The Chain (A Catherine Diary) - Stamfield. Complete

Chapter 22

22

I was standing outside the shop when he returned, he handed me a drink.

'Thought you'd deserted me', he said, chuckling. It's a shame he didn't know how close to the truth he was. 'So, what time should I meet you for the party'.

Wow, he actually still thinks I am going to the party with him. Actually, this posed a dilemma for me. I could tell him I wasn't interested, but I also knew how vindictive boys could be and I wouldn't put it past him spreading some rumor about me, at college. Also, what would I tell the girls, that I turned down the chance to go out with a boy they would eat shit to be with and that was assuming they actually believed it was me who had turned him down and not visa versa. My only way of getting out of this, was by using a genuinely honest excuse.

'Yeah the party. Really, I would have loved to come, only Gemma, the girl you met earlier, her family are having a barbecue tomorrow and I've already agreed to go'.

'That's okay, we could go afterwards. Susan did say any time after seven'.

Unfortunately, this was where I did lie, although I made myself feel better by pacifying myself with the fact that I was just stretching the truth a little.

'Gemma's barbecue's go on 'till late, sometimes until the next morning'.

'Oh okay. At least we can go to the cinema on Monday after college', he said, as though he was trying to appease me. 'Let me take your mobile number and I'll ring you some time tomorrow'.

I was guessing this boy had never been turned down. He definitely couldn't see the signs. I was trying to make it obvious, but he was oblivious. At least, I assumed he was.

'No, I tell you what, you give me your number and I'll ring you', I said, even though I had no intension of ringing him. Surely he would be able to get the message, when I didn't ring him.

'Okay', he said chuckling, more to himself, than for my benefit, 'you worried I won't ring. That's cool', he gave me his number. How audacious can some boys be.

The rest of the five minute journey to my house he was polite, asking me about my course and what I wanted to be later on in my life. Oddly enough, he had this way of making it seem like he was genuinely interested.

I rambled, although I couldn't remember what about. Eventually, we got to my house and I was relieved to be finally getting rid of him.

'I'll speak to you tomorrow', he said and leant in, kissing my gently on the lips. It felt much like the kiss I had received from Susan earlier and I figured if I could get a kiss like that from Susan and it not mean anything, then the similar one from Jack would also mean nothing. Besides, I didn't reciprocate, which, I could tell, made him feel slightly awkward.

'Yeah, I'll see ya', I said, turning and walking to my door.