‘Like you did.’ Kel’s spirits rose a little as he remembered his friend’s embarrassment. ‘I seem to remember you hallucinating in Geography one day, telling the teacher he was an alien and that he had antennae sprouting from his ears.’
Ade grimaced. ‘It was tufts of hair and I still think Mr Bristow was very weird.’
‘Teachers generally are, otherwise they wouldn’t put themselves through the torture of teaching people like us.’
‘By the way, I put in our applications for eco-service.’ Ade gestured to the three of them.
‘So early?’ Kel didn’t like the reminder of what lay around the corner. A wasted couple of years when he’d much prefer to be getting on with his studies.
‘Yeah. Have to do that or we might get split up. I volunteered us for the new embankment works so we can stay in London and carry on living here.’
That didn’t sound too bad. Some eco-service teams spent the year in old army barracks or under canvas in the wilds of the countryside. ‘I’m all for that. But maybe, you know, you could have asked us first?’ The balance between friend and prince was a tricky one to get right and in Kel’s opinion Ade was getting more authoritarian with each passing year.
‘Sorry, man. I wasn’t thinking.’ But Kel noticed that Ade didn’t offer to withdraw the applications.
Lee inspected the pristine cuffs of his white shirt. Unlike Kel and Ade, he always dressed as if he were hoping for a fashion shoot rather than school lessons. ‘I hope you can swing us an office job?’
‘Nah, I said you wanted to shift mud with your bare hands.’ Ade sliced an apple into quarters and shared it with his friends. ‘I can’t control where they post us within the team. We’ll just have to take what they hand out.’
Kel wondered where Meri would apply. Eco-service was supposed to be a gender neutral lottery, though girls tended to be given the lightest duties. Maybe it was something they could discuss today? If she was one of them, he would suggest she also ask for the same posting.
‘As the embankment is a competitive entry project, we’re all going to have to put together a personal statement saying why we are just the right guys for the job,’ continued Ade. ‘We have to send them in next week so don’t leave it to the last minute. I’ll read them over and check we’re saying the right kind of things.’
‘Yes, sir.’ Lee took his plate to the dishwasher.
Ade quirked an eyebrow at Kel. ‘That wasn’t an ironic “sir” was it?’
‘Nope. You are coming over all masterful this morning, sir.’
Ade pointed at him with a slice of apple. ‘Now that was ironic.’
‘Always is, sir.’
Ade chuckled and pushed back his chair. ‘Go sweet talk the mystery girl and just don’t let your markings flame out.’
‘And how exactly am I supposed to stop that happening?’
‘It helps if there’s no kissing or fighting.’
Kel frowned. ‘That’s OK then. The way I’m feeling, I’ll be lucky if I get through the day without passing out. The chances of me making a move on her are little to none.’
Ade thumped him on the back. ‘Best to keep it that way.’
4
Kel waited in the pillared entrance to the British Museum. Despite feeling like death warmed up, a smile lit up his face as he saw Meri running up the white steps towards him, hair bobbing in a ponytail. She was wearing a clingy cream top, short black skirt and leggings. Hoop earrings completed the outfit. She always dressed in an understated way, no garish colours, but it felt just right to him. A nice figure, he noted. She kept that hidden at school, like she did her sassy personality. The transformation reminded him of a moth that had broken free of its chrysalis
‘Hi there.’ Hesitating, he moved forward to kiss her cheek. The protocol for meeting her out of school was a bit hazy. ‘Happy birthday.’
‘Sorry I’m late. I forgot they’d closed Tottenham Court Road to pump out the Northern Line.’ She was a little out of breath. She must’ve run from Oxford Circus.
‘That’s fine. I wasn’t waiting long.’ He reached for her hand. It felt just right settled in his. ‘It’s given me time to find out where the Japanese prints are on display.’
