by Anna Archer
“Why would word get out?”
“A little teaser online won’t do any harm.”
“I’ve never courted the press, mum, and I don’t want you to start either.”
“They’ll spot you on Monday afternoon going into the grounds.”
Manny pulled the discarded killer clown mask back over her head. “I’m the mistress of disguise. They won’t notice me if I don’t want them to.”
“Oh don’t be so silly. We’ll tease the fans with the what if.”
“You know I’m not like that.” Manny thought about Eve. “I don’t like getting people’s hopes up. I shouldn’t say I’m doing something if I’m not.”
“But you are. You’re going back to football.”
“Yes but I’ll still be at school… being taught… by my teachers.” Pushing herself away from the table, Manny shook her head. “I need to go and figure a few things out.”
“I thought you’d done that already?”
“I just assumed I’d be making that clean break from school. I need to…” She nodded. “I might not be back for a few days. I’ll take a bag.”
Sandy gasped. “You’ve already told Nikki haven’t you?! And she wants you back and you’re worried she won’t want you back when she realises it’ll be a slow and gradual process.”
Manny nodded. “Something like that, mum.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Pulling the old Ford Fiesta into the snowdome’s carpark, Manny accepted that choosing to swap cars with her mum for the remainder of the half term holiday had been a wise, but anxiety-inducing decision. Anxiety-inducing because her mother was a horrific driver who would constantly be distracted by people she’d spot on her travels. ‘Ooo there’s Joyce,’ she would say, ‘her daughter’s just had an affair.’ Or: ‘Look, there’s that man who sits on the bench outside the library. I’m sure he’s a pervert.’ Or: ‘What gear should I be in? This feels a bit crunchy.’ However, the worry about a scratch, dent or broken sportscar engine was outweighed by the invisibility Manny now felt in this ten-to-the-dozen car. Pairing that with the balaclava she was now pulling over her head as she walked across the carpark, Manny knew she’d made the sensible choice. No one noticed a Ford Fiesta so no one was looking her way. Had she arrived in her souped-up Porsche Carrera people would almost certainly have stared, meaning she’d have been wise to drive in her balaclava - reminiscent of a scene from Grand Theft Auto, unfortunately causing any passing police cars to pull her over, no doubt.
Making her way up the wide steps towards the snowdome’s entrance, Manny nodded to herself. This was the sensible choice. What the sensible choice was regarding how she’d let on to Eve that she was to remain her student was another matter entirely. She hadn’t made any declarations to Eve, as such, but the uninhibited nature of their sex last night had indicated a sense of freedom between them both, as if the student-teacher barrier wouldn’t be an issue for much longer. Manny remembered the kiss in the limo that had occurred before they’d spotted the fancy dress Mannys, and before she’d teased the possibility that she might stop school. Eve had kissed her then, knowing full well she’d likely be teaching her for the next two years, so maybe Eve would be fine continuing with the affair. Manny stopped herself. One drink-fuelled heated snog in the back of a secluded limousine was very different to a full-on physical relationship and fun-filled affair, even if the affair was conducted in disguise.
“Aareet,” said Manny in her best Geordie accent to the young girl behind the counter. “An hoors sledgin’ please.”
“Twelve pounds.”
Manny handed over the cash and left her arm outstretched for the wrist band.
“You’re a green. Listen out for when they call you off the slopes. Head down the steps over there and collect your sledge. Your wristband will give you access through the gates.”
“Whey aye man!” Manny knew she was probably over egging it but realised her excitement had started to override her anxiety. The place was magical and she always felt like a child whenever she was here. The coldness in the air. The sight of the huge snowy slope through the floor-to-ceiling viewing window. The anticipation of the fun that was to come. Dashing down the stairs, she grabbed a bright-red double sledge and lifted her arm to the barrier, pushing her way out onto the snow. She smiled. It was the crunch of the real snow beneath her feet that always got her the most excited. And it was real snow - it was one of the places biggest selling points. That and the fact they cleverly rotated the time slots between skiing and snowboarding, and sledging and tubing, allowing an array of all ages and abilities to enjoy their time on the slope without the fear of getting hit by some professional skier attempting a new speed slalom record.
