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I shake my head. “No way! I can’t stand those guys. Why do I have to do it?”
“Because if I go, I’m likely to punch somebody’s lights out, and I need this job too much to give Georgina Wickham the satisfaction of getting me the sack. You know me, Jess. I’ve got a big mouth when it comes to arseholes and if they start anything with me, there’s going to be a bloodbath. So please, just do this, okay? You’ve got a better temperament than me. You can handle this.”
“Okay, okay,” I say. “I’ll do it, but if something bad happens, this is on you.” Discreetly, I sneak another glance through the beaded curtain. “To be fair, it’s mainly Georgina who’s the problem. Jack isn’t so bad.”
Amina’s eyes narrow. “Not so bad? Are you serious? Did you fall down and hit your head? Jack Parker is a complete and utter wanker.”
“No, he’s not. I think he’s nice. He’s not a bully like the others.”
“Ah. I see. You’re saying that because you fancy him.”
“I do not!”
“Listen, I’m not going to deny he’s sex on legs, but he’s still a wanker. Look who he hangs with. Look who his girlfriend is. Plus, I’ve heard that he sleeps around. He’s like a dog with two dicks. Don’t give him an easy pass just ’cos he’s hot and you fancy him.”
“I told you, I donotfancy him.”
“Yes, you do,” she laughs. “It’s written all over your face. So, you like a boy. Big deal. It’s okay to admit it, I won’t think any less of you. You can still be a feminist and want to give a man a blowjob.”
My cheeks flush. The truth is Idohave a thing for Jack Parker. Always have done. From the moment I laid eyes on him as an eleven-year-old, I’ve been nursing a monumental crush that simply won’t die. I thought he was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. ‘Hot’ doesn’t come close to describing the perfection of those chiselled features, dreamy blue eyes or that firm, muscular body that gets all the girls creaming in their knickers. Whenever I’m in his vicinity I get sort of tongue-tied and feverish and the only way to control my emotions is to keep at a safe distance. God help me if Georgina ever knew I was secretly crushing on her boyfriend.
Taking a deep breath to psych myself up, I step boldly onto the shop floor and enter the world of a ‘40s diner. A lifelong fan of vintage American culture, our boss Brian has really gone to town with the décor and no expense was spared to recreate this pretty time capsule. Sadly, that was about 20 years ago and now the pretty time capsule has stained carpets, faded furniture and a whiff of having seen better days.
As soon as I pass through the beaded curtain, my ears are serenaded by the sweet sound of the Cardigan’sLovefoolplaying on the stereo.
Lovefool?How ironic, given my hopeless fixation with Jack Parker.
Tentatively, I walk with purposeful strides towards the dreaded booth to face my nemesis, praying for my nerves not to get the better of me. Looking around, I see the diner is empty except for one old man drinking a cup of coffee by the window.
As I approach the booth, both girls start giggling and I feel a sick sensation in the back of my throat. All at once, the old feelings of inadequacy come flooding back and I’m almost paralysed with fear at the sight of Georgina’s angelic face—that exquisite face that has haunted every one of my nightmares for the past eight years. Wearing a redNAF NAFjacket with a low-cut top and tight leather trousers, she looks gorgeous enough to give any of the super models a run for their money. It’s just a shame her outward beauty only runs skin deep.
Come on, you can do this. You can do this…
No, actually, I can’t.
Four blonde heads swivel in my direction, causing me to almost have a heart attack. Jack is looking directly at me, and I’m so overwhelmed by the attention, it’s a struggle to meet his gaze. The beauty of the boy is astounding.Oh my God, oh my God. Breathe, breathe, breathe.Swiftly, my confidence evaporates and I’m back to being a frightened eleven-year-old again.
“Fuck, I didn’t know the Devil’s Daughter worked here,” Lorraine hisses. “They must be really desperate for staff.”
“Shhh!” Georgina giggles. “Don’t be mean. Even the Devil’s Daughter’s got to work somewhere.” Then, flashing a dazzling smile, she locks eyes with me. “Hello Jessica, it’s so nice to see you again. How long has it been? Two years?”
“Yeah, something like that,” I mumble, dropping the stack of menus in the middle of the table. “Um, can I take your drinks order?”
“What do you fancy, ladies?” Jack asks brightly. “Shall we get four Cokes?”
“Actually, I’ll have an orange Fanta please,” Thomas says. “I’ve gone off Coke lately.”
“Hey Jessica, do you sellDevil’s Food Cake?” Lorraine cackles. “If you do, then I’d like that for dessert!”
Georgina kicks her friend’s leg under the table. “Don’t be a bitch. Come on, let the poor girl do her job. If you keep on like that, you’ll make her cry and we wouldn’t want that, would we?”
“It was only a joke!” Lorraine fires back. “Can’t you take a joke?”
“Girls, girls, just stop it, okay?” Jack snaps. “Stop taking the piss. It isn’t funny anymore.” Turning, he treats me to the most heart-stopping smile I’ve ever seen. Kindness radiates from his face and I melt a little inside. “Sorry about that. Right, we’ll have three Cokes and one Fanta.”
“Cool,” I beam. “Cokes and Fanta. Got it.”
For a moment, his eyes travel over my body, before fixating intently on my chest. I blush. I’ve always had big boobs so you can’t exactly miss them. Truth be told, it’s not the first time I’ve caught Jack staring at them. Clearly, he likes what he sees. The sense of being appreciated makes me feel all warm inside.
