“Damn, it’s not connecting.” Sam lowered the phone and peered at the screen. “Great, no bloody signal.”
“Turn it off and on again,” Kate suggested, leaning forward to look at the screen. “Might help.”
Sam tried, but the signal still failed to appear. He sighed. “I guess we have three choices. One, we sit here and wait till someone comes by who can help. Two, one of us walks up the road until we find a signal, or three we abandon the car and walk to the nearest habitation.” He glanced at her. “What gets your vote?”
“Shall we go and try and get a signal?” she suggested. “That seems the best idea to start with.”
Sam nodded and pulled on the door handle. The door didn’t move. He tried again but still nothing. “Shit. Does yours open?”
Kate pulled on the handle and pushed the door hard. It creaked slightly but didn’t move. She tried again and something sounded as though it fell down inside the actual door. She shook her head.
“No. What now?” She found to her horror that her voice shook again. She really needed to get a grip.
“We’ll have to get out the back.” Sam jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “I’ve done it before, just a bit annoying. Let’s hope that one isn’t stuck too.”
“My window opens.” Kate was winding her window down, using both hands. “It’s a bit stiff, but I could fit through it. Give me the phone, and I’ll go and find a signal.”
“You’re not going on your own.” Sam was firm. “We both go, or I go.”
“We both go, then, ’cause I’m not staying here on my own.” She wound the window down as far as it would go, slid her shoes back on, and began to climb out. “I’ll come round and see if I can open your door from the outside.” She jumped down into the ditch and picked her way around the vehicle until she was standing beside Sam’s door. As she held onto the handle and pulled hard, Sam pushed from the inside, and eventually it gave way and creaked open just far enough for him to slide out.
Kate watched him with concern as he landed on the road and swayed dangerously. She caught his arm to steady him.
“You need to sit down. Do you feel faint?”
“No, I’m fine. Just felt a bit odd standing up suddenly. Come on, let’s walk up that hill a bit, see if we can get a signal.” He reached out, took her hand firmly in his, and set off up the grass onto the higher ground. Kate stumbled behind him, the rain running down her face and soaking into her thin top. She shivered despite the earlier warmth of the day. Sam looked down at her. “God, you must be freezing. My jacket’s in the Land Rover. We must go back for it.”
“No.” Kate looked up at him, water running down into her eyes. “I’m already soaked. No point now.”
“Yes, there is.” Sam turned around and slid back down the grassy slope, landing at the bottom in an ungainly heap. He grunted sharply, and Kate slithered to a stop beside him and caught the look on his face.
“You’re in pain,” she stated baldly. “You stay here. I’ll go and find a signal. You’re in no fit state to walk anywhere.” She moved over to the Land Rover and, reaching inside, pulled out his khaki combat jacket. “You sit in the car, and I’ll go back up the hill.” She pulled the jacket on over her wet clothes and hugged it around her, the sleeves hanging several inches below her hands.
Sam looked up and grinned at her. “Suits you,” he said, struggling to his feet. “But you’re not going anywhere on your own. I’ll be fine. Come on. That way may be better, actually.” He caught her hand again and set off across the long grass.
“You wear the jacket, then.” Kate puffed after him. “You’re the one who’s injured. You need to keep warm.”
“I’m fine. Stop worrying. Right. Let’s see if there’s a signal here.” They had reached a flat rocky area, thirty feet or so above the road, and Sam fished the phone out of his pocket and looked at the screen. “Still nothing. Damn.” He looked around and pointed. “Let’s go that way. I think that’s the most likely way to find a house, as well.”
Kate followed him doubtfully. “We’d be better sticking to the road if we want to find a house,” she pointed out.
“Maybe, but we need to be on higher ground to find a signal. We can still follow the direction of the road.” Sam glanced back at her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Kate nodded and held the jacket more securely around her. Her feet in their thin flats were sodden and freezing, and her jeans were clinging to her legs. “I’m fine. Keep going. I’ll keep up.”
They trudged on up the hill for a few more minutes, until Sam stopped again and pulled the phone out of his pocket.
“Anything?” Kate came alongside him and peered over his shoulder.
