The Boyfriend Dilemma (3 page)

“Uh, you've got a bit of chocolate…” Ben says. Now all eyes are on me, and Amber is giggling with her hand clamped over her mouth.

“Have I?” I prod at my face. “Where?”

“There,” he says, pointing to the corner of my mouth.

I rub at it with a finger.

“No,
there
.” Ben reaches over and touches my cheek. It's like a mini electric shock zapping through my body. I rub again, catching Zoe staring at me across the table. The two of us are so close we can normally communicate almost telepathically. But this time I can't pick up her message at all.

“Has it gone now?” I ask, wondering if he can hear the
thump-thump
of my heart.

Ben frowns and touches my face again, making me almost tumble off my chair. I wipe my fingers around my mouth, cheeks and chin but judging by the smirk on Ben's face, I
still
haven't managed to get the smear off. Now I'm rubbing my sleeve over my mouth, not caring if it gets chocolatey. Zoe is waggling her eyebrows as if she's trying to transmit something to me – but what? And now Ben is laughing, and the sniggers ripple around the table until Jude blurts out, “Layla – he's just messing about. There's nothing on your face. You're
fine
, all right? You can stop scrubbing…”

“Oh!” I force out a laugh.

“Sorry, Layla,” Ben says, grinning as he reaches for a waffle. “Couldn't resist that. April fool.”

Chapter three

I would've been happy to hang out at Layla's because, let's face it, it was pretty interesting around there. I mean – that boy. Ben with the zingy blue eyes, cheeky smile and actual
cheekbones
, like a boy model's, features that added up to the most amazing face I've ever seen. Where did he come from – outer space?

“That was so embarrassing,” Layla exclaims as we head out into the bright spring day.

“Don't worry, it was funny,” I reply. “And I tried to signal that he was joking.”

She splutters with laughter. “You
tried
to signal?”

“Yeah!”

“Why didn't you just tell me, instead of watching me trying to rub non-existent Nutella off my face?”

We're both giggling away but I'm not sure I know the answer. Of course I should have said something. I could hardly think straight, though – not with Ben sitting just a metre or so away. He's gorgeous – like no one I've ever met before – and he obviously liked Layla because she's so relaxed and friendly and always looks unique. Otherwise, why would he have pulled that Nutella trick? He was flirting with her – at least, I think he was.

To be honest, I don't really understand boys at all. I've only ever had one crush – and that was on Kyle, who I'd known for ever. It just hit me –
wham
! He wasn't just Layla's big brother any more, and the only boy I'd ever felt truly relaxed with. I was actually a little in love with him. Of course, I didn't tell Layla. She'd have died laughing because she thinks he's an idiot, and anyway, there's no way he'd ever have been interested in his little sister's best friend. So I
forced
myself to stop liking him. I gritted my teeth and repeated,
YOU CAN'T FANCY KYLE
about eight million times in my head. Sometimes I added,
KYLE BURNETT IS SO IMMATURE
. Why else would he find it so hilarious to hide his “surveillance device” (i.e. that crappy little microphone thing) in Layla's room? He recorded us
singing
, then played it to his friends – it was so humiliating. I love to sing, especially with Layla. We were in the Acorn Theatre junior choir all through primary school. But I'd never imagined Kyle listening to every note.

“So, what d'you know about Ben?” I ask as we wander towards the park.

“Not much,” Layla replies. “I heard him telling the boys he's from Brighton and went to boarding school, and now he lives in some massive house near here. But he didn't say exactly where.”

We turn into the alleyway that leads to the park. “Cute, isn't he?” I add with a grin.

“Er, you could say that.” Layla laughs, her dark curly hair dancing around her cheeks.

“Is he going to our school?”

“Yep.”