The galleries were busy with tourists and there was so much to see Kel found it a little overwhelming in his mildly fevered state. He decided his time was better spent studying Meri as she pored over the Hokusai prints. Her lashes were long and curled slightly, framing her sea-green eyes. She wasn’t the kind of beauty that got noticed at school, but he found himself drawn more and more to her. She did little to disguise her reaction to things when she was like this: happiness, curiosity, delight, all passed in succession across face. The impression was like he was watching someone experience the world for the first time, which was odd considering she was only a few weeks younger and presumably with her travel she’d had the chance to see as much, if not more, than him.
‘I’m pleased I had this idea,’ he said. ‘You seem happy here.’
‘I am.’ She looked up at him shyly.
‘I don’t remember you smiling so much at school.’
‘I don’t—didn’t. I decided last week I needed to emerge from my shell.’
‘That explains it.’
‘Explains what?’
‘The appearance of Mighty Mouse on the bus and the fact that you’ve started talking to me and other people. I saw you hanging out with Sadie and the comp-punks.’
She shrugged. ‘They’re a nice bunch, friendly once you dig through the jargon. I guess I just reached a point where I couldn’t be scared any longer.’
He took her hand for a comforting squeeze and led her on to the Greek gallery. ‘What were you scared of?’
She wrinkled her nose, evidently perplexed by herself. ‘I don’t know really. Losing my parents when I was little probably did that to me. It was so sudden, I always think I’m going to lose everything in a blink of an eye.’
He brushed the back of her hand with his thumb. ‘That’s probably natural after an early bereavement.’
‘I suppose so.’ She had gone quiet. This was painful territory for her, he understood that.
‘I only lost one parent—my mum—but it was still completely gutting. I can’t imagine what it was like suddenly to have no one. So how did you end up with your guardian?’
‘Theo’s a family friend. I don’t have any relatives so he took me on.’
‘Sounds a great guy. So…er, you get on OK?’ Dammit, not now! Kel’s temperature was soaring just when she was beginning to open up to him.
‘Oh, yes, we do. You’ll see for yourself very soon.’
‘Er, yeah, whatever.’ A ripple of fiery itching spread up his arm from where he clasped her hand. He let go abruptly. ‘Sorry—gotta sit for a moment. I had a big night last night and am feeling fragile today.’
‘Oh, OK.’ She followed him with a wounded look on her face. He led her to the cafe in the glass-roofed atrium, wondering if he would survive the next ten minutes without throwing up in front of her.
‘Get me some water, would you?’ He thrust a swipe card at her. He was a hair away from to fainting. ‘Buy yourself something while you’re there.’
‘Fine.’ Leaving her bag with him, she took a place in the queue, a sniffy little toss of her ponytail telling him his brusque manner wasn’t appreciated.
Kel rested his head on the table. Shit. He’d imagined such a different day and now all he wanted was to be in bed—alone.
Meri selected an elderflower for herself from the display of glass bottles and fizzy water for Kel. Not that he deserved it if he had been partying all night and got wasted. Clearly he hadn’t been anticipating much from his date with her if he had thought that good preparation. She glanced over. He had his head buried in his arms, shutting out her and the rest of the world. How romantic.
‘Happy eighteenth, Meri,’ she murmured. This was one to tell the grandkids: that she spent her coming of age and first date with
an hungover hunk of a guy who looked like he was going to throw up on her shoes. She sent a quick text to Sadie.
It’s not going well. Help!
What’s up?
Kel’s hungover. I’m in nurse mode looking after him.
What a beachball. Dump him in trash and take me to the gig.
Would’ve been a better idea but I promised the VIP ticket to him. I can’t back out unless he does.
Poor you! He doesn't deserve you.
Cheered that her new friend totally understood her perspective on her first date, Meri paid for the drinks and carried them carefully back to the table, glass bottles rolling precariously on the tray. She unscrewed the cap and passed the water to him, bumping against his forearm to get his attention.
‘Here you go, party-animal.’
He looked up, cheeks flushed, eyes glittery. ‘Hey, you’ve got weird sparkles around your hair.’ He reached out to bat the imaginary sparks away.
‘Crap, this isn’t a hangover, is it? You’re really ill.’ She felt his forehead, regretting now she’d been so quick to bad-mouth him to Sadie. ‘You’re burning up, Kel.’
