Little White Lies (14 page)

Shit, shit,
shit
!

I speed down the country lanes back to halls. What is Gran
doing
here? I thought they couldn’t come up? What does she want?
How much has she told Vix?
Forgetting my new name on a birthday card was bad enough, but turning up here and spilling the beans?
She could ruin everything
. If she hasn’t already.

I park quickly and paint on a smile as I hurry up to Vix’s room.

“Gran! Hi!” I rush in and give her a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s your birthday weekend—you knew I was coming to visit!” she laughs. “I’ve been looking forward to it for weeks!”

“But... Aunt Grace said you guys couldn’t make it,” I tell her.

“Oh, just because
they
can’t come doesn’t mean I’m going to miss my trip! I’m perfectly capable of getting on a train, you know! Besides, you can’t have a birthday without one of my cakes—it’s tradition!” Gran smiles. “Though Victoria was telling me that she made you one yesterday—and nearly burned down the building!”

I glance at Vix. “You’ve been having a nice chat?”

She looks away.

“Oh yes.” Gran smiles; then her face falls as she grabs my hand. “But I’m so sorry, sweetheart, I’m afraid I may have let the cat out of the bag. When I was knocking on your room door Victoria found me and I asked for you by your real name. I keep forgetting you’ve changed it—my memory’s just terrible these days! I had to bring your letter with me to remember which hall you’re in!”

“I thought she’d just got the wrong room, till she showed me your letter, mentioning me,” Vix says. “Then I put two and two together.”

“I’m so sorry, darling.” Gran frowns.

“It’s fine, Gran,” I tell her. “I’m sure Vix can keep a secret.” I look at her pleadingly.

“Course.” She smiles at Gran.

“Thanks, Vix.”

“And how’s your ankle, dear?” Gran frowns. “Victoria said you fell over?”

“Oh, I did,” I say, “but it’s much better now. Shall we go and grab some lunch, Gran?”

“That sounds lovely!” She beams. “I’ll just pop to the loo first.”

“You can use mine, Mrs. Brown,” Vix says, indicating her en suite.

“Thanks, dear.”

I wait till Gran closes the door.

“Vix—”

“Don’t.” She holds up her hand. “Your gran told me everything.”

Crap. What will she do now she knows? Miserably, I remember how she bribed the girl in reception for news of L. Willoughby-White:
A story like this could really kick-start my career!

“You lied to me,” Vix says. “This whole time you were pretending to be someone you’re not.”

I close my eyes. “I’m so sorry, Vix.”

She sighs. “It’s okay. I get it.”

I look up, surprised.

“I understand why you didn’t want anyone to know the truth, especially as I was ranting on about needing a scoop!” She squeezes my hand. “But I’m your friend, Lou. You
can
trust me.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I just... wanted to be normal, you know?”

She smiles. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

“Thank you.” I hug her and she squeezes me back.

“So that’s why you were really trying to put me off Kenny?” she says tentatively. “Because he knew your identity and might spill the beans?”

I hesitate, then nod.
That’s part of it.
...

“You know what would’ve put me off more than anything? Telling me he’s in love with
you
. All that energy I spent chasing Kenny when there are thousands of other fit students around? What a waste!” Vix cries. “I can’t believe he followed you here after one kiss—I’m actually not sure if that’s incredibly romantic or just really creepy!”

I smile uneasily. There was no kiss, of course, but I can’t tell her that without explaining what
really
happened
that night
. And though I hate lying to her, that’s just not an option.

“I am sorry, Vix.”

“It’s okay.” She shrugs. “I’ve only known him a week, after all. Plenty more fish, eh? Speaking of which, Matt’s playing football later, so I might go and watch.”

“He’s sporty?” I say, surprised.

“Who knew, right?” Vix grins. “Anyway, have a good time with your gran. Maybe take her out for the afternoon—as in, well away from everyone you know—she’s a bit of a loose cannon!”

