by Sue Welford
Hickson caught sight of his reflection in the newly polished glass and stopped to run his hand through his hair. Drew felt slightly sick. The guy was so vain it wasn’t true. He had always been the same. Even at school he had spent half his time looking at himself in the mirror, the other half chatting up good looking girls.
Drew pulled his baseball cap down over his eyes. He rubbed frantically at an imaginary spot on the glass. With a bit of luck Carl wouldn’t see him. Although he did have a horrible, sinking feeling he knew just what was going to happen. Hickson had never forgotten the time Drew had come across him bullying one of the younger school kids. Drew had landed him a punch that sent him flying. He always reckoned Carl was just waiting to get his own back. Every time they met there was a grudge simmering just beneath the surface. Today was no exception.
‘Why it’s old Devlin.’
Drew looked down to see Carl resting his hand on the side of the step ladder. He pushed his cap back so he could see better. Chill out, Devlin, he said to himself. He might give the impression he was a pretty laid-back sort of guy but he did have a temper. And the person most likely to make him lose it happened to be standing underneath his ladder right now.
‘Carl,’ Drew said lightly. ‘Fancy seeing you.’
The truth was, Drew often saw Carl around the place but usually managed to avoid him. The last thing he wanted was Carl to hand out his usual snide remarks in front of Drew’s work mates.
Behind Carl, Cindy was fiddling with her hair. She gazed briefly at Drew then looked away. It was obvious she thought he was just another hotel worker in a stupid green overall. Which he was, of course, although Drew realised he had been harbouring a vain hope that she just might recognise him from college and at least say ‘hi’ or something. It would at least mean she had noticed him, if nothing else.
Gazing at her, Drew reckoned he’d been right. Looks she definitely had. And a great figure. But if she was going out with a guy like Carl Hickson she couldn’t have much of a brain that was for sure. As for Carl... well, Drew knew there was nothing he liked better than having a good looking girl on his arm. He’d been out with almost every pretty girl in the area. To him, brains didn’t mean a thing.
‘What’s new then Devlin?’ Carl said. ‘Still up to your old tricks.’
Drew looked down. He decided that was the best place to be, looking down on Carl Hickson. Cindy had gone on towards the doors into the hotel and stood waiting patiently. ‘What tricks are they then?’ he said coolly.
‘The kind of tricks your dad gets up to,’ Hickson said. Drew felt a warm flush of anger. Hickson was one of the people who knew about his father and if they did get into conversation, he never failed to mention it.
‘Very funny,’ Drew turned back to his polishing.
Carl went on gazing up at Drew. ‘Well next time you visit him maybe he’ll teach you one or two,’ he said, grinning. ‘You could end up polishing prison windows instead.’ This was too much for Drew. He shot backwards down the ladder. Hickson certainly had the knack of making him lose his temper without hardly trying. Drew stood in front of Carl, his chest heaving. The urge to punch him on the nose was almost too much to resist. Seeing him on the deck with a fat lip again might almost be worth losing his job for. His fists were clenched by his sides.
‘Touch me and you’re out of a job, Devlin,’ Carl said smoothly.
‘It would be worth it,’ Drew said angrily. Even as he said it, he realised it wasn’t true. He needed this job desperately and Hickson knew it.
‘Yes? Why don’t you try it then.’ Drew tore his eyes away from Carl’s grinning face. Common sense told him it wouldn’t be worth it. He glanced at Cindy. She was staring at them with alarm on her face. Carl gave him one more look then went off to catch her up. She spoke to him and he answered, glancing back at Drew then saying something else. He watched them go through the swing doors into the hotel. He took a deep breath and went back up the ladder. There was no doubt about it, if he had another run-in with Hickson he’d get him fired and that was the last thing he needed. There was no guarantee he’d find another job that was for sure.
‘Haven’t you finished yet, Andrew?’ Mr Appleby came marching along the corridor. ‘I’ve got several other jobs lined up for you before you knock off.’