“God, imagine!” I shriek. “It'll be the most exciting thing to happen at Mossbridge since…”

“… since for ever,” Layla declares, and she's right.
Nothing
ever happens around here. A broken loo, or someone grazing their knee at netball – that counts for Really Big News at our school. As for someone new arriving? Well, I can't remember the last time that happened. At least, there's never been anyone like Ben…

“He's going to be so popular,” I add, wondering why this makes me feel a tiny bit sad, until I remember that he's already Kyle's friend, which hopefully means he'll be around at their place all the time. Their house draws everyone in. It may be small and crowded, but their mum's so welcoming and there are always delicious things to eat – no sugar-free muesli there, which is the only “cereal” my mum ever buys.

We've reached the park now. A river snakes through it, sparkling in the April sunshine as if someone's gone mad with glitter.

“Hey,” Layla says, nudging me. “Look at that!”

I peer into the distance where a huge, brightly painted lorry with “Dodgems” written on its side is pulling into the park. “What's it doing here?” I murmur.

“Looks like it's stopping,” she says. “C'mon – let's see what's going on.” As we pelt towards it a couple of men climb out. Being bolder than I am, Layla marches up to them. “Are you setting up here?” she asks.

“Looks like it, love,” one of the men replies with a smirk. “Just the dodgems. We're trying it out, seeing if it's worth it…”

“We've never had anything like that here,” Layla yelps. “When can we have a go?”

The man chuckles. “Give us a chance, will you? It'll be a few hours yet, about two-ish…”

Layla turns to me. “Shall we wait?”

“Of course,” I say, grinning. “We've got all day, haven't we?”

“Remember to tell all your friends,” the man calls out as we head back to the river. “The more, the merrier…”

Layla and I stop and look at each other. I can tell by her face that we've had exactly the same idea. “Maybe,” she suggests with a mischievous smile, “I could ask Kyle if he wants to come…”

“Maybe,” I say, pretending to act all casual.

“And
maybe …
” she adds, giggling now.

“… he might bring Ben?” My heart quickens at the thought. “Worth a try, I guess.”

She pulls out her phone from her shorts pocket and texts her brother, showing me the message:
Dodgems in park open at 2. Wanna come?

In a blink, Kyle replies:
Yeah.

 

Layla and I glance at each other as the five boys head towards us. I'd hoped the dodgems would be all set up by the time they arrived, but nothing's happening yet.

“Is this it?” Danny asks, hands shoved in his pockets.

“Er, yeah,” I say, unable to meet Ben's eye. Maybe we shouldn't have asked them. Coming from Brighton, he's probably been to amazing theme parks. I realize now how pathetic this looks.

“It's better than nothing, isn't it?” Jude offers. “Stop complaining, Danny.”

“Looks great,” Ben adds, and I can't tell if he's being sarcastic or not.

“C'mon,” Kyle says. “Let's see what's happening.” As we all head over, Ben falls into step with me.

“So you're Zoe?” he says.

I smile stiffly. “Yeah.” It's the first word I've managed to say to him. God, what's wrong with me? The other boys are all chattering away, but I can't think of a single thing to say.

“Kyle was moaning how boring it is around here,” he adds. “But having a ride show up like this – that's not bad.”

I nod mutely, wishing my brain would work properly. I'm good at loads of things, like science and long-distance running, but what use are those when a gorgeous boy is walking beside me in the sunshine?

“Are you having a go, Zoe?” Kyle asks, as one of the men turns on the music and lights.

“Sure,” I reply. Then I remember – I had to buy Matty's lunch. “Oh – I don't have enough money,” I mutter, flushing pink.

“Neither do I,” Layla wails. “I forgot my purse…”

Kyle sighs and rolls his eyes. “S'pose I've got enough for a couple of goes…”

“Thanks,” she says, and my spirits lift as we scramble into a car. Ben and Kyle grab another, while Jude and Harris hop into a third. Danny climbs into a car by himself and we all set off, driving cautiously at first, then speeding up and crashing into each other as the music blares out.

“Look out!” Layla screams as Ben, who's driving, slams into our car head-on. She presses her foot down and grips the steering wheel, and when I glance back, he's grinning straight at me as his car chases ours around the arena. I feel as if I can hardly breathe. Word must have flown around town about the dodgems because people have started to arrive. Jude's car whacks into ours again and again