Taking her gloves from her back pocket and pulling the sledge towards the travellator, Manny realised the apprehension she’d been feeling about what she was going to say to Eve had almost entirely disappeared. She was seeing Eve, in this magical, enchanted, hilariously-childlike setting and that was all that really mattered. Glancing up towards the top of the travellator she noted the usual groups of people she’d seen booked into this time-slot before – young children with their parents, mostly sharing the double sledges, birthday parties for twelve-year-olds who were finally allowed on the slopes unaccompanied, the odd couple who’d decided to do something different on a date, and the gangs of teenage boys and girls just wanting a laugh on a Sunday afternoon.
The clientele on a mid-week evening slot was completely different. There you’d find the serious skiers and snowboarders, easily characterised by their top-of-the-range salopettes and snow coats. Most of the people booked onto the weekend sledging and tubing sessions were completely underdressed in jeans, regular coats and normal gloves that got wet through the first time someone fell out of their sledge. Manny smiled in memory at the times she’d come here with friends and girlfriends, mostly on sessions like this but occasionally on a skiing or snowboarding taster evening – something she’d liked to have taken up properly if she’d ever had the time. What she had gained though, from the more professional sessions, was an understanding of the importance of proper snow-gear, cue the waterproof trousers, warm puffer jacket, snow boots and proper ski gloves she was wearing right now.
Glancing up the travellator past the groups she recognised, Manny spotted a lone woman wearing a bright-pink all-in-one ski suit; and it was definitely a woman as the ski suit was skin-tight, outlining a marvellously athletic figure. What looked strange though was the black balaclava accessorising the outfit, as if the woman was an après-skier in Val d'Isère who’d suddenly decided to rob a bank. Manny squinted, it had to be Eve. The woman was on her own, disembarking the travellator with a double sledge. She lifted her hand to wave, just about managing to stop herself from shouting out Eve’s name. She waved again, thinking about whether or not she should shout the name: Frank, but realising it would sound strange to the people on the travellator beside her, not to mention the fact the music now being pumped out of the snowdome’s speakers made it very difficult to hear anything at all. The atmosphere they tried to create during these fun sessions was like the one you’d get at a roller-disco. Loud music, flashing lights, laughing as your friends fell over. Manny watched as a boy hurtled down the slope too fast, misjudging the gentle corner and coming out of his sledge with about thirteen rolls and wails of laughter from his gang of mates hurtling down behind him.
Manny looked to the woman in pink, wishing the travellator was faster. That was one of the negatives of the place, a four-minute journey up, where you had to stand completely still as you were transported to the top of the L-shaped slope on this slow, flat-for-skis, escalator, followed by a gone-in-a-flash thirty second ride down. By the time she’d got to the top, Eve would be at the bottom. She waved again hoping to catch her attention, but Eve appeared to be staring down the slope and planning out a route instead of looking towards the travellator at the side. Manny wondered how long Eve had been here. Her outfit didn’t appear to be wet
and there was no snow on her gloves meaning she either was a fantastic sledger who hadn’t fallen out and hadn’t spat up the snow whilst braking, or this was her first run. Manny couldn’t wait. She wanted their first run to be together. Lifting her gloved hands to her mouth she screamed: “Frank!” before quickly apologising to the young mother and child standing in front of her. She lifted her hands again, trying to angle her next: “Frank,” and “Frankie,” and “Francesca,” away from them, knowing that if Eve hadn’t answered to Frank she certainly wouldn’t be paying attention to anyone shouting the name Francesca, but it made Manny feel less conspicuous all the same, as the woman in bright pink at the top of the slope would never pass for an East End bloke called Frank.
