The Trees Smell Like Lemons

7. Summer to your heart

Bea met Lila and Tom at lunch. Lila wasted no time, before Bea had even sat down she demanded to know what happened with Mr Hemingway.

"What did he want? Did you guys make out?"

"What?" Bea and Tom shouted at the same time.

"Of course not Lila!" Bea blushed at the thought.

Lila shrugged. "I would have," she muttered.

Tom rolled his eyes at Lila. "So what did he want then?"

"He wanted to know if I needed help for exams." Bea unpacked her lunch.

"Is that it? Ugh how boring," Lila sighed.

"Can we forget about it?" Bea pleaded, remembering the way Mr Hemingway had grabbed her arm and the strange, almost haunted, look in his eye.

"What were you guys talking about?"

"The Christmas eve ball," Lila said excitedly, and she launched into her list of things she needed to do. Bea cast a glance at Tom across the table. He was avoiding her gaze.

The Christmas Eve ball was an annual event at the school and the three of them always went together. Last year Lila had a date. Bea and Tom decided to still go together and went the music slowed down, Tom asked her to dance. Bea remembered the way her heart had hammered in her chest and her palms felt slick in Tom's hands. He had looked at her differently, the way she'd wanted him to look at her for so long. Nothing had happened, but in the weeks and months that followed something shifted in their friendship. Bea had driven Lila crazy asking her if Tom had said anything about her.

Then Sara died.

Nothing mattered after that.

Eventually, Tom looked at her and gave her a small smile. She returned the smile but her heart kept up a steady rhythm.

"There's not enough time to get everything ready," Lila continued. "Maya is freaking out. The bar has been set so high from last year. If people think it's rubbish then no one will elect her for Head Girl next year."

"What theme are you going for?" Tom asked.

"Winter wonderland. Picture it," Lila stood up and held her arms out. "You walk in through a doorway dazzling with lights. Inside you look up and it's snowing. There's a frozen lake in the middle-"

"Snow?" Tom interrupted.

"Frozen lake?" Bea added a second after.

"Yes," snapped Lila. She sighed and sat down. "That's what I suggested anyway. The others still need more convincing." She jutted out her bottom lip like she always did when something was bothering her. "I just want it to be perfect, you know? I think we all deserve to have something nice to look forward to." Lila's voice was bright but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

Bea realised that she wasn't the only one still grieving. She reached across the table and squeezed Lila's hand to say she understood. Lila gave her a sad acknowledging smile.

"Don't worry Tom and I will help. It will be the best ball ever," Bea assured Lila.

Tom cleared his throat. "Bea I was going to ask you- Would you-"

Just then the bell rang for the end of lunch. There was chaos all around them as students made their way to afternoon class.

"Sorry Tom what were you trying to say?" Bea asked.

"Do you want to go out for dinner next week?" It came out so quickly it took a minute for Bea to decipher what he had said.

"Dinner? With Lila too?" Bea asked.