My eyes widen in horror.
‘They’re crawling all over my face!’ Chloe shouts.
Jess jumps up from her sun lounger, stamping on things that I think might not be there. ‘Ants? What sort of ants? Like fire ants?’ she asks in alarm.
I walk over to Chloe and notice one crawling across her cheek. I try and flick it off. ‘Owww, why are you flicking me?’
‘I’m trying to get the ant off. I think they must have been attracted to the honey in the face mask,’ I say, mortified.
‘You mean they’re eating my face?’ she asks, her mouth open in shock.
‘Is this a spa thing?’ Zara squeals. ‘Like those fish that eat the dead skin off your feet?’
‘Like leeches?’ Jess screams.
‘GOD, NO!’ I say, trying to reach for Chloe but she’s moving too fast.
Jess throws a glass of water at Chloe’s face in panic and she freezes in disbelief. ‘I’m so sorry, Chloe!’
‘Have any gone up my nose? In my ears?’ Chloe asks, clawing at her face.
‘I saw an episode of something about that. They’ll get to your brain!’ Zara shrieks.
Chloe shakes her head even faster until her hair is a complete blur. There’s a mass of noise and conjecture, and Jess is still stamping on something on the ground. I’ve not researched the ants here.Are they poisonous?I have no idea so I suddenly grab her. ‘I’m so sorry!’ I yell in warning. ‘Hold your breath!’
‘My what?’
‘Now!’
And with that I push her into the pool, clinging onto her. She screams. I hear Jess and Zara doing the same from the side of the pool. The coolness of the water hits me sharply but I hold onto Chloe to make sure she’s safe and resurfaces. As her head bobs up, the remnants of the face mask melt off and she levers her hands on to my shoulders to steady herself.
‘What the…?’ she says, gasping for breath.
‘I’m so sorry…are you alright?’ I ask, pushing her hair back from her face.
Shock turns to hilarity as Chloe cackles loudly, throwing her head back. ‘Is that all part of the service then?’ she says, giggling.
‘Only for my favourite customers, madame,’ I reply, holding her close so she can stay afloat.
26
CHLOE
‘Hey.’
‘Hey.’
I lie on my bed, looking up at Ben as he stands there with a tray of food and drinks, staring at me worriedly. There are many reasons for that. One, he pushed me in a swimming pool because we were all worried about ants crawling on my face and into the crevices of my brain. But two, he added a little too much turmeric to the face mask so yes, I am smooth, but I am also a touch yellow. Not in a glowing sort of way, more in a worrying, ‘my-liver-might-be-failing’ way. At least it matches my nails, I guess. His smile hits his eyes and I return the look to let him know I see the humour in all of this too.
‘I brought you some refreshments,’ he says.
‘I think I got the ultimate refreshment when you pushed me in the pool,’ I tell him.
He tries not to laugh. ‘Again, I’m very sorry about that. Iwastrying to save your life.’
‘From the teeny tiny ants?’ I ask.
‘Well, you were the one screaming,’ he says, smiling.
