‘Yeah, he’s fit in well,’ she says, as we watch Keeley walk up toOllie, tugging him towards her by the arm. ‘You can thank Keeley for befriending him. I think she has a thing for him. But you know, it’s all will-they-won’t-they right now.’’
It feels like the ground is spinning out underneath me. I grip the ledge behind me, as if it can anchor me upright.
‘But,’ says Diane, who now must have seen my feelings on my face, ‘he’s told us loads about what good friends you are.’
But why hasn’t he told me about Keeley? I realise, with deep dread, what I had imagined would happen if I came up here. Ollie would realise he loved me all along. He would want us to be together. And despite all my mixed emotions and feelings with Ty, I realise it’s what I’ve been hoping for all along.
But he has invited me as a friend.
‘Are you okay?’ says Diane, looking at me with worry.
‘Perfect,’ I say. ‘I’m going to go play.’
I stride over to Ollie. ‘My go,’ I say, placing my hands on his shoulders. ‘Shall we play?’
‘Do you even know how to play?’ He laughs, swinging me around by the waist, until we’re both facing the pool board. I take the cue from his hand, rest my head on his shoulder.
‘I hear you’ve been telling everyone how I’m a sporting legend,’ I say. ‘So I trust that I have an innate ability.’
‘Let’s go then,’ says Ollie.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Keeley. Her face is blank, but I can tell there’s a quiet fury underneath it. I don’t know what I’m doing any more. I want proof Ollie wantsme. That I haven’t come all the way here for nothing. And would telling him how I feel be the most rational thing to do? Maybe. But that would require confrontation and this feels more subtle. Who needs rational, when you could look cool?
I’m fed up of trying to please everyone, of always having to do the right thing.
Ollie and I start playing, and I contemplate faking being bad sohe teaches me how to play. But it turns out I’m just bad.
‘Come on, Pia,’ says Ollie. ‘What was that? Here, let me show you.’
He gets behind me and manoeuvres the cue. I feel hot under his touch. I feel his breath on my neck as he instructs me to pull back the cue and shoot.
The ball goes in.
I whoop, punch the air, and everyone cheers. Except Keeley, who now has her arms crossed.
I don’t feel good about this. I know she’s jealous of me. But I’m grateful for Ollie’s attention. Maybe I am important to him after all. This is the way things have always been. She’s the newcomer, not me.
Keeley taps Ollie on the arm. ‘I think she’s got it,’ she says, with a strained smile. She glances at me. ‘You said you were going to play that driving game with me. They’ve got it here.’
‘Oh yeah,’ says Ollie, laughing. ‘Keeley claims she’s a better driver than me, so we thought we could race and find out.’
Keeley looks at me pointedly. ‘It’s two players only.’
Message received. My heart drops a bit when Ollie leaves me to go play the game with her.
I start talking to two of the guys, Thom and Mike. Thom is quiet and doe-eyed, very sweet. Miles is brash, loud, and for some reason his accent sounds like Ollie’s, even though he tells me he’s from Chester.
‘So what are you doing for uni?’ asks Mike. He has one of those voices which always sounds like he’s yelling.
‘I want to do English, but I’ve not sent my application yet.’ It’s the first time I’ve said it confidently to a stranger, and it feels good. I’m in control of my own future.
‘Mine’s already sent off. I had to put down some snap choices. Although fingers crossed for Oxford. To read PPE, of course.’
There’s not much else to say, except I have no idea what PPE is.I thought it’s what builders wore on construction sites.
‘I’m so excited to get out of here,’ says Thom. ‘See the world, meet new people.’ He’s moving his hands around excitedly. I had taken him for an introvert with his quietness, but after two drinks he has become very talkative.
‘I don’t know, I quite like home,’ I say, looking into my Coke. ‘I like my family and friends.’
