“Excuse me,”Chloesaid, scooting over intoPhil’sabandoned spot and turning toFatima.Amyfollowed after her, the two of them looking likeWillowwhen she heard someone open a packet of cheese in the kitchen. “Hotteacher details.Now.”
“Yes, please,”Morgansaid, dragging her chair closer in.
Fatima rolled her eyes. “Fine,” she said, “but you’re not allowed to bother me about it.”
“Of course,”Amysaid, but she was laughing as she said it, andMorganandChloeboth nodded with faux-serious looks on their faces.Fatimagroaned and pulled out her phone.Shepulled up a picture of a guy around my age in what looked like a soccer jersey– no,football polo,Icorrected myself.I’dnever had any appreciation for men, but evenIcould tell he was good looking.
“Wait a minute,”Amysaid, grabbing the phone from her hand. “Thisis the guy you tried to set me up with last year!”
Phil’s head poked up from his huddle withEthel. “What’sthat now?”
Amy waved him off without looking away from the phone, zooming in on the photo. “It’sfine,” she said. “Fatima’sshagging him now.”
“Am not,”Fatimasaid, snatching the phone back.
“Notyet,”Isaid, and the others nodded in understanding.
“There’s just a flirty vibe.”
“Uh, and he asked you out repeatedly,”Iadded, apparently unhelpfully, based on the daggers inFatima’sglare.
“I hate you,” she muttered to me again, andIlaughed this time.
“Sorry,”Isaid, just as the sound of the front door opening filtered in from the hallway.Philstood and came over to me, nodding for me to follow him.Fatimacame, too.
“I don’t want to deal with this right now,” she said. “I’mmaking iced coffee.Whowants one?”
The others all put their hands up, evenEthel, andFatimaledPhiland me into the front hall, whereJackstood talking to a manI’dnot seen before, dark-haired with bushy eyebrows and light, sparkling eyes.
“Look whoIfound outside,”Jacksaid, pointing to the man.
“Hey, glad you found it,”Philsaid. “Ethel’sjust in the other room.”
“Great,” the man said. “Butmaybe we can give it a bit longer?It’sreally warm out there, and the air con in the van isn’t really cutting it at the moment.”
“Sure,”Philsaid. “Thatokay,Fatima?”
We all turned to look atFatima, who looked … strangely rattled.Asthe man stuck out his hand to shake hers, she eyed him warily.
“I’mAnil,” he said. “I’veheard loads about you.Goodto finally meet you.”
“Oh, yeah, you, too,”Fatimasaid, but not in a friendly way.Shesounded almost sarcastic.
Looking at the wayJackandPhilexchanged glances, they were picking up on a weird vibe, too.
“Well, here’s the tape measure,”Jacksaid, handing it over toPhil.
“Thanks.Hepocketed it. “Fatima, do you have any twine or string?”
ButFatimadidn’t answer– in fact, she was still shakingAnil’shand, though now her eyes were narrowed in what looked like suspicion.Hewas returning the gesture.
“Fatima,”Philrepeated, a bit louder this time. “String?”
Fatima practically jumped out of her skin, retracting her hand as if she’d been stung. “Ofcourse,” she said, then rushed past us, bumping into me, and disappeared into the kitchen.WhenIturned back around,Anilhad dipped into the living room.
I made a mental note to pressFatimaon that weird encounter later.Butfor now,Iwas being led upstairs by a man.
Gross.