He gulped some water, washing down a pill as he did so. ‘I’ll be fine. Just wussy man flu.’
‘Kel, this isn’t man flu. You’re running a temperature. You should be in bed, not traipsing around a museum with me.’ She took out her phone. ‘What’s Ade’s number? I’ll tell him I’m bringing you home.’
He pushed the phone back to the table top. ‘Stop—really, just stop. I’ll be fine. It’s not flu, not catching. I’ve got…malaria. Flares up from time to time.’
‘Oh. Why didn’t you say so? It’s nothing to be ashamed of.’ Since mosquitoes had started flourishing in the warmer climate of England in the last few decades, it wasn’t unheard of for Thames valley people to get malaria. ‘But that takes like three days, doesn’t it?’
‘I’ll be fine. Look, it’s a boring topic, just give me a moment for the paracetamol to kick in and I’ll be fighting fit again. Let’s change the subject.’
Meri wasn’t sure what was a safe topic with someone who really didn’t look well enough to hold up their end of the conversation. ‘Anyway, um, those prints were really great; thanks for suggesting I came.’
He rubbed his eyes as if the sparkles were still bothering his vision. ‘I’m glad.’
‘You…you thinking of Art College then?’
‘Yeah. Why don’t you tell me your plans while I just drink my water?’
‘Plans?’ She laughed softly. ‘I’ve never been really what you’d call a long term thinker. Theo and I have moved around a lot.’
‘Why’ve you done that?’
‘Oh, you know, jobs and stuff.’ They’d usually moved when she’d made a mistake, got someone too interested in how she saw the world. She must remember not to go that route with Kel. It would be so lovely, though, to find a person who could see as she could, much less lonely.
‘Will you stay with him, now you’re eighteen?’
She hadn’t thought of that. Theo’s guardian duties were officially at an end as of today. ‘We’ve not talked about it. He’s like family to me. My only family.’ Did Theo feel that way about her, she wondered? He always joked about stuff like that so it was hard to know. It would no longer be cute living with a young adult rather than a foster daughter. Maybe she should start thinking about what moving on would look like, how she would finance it, but that was hard when she was terrified of the world and her own future in it with faceless enemies wanting to end her life.
Kel took a gulping breath as if he was swallowing down nausea. ‘What…what about eco-service? Will you stay at home for that?’
‘Isn’t it a lottery? They can send you anywhere.’
‘Ah, no. Ade found out that you can apply early and put in a bid for a local position. We’re applying for the Embankment project.’
‘Can’t really see myself working a digger or a dredger.’
‘But…but there are jobs for support staff too.’ He held the cool glass to his face.
She sipped her elderflower. ‘You’re feeling really grim, aren’t you?’
‘I’ve had better days.’
‘Do you want me to leave you here for half an hour or so? You don’t really have to talk when you’re feeling like that. I’ll go to the Egyptian gallery and come back and see how you’re getting on. If you are still unwell, I’m taking you home in a taxi.’
His relief was visible in his eyes. ‘Thanks, Meri. Yeah, I’d like just to sit for a bit. The fever roars in like a hurricane but it spins off as quickly. Sorry to rain on your birthday parade.’
‘Catch your breath, big guy. I’ll be back in thirty minutes.’
She left him slumped on the table. This was acutely embarrassing. Walking away might seem cruel, but she didn’t know him well enough to be certain what was best to do. Giving him some space seemed the kindest option. Having to play at being her interested date had been torture for him so at least she had let him off that hook.
Looking to distract herself, she wandered among the granite slabs and fragments of hieroglyphs admiring the remnants of lost civilizations. Not so much lost as superseded. Thinking of her parents’ letter, she decided to do some research of her own. Did the museum have anything on Atlantis? Going to an computer screen index to the collection, she typed in some key terms. References in the Flood Tablet came up first, the fragment of cuneiform from Nineveh telling the story of Gilgamesh and the Noah-like character, Utnapishtim, who survived a six-day flood that killed the rest of humanity. Scholars had taken it as evidence that there had been some world flooding event, at least in the Mediterranean if not wider than that, which had left its mark in the stories of the region. That was linked to the development of stories about the doomed world of Atlantis. She followed the onscreen directions and went to visit the tablet. Standing in front of the intricately carved stone she found it impossible to imagine that she could be linked to some civilization so old that its origins were lost and the only way of describing it had been left to the dubious area of myths.
