by Beth Garrod
When Mum came back from the shops, I was still getting my head around it. But Jo had said not to say anything yet. So I went with my GADAC-based news instead.
Mum gave me a kiss on the cheek and dropped her post in front of me.
“Morning, Beautiful Daughter Two. Nice of you to join Beautiful Daughter One!”
She unfolded the local paper to page two. “VOILA!!”
And there she was. Mum with the Helicans and Pastry, the GADAC sign stretching right across the page.
She began to read. “Ms Fisher, 40,” Jo and I looked at each other. “Oi! Age is nothing but a number – so you might as well give them a number you like! Anyway, ‘packed out Give A Dog A Cone, her innovative new dog ice cream business, as she announced a brand-new collaboration with chart-topping band the Helicans. Revellers partied to an exclusive acoustic set, as the business looks set to take Midlands dog lovers by storm. With the internet ablaze with talk of her healthy dog treats and philanthropic work, there’s no better time to announce Ms Fisher as the first finalist of our Forty and Fulfilled: Businessperson Of The Year award, to be announced next month.’”
THIS WAS IMMENSE!!! Mum couldn’t take it all in and reread it out loud at least three more times.
“Forty and Fulfilled: Businessperson Of The Year. Little old me. Can you imagine?” I nodded. I really could. “They give the winner £20,000, you know.” She looked lost in the enormity of it. “The Helicans must have really said incredible things last night. Such wonderful people!”
I winked at her. “Well, I don’t put just anybody up on my wall, you know? Anyway – is now the time for some more good news?”
Mum closed the paper. “Go on…”
I opened up my phone contacts and scrolled to what I needed.
Mum’s phone beeped. She looked at it, confused.
“Tesco Colin Matt Healy’s Big Cheese Dad?” Her smile fell. “I’m not going on one of these internet dates, Bella.”
“Sending you a number isn’t an internet date, Mum. But that’s not what this is.” I slapped the table. This was meant to be a dramatic reveal.
“Rach sent it. Cos guess who might want to start stocking your ice cream?”
Jo whistled, getting the connection. Then kindly spelt it out for Mum who really hadn’t. She sat down with a plonk. “Is this a joke?”
“Nope – and he’s expecting your call.” I assumed, cos that’s what they always said in movies.
Mum was so overwhelmed it took a minute before she whispered the nicest “Thank you” I’d ever heard. Checking Jo was distracted reading the GADAC article again I whispered back, “Do you think this means it’s going to be OK?”
She smiled. “I think it means we definitely have the best chance we’ve ever had. And it’s all thanks to you.” She sniffed at me. “So, how about you go get in the shower, and we go and celebrate?”
Jo saw the sniff. “Yes, great unwashed. Go get clean. Then we can celebrate everything. The three of us.”
Too happy to procrastinate, I jumped off the table.
“By the way.” Mum looked suddenly serious. “Shay text a minute ago, saying she’s got to head back to London today. Bit of a shock, eh? She’s going to pack up later and pay up for remainder of the time.”
I smiled. “Woah – that’s totally floored me.”
Jo laughed. “Better roll out that red carpet for her brief return.”
Mum had no idea what we were talking about. “Well, as long as you’re both OK about it?”
I nodded at Mum. “Absolutely fine. In fact, never been better.”
But seconds later, something happened that propelled things into a whole new stratosphere.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FIVE
Nothing this dramatic should ever happen when you are sitting on the loo, naked except for a pair of socks, waiting for a shower to run hot.
It was a notification. Of a repost of Mikey’s picture. Me as a giant bone, the head bit folded down, Pastry licking the bit of my face which was sticking out.
It was so mortifying I should really put in a request to get it removed.
But I didn’t care about what was in the picture. I cared who had reposted it. @lildrummerboy100. More commonly known to me as Adam.
And underneath it was the second best comment I’d ever seen on the internet.
It’s official. @bellingtonboot is the coolest. Couldn’t be prouder.
