

Down by the pool it was time for the dreaded leader board. Hailey had stolen the specials menu from the cafe down the street and commandeered the blackboard as our new scoresheet. This was going to be nothing short of embarrassing. One by one, Hailey read out our names and numbers. Sarah was leading by quite a margin and it was only Wednesday. I however was, as predicted, propping up the bottom.

'Amber, a big fat zero. Come on girls, what do we say to that?'

Everyone started booing, apart from Emma. Even Kelsey joined in with the rabble.

'Just because I won't come home infected with every STI going doesn't mean I'm the loser,' I shouted above the din.

'What did you say, bitch?' Hailey screamed back. Her unexpected outburst silenced at least half the pool.

For ten years I'd stood by and let girls like Hailey have their fun at my expense. I was eighteen; we weren't kids anymore. I'd had enough of her and her standards. I jumped up from the chair and lunged at her, aiming my fist at her head. She toppled backwards and both of us were sent careering into the pool.

'Fight!' the chants come from the water's edge.

We were splashing and struggling in the pool as she grabbed my hair to submerge my head.

'I don't know why I even let you come! You're not from the estate anymore, swanning off to uni like some stuck up cow.'

'At least I've got the brains to get in! I won't spend the next fifty years doing bad nail jobs like you.'

We were having a full-blown conversation while trying to drown each other. I pulled her hair while she screamed and splashed to keep herself afloat. I wasn't really going to drown her, but for a moment there, I was tempted.

'Let go of me, Amber. Somebody, help!' she squealed.

Much to my relief, the other girls just laughed.

Over the screams and shouts and demands for me to 'hit her again!' I heard a voice calling my name.

'Amber. Amber!'

The crowd hushed; even Hailey stopped splashing. At the edge of the pool stood Charlie in a white vest and board shorts with arms folded. The crowd had parted to allow him passage and now he stood above us as I still grasped a clump of Hailey's hair.

'Who is that?'  Hailey asked, filled with awe as she trod water.

'Oh, him? That's Charlie. He's a friend.' Never had I enjoyed being nonchalant quite so much.

Releasing my nemesis, I swam to the edge and pulled myself from the water. Talk about timing.