Then a sudden revelation came—obvious to others, maybe, but new to her. Everyone alive on Earth was related to all these old objects; today’s humans weren’t a recent planting but a continuation of the old branches around her, the ones that had left behind these dusty fragments. That man over there could be related to pharaohs, the woman carrying a baby in a blue sling to ancient druids. The people who made these things weren’t ‘them’; they were ‘us’. Meri had genuinely never considered that before; her imagination had been able to cope with a few generations on the family tree, but now she had to consider how it went back way beyond recorded history. What would survive if not genetic traces and distorted stories? Her biology teacher had told them you could pick up Neanderthal origins in many people’s DNA so why not hints of other genetic inheritances if you knew what to look for?
‘Maybe I really am from Atlantis,’ she murmured to her reflection in the display case glass. ‘Survivor of the flood: me, Noah and Utnapishtim.’ She smiled at the thought of her in company with these hairy guys and their homemade boats.
Time was up. She returned to the cafe and found Kel had perked up enough to buy them both a round of sandwiches. That was a relief: she’d been worried how she could afford to pay the taxi fare home for him. If he had still been feeling unwell, she’d been planning to insist he bailed and went to bed.
‘Feeling better now?’
‘Yes. It’s passed, thank God. Ham and cheese or roasted vegetables?’ He did look much improved, light blue eyes bright but not glittering feverishly as they had been.
‘How about half each?’
‘Good thinking.’ He divided the sandwiches between two plates. ‘See anything interesting?’
She didn’t want to confess her thoughts about Atlantis and myths but she could mention a few of her musings. ‘There’s so much, isn’t there? I was just thinking about how we’re all related to the people
who made this stuff, not just the things from the last few centuries but the really ancient artefacts.’
‘I suppose we are.’ He scratched at his sleeve.
‘Are you really OK?’
‘Bit of a heat rash. I suppose I should confess. Sorry I’m a mess today. I knew it before I left home but I was so wanting to impress you and not let you down, I came anyway.’
She smiled. ‘I can truthfully say you’ve made an impression.’
‘Ha-ha.’
‘I mean, it makes a memorable first date, me going off on my own while you wilted in the cafe.’
‘Cruel girl. No sympathy for the sick. First date, hey? I’m sorry.’
She smoothed her fingers over the back of his hand. ‘Are you really feeling better? I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to cry off tonight.’
He raised his hand to cup her cheek. ‘It’s your birthday, Meri. I’m going to celebrate it with you if it kills me.’
‘That’s what worries me.’ With a wry smile she tucked into her lunch.
The weakness Kel had shown at the museum had passed by the time they arrived home to meet up with Theo and his friends. Meri was relieved that Kel was back to his charming normal behaviour which was just as well as he was about to face baptism by fire into her life. Theo had invited Saddiq and Valerie, two very alternative people in the arts world. Valerie, a theatre designer, equalled two of sticklike Saddiq, an accountant in Theo’s office. She had a great booming laugh that went well with her mop of frizzy dark hair and big brown eyes. She had dressed for the gig in an orange and yellow swirling print with a twist of material in her hair, part ornament, part turban. Meri settled her glasses on her nose to cut down the glare. Sensitive eyesight was not an asset around Valerie. Saddiq by contrast was dressed in a three-piece-suit, including waistcoat with watch chain, outfit accessorized with blue ankle-boots, his shit kickers as he called them. He had a neat beard and moustache, as well as a diamanté encrusted eyepatch which sent out mixed signals, hovering between pirate and Steampunk gentleman. He’d lost an eye in a terrorist attack as a child and made no bones about drawing attention to it.
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