The Trees Smell Like Lemons

9. Sings no more

The next day at school Bea asked Lila not to say anything to Tom about following Connie to the bar and seeing her with another man. Lila was a lot of things but above all she was loyal. She promised she wouldn't say a word. Bea tried to pretend everything was normal, it was the only way she could get through the day without falling apart. After morning classes Bea and Lila were making their way across the courtyard to the cafeteria to meet Tom for lunch. Lila had launched into Bea about the latest fiasco involving her older brother Jeremy. He was a few years older than them and at university in New York. Drama followed that boy everywhere, especially girl drama.

"So, you know those two girls he was dating at the same time? Turns out they're roommates," Lila was saying. They had reached the outer courtyard. It was a large space set out in a square with entrances to different parts of the school on each side. In the middle were benches and tables arranged out randomly with lots of small magnolia trees and shrubbery. Connecting the courtyard to the cafeteria was a small bridge. They were halfway across the courtyard when something caught Bea's attention, the sound of raised voices. Still half listening to Lila, Bea looked around to find the source of the commotion. Standing at the entrance to the Art block, Mr Hemingway was arguing with someone. Bea stopped walking. Mr Hemingway looked furious. His face was red and flustered and his fists were clenched at his sides. The duo was attracting the attention of other students and teachers. As Bea watched, Mr Carter, a biology teacher, came up to Mr Hemingway and put a hand on his arm. The three of them spoke briefly before Mr Carter led Mr Hemingway back inside the building. The person Mr Hemingway had been arguing with ran a hand through his hair and turned around. Bea's mouth actually dropped open.

It was Adam.

As soon as he saw her Adam started walking across the courtyard in the opposite direction.

"Adam?" Bea called out, but he kept walking.

"Adam!" Bea ran to catch up with him and jumped in front of his path. Adam stopped and a double take.

"Isabelle? What a small world. What are you doing here?" Adam grinned.

"What am I doing here? I go to school here. What are you doing here? Why were you arguing with Mr. Hemingway?" Bea stammered

"Oh that was just a misunderstanding. I go to school here."

"Sorry?" Bea thought she misheard.

"I go to school here," Adam repeated saying each word slowly as if she were stupid.

"No you don't. I would have recognised you," Bea shot back.

An expression of hurt crossed Adam's face. "You didn't recognise me?"

Bea was lost for words. He never mentioned them going to the same school. Could she not have recognised Adam? He was definitely someone who would have caught her attention. "I'm so sorry- " Bea began but stopped when she saw the smirk spreading across Adam's face.

"You're lying," Bea scowled at him.

Adam cracked up. He put his hands up in mock surrender. "Guilty. I actually do go to school here though. I just transferred."

"Yeah right. Why would I believe that?"

"Technically I don't start until January but my school broke up early for the Christmas holidays, so I thought I'd come and check this place out." Adam looked around appreciatively. "Seems good. Okay I should go."

"What? No. You can't go."

"Have you missed me?" Adam raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. Bea tried to think of a reason why he couldn't go when one came bounding up to them in the shape of a sixteen year old girl with curly black hair.

"Bea! Where did you disappear to? I thought you were behind me and then I turned around and there was this little kid just staring at me." Lila clocked Adam then and immediately her whole demeanour changed.

"Oh sorry I didn't see you standing there," Lila purred.

"This is Adam," Bea said.

"I'm Adam," he held out a hand.

"Oh you're Adam. Well at lot of things are starting to make sense now. I'm Lila. Bea's best friend, confidante and fashion advisor." Lila held her hand out demurely.

"That's a firm grip you've got there Adam. You can tell a lot about a person by their handshake you know."

"I have heard people say that. You have a beautiful handshake Lila," Adam smiled and winked. Bea knew so many girls had been on the receiving end of that smile.

Lila laughed. "I like this guy. Well done Bea."

Bea blushed furiously.

"Bea? Lila?"

The girls turned around. Tom was heading towards them with three cardboard boxes balanced in his hands.

"I got you guys the pasta. The line was getting really long and I didn't know how much longer you guys would be."

Tom noticed Adam and stiffened. "What's he doing here?" he said coldly.

Bea gasped a little. Tom never spoke to anyone like that. "A-da-m," Bea said, enunciating each syllable, "just transferred here."

If Adam was bothered by Tom's attitude, he didn't show it. "Hey man, sorry I didn't get to introduce myself the other day." Adam held out a hand which Tom reluctantly shook after a hard glance from Bea and a subtle but hard kick to the shin from Lila.

"You transferred with only two weeks left of term?" Tom said suspiciously.

"I'm transferring here in January but my school has broken up already for Christmas, so I had some extra time. I thought I'd come check out my new place of education," Adam said.

"Really? That's a bit weird," Tom said.

"I think it's a good idea," Lila jumped in.

"What school did you say you went to?" Tom asked.

"Tom stop asking so many questions. I'm sure Bea would like to talk to Adam. Alone. Let's go get a seat in the cafeteria. We'll meet you there okay Bea?" Lila said.

Bea nodded and watched Lila drag a reluctant Tom off to the cafeteria. Tom kept looking back, shooting daggers at Adam.

When they were alone again Bea didn't know what to say. They stood together in awkward silence for a minute.

"I really should be going. It was nice to see you again though," Adam said. Bea searched her brain for anything remotely intelligent to say.

"Yes. Thank you," Bea cringed inwardly. Thank you? What the hell was wrong with her.

Adam laughed. He was about to leave when he seemed to change his mind about something.

"Are you doing anything after school?"

"Who me?" Bea asked dumbstruck. Surely he had seen enough and wanted nothing else to do with her.

"Yes you. Who else would I be talking to?"

"Well I mean I'd have to check but I think I could clear some space," Bea pretended to think. She even thought about getting out her phone and checking her empty calendar but that was probably a touch dramatic.

"Fantastic. I'll meet you outside the front gates. You finish at 3?"

Bea nodded.

"Okay then. Bye for now, Isabelle," Adam smiled.

That smile, Bea thought, was going to get her into a lot of trouble.

Bea spent the rest of the day buzzing with nervous energy. Lila quizzed her extensively about every sentence, syllable and look exchanged during her conversation with Adam. Bea knew Lila was just excited and she loved knowing everything but going back over their brief talk made her start to question whether she might be misreading the situation. She hadn't felt this way about a boy since Tom, and even that felt like a childhood crush in comparison. When she thought about spending time with Adam alone she thought her heart might burst out of her chest.