The Cupid Touch

The Cupid Touch Chapter 25 - Uncomfortable Truths

 As the conversation continued without any input from the girl, I started to wonder if I was just going crazy. Was I just imagining things because I was essentially jealous?

But her figure had been right, too. Tall and really well put together. Her hair had been dark, and she'd moved in the same way I remembered Rita gliding over to Joe. There couldn't be too stunners like that out there who knew something about me, could there?

So maybe she knew them, too. Maybe her apparent interest in Joe was really to do with watching him on behalf of some of Lucas's friends. Which sounded all a little bit conspiracy-theory to me. But why else was she here looking for me with a couple of heavies?

I jumped as someone tried the handle of the computer-lab door. I held my breath as I heard a louder male voice.

"No lights on."

Of course, my phone chose that moment to issue a cheery chirp, announcing a text message.

Shit, shit, shit.

And then I heard another voice, which initially flooded me with relief.

"Can I help you?"

It was Eva Lang, my beloved math tutor. The building hadn't been empty after all. I risked a glance out of the window and saw her on the stairs, looming like some slightly middle-aged guardian angel.

"Sorry?" one of the men said.

"I asked if I could help you."

"No... No, we were just..."

"Were you looking for a friend? Because there aren't any students left this evening."

I got moved around a little and got a proper look at the guys outside while their attention was on Eva. The big one was doing the talking. He looked like an uglier version of Jason Statham and he spoke like he had a bad head-cold.

"We're waiting for someone."

Eva gave him a level look. "It could be a long wait. Security will be here to lock this place in about five minutes."

I glanced back at the big guy. He was staring right back at Eva like she was some kind of insect. Quite suddenly, I felt afraid instead of relieved. She was one defenceless person against two heavies and whatever Rita was. If they'd come to do something bad to me, would they see her as just another casualty?

My heart was in my throat somewhere as he stood stock-still, and then said quietly, "OK. Guess we'll catch her another time."

It was only as they started to leave and my breathing returned that I remembered that Joe would be out there by now, waiting for me.

I pulled out my cell-phone. The text had been from him:

Not to hassle you or anything, but I could probably eat about three of you right now I'm that hungry. Meet me in the Sports Cafe and I'll grab a burger xx

I typed back a quick and shaky:

Stay in the cafe - on my way. x

I sent it, and then counted to a hundred while I waited for the three of them to be well and truly gone. I still opened the door as quietly as possible, peering out toward the entrance which was thankfully empty. It looked dark and intimidating out beyond the doors, though, and I wondered if I could back down on my text and ask Joe to come back out here in ten minutes.

"Working in the dark?"

I must have lost a good year off my life with the shock the voice gave me. I'd just assumed that Eva had left, but she was standing behind the reception-desk, apparently looking for something in some papers. I was glad she wasn't making eye-contact.