“Nope. Not a thing. Looks like your battery is a bit low, too.”
“Ah, shit.” Kate took the phone from him and studied it. “It’s down to ten per cent. We’d better find a signal soon. It loses charge really quickly when it gets that low.”
The rain was still falling heavily, and at that moment they heard the distant rumble of thunder.
“Great. That’s all we need.” Sam looked up at the sky. It was covered in thick, dark, unbroken cloud, with not a hint of blue. “This isn’t going to let up. Let’s keep walking. I’m sure we’ll eventually find some habitation.” He turned back to her. “Or we could go back to the Land Rover and stay there. Could be all night, though. Your call.”
“Let’s keep walking.” Kate screwed her eyes up against the driving rain. “At least this way we may find a signal, or a house. If we stay in the Land Rover, we could be there all night, as you say, and we don’t have any food.”
Sam gave a short laugh and caught her hand again. “Trust you to think of that. Good point, though. Come on, then, give me the phone, and I’ll keep a check on it.”
They set off again, trying to keep parallel to the road, which was now quite some distance below them. Kate stumbled on some rocks, and her hand pulled away from Sam’s.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, fine, keep going. I’ll catch up.” She got to her feet, attempted to brush the wet grass off her knees to no avail, then hurried after him. He was just making his way across a narrow river that was rushing along a rocky bed and pouring off the high ground down towards the road. Kate stopped at the edge of the river and debated the best way to cross it. She tentatively put a foot out onto a rock in the middle, then brought her other foot up to join it.
“Careful,” Sam called, his face anxious. “Those rocks are very slippery.”
Kate went to step across to the next rock, but as her foot landed, the rock moved, and she was thrown off balance. With a cry and flailing arms, she fell sideways into the water and landed heavily among the rocks.
“Katy!” Sam was into the river in a flash and wading across to where she lay, gasping for breath. He caught her in his arms and hauled her unceremoniously out onto the grass, his feet slipping on the rocks so they both landed in a heap on the sodden ground. “Katy, are you all right? Are you hurt?”
Kate shook her head, still winded from the fall, and pushed her drenched hair back off her face. “No. I’m all right. Thank you for rescuing me. That was a bit scary.”
“That was fucking terrifying.” Sam’s eyes were dark pools in the dim light. “God, Katy that was…” Pulling her towards him, he wrapped his arms tightly around her. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“I don’t intend to.” Kate’s mouth was pressed into his shoulder. “It hurt. It wasn’t deep, I wasn’t really in danger. Not like…”
“Not like Cerys.”
Kate pulled back from him and stared into his eyes. “Tell me what you were going to tell me earlier. What don’t I know about that night?”
“Now? Katy, we’re soaking wet, in the middle of nowhere, and you just fell in a river. Why now?”
“Because it’s coming between us. In fact, I suspect it’s always come between us. Tell me. What don’t I know?”
Sam stared at her for a moment, then sigh
ed. “Okay. I’ll tell you. You thought I left after that night because I was upset. Heartbroken, even. Yeah? That’s what everyone thought. But that wasn’t it. I left because it was my fault.”
Kate pushed her hair out of her eyes again and stared at him. “No, it wasn’t. You mean because you couldn’t save her? But no one could.”
“No, not that. It was my fault she behaved the way she did. Got so drunk and everything.” He sighed again. “We broke up earlier that day. We were only pretending to be together that night, for the party. She suggested we should, and then go our separate ways the next day.”
Kate stared at him and nodded slowly. “Of course. She told you about James.”
“What?”
“That she was seeing James as well as you. I heard her say earlier that day that she was seeing James and she was going to break up with you. I’m so sorry. That must have been hard. And you never said anything.” Kate frowned. “But I still don’t see how that makes it your fault. You were the one who should have been upset.”
Sam was staring at her. “She was seeing James? She was going to break up with me? Are you sure?”
Kate nodded, her face puzzled. “Yeah, isn’t that what happened?”
“No.” Sam shook his head. “I broke up with her. That was why I thought it was my fault. I dumped her.”
