Page 92 of Plot Twist

We sat in silence. I sipped on my wine while he tapped his foot lightly against the bedside table.

‘That’s annoying,’ I said.

‘Sorry.’

We stared at different parts of the room, each lost in our own thoughts.

‘I never cheated on you, Becca,’ he said. ‘Just so you know.’

‘It’s water under the bridge now. I don’t really care any more. I cared at the time, obviously. I was so upset about graduation and Leila. And breaking up. It was so stupid.’

He sat up a little straighter and cleared his throat.

‘I started driving to your graduation,’ he confessed. ‘In the ice cream truck.’

‘What?’ I said, looking up at him with a smile playing on my lips. ‘Are you serious?’

‘I’m deadly serious. I asked at work if I could borrow it. I planned to drive outside and do an announcement on how sorry I was. But the bloody thing broke down on the way there. I was stranded at the side of the road in the Gorbals for about two hours. I turned around to call the breakdown people and when I turned back, I had a queue of folk waiting to get served ice cream.’

The Grand Gesture. It looked like someone had at least attempted one for me after all.

I couldn’t keep it in. I buckled with laughter at the thought of people queuing up for ice cream at his truck while he was broken down at the side of the road.

‘You’re laughing,’ he said, his face breaking into a grin. ‘I was fuming. I was on the phone trying to sort everything out and next thing I knew they were all lining up with their pocket money asking why I didn’t have the music on.’

But he saw the funny side too and we both laughed together. I snorted.

‘So you decided not to go through with it then? After the ice cream van thing?’

‘I tried things with Leila after it, for a while. But it didn’t work out. I didn’t get over you that easily.’

‘Me neither,’ I replied, sucking my breath in for a moment before exhaling.

Drew edged towards me slowly and took my two hands in his, pulling me into a standing position in front of him. I stared up into his deep brown eyes that I’d fallen in love with all those years ago. My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I remembered feeling his body close to mine, the scent of his aftershave, the promise of first love that could have lasted forever.

‘We could try again, you know,’ he said, in a low, controlled voice as he held my gaze. ‘I mean, I know a lot has changed but we’re still the same, deep down.’

I let him hold my hands for a second, allowing us both to soak up the feeling of hope. He leaned down towards me, with his lips parted. A part of me wanted him, wanted this, but my brain screamed that this wasn’t what I needed any more. But could one time hurt? One night?

As his lips pressed against mine, I flinched and moved backwards.

‘We. . . I don’t think I can,’ I stuttered, as I watched his face fall.

‘Becca, you know how I feel about you.’

‘Felt,’ I corrected him. ‘That’s in the past. Everything’s changed, Drew.’

He let out a low sigh. ‘Is it because of him? The guy you’re staying with?’

My shoulders slumped as I thought of Riley. I wished I could say that he and I were together, more than anything, but whatever we had was over the minute Jackie turned up.

‘No, Drew. It’s not Riley.’ I shook my head. ‘It’s us. We’re both grieving Rae. That’s why you’re here, doing all this. You miss her; I do too. But that doesn’t mean we should go backwards.’

He sat down on the bed and sighed again, placing his face in his hands. I sat down beside him and tentatively rubbed his back. He sat up straighter.

‘Can you say you’ll think about it at least? Maybe you’ll change your mind,’ he said. ‘And if not, I’d rather have you in my life as a friend than nothing at all.’

I sat back. I had been angry with Drew for so long, it felt strange not to retaliate with something mean or sarcastic. But I also knew it was pointless holding a grudge. If we’d learned anything recently, it was that life really is too short.