‘Sorry,’ Drew mumbled. ‘Almost done.’ He began to polish away like mad. He was annoyed to find his hand was shaking. But whether it was shaking with anger or with excitement because, for one brief moment, the beautiful Cindy had been so close to him that he could see the intense blue of her eyes, he really didn’t know.
It was almost nine o’clock before Drew had finished his chores for the evening. It was windy outside. The twilight stars were hidden by heavy rain clouds.
He got his things from his locker and went through to the gym. He was still smarting from his encounter with Carl. He really didn’t know why he was letting it get to him. It really didn’t matter what someone like Hickson thought of him. But somehow, having to put up with his sarcasm with his girlfriend there. It was just too much. He sighed. Maybe she hadn’t heard although Hickson had a loud booming voice that could probably be heard all over the building. He sighed again. A good work-out was just what he needed to get him back on an even keel.
Max was behind the reception desk. He was reading a body building magazine. Loud rock music thumped from the video screen up on the wall.
The gym was almost empty. A couple of middle aged men were heaving a few weights around. A red faced woman pedalled furiously on one of the exercise bikes as if she was doing the Tour de France.
‘Hi, Drew. How’s things?’ Max asked as he came through the door.
Drew sat down on one of the stools and leaned his chin on his hands. ‘Rotten if you really want to know.’
Max closed up his magazine. He took a can of low calorie drink from the cold cabinet. He handed it to Drew.
Drew shook his head. ‘Sorry, no dosh.’
‘Have it on me,’ Max insisted. ‘What’s up? It’s not like you to be fed up.’
Max was another one who knew about Drew’s dad.
‘Hickson’s been winding me up, that’s all.’ Drew told him what had happened.
‘Don’t let him bother you,’ Max said. ‘You’re worth ten of him.’
Drew snorted. ‘Thanks for the vote of confidence.’ He took a swig from his can. ‘Who’s his girlfriend anyway, any idea?’
Max’s face split in a broad grin. ‘She’s only the daughter of John Hickson’s new business partner, that’s all. Carl made a point of tellin’ me just who she was. Their parents have known each other for years apparently. She’s been livin’ in Australia for a while and they’ve just come back and settled in this neck of the woods.’
‘Australia?’ Drew raised his eyebrows. That accounted for the sun tan. He’d wondered where she got it. ‘What kind of a business partner is her dad?’ he asked.
‘Property developer,’ Max replied. ‘They’re plannin’ to build one of those forest holiday centres... you know, the ones that are all built under glass. Pools, restaurants, fitness centre... the lot.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘I reckon it’ll cost millions.’
‘Must be loaded then.’
‘I guess so,’ Max said with a grin.
‘And she’s going out with Hickson,’ Drew said almost; to himself. ‘I saw her at college today,’ he added. ‘I thought she was really something else.’
Max must have heard Drew’s wistful tone. He shook his head. ‘Believe me, Drew, you’d be wasting your time.’
It was as if Max could read his mind.
Drew finished his drink and got off the stool. ‘Tell me about it,’ he grinned. He felt better already. ‘OK, if I use the machines now?’
‘Sure, go ahead. Hey, I need to leave a bit early. Can I leave you to lock up for me?’
‘Be glad to,’ Drew said. He often helped Max around the place in return for his free work-outs.
Everyone else had gone by now an
d when Max left Drew had the place to himself. He turned the music up loud. There was nothing he liked more than lifting the weights, working his muscles hard. The music pounding to the rhythm of his heart. Only tonight it wasn’t quite like that. Drew couldn’t get Cindy off his mind however hard he worked. She was still there, in front of him, her long lashes sweeping her cheeks, her pale hair drifting over her shoulders like cornsilk.
‘You’re crazy, Dev,’ he said aloud. ‘Plain crazy.’
But it was no good. The image just would not go away.
It was raining really hard by the time Drew finished. The wind had dropped and the air was muggy with the threat of thunder. He showered quickly, dressed and put on his leather jacket and crash helmet. Then he switched all the lights off and locked up.
The water thumped down on the glass dome of the covered way as Drew went through to hand the key and the cash tin to the night porter. The plush scarlet and cream hotel foyer was deserted. He handed them over, said goodnight and left.
