The Chain (A Catherine Diary) - Stamfield. Complete

Chapter 17

17

It's strange how getting undressed in an unfamiliar environment can evoke a sense of paranoia. Even though I walked through the changing room ensuring I was alone, prior to removing Monica's coat, I still had a nagging feeling that I was being watched.

I dressed as rapidly as I could and it felt good to be covered again. I checked for my purse and my phone, checked to see if I had any missed messages, there was a text from Jane, asking me to text her back to let her know when I got my clothes back, she also added that I looked 'sexy' out there. I chuckled to myself. I gathered up my bag and Monica's coat and left through the door.

I was surprised to find Jack outside on his own.

'Where are the girls?'

Jack pushed himself away from the wall, a smile pasted on his face, 'I convinced them to leave', he opened his arms proud of himself, 'after all, they left you in good hands'.

I wanted to smile, but refused to give him the satisfaction. 'That has yet to be proved'

'Ah, a challenge, I like challenges'

'I'm sure you do', I wasn't entirely sure what I was insinuating, but I knew if I wasn't sure, he sure as hell wasn't either. 'Shall we leave'

'One minute', he said walking past me and locking the changing room door. 'We have to take the key to the security guard in reception', he looked at me, his smile was still there, 'you could help me out by checking the other doors before we leave'.

I looked at him, he actually seemed genuine and I felt strangely comfortable in his presence.

'I'll start down here', he said heading to the girls end of the changing block. I hadn't moved, so he turned back to me, 'don't want to lock anyone in here, do we?'

We spent the next five minutes ensuring the other doors were locked, one wasn't, Jack explained it was the room the referee had used. He made sure it was empty and locked it. It was an unusual form of ice breaking, but it worked, especially when he went into stealth mode, shouting "clear", as he checked each room was locked. I began yelling the same and when we came to the open room, he went in as though he was special forces infiltrating a crime lord. He had me laughing by the end of it.

After locking the changing block, we made our way to the front of the college, he decided he would race me and me being competitive, I rose to the challenge. He let me win, even though he bumped me off balance a couple of times on the way. When we got to the college door, he collapsed on me and at that moment I had forgotten I hardly knew this boy. He felt like a close friend, we were having moments, the kind of moments I could only imagine having with Carla and Gemma.

We knocked on the door for ten minutes before the security guard opened it, claiming he was in the toilet, but Jack explained to me that over the weekend the security guard snuck his girlfriend into the building and they would get up to all kinds of strange things in there. I asked him how he knew about this, he just tapped his nose, without answering. I left it at that.