‘Notting Hill?Are you kidding me? This was my favourite film growing up. When you said we were coming to a film festival I thought …’
‘I know exactly what you thought,’ I smile. I wanted to show Alice that I’m not just the intense artist she seems to see me as and, more than that, I just wanted us to have some fun in the here and now. I’m really happy and massively relieved that she seems genuinely excited about this date.
After parking up I pop the boot and pull out the cool bag I borrowed, silently cursing Ellie. When she’d promised I could borrow it, I hadn’t realised it would be covered in bright pink flamingos and putting a serious dent in my masculinity.
‘Like your bag,’ Alice grins, stretching her legs after the drive.
‘It’s what’s inside that counts,’ I reply. ‘And we’ve already established that you’ve got three packets of Hula Hoops to get through. Shall we?’
I lug the cool bag over my shoulder and we head towards the entrance. The festival’s being held in the grounds of an old stately home, a different film showing every day for the next few weeks, and a huge screen is erected at the bottom of a gently sloping hill. People are setting up camp all around it. The sky is dotted with clouds like cotton wool and the canopied areas are already filling up, so I lead us to a spot by an old oak tree and set down the bag, pulling a picnic blanket and a couple of cushions out of my rucksack.
‘This is so cute,’ Alice says, settling down under the dappled shade of the tree. We’re lying on our bellies, legs kicked out behind us, when I realise that I feel more relaxed now than I have in a long time. Alice’s soft skin brushes against mine as she sits up, pushing her sunglasses onto her head, and announces that she’s off to get us a drink. When she returns with a prosecco and a soda water, she folds her legs underneath herself as she sits back down and we clink our biodegradable cups together.
‘I’m kind of sad you aren’t wearing your eighties tracksuit today. When Nat saw you that night she told me I should “get some”.’
‘Well now I just feel objectified.’
‘Hah,’ she giggles. ‘I’ve started to realise that all of my friends are incredibly cringe. Still haven’t forgiven Dylan for showing you those pictures of me at primary school.’
‘The one where you looked a bit like Darth Vader?’
‘Hey!’ She protests, flicking a crisp at me.
I hold my hands up in self-defence. ‘We all have one of those photos in our past. I’ve already sworn Raff to secrecy.’
Alice leans in. ‘Does that mean I might meet your brother and sister-in-law one day?’
I’m not sure what to say, I’m just so surprised that this beautiful commitment-phobe has asked such a question that my words tumble into one. Style it out with a drink, Zach.
‘Would you like to?’ I say, finally recovering myself.
Instead of answering she decorates her fingers with Hula Hoops before biting them off, one by one. ‘You do always pick dates where it’s just the two of us. You aren’t secretly ashamed of me, are you, Zach Moretti?’
‘That could not be further from the truth. Anyway, you always pick dates where we’re surrounded by your friends!’
‘I guess I’m just more used to doing stuff in groups,’ she shrugs. ‘I don’t really date much, so group activities and relaxed hangouts are more my thing.’
‘Perhaps I’m being selfish, wanting you all to myself.’
She laughs at that. ‘As an only child my mum refused to let me be selfish.’
‘She sounds like a wise owl, your mum.’
Alice’s eyes flicker, just for a moment. ‘The wisest. Talking of my mates, what do you think of Dylan? I was worried you didn’t like him.’
Caught off guard, again.
‘Oh, um, he seems like a fun enough guy …’
‘Hang on while I call his agent,’ she deadpans. ‘Dylan will definitely want to use your glowing “fun enough” review for his next promotional stuff.’
I find myself laughing again. Now that I think about it, we haven’t had a date yet where Alice hasn’t made me laugh, which is brilliant. I really like how funny she is.
‘I’m just glad he didn’t scare you away with all his embarrassing stories about me. He tends to hog the limelight, too.’
‘He’s definitely suited to being on the stage,’ I say carefully. ‘We’re quite different I think. It can be a little intimidating when the girl you like has such a charismatic best friend.’
She’s paused, watching me, and I worry that I’ve said too much but after a while her face breaks into that beautiful smile and she gives me a playful nudge.