The car park was awash. The lights from the hotel reflected in the puddles like a rainbow world beneath their surface. Drew had just lowered his visor when he noticed someone under the lamp in the corner. Visitors to the fitness centre often used the staff car park as it was closer than the one reserved for the hotel’s guests. The figure was crouched down trying to undo one of the wheel nuts on a Mini.
Thinking they might appreciate a hand, Drew strode across.
He lifted his visor. ‘Need any help?’
A figure in a navy tracksuit, wet hair plastered to her head, gazed up at him. ‘Oh, yes please!’
Drew froze. It was Cindy. He could hardly believe his eyes. Why hadn’t she gone home with Hickson? Surely he hadn’t left her out here in the pouring rain to change the puncture by herself?
Cindy stood up and leaned one elbow on the roof of the car. She pushed back her dripping hair. ‘I’ve been out here for ages trying to get the wretched nuts undone. I was just about to give up and go and `phone my dad.’
Drew took the wheel brace from her hand. ‘Sit in the car if you like. I’ll do it.’
Cindy shook her head and wiped drops of moisture from her eyes. ‘No, if you’d just shift them for me I can do the rest.’
Drew shrugged. ‘OK.’ He was grateful for his crash helmet. It covered the flush that had come to his cheeks when he’d realised who she was. He took the brace from her hand and crouched down by the wheel.
Suddenly a bolt of lightning ripped across the sky. Cindy flinched. Drew looked up. ‘Get in the car if you’re scared.’
He could see she was frightened but was determined not to show it.
‘It’s OK,’ she insisted. She glanced anxiously at the sky again. ‘It won’t take long will it?’
‘No.’ Drew gritted his teeth and heaved at one of the stubborn wheel nuts. It suddenly gave way. ‘Be done in a tick.’
Cindy watched him. She glanced overhead every now and then. ‘I feel a real idiot,’ she said. Drew looked up to see her staring down at him. ‘It’s no good me working out several times a week if I haven’t got enough muscle to undo a few measly wheel nuts.’ He noticed her voice had a very faint Australian twang to it.
‘There’s a bit of knack to it really.’ Drew stayed kneeling and heaved off the wheel. Lightning flashed again. Another loud clap of thunder split the air then grumbled away into the distance.
Cindy ran round to the boot to get the spare. Together they put it on. She held it steady, her shoulder leaning against his. Drew tightened up the nuts. He lowered the car jack. ‘There you are,’ he said. ‘Bob’s your uncle.’
Cindy slammed the boot. She looked wetter than ever. Her tracksuit top clung to her like a second skin. Her hair hung in rat’s tails around her face. Drew saw her shiver and hug herself for warmth. He opened the car door.
‘You’d better get home before you get pneumonia,’ he said softly.
Cindy held out her hand. When he took it, it felt small and fragile and it rested in his as if it belonged there. He swallowed, shook her hand quickly then let it drop.
‘Thanks so much,’ she said. ‘I’m really grateful.’
‘No problem,’ Drew said.
He stood by the door as Cindy got into the driving seat. She looked up at him. ‘My boyfriend will be really upset when he finds out,’ she said. ‘He didn’t know if he could make it or not tonight so we came in our own cars. His was parked round the front so we said goodnight inside. He’d have helped me if he’d known.’
‘I’m sure he would,’ Drew said.
‘Are you staying at the hotel?’ Cindy asked. It was obvious she hadn’t recognised him under all that fibre glass of his helmet. Either that or she had forgotten entirely that she had seen him up a ladder polishing glass.
Drew shook his head. ‘I work here part-time. I go to Westbrook college.’
‘Oh, that’s funny. I got there too.’
‘Yeah?’ Drew hoped he sounded surprised.
Cindy pulled a face. ‘I’m doing boring old business studies. What are you doing?’
‘Mechanics,’ he said.
‘Lucky you. I’d like to have done that. My parents wouldn’t let me. They thought I was crazy but I’ve always wanted to know how cars and things work.’
‘I’ll lend you some books if you like.’
Cindy’s eyes lit up. ‘That would be excellent. Look, I’m sorry... you’re getting soaked.’