“I know.” I smile. “You should see her when she’s had a couple of brandies!”

Vix laughs.

“They’re purely medicinal!” Gran protests as she emerges from the bathroom.

“Nothing wrong with your hearing, eh, Gran?” I smile. “Come on, let’s go.”

“I can see why they call it Meadow
hell
!” Gran laughs as, after a long afternoon driving through the countryside and shopping in the mall, we finally tuck into dinner in front of an open fire at a cozy little country pub. “It’s like death by shopping!”

“You grabbed yourself some bargains, though, Gran.” I smile, thinking of all the shopping bags in the trunk of the car.

“I’ve got an eagle eye, me.” She winks. “But my feet are about ready to drop off! Though maybe that’s because of the fish pedicure?”

I laugh. “I can’t believe you talked me into that!”

“It was fun! You mustn’t be afraid to try new things, sweetheart—it keeps you young,” she says. “I haven’t had a good girly shopping spree in
ages
! Not since...” She hesitates. “Well, certainly not since you started uni, anyway. We used to go all the time, didn’t we?”

“I’m sorry I’ve not been home to visit yet, Gran.”

“Nonsense. It’s only been a few weeks, and you’ve been busy settling in, making friends. Besides, it’s a long way back to London.”

I nod.

“But then, that was the point, wasn’t it?” she says gently. “The further the better?”

I look away. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I may be old, but I’m not daft.” She smiles. “I know it’s not easy, being at home. Not now.”

I sigh. “It’s like when I’m not there I can almost pretend it never happened. That everything’s just as it always used to be.”

Gran squeezes my hand and I blink against the tears.

“But they feel like dreams now, not memories. So much has changed.”

“So much is still the same,” Gran insists gently. “Family is still family, even if we can’t always all be together.”

“We’ll never all be together,” I say quietly. “Not with Uncle Jim in prison, and Poppy...” My voice cracks as Gran wraps her arm round my shoulders.

“We will get through this,” she promises. “One day at a time. Together. Everything will be okay.” She kisses my forehead, and as she holds me tight for the first time in ages I feel like it might be true.

“I can’t believe I left your birthday cake in Victoria’s room!” Gran tuts as we drive back to my halls after dinner. “We’ll have to hope she hasn’t eaten it all!”

I laugh. “We should be okay. She’s on a diet. What flavor is it?”

“Chocolate, of course!”

“Uh-oh,” I say. “Then we might be in trouble.”

Gran chuckles. “Ooh, I shouldn’t laugh after that big dinner—I’m stuffed! I hope you’ve still got
room
for birthday cake!”

“There’s
always
room for birthday cake.” I smile, Christian’s words popping into my head unbidden, and as we turn onto his road I feel a twinge of guilt. I’ve ignored so many of his calls today that in the end I turned my phone off just so Gran would stop raising her eyebrows at me. But I shouldn’t have just left him in the middle of nowhere after he fell off his bike—espec
ially with a concussion.

“Candles!” Gran cries suddenly. “I haven’t got any birthday candles! Honestly, I’d forget my own head if it wasn’t screwed on!”

“Never mind,” I say.

“No, sweetheart—we have to get some. Look, there’s a corner shop, they might have them.” She points to the off-license.

“There’s nowhere to park,” I say quickly. I can’t risk bumping into Christian with Gran. She’s already spilled the beans to Vix—he can’t find out too.

“No, look, there’s a space just there, outside the cottage with the green door.” Gran points to Christian’s house. “Pull over.”

“No, Gran, it’s fine—”

“You
cannot
have a birthday cake without candles,” she insists. “Otherwise it’s just cake! How will you make a wish?”

I wish I had a wish right now.

“Fine.” I pull into the space. “You stay in the car,
I’ll
pop to the shop.”

“Okay, sweetheart.”

I climb out of the car and almost immediately Christian’s front door flies open.

“Lou!”

I freeze.

“Lou, I’m so glad you’re here, I’m so sorry—”

“Christian,” I interrupt swiftly, thankful that it’s dark. “I can’t talk now. I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Lou, please!”

“Sweetheart!” Gran calls through the car window. “Who’s that?”

Shit. “No one, Gran.” I lower my voice as I peer back into the car. “Just a friend.”

“Shall we invite him round for cake too?”

I can’t think of anything worse.

“No—no, that’s okay.” I smile hastily. “Christian’s busy tonight.”

“Are you sure?” She glances over my shoulder. “He’s very handsome. In fact, have I met him before? He looks familiar....”

“Nope,” I say quickly, blocking her view. “He’s a local. He does look a bit like that guy from
Mamma Mia!,
though.”

“Yes... yes, he does a bit,” Gran says thoughtfully. “Perhaps that’s it.”

“Lou, please, talk to me!” Christian calls.

“He seems to be keen to see you,” Gran comments. “Why don’t
I
pop to the shop while you two have a little chat?”

“No, I...” I hesitate. If I go to the shop alone, Gran might start talking to Christian. If I take Gran to the shop, Christian might follow us. This might be the only way to keep them apart. “Okay. Thanks, Gran. I won’t be long.”

I hurry up the path to Christian, pushing him inside the house quickly and closing the front door, trying to keep him as far away from Gran as possible.

“Okay,” I sigh. “Let’s talk.”

“Lou, I’m so sorry about this morning—I was a complete moron,” he says. “I didn’t know what I was doing, I misread the situation—I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“No, I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I completely overreacted, and I should never have left you on your own like that. Did you go to the hospital?”

“Yes.” He nods. “They said I was slightly concussed—but also that there was a high level of alcohol in my blood.”

“What do you mean?” I say carefully. “I thought you were teetotal?”

“I am! That’s why I couldn’t understand it—and why I thought Mike was crazy when he fired me for being hungover—until I got home, picked up my mobile, and checked my voice mail.” He looks at me. “I had a message from Vix.”

Oh shit.
My heart beats fast.
What did she say? When did she call him?

“She told me that Kenny’s infatuated with you—that you knew each other at sixth form and he followed you here,” Christian says. “Is it true?”

I nod helplessly.

“Then she said that Kenny spiked my drink last night.” Christian pales. “
That’s
why I was late for work,
that’s
why I got fired, and
that’s
why I crashed my bike—I could’ve been killed! And all because he’s trying to turn you against me!”

I blink. “What?”

“Don’t you see? He’s jealous,” Christian says. “I’ve worked it out. Everything that’s happened—
everything
that’s gone wrong for me lately—it all started around the time I met you!”

I freeze.

“It was all
Kenny
!” Christian cries. “It’s obvious!
He
spiked my drink,
he
ordered the pizzas,
he
scratched my bike,
maybe
he
even set up the bogus Facebook offer at the pub—he’s studying computer science, for God’s sake!”

“But...” I hesitate. “Why would he do all that?”

“To make my life a misery. To get you the job you wanted. To be your hero,” Christian explains. “
Demand and opportunity,
right? On the day of the Facebook offer he made sure you were there—he invited you and Vix for lunch. Jeez, he even bought Heidi a drink—he could’ve poisoned her!”

I hug my arms tightly.

“But then he must have got jealous of us working together, so he tried to get me
fired
! I’ve been thinking about it all day. What if he was the one who stole my keys and broke into the pub to make it look like it was me? Remember how he hugged me before I left that night? He could’ve nicked them from my pocket!”

My mind whirls madly as the walls close in.

“He’s crazy, Lou. You need to get a restraining order—you need to call the police!” He hands me his mobile.

“I...” I stare at the phone. “I can’t—This is too much—I need a minute.” I slump onto the sofa.

“You need to do something, Lou,” Christian insists.

“Just... let me talk to Kenny first, okay?” I say, thinking fast. “It could all be a huge misunderst
anding. These are serious charges, Christian.”