Chapter 15
June 2007, eight years earlier
Kate stretched out on the grass and closed her eyes. The sun was beating down, and she tipped her sunhat over her face.
“God, it’s so hot.” Jenny rolled onto her stomach and prodded Kate on the arm. “Don’t go to sleep, Katy. You’ll burn.”
“It’s pretty much the first day it’s not been raining,” Kate muttered from under her hat. “I’m going to enjoy it. Hope it holds out for tonight.”
“It will. The gods are smiling on us today. No more exams, ever! How great does that feel?”
Kate lifted her hat and peered up at her friend. “Hardly for ever. We’ve still got Uni.”
“Oh, you know what I mean. No more school, then. We need to celebrate.”
Kate gave up trying to doze and sat up. “That’s what tonight’s all about. It’s going to be awesome. If everyone comes.”
“And by that you mean sexy Sam.”
Kate giggled. “Don’t call him that—someone might hear you! Of course Sam is coming.”
“Are you still going travelling with him?” Jenny picked a daisy and twirled it round in her fingers. “Who else is going?”
“Me, Sam, Jon, and Rob.”
“Right. You and three boys. Get real, Katy. Your mum’ll never go for that! When are you meant to be going?”
“Next week. She can’t stop me, Jen. I’m eighteen now. I can do what I want. You should come too. It’ll be fun. Just for three months, until Uni.”
“I can’t. I have a job. Which is what you should be doing, not swanning around Europe spending all your money.”
“Oh, don’t be so boring, Jen! Once you get bogged down in work and stuff, it’ll be too late to do anything like this. Seize the moment.”
“Whatever.” Jenny rolled onto her back. “So why isn’t Cerys going?”
“Dunno. But believe me, if she was, I wouldn’t be. I don’t know what he sees in her. She’s such a bitch. If we were American, she’d be the chief cheerleader.”
Jenny laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. She is a bitch. I don’t really know what she has in common with Sam, either. I guess he’s just been drawn in by her looks and her money, like everyone else.”
“What’s up, girls?” Hannah dropped to her knees beside them. “Who’re you talking about?”
“Cerys.”
“Ah. The superbitch. I hate her. Is she coming tonight?”
“Of course. Her father has supplied the food for the barbie. Showing off, as usual.” Kate got to her feet. “I’m going home to get ready. Anyone want to come to mine? We have cake.”
Jenny and Hannah got to their feet as well, and the three of them moved off towards the school building to collect the last of their belongings. The last exam was just finishing, and they were ready to party.
“Look, there’s the bitch now. Who’s she plotting against this time? Let’s eavesdrop.” Kate led the way up the path past where Cerys was holding court to a couple of her sidekicks. They were leaning against the wall of the sports hall, speaking quietly. Kate pulled Jenny and Hannah into a recessed doorway a few yards farther along, and they strained to catch her words.
“I’m going to tell him today. I can’t wait any longer. I don’t want him going off on his silly little jaunt thinking he has me to come back to.” Cerys gave a short laugh. “I should have done this ages ago. James is much more my type. I can’t be bothered to juggle them any more. I’m bored with Sam now anyway. He can go off on his little trip with his silly little friends, and I can get on with my life.”
Kate caught her breath, and her hand flew up to her mouth. Cerys was going to break up with Sam. She couldn’t help a little smile playing on her lips. Maybe she’d finally be in with a chance. Surely she could manage to seduce him on a three-month trip. Beckoning to Jenny and Hannah, she crept out of the doorway and headed into the school building.
“Did you hear that? She’s going to break up with Sam!”
Jenny nodded. “Good. I never thought she was any good for him.”
“Maybe one of us stands a chance now, then.” Hannah grinned. “He is sooo sexy. He’s wasted on her. She’s never appreciated him.”
“Hands off, girls. He’s mine. I was the one he asked to go travelling.” Kate tossed her hair back. “This could be my chance. D’you think she’ll break up with him before tonight?”
“Even she’s not such a bitch as that, is she? On the night of the hugest party of all time? Nah, she’ll probably do it tomorrow.”
****
“You have to tell her, Sam.” Jon patted his friend on the shoulder. “I’ve seen the way you look at her.”
