Page 32 of Ask Another Day

She knew she shouldn’t ask, but she couldn’t help herself. ‘And why is that?’

‘Because,’ she paused theatrically, ‘when you look back on this morning in years to come, you do not want to picture yourself in fuchsia velour tracksuit bottoms, with writing across your bottom.’

‘And why would I be looking back on this particular morning?’

‘Because, hopefully, it’s the start of things between you and Seb.’

Holly wanted the ground to swallow her up. Even more so when her mum continued, ‘Mary and I have been chatting–’

‘You’ve been talking about this with his mum?’ Holly cut her off, incredulous.

‘We have keep fit classes together,’ she shrugged.

‘Oh well, of course - that explains it.’

‘Mary can’t understand what’s taken so long.’

‘Please tell me you haven’t said anything to Seb about this?’ Holly pleaded with her mother, whilst praying to anyone who would listen.

‘Of course not.’

‘Thank goodness for small mercies,’ she sighed out. Her dread at the prospect had sapped any energy she had left this morning, and she sank down on her bed.

Her mum was just smiling at her now.

‘What?’

She pinched up her shoulders as her smile grew more animated. ‘I’m so excited!’

Holly shook her head, but couldn’t help the small smile that crept up her face.

‘Seb only wants to catch up before all the fuss tomorrow. He’s not going to confess his love for me down on the beach. But,’ she paused as her mum squealed when she added that small start of a caveat, ‘but, I am planning on letting him know how I feel tomorrow. If he feels the same way, we’ll see what happens.’

‘He feels the same way,’ her mum asserted with all the authority of a sergeant major. ‘Mary would bet money on it.’

Holly shook her head again at the teenage display of excitement from her nearly fifty year old mother.

‘You need to stop watching those dating shows.’

‘I agree. This is so much better.’ Her mum’s eyes danced with delight.

Holly wished she could be so confident about how Seb felt.

‘Bye, Mum,’ Holly called out as she extricated herself from the situation.

*

As she walked down the cobbled slope to the beach she spotted Seb. He was sitting looking out at the waves, as they ebbed away. The tide was on its way out, revealing the mismatched boulders and shale the sea would conceal when it returned. Part of her longed to slip off her trainers and sink her feet into the cool pools of water left behind - to roll up her jeans and lose herself to the peace the beach offered. But her fear of the water extended to the beach, so this was as close as she could go. Seb was captivated by the view, and hadn’t heard her approach, so she took a rare opportunity to take him in. Part of her, the brave part, wanted to silently approach and slip her arms around his broad back and breathe him in.

At their sixth form prom, they’d had one dance together and Holly could still remember how it felt to be in his embrace. She’d tentatively looped her arms around his neck and he’d pulled her in close. They hadn’t really danced, just moved to the music, but she had savoured every second of it… until someone had set off the smoke detector and screams had rung out across the dance floor as freezing bullets of water had erupted from the ceiling sprinkler system.

Not wanting to risk being caught staring at him, she coughed loudly, which elicited a slight jump that rippled the muscles across his back.

‘Sorry, have you been waiting long?’ she asked as he turned to face her with a smile filled with such warmth it made her stumble a little.

‘I didn’t mind. I miss this when I’m in York.’

‘It’s a pretty special place.’