‘I could meet you tomorrow lunch time and give them to you.’ Drew said quickly, surprising himself. He didn’t care how wet he was getting. He would have stood there talking to her all night if she let him. ‘Would that be OK?’
‘That would be brilliant? Where? What time?’
‘Twelve thirty... in the canteen?’
‘Great.’ Then her face fell and she shook her head. ‘No, er.. perhaps not. Hey, maybe I could come over to the engineering block?’
‘OK, I’ll meet you by the workshop entrance.’
‘Right,’ she said. ‘One thirty, is that OK?’
‘Great. See you then.’
‘Thanks again,’ she said. ‘You’re my knight in shining leather.’
‘In wet leather you mean,’ he said grinning.
Cindy beamed him a brilliant smile through the rain spattered window. At the entrance to the car park, she hooted the horn and flashed her headlights before roaring off down the road.
Drew stood and watched the car’s red tail lamps disappearing into the distance. He gave a whoop of joy. He jumped three feet of the ground, then ran back to his bike. Exactly what Cindy would say when she realised her knight in shining leather was old Drew Devlin of window cleaning fame, he had no idea.
But whatever it was he just couldn’t wait to find out!
2
Drew stood by the entrance to the engineering workshop. He glanced anxiously at his watch. It was almost one thirty the following day. He’d been there for almost half an hour already. He had hoped Cindy would be early and they could spend sometime chatting before going back to classes.
It was a lovely day. Last night’s storm had washed the pavements clean. Everything seemed new and sparkling. In one of the trees a blackbird sang. Its sweet notes tumbled in the warmth of the spring sunshine.
Drew walked up and down for a while then perched on the low wall that surrounded the college grounds. He took his books from under his arm and put them on his lap. He glanced at his watch again. Exactly one thirty. Any minute now he’d see Cindy coming round from the other side of the campus. Would she be wearing those great denims again, and that white shirt she looked so good in? He grinned to himself. Even last evening, soaking wet, she’d been the best looking girl he’d ever seen. What a pity she already had a boyfriend. And what a pity it was Carl Hickson! Anyway, as he told himself before, even if she wasn’t going out with anyone, she’d hardly look at someone like him.
Drew glanced up to see Skip standing beside him.
‘What are you hanging around for?’
his friend asked. ‘We’re supposed to be in Room three.’
Drew gazed up at Skip through his shaggy fringe. He combed it back with his fingers. Then he looked at his watch again. It was almost quarter to two. It didn’t look as if she was coming after all. He stood up and glanced in the direction of the business studies block. ‘You go on, Skip,’ he said. ‘I’m suppose to be meeting someone.’
‘OK, see you later.’ Skip swung through the doors. Drew heard him running up the stairs. Come on, Cindy, he said to himself.
Then, at two o’clock he gave up. It was obvious she wasn’t going to show. She must have got held up. He sighed. What a waste of time. He had been thinking about her a lot, sitting there, waiting. She had seemed so sweet and friendly last evening. One of the few girls he’d met who had great looks and a good personality to go with them. What he couldn’t figure out was why she was going out with someone like Hickson?
Drew pushed through the doors and ran up the stairs. She probably had a good excuse but he hated being let down. He had a face like thunder as he banged his way into Room three. She could at least have sent someone across with a message to say she couldn’t come.
He flung himself down in a chair and gazed moodily out of the window. He ignored the curious stares of his class mates.
Skip turned in his seat. ‘Didn’t they show up?’
‘No. I guess she had better things to do.’
‘She?’
‘Cindy,’ Drew said.
Skip’s eyebrows shot up. He leaned his elbows on the back of the chair. ‘Cindy?’ he said incredulously. ‘You had a date with Cindy?’
Drew frowned, then grinned. ‘Not a date, idiot. I just promised to lend her some books, that’s all.’
‘Oh.’ Skip turned back to face the blackboard. ‘Is that all. Well, I suppose beggars can’t be choosers.’
Drew leaned forward and punched him playfully on the shoulder. ‘Thanks very much. With friends like you, who needs enemies?’