Sam pulled away and stepped back, his hands thrust into the pockets of his jeans. “I can’t. She might say no. And anyway, what about Cerys?”
“Break up with her, man!” Jon rolled his eyes. “You should have done that months ago. You have nothing in common, and to quote the girls, she’s a superbitch. I never knew what you saw in her anyway.”
Sam walked a few paces away and leaned against the wall. “She liked me. She asked me out. I wasn’t going to say no.” He shrugged. “No girl has ever asked me out before. Not since primary school.”
“Sam, you could have any girl you want. Don’t waste any more time on her. Look, this time next week we’ll be in Europe. Cerys will just be a memory, and you’ll have three months to spend with Katy.”
“And you two losers.” Sam grinned and ran a hand through his hair. “Wish I was just going with her.”
“Oh, great! Ditch your best friends for a girl. And one who doesn’t even know you like her. Get real, Sam. There’s no way she’d go with you on your own. You need us there. But you must get rid of Cerys. Do it now, before the party. Then you can ask Katy out.”
Sam looked terrified. “I can’t do that.” He shook his head, and his hair flopped over his forehead. “Not yet. She might say no, and then she wouldn’t come travelling. I’d rather have her as a friend than not at all.”
Jon inclined his head. “Okay, fair point. But for god’s sake get rid of Cerys. Preferably before tonight. You’re no fun when she’s around. You don’t even like her any more.”
“Actually I never really liked her.” Sam grinned sheepishly. “I was just flattered that she wanted me.”
A tall thin blond boy strolled over to join them. “Hey, guys, what’s up?”
“Sam’s gonna break up with Cerys.” Jon nodded to Rob.
“’Bout time.” Rob grinned. “You have to do it before we go away anyway. Can’t have her thinking you’re gonna come back to her. And then you can ask Katy out.”
“Oh, shut up, you
two. I’ll ask Katy out when I’m ready.” Sam looked harassed. “Or when I think she’s ready to say yes. But I will break up with Cerys. I’ll do it now. Happy?”
Both the others nodded, and Sam headed off towards the main school building, where he could see Cerys hanging out with some of her friends. As he approached, he saw her mutter something to them, and they glanced over their shoulders at him before disappearing off towards the school field. Cerys fished her phone out of her pocket and started to text, her eyes never leaving the screen when Sam joined her.
“We need to have a chat.” He stopped and waited for her to look up. She finished sending her message, slipped her phone back into the pocket of her jeans, and glanced up at him.
“What?” Her pale blue eyes were hard. “I’ve got somewhere to be. Can we do this later?”
Sam stared at her, her model-slim figure, her salon tan, her glossy strawberry-blonde hair with its expensive cut, and her arrogant expression, and wondered why on earth he had ever agreed to go out with her. She was not a nice person. Not like Katy. He must have been mad.
“No.” He shook his head. “No, we need to do this now. Cerys, I don’t want to go out with you any more.”
Her head snapped up, and the icy eyes fastened onto his face. “What?”
“I’m breaking up with you. I’m sorry, but it’s just not working. We have nothing in common.” Sam felt he was beginning to babble but was unable to stop himself. “I’m going away next week for three months. I wanted to sort things before I went.”
Cerys took a step towards him and tossed her hair back. “Let me get this straight. You’re breaking up with me?”
Sam nodded, holding her gaze. “Yes. I’m sorry, but it wouldn’t be fair to you to let you think we’d still be together when I got back. We’ll both be off to Uni then, too. It wouldn’t have worked.”
She took another step towards him and stood with her feet apart and her hands on her hips. “Fuck you, Sam Somerville. Fuck you. Which is something I wish I’d never done. Right. You listen to me.” She put her face up close to his. “We go to the party tonight as a couple. No one is to know this has happened. Tonight we’ll be together. Then tomorrow you can fuck off. Fuck off round the world with your stupid friends and that little tramp.” Sam caught his breath and clenched his fists at his sides, and Cerys narrowed her eyes speculatively. “Ah, right, so the little tramp is the reason, is she? God, you are going down in the world.”
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