1. “Jess! Get up. We’re going to miss the train!”
(I rolled away and pulled the duvet over my head, trying to ignore my best
friend, Tegan.)
2. I am not a good morning person. I peered out reluctantly at my alarm clock. Dammit!
She was right – we’d overslept.
3. I shot out of bed and got changed, pulling on my favourite day dress – a short blue
denim shirt dress, just right for sunny weather – and the tan lace-up boots with heels
that I loved. This was all for me. After all that had happened there was definitely no
one I needed or wanted to impress.
4. “You look great, though, Jess,” Tegan said.
”Thanks, should we get something to eat? I’m starving and it is lunchtime.”
“I wanna have pizza!” she said jumping up and down.
“Really? You come all the way to London for pizza?”
Tegan looked at me pleadingly.
“Ok, fine. But I get to pick tomorrow,” I said determinedly.
5. “Yay!” Tegan grabbed my arm and practically skipped out the house.
We had no idea who we would meet over pizza…
20. We arrived at the restaurant in a great mood. It wasn’t very busy, which suited me
perfectly. We could have a proper gossip, make plans for this week and get served
really quickly.
We sat down at a table near the window and got ready to order. Suddenly the sound
of a group of boys laughing loudly and exchanging colourful banter drifted over.
21. “Argh! Do you want to go Tegan? Having rowdy boys in our ear wasn’t really part of
the plan for today,” I complained.
“Oh, lighten up they’re only having a bit of fun,” Tegan said while shaking her head.
“I guess so,” I said feeling like a bit of a party pooper. “Sorry.”
22. “Oh no! I forgot my purse, I must have left it at home!” Tegan shouted as she
searched wildly through her handbag.
“Really?” I said
“Yep, I better go get it, can you wait til I’m back? Won’t be long.”
“Tegan!” I moaned. “Ok, go on. Drive safe and don’t rush.”
“Thank you! See you soon!” she said as she ran out of the door.
23. I ordered a drink and started checking through my emails and messages for
something to do while waiting for Tegan.
The sound of the boys voices’ had got louder in the meantime; I kept hearing them
telling silly jokes before bursting into laughter, and at one point they even sounded
like they were singing at each other. Drunk already, at this time of day!
24. I turned to see if I could spot them but the were at a table round the corner, hidden
from view. I wondered if the waiters done this deliberately to avoid disturbing their
other customers.
Ring Ring
The phone rang, interrupting my thoughts
25. “Hi, who is it? Hello?”
The line went dead as a I lost reception. I sighed and got up to find somewhere with
a better connection. Looking down and redialling the number quickly I wandered
towards the door – and walked straight into somebody. As I landed hard on my
backside, a plate of food came tumbling down, all over my lovely blue dress.
26. I gasped as the impact took my breath away. Food was smeared all over me.
“Oh no, I’m so sorry!” said a boy’s beautiful deep voice. He sounded familiar bit I
couldn’t look at him – I was still staring at my ruined dress.
27. “Are you OK?” A different voice. Not quite as intense, but friendly.
I looked up and held out a hand for assistance. A tall boy extended his hand and
pulled me off the floor with almost no effort. I couldn’t look away from his emerald-
green eyes. Eyes you could just fall into.
He had flawless skin and dishevelled short black hair. Then he broke the spell.
“You’re a mess.”
28. “Oh, thanks! That would be your fault by the way.”
The other boy laughed. “Nice one, Shaq. Way to speak to someone you just food-
sprayed.”
(Shaq? Nice name. But he was obviously a jerk.)
“I… I didn’t mean you looked a mess … I meant that … Oh, never mind.”
29. I stared at Shaq. Was this his attempt at an apology? He stared back and I felt
myself shiver. I really did feel like I knew this boy. But then he just strode back to the
table where more boys were sitting.
They must have been that rowdy group we had heard earlier.
30. “I’m Riley,” the other boy grinned. “Come with me over to our table. We have napkins
and I can help you clean up.”
“Thank you, that would be really helpful.”
We approached the table where three other boys sat, all actually very good looking.
31. A tall brown-haired boy who sat at the end of the table raised his eyebrows as he
saw Riley approach.
“Oh hey. I wondered what was taking you and Shaq so long. Now I see,” he said as
he glanced at me.
I picked up some napkins to start cleaning myself up.
“Here let me help!” Riley leaned forward. Was he about to wipe me down?
32. “Oh of course!” he grinned, blushing. “You do it. And I’m sorry, we haven’t even
asked you your name yet.”
“I’m Jess,” I smiled.
He beamed back obviously relieved I wasn’t about to slap him.
33. “Well Jess, I’m Riley. This is Shaq, Tyler, Callum and Logan.” He pointed at each of
the boys.
The red-haired boy in the middle, who Riley had called Callum, looked at Shaq and
Riley hopefully. “So did you guys actually get my food?” He sounded eager
considering that he already had an empty plate before him.
I laughed. “I think there is some left on me if you want more?”
Everyone laughed too except Callum who looked vaguely interested by the
possibility.
34. Shaq leaned close. “I’d be careful – he eats everything and might take you up on
that offer.” I could feel his warm breath on my neck, which sent chills down my back.
I spun around to see an unexpected twinkle in his otherwise serious eyes.
Suddenly music filled the restaurant. The boys all grinned. I thought maybe there
was an undiscovered piece of chicken sticking out of my collar.
35. I huffed as I tried to clean myself fown.
“Not enjoying the tunes, Jess?” Riley sat up close next to me. Shaq raised an
eyebrown but didn’t say anything.
“Um. It’s all right,” I said, distracted by how close he was. It was a song by the Only
Truth, it was being played everywhere these days.
36. Logan, the sandy-haired boy leaned back, smiling. “I think these guys are super-
talented.
Tyler laughed, “Yeah, me too. And reeeeally good looking.”
“Well, I wouldn’t know. I’ve never seen what they look like,” I said.
Suddenly the whole table roared with laughter, what was up with these boys?
Next thing four younger teenage girls walked in. Their eyes lit up with excitement as
they looked at our table.
38. “Oh no. Not them!” Logan suddenly moaned.
“Who?”
“How did the paparazzi find us here?” Riley squeezed my shoulders reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, Jess.”
“We need a plan here boys …” Logan warned
39. “Jess,” Riley began, looking at me with his puppy-dog eyes.
“Do you have a back door to your house by any chance?”
“Er, yes?” I replied tentatively, suspicious of what was coming next.
His eyes twinkled as he brushed the hair off my shoulder.
“Pleeeease can we come hide out at yours?”
40. Shaq Riley
Logan Callum Tyler
“Er, ok…” I said.
“Ok guys we have to split up. Let’s meet at Jess’ place. Get there as soon as you
can!”
“Jess do you want to go with?”