Yes. It was great that he’d broken the silence between us.
And yes, it was brilliant that he knew about GADAC being my mum’s shop – and was into it.
And yes, it was amazing that he thought I’d done a good job last night.
But what was more awesome, more surprising, than all of this put together was the comment underneath it.
Well I could be prouder… if @bellingtonboot said yes to being my girlfriend?
CHAPTER
THIRTY-SIX
Two hours later, I was on my way to the park to meet him.
Luckily Mumbles was trotting alongside me, helping me keep my balance, as every time I thought about what Adam had posted I almost wobbled over into a hedge.
As soon as I’d read it, I’d messaged him to suggest we meet.
I had questions. All the questions.
And he’d suggested now.
And I’d suggested the clearing by the bridge.
And he’d said yes.
And now I was here.
And he was walking towards me.
And I was petrified.
But this time he looked as nervous as me. Still unbelievably fit obvs, but nervous too.
“So you said to meet here…”
“I did. Yes. Hello.” Conversation gold, Bella. Well done.
Adam shuffled next to me on the log. As always happened around him speaking suddenly felt like my second language. But this was important. I was confused. Maybe cross. Maybe happy. I didn’t know until I found out what was really going on.
I took a deep breath.
“So, err, I wanted to talk about what you posted earlier.” Concentrating so hard made me sound way more serious than I meant. But I needed to know once and for all why he was always so up and down with me.
He put his head into his hands. “Oh no. I’ve made a total idiot of myself, haven’t I?”
I shook my head, but due to his head being in his hands he couldn’t see.
“I shouldn’t have posted that stupid comment, should I?”
My heart dropped. I didn’t think it was stupid. I thought it was the best thing ever. Unless he didn’t really mean it? Or had had a change of heart. Again.
But he carried on.
“You just want to be friends and all summer I couldn’t take your hints, and now look what’s happened.” He went to stand back up. “I’m so sorry. I should go…”
Erm, what?! All summer? My hints? What was he talking about? Was he getting him confused with me?!
“Sorry? My hints? But it’s you who keeps only wanting to be friends?”
“Na-huh?” Adam looked confused. “That’s all you?”
Everything on my face popped more open – eyes, nostrils, mouth.
“Me?”
“Sure,” he nodded, as if it wasn’t him with totally the wrong end of the stick. “Where do I start?”
Erm, literally anywhere – cos I had zero clue where he was going with this.
He drummed his fingers on his knee. Yum.
“How about – well, the other week when I saw you hide behind a car when you spotted me on the street?”
Oh – during my anti-stalking days? I thought he hadn’t seen me. I also thought he was dating Molly. But if he had seen me, I could appreciate it might not look great.
“I think I was doing up a shoe?”
His nose wrinkling suggested he wasn’t buying it.
“Well, what about me being all happy you arranged that amazing date at Rachel’s – only for you to end it by telling me you only suggested it in the first
place because you were under the influence of heavy medical anaesthetic?”
No no?! That’s not what I’d meant?
“I didn’t mean the date. I meant my totally terrible idea for it.”
He looked unconvinced.
“And bringing a friend along? Aka – world’s biggest hint?” Ah. Yes I could see that might be confusing. “Even if we did have the best time … or so I thought until you cancelled the next one last minute.”
The emergency Sunday GADAC shift.
“It was a work emergency!” It was also radio final morning – so my brain had forgotten how to use words to explain properly. And then what with friend-gate I maaaay have forgotten to ever tell him what happened. Ooops.
“And then the same day you made it pre-tty clear when you told everyone on live radio what a great friend I was?” He scratched his cheek, embarrassed. “I even made my new team listen in, cos they knew how much I, y’know … liked you and then you said all that about your ‘friend’. They’re still taking the mickey out of me for it now.”
Hold up. What? He thought what I’d said about Mikey was about him?!
And he’d told his football team he liked me?!
And he’d just told me that he liked me?!
Oh. My. Cod.
Adam. Likes. Me.
I should never second-guess this person again. Or third, or fourth, of fifth-guess.
“But that wasn’t about you. That was about Mikey.”
He scrunched his mouth up. “Ahhhhhhh. So the message I rang in with, that Jaz read out probably didn’t help?”
Understatement alert.
“The one where I thought you were making clear we were mates slash friends? Yeah, not so much.”
He squirmed. “Well there goes my attempt at trying to show you I was respecting what you wanted. Not wanting to pressure you into anything.”
So he’d only acted like we were just friends cos he thought that was what I wanted?! And I’d only done the same back to him cos it’s what I thought he wanted? When in reality seeing him buying frozen peas was the highlight of my summer? This was. Too. Much.
“So when we were hanging out, you didn’t just want us to be friends?” My brain was having trouble keeping up.
“Well I always hoped you wanted more… Until that happened.”
I was speechless. I’d spent so long trying to come to terms with him only liking me as a friend, my mind was having total engine failure trying to three-point turn to any other possibility.
“Bells…” He dropped his voice. “Isn’t it obvious I’ve been trying to be more than just friends this whole, entire summer?”
Erm, no?! Or I wouldn’t have spent the whole, entire summer doing in-depth investigation into whether he might want to be more than friends.
“But you told Nate that’s what we were?”
He shook his head as if he was having as hard a time as me taking in everything.
“Isn’t it polite to ask someone what you are to them before declaring it on public transport?”
Damn him and his respectful logic. I threw the friend-ball back into his court. “But you were the one who went all weird when I mentioned meeting up after Pasta La Vista?!”
“You suggested going to the animal park! Where my dad spends his weekends. Running a miniature railway. As a hobby.” He shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe he was telling me this. “Wearing an actual hat my mum made for him.”
Oh, hello, hindsight, aren’t you a wonderful thing? (And also, I really want to see that hat.)
“Well my mum’s the one selling dog ice cream.”
He laughed. “Yeah, I figured. You should have said?! She’s a legend! And you HAVE to tell me who she gets to dress up as that dog I met there. Such a method actor.”
Hmmm, maybe some things were best left unsaid. I moved the convo on.
“So why now?”
He kicked at the floor. “Who knows? Maybe it was seeing all those photos from the Helicans gig. It was such an amazing thing you did. And I just … oh I dunno.”
More than anything I wanted him to finish what he was saying.
“Go on…” I encouraged, hoping he was braver than me when it came to finally being honest.
“Well, I just knew then that I couldn’t just give up on you ever being my girlfriend. I had to try one last time.”
OK. Something in me just melted. Had to hope it was a gall bladder or something.
“And you thought posting it on the internet was the safest option?!”
He grinned. “Well, it got your attention.” (And Rach’s and Tegan’s who I’d instantly sent it to, not that he needed to know.) “Plus trying to tell you in person didn’t seem to be working out so well!”
He could say that again. Or maybe he couldn’t, considering all we seemed to do was confuse each other.
“Right … OK.” Adam stood up. It felt symbolic – like getting down on one knee, but going up on two feet. He chewed his lip, building himself up for something, then took a deep breath.
“I really hope I’m not getting this massively wrong … but, well, it’s now or never.”
He grinned nervously. I tried to smile back but was mainly concentrating on remembering to intake oxygen.
He looked me right in the eye.
“After me clearly being a bit of an idiot, I think, well, hope, you finally know how I feel about you…” He laughed, suddenly looking awkward. “Which TO BE CLEAR, is that I think you’re all kinds of excellent.”
This time I couldn’t help but smile. And also put out my right hand out to steady myself in case I joy-fainted and fell off the bench, crushing Mumbles. But Adam hadn’t finished.
“So, sorry if I’ve been giving you mixed signals. Because, er…” He paused. “The point is…” I swear he said a “C’mon Adam” under his breath. “Bella Fisher … would you like to be my girlfriend?” He shrugged as if not sure how I might be reacting. “Have me as your boyfriend? However you want to put it…”
He shuffled, nervous. His brown eyes waiting for an answer.
Time to play it cool. Make him sweat it out.
Oh … who was I kidding?! It was what I’d dreamt about for months.
“Yesssss. Yes. IT’S A YES.”
Adam’s whole face lit up. I think he even did a mini air-punch. He looked as happy on the outside as I felt on the inside. Which was pretty mega happy.
“Well that is THE best news I’ve had all day.” He laughed. “Scrap that. All year?!”
Funny, cos him saying it was the best news he’d had all year was the best news I’d had all lifetime. I couldn’t stop smiling.
But what was meant to happen now? This was uncharted territory for me. Thank goodness I was sitting down.
I grinned up at him from the bench. Adam grinned down at me. Mumbles hic-burped. We both ignored it.
Adam – or should I say, MY BOYFRIEND – put his hand out. “May I?”
And as worried as I was about managing to both stand – AND SIMULTANEOUSLY BE ADAM’S GIRLFRIEND – I nodded.
“Yes, you may.” I put my hand into his (obvs after a quick secret de-sweat-wipe on my jeans) and stood up. Yes, World. Fadam and I were officially holding hands.
And it felt ace.
Even better, when we made full eye contact, we had a millisecond of silence before both cracking up, laughing at what a mess we’d made, relieved to finally have everything out in the open.
When we managed to get our breath back I used my non-boyf holding hand (aka the hand formerly known as “left”) to pick up Mumbles’ lead. Slowly we began to head towards the playing field, chatting through a gazillion examples of all the times we’d managed to get each other completely and utterly wrong (I actually spluttered when I discovered he’d been revising Game of Thrones trivia as he thought I was a mega-fan and wanted to impress me?!).
We had way too much to say to each other, but equally kept going happy-quiet as we took in what was happening. I couldn’t believe after
everything, he liked me just how I liked him.
Hand in hand, we strolled to meet Tegan, Rach and Mikey at the bench.
The bench where I used to sit with my friends and watch Adam play football.
The bench where I used to imagine that in a dream world, one day my life might actually be as amazing as it is right now.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Acknowledgements is a weird word. I don’t really want to acknowledge most of these people. I want to give them a massive hug and thank them for how amazing they’ve been to me.
Gemma Cooper – knower of everything, helper of all. I knew I was lucky to have you as an agent, but as every step passes I realize how extra, extra lucky I am. Explainer/fixer-of-problems/confidante/friend/sender of emails pre seven a.m. that should be post nine p.m. (you know the one) – you’ve done it all. Thank you.
Lauren – you came into our life and embraced Bella and me from day one – and made this book all the better because of it. Thank you for always making everything feel OK. I’m just sorry this wasn’t cat-based instead #Stanley.
The whole Scholastic team. Thanks for being so supportive. Special shout-out to Pete’s macaroni-cheese knowledge and spreadsheet patience, Jamie’s second instalment of brilliant-cover-ness, Olivia’s all-round genius and the Rights team who have taken Bella around the world.
Thanks, Pam, James and Tina Bean for always, ALWAYS being there, through the best times, the tough times, the big nights out, and the geeky nights in (and HIYER Aanand!).
Jess – still owning that Swiss-army-knife-friend title on a daily basis. Julie – remember me when you’re on the front page of all the magazines I’ve never heard of. Rosanna – you have no idea how much your never-ending excitement has meant – I can’t wait to do the exact same for you. Dan – you’re one in a million.
And a massive thank you for my amazing friends who went above and beyond this last year. Matt, Mikey, Jono, Katie, Vivek, Lyndon, David, Becky, Sarah, Tom, Robyn, Holly, the Switch crew, my MTV buds – complete wonders, the lot of you. Lou – your services to Inappropriate Stories Via WhatsApp brightens my days.