Manny groaned as she glanced around in frustration, contemplating whether or not she should pick up her sledge and edge past the people in front even though the huge signs positioned at five-meter intervals to the side of the travellator were very clear: No walking or ski-shuffling. She’d even seen people asked to leave before, for trying to barge their way through, so knew it wasn’t a realistic option. Groaning again she watched as Eve took a seat in her sledge. It felt like one of those frustrating dreams where you couldn’t get to where you wanted to go. Manny held on to the moving handrail and sighed, realising she had no choice but to admire from afar. Eve was now in position, using her right foot to start herself off. In a matter of seconds she’d be at the bottom of the slope and back on the travellator so Manny decided the best course of action would be to wait for her at the top, but that’s when it happened. Eve had done one almighty kick-off and was now tucked into the sledge hurtling down the start of the slope.
The layout of the snowdome was pretty basic, one gentle L-shaped slope, with the travellator on the right-hand side: Gentle in its L-shape, not in its incline. On the left was a basic ski-pully that would take you half-way up if you wanted to avoid the corner and steep start, but Eve had clearly opted for what most sledgers did and gone straight from the top. Usually that would be fine, as long as the person knew how to turn the sledge. It didn’t need a big turn, just a gentle lift of the brake on the left-hand side to realign the sledge into the downwards position. Eve, however, wasn’t touching her brakes at all. The boy who’d rolled out earlier had yanked on his brake too hard and that was always a risk when trying to turn, but the greater risk was not turning at all as that would send you straight into the cushioned barriers at the side of the slope. Manny watched in what seemed like slow-motion as Eve’s sledge picked up more speed. “TURN!” she screamed, not caring about the woman and young child in front of her. “TURN, EVE!” she screamed again. It was too late. The bright-pink skin-tight ski suit was flung out of the sledge, face-first into the barrier, like someone not wearing a seatbelt, catapulted from a car straight into a brick wall.
Manny grabbed her sledge and shoved it under her arm, barging past the patiently waiting people on the travellator and ignoring the snowdome employee at the top who was trying to stop her. “She’s crashed!” she snapped, pointing down the slope at Eve who was still face-first in the cushions.
The man turned to look. “A marshal will help her. You shouldn’t be walking up the travellator.”
“But she’s crashed!”
“That may be, but we have plenty of marshals around to help. The signs are very clear, no walking up—”
Manny didn’t give him chance to finish, instead throwing her sledge ahead as if performing a bobsled start. She jumped in and hurtled straight towards the barrier, the cold air making her eyes water as she picked up speed, only yanking on both brakes when there was about a meter left to go, resulting in a very impressive, snow-spray stop. “Eve?” she gasped, jumping out of her sledge.
A woman’s voice behind her was strict. “Step away, please, I’m a marshal.”
“Eve? Are you okay?”
The marshal crouched down in the snow. “Hello, I’m Melissa and I’m a marshal. Is your name Eve, are you okay?”
Manny let out a breath of relief as Eve finally pulled herself out of the cushions and dusted herself off with a giggle.
“Eve, is it?” said the marshal.
Eve shook her head. “I’m Eddie.”
Melissa the marshal turned to Manny. “I thought you said she was called Eve?” She returned her attention to Eve. “What’s your name, please? Is it Eve or Eddie? Are you concussed? I think you should take your balaclava off. You may have a head injury.”
“I’m Eddie. Like Eddie The Eagle Edwards.”
The marshal frowned. “You think you’re Eddie The Eagle Edwards? The ski jumper? You’re definitely concussed. Take off your balaclava, please. I need to look for swelling.”
“She’s fine!” said Manny. “Are you fine?” she asked, thinking it wise to double-check.
Eve giggled again. “I just mis-timed my turn.”
“Are you two here together?” asked the marshal.
“No,” said Eve at the exact moment Manny said: “Yes.”
“Have you had a crash as well, madam?”
Manny shook her head. “No. We were having a race and she was trying to get away from me and now she’s pretending she doesn’t know me.”
The marshal looked confused. “Do you know this woman, Eddie?”
Eve nodded.
“What’s her name?”
“Lindsey,” said Eve.
“Is your name Lindsey,” asked the marshal.
Manny nodded.
“Right, well both of you be more careful, please. I advise you take some time out at the bottom of the slope and refresh yourselves with the sledging rules clearly displayed on the wall.”
“I have a better idea,” said Manny, “share my sledge from now on. I’m a great driver.”
“Is that okay with you, Eddie?” asked the marshal. “Lindsey’s not coercing you into anything you don’t want to do, is she?”
Eve laughed. “She looks like someone I wouldn’t mind being coerced into things with, if you know what I mean?”
The marshal frowned. “She’s wearing a balaclava. Are you sure you didn’t hit your head?”
Eve dusted the snow off her ski suit. “I’m fine, honestly. Right, Lindsey, where do you want me?”
“Between my legs,” said Manny, repositioning the sledge and jumping in the back seat.
“And you’ll grip your thighs tightly around me?” asked Eve.
“As long as you squeal in pleasure,” replied Manny.
Melissa the marshal spoke loudly. “Ladies, please remember this is a family session.”
Manny gasped. “Haven’t you had your equal-ops training? And you call yourself a marshal!”
The woman almost bowed in apology. “We’re very supportive of inclusion here at the snow—”
Manny didn’t give her chance to finish, kicking off quickly and starting their fast descent of the hill. “Lindsey?” she shouted into Eve’s ear as they picked up more speed. “Where the bloody hell did Lindsey come from?”
Eve wailed in excitement. “Lindsey Von! Oh my goodness this is so fast! The famous skier!”
“And you’re Eddie The Eagle Edwards?!”
“You told me to hide who we were, but then you zoomed over telling everyone my real name!”
“What?” shouted Manny, unable to hear properly due to the speed at which they were going and the wails of joy coming from Eve. “Are you okay?”
“I’m brilliant!” screamed Eve.
“Hockey stop!” shouted Manny yanking on both brakes before releasing the left one slightly, causing the sledge to swing to a stop like a car hand-brake-turning-it into a small parking space.
“Again!” wailed Eve.
“Let me get a proper look at you first,” said Manny, rising from the sledge and helping Eve out. “Are you sure you’re okay? I can only see your eyes.”
“I walked through the carpark looking like this.”
“Well I put on a Geordie accent at the till.”
“Do you think she’ll
report us?”
“Who? Melissa the marshal? No, always throw in the homophobia card, it panics people. But we do have to behave from now on. I’ve already been told off for walking up the travellator.”
“What if I don’t want to behave,” asked Eve, “I’ve missed you.”
Manny smiled under her balaclava. “And I’ve missed you too.”
“Are you sure this is okay on your knee?”
“Honestly, it’s feeling great. All my attention seems to head straight to my heart and my pussy when I’m with you.”
Eve laughed. “They’re pulsing?”
“Maybe I’ll snuggle even closer and push them against you on our next sledge down.”
“Your heart or your pussy.”
“Which would you prefer?”
Eve’s eyes squinted through her letterbox. “Good question.”
“Scratch that, I think you’ve already taken them both.”
“I’ve taken your heart?”
“You’ve stolen it, Eve.”
Eve stared at the big blue eyes. “And your pussy?”
“You took that too, if I remember correctly.”
Eve laughed. “I’m too excited to take you seriously.”
“It’s this place, right? It’s magical.”
“It is.” Eve paused. “I was actually imagining what it would be like to ski with you. No flashing lights or music like this, just the snow and the scenery. My favourite place is alone on the slopes with nothing but the snow and the sky.”
“So why would you want me there?”
“Because I’m starting to want you everywhere, Manny.”
Manny held the connection. “I thought you were too excited to be serious?”
“You’re right, I am, come on, show me your sledging skills.”
“You want me to carve up the competition?”
Eve smiled. “Trust me, you have absolutely no competition at all.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight