The New Girl (7 page)

THIRTEEN

Lila kept to herself for the next couple of days. It wasn't hard, because Polly, Ollie and, weirdly, Josh were the only people who spoke to her. Polly was acting like the whole thing at the Heartbeat Café had never happened, while Ollie gave her lots of flirty smiles, which Lila appreciated. Josh said hi when they saw each other in class, but still not much else. The rest of the school continued to ignore her in the classroom, corridor and canteen like she had a contagious disease. She heard a few whispers on Thursday afternoon about her dad being the new chief of police as she walked around with her head bowed over her books. The gossip hadn't taken long to get around.

After the Heartside Café disaster, her dad had told her to come straight home after school for the rest of the week. The weather was vile on Thursday, so she had been glad to trudge up the hill back to her cosy room. Now that everything was unpacked, it was starting to feel more like home. Lila sorted out her bookshelves and clothes cupboards, throwing out old Lil-style outfits and trying not to dream of Ollie. But Friday dawned bright and clear, and by lunchtime she was feeling stir crazy and craving a walk to the beach.

It hadn't taken long for the seaside to take hold of Lila's heart. There was something about the wide horizon, the scudding waves, the gulls and the smell of salt and the sense of a huge world beyond the sea that made her feel better than anywhere else in Heartside. She took herself down to the beach as soon as she finished lunch. Polly would probably have come with her, she thought, but today she wanted to be alone.

She stood with her feet in the sand and her hands deep in her pockets, the wind tugging at her hair and cheeks. There was a ship on the horizon, sending plumes of smoke from its stacks into the blue sky. Lila wished she was on it, and sailing far away from here, somewhere where the ocean and the clouds above were all she could see.

Josh was sitting in his usual place by the pier, drawing in his sketchbook. An apple sat beside him. As if he felt her looking, he glanced up. Their eyes met.

Lila wasn't sure what to do. Should she call out? Go over and speak to him? She settled for lifting her hand awkwardly and waving. His pencil looked like a conductor's baton as he waved it back.

Her phone started buzzing. Still wondering about Josh, Lila answered it without thinking.

The voice on the other end was deep, with a hint of an accent.

“I thought you were
never
going to answer your phone, Lil.”

Blood rushed into Lila's cheeks. “Santiago?”

“Of course it's me. It's so good to hear your voice. How are you?”

What was she doing?
Hang up!
she told herself urgently. But her fingers wouldn't obey.

“I'm broken-hearted, baby,” he whispered. “I miss you so much, I am thinking of tattooing your initials on my left arm, to match the right. I need to talk to you.”

She glanced at her own tattoo. It had seemed like such a romantic thing to do – to get each other's initials etched on to their wrists. She'd been such an idiot. Now, even though the tattooist had reworked the initials so they looked like an abstract pattern, she could still see the SG threaded through the centre of the swirling heart. He was, quite literally, in her blood.

“Talking's not a crime, you know,” he said temptingly.

His words reminded Lila of what she'd said to Eve in the Heartbeat Café. Talking to a guy wasn't the same as seeing him, was it? She and Ollie were proof of that. In the midst of the mess that surrounded her in this strange new place, all Lila wanted was to feel normal. It would be so nice, just talking to someone who liked her. Someone she didn't have to explain things to, or hide who she really was from.

“Fine,” she said, feeling a strange mixture of relief and guilt. “Let's talk.”

“I can't stop thinking about you,” he said at once. “When can I see you?”

Whoa!
she thought, feeling alarmed. This was already getting out of hand. She should have hung up when she had the chance.

“It's difficult,” she said helplessly. “I'm here, you're in London. It's over.”

His voice caressed her. “Heartside is not so far away. I can come and visit. I like the sea.”

“No,” Lila said quickly. “That would be a really bad idea. My parents would kill me if they knew I was talking to you—”

“Why do they need to know?”

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “This is a fresh start for me, Santiago. Don't you understand? No more lies.”

“There's a difference between lying and not saying anything at all, Lil. Meet me. Please?”

A memory of Santiago's dark, laughing eyes and thick ebony-coloured hair made Lila's heart thud. They had spent some great times together. He was exciting and a little dangerous and for a while it had seemed so refreshing that he didn't just follow the rules like everyone else. Maybe she could meet him. . .

You're Lila now, not Lil!
she told herself with some desperation. She had to be strong.

“No,” she said. She felt calm again suddenly, knowing she'd made the right decision. “Please don't call or text me again, Santiago. You know I can't see you.”

With the last threads of her resolve, she hung up. Then she turned the phone off completely and stuffed it deep into her pocket. It pushed against the notes from her locker, making them crinkle.

She focused on her surroundings again, feeling dazed by the aching feeling in her heart. Realizing Josh wasn't sitting by the pier any more, she checked her watch – and gasped. Class started in ten minutes. If she didn't hurry, she would be late!

This is your fault, Santiago!
she thought angrily, running as fast as she could to the steps leading up from the beach to the road. He was still making trouble for her, even from a distance.

Lila made it back into the reception area as the first bell went. She sped down the corridor, relieved that no one else was around, and threw herself through the door of her classroom just in time.

“Cutting it a bit fine, aren't you?” said Polly as Lila collapsed, panting, in her chair.

Lila paused. She still wasn't sure how Polly felt about the way she had vanished with Ollie on Wednesday.

Polly grinned, and Lila felt her shoulders drop in relief. Maybe they were OK after all.

She was about to open her bag and pull out her books when one of the school secretaries put her head around the door.

“Can Lila Murray go to the office, please?”

There were a few mutters, and a couple of glances in Lila's direction. Eve smiled sweetly and drew her finger across her throat. Panicking, Lila got to her feet. What had she done?

Maybe I wasn't meant to leave the school building at lunch
, she thought nervously, following the secretary down the corridor. Had she broken a rule without realizing? She could imagine how well
that
would go down with her dad – especially this week. Josh must have told someone he'd seen her. But he wouldn't do that, would he? You never knew, with Josh.
If I'm not allowed on the beach in the day, then surely he isn't either,
she reminded herself, twisting her hands together as she reached the office door.

“Wait here, please,” rapped the secretary.

She sank into a comfy chair. It probably wasn't Josh. But being called to the office was never good. She had learned that in London. She felt sick to her stomach. What more could go wrong?

FOURTEEN

The secretary reappeared with a frown on her face. Lila leaped to her feet, filled with dread.

“I don't know how it worked in London, Miss Murray,” said the secretary coldly, “but at Heartside, the students don't have personal mail delivered to the school. Don't let it happen again.”

Lila stared at the letter in the secretary's hand. She didn't understand.

The secretary waved the letter impatiently at her. “Aren't you going to take it?”

Lila took the letter. Her heart started to race at the familiar handwriting on the envelope. Lila Murray, 10Y.

“Thanks,” she stammered. Her brain was bouncing around like a ping-pong ball. Another note! What would this one say?

“Back to class now,” said the secretary, and shut the office door.

Lila clutched the letter, feeling the grain of the paper between her fingers. Just holding it made her feel happy. She almost didn't want to open it and break the spell. Walking slowly back down the corridor, she turned into the girls' toilets and locked herself in a cubicle. Her fingers trembled as she prised open the flap.

You looked sad today. Don't be. Everything will work out.

Meet me at midnight on Saturday? There's a hidden cove in the cliffs, along from the main beach. Take the path by Kissing Island.

I'll be there waiting.

Lila's heart skipped at the thought of meeting her admirer on the beach. Surely it must be Ollie. Would it be a full moon tomorrow night? She almost swooned about how romantic that would be.

Thoughts of Ollie stayed in her mind. He wanted to remember their first kiss. What could be more romantic than kissing on a secret beach at midnight? She folded the letter up carefully and tucked it back inside its envelope. If she was going to do this, it would require careful planning.

 

Lila paced impatiently in her bedroom on Saturday evening, waiting for the doorbell. When it rang, she took the stairs three at a time.

“Hey,” she said breathlessly. “Come in.”

Polly hefted her overnight bag over her shoulder. “Thanks for inviting me over. I haven't had a sleepover in ages.” She looked over Lila's shoulder at the softly lit hallway. Everything had finally been unpacked. There were pictures on the walls, and a coat rack had been screwed into place beside the glass-panelled front door. A round wooden tub at the foot of the stairs held umbrellas and sticks and a few wellington boots. “Are your brothers going to jump out at me again?” she added, a little cautiously.

“They're out,” Lila replied. “Dad's working. It's just me and Mum tonight.” She dragged Polly inside. “Come upstairs, I want to show you something.”

When they reached Lila's bedroom, Lila pressed the latest note into Polly's hands.

Polly peered at the handwriting. “Your secret admirer again? What's that now – two notes?”

“Three,” Lila confessed. She gave Polly the note she'd got two days earlier. “I'm sorry I didn't show you the second one. My head's been in a funny place this week, but I'm feeling better now. Things are clearer. What do you think?”

She waited as Polly read the notes.

“You're not going to meet him,” Polly said disbelievingly, looking up. “Are you?”

Lila felt defiant. These notes were the best thing that had happened to her since she'd got to Heartside Bay. “Why not?” she challenged.

“Lila, that's not a good idea,” said Polly in alarm. “In fact, it's a really BAD idea. You can't go out at midnight to meet a total stranger!”

“After Santiago called me yesterday, I was a mess,” Lila groaned, throwing herself down on the bed. “It's as if the person writing these letters
knew
how I was feeling, and how to make me feel better. I feel sure I can trust him, Polly.”

“Whoa, rewind,” said Polly. “Who's Santiago?”

“My ex. The guy who's been texting me.” Lila shot a cautious glance at her bedroom door. She didn't want her parents hearing this. “I spoke to him yesterday. He wants us to get back together. I said no. I got into a lot of trouble with him, back in London.”

“Wow,” said Polly. She laughed in amazement. “When you fell into class on the first day, you didn't look like a girl with secrets.”

“Believe me, I have plenty,” said Lila. “I have been bursting to tell you everything since I got the last note. Tell me honestly, Polly. Do you think it could be Ollie?”

Polly scoffed. “He's not the kind of guy who writes letters. He's more likely to sign a football.”

“Maybe he's got a romantic side,” Lila giggled.

“Unlikely,” said Polly.

She was looking serious again. Lila wondered if she'd made her friend angry. Then she remembered that they still hadn't talked about what had happened on Wednesday.

“I'm sorry I kind of dumped you at the Heartbeat Café,” she said awkwardly. “It's just – I was feeling bad, and you were ages in the queue, and when Ollie signalled that he wanted to meet me. . .”

“Don't worry about it,” Polly said. “Just promise you won't go and meet the letter guy tonight. It could be anyone. It could even be one of Eve's tricks.”

Lila gnawed her lip. She hadn't considered the Eve angle. Meeting on the beach had felt like such a good idea when she first read the note. Now that Polly was pointing out the problems, she could see that maybe it was a little crazy.

Polly was right. She shouldn't go.

 

“I can't believe we're doing this,” whispered Polly, unhappily.

Lila felt a rush of gratitude. “Thanks for coming with me.” If she was honest, she felt a lot safer knowing Polly would be there too – particularly if this
was
one of Eve's traps. If it
wasn't
, well . . . the kissing would have to wait. Lila hugged herself as a thrill of anticipation ran through her.

They stepped out of the front door. A figure suddenly emerged from the shadows. Lila gasped. She would have known that silhouette anywhere. This wasn't happening. Not now!

Polly opened her mouth to scream.

“It's OK,” Lila said quickly, before Polly woke up the entire street. She gazed at the tall, dark-haired boy in front of her with a mixture of pleasure and annoyance. “I know him.”

Looking wide-eyed and frightened, Polly closed her mouth again.

Santiago was shivering in his thin coat, but his eyes sparkled with pleasure in the moonlight. “Hello, baby,” he said in delight. “You don't know how good it is to see you.”

“What are you
doing
here, Santiago?” Lila groaned.

“I needed to see you so badly. I caught a train as soon as you hung up this afternoon,” he said. “I'm here to win you back, Lil. I will beg if I have to.”

He was just as gorgeous as Lila remembered. A long dark lock of hair hung over one eye, and his teeth gleamed in the moonlight. For a moment, she forgot about her secret admirer, and her midnight rendezvous, and every single reason why she had left the house.

Upstairs, a light flicked on. Lila was shocked back to reality. If her mother looked out of the window now and saw her with Santiago . . . she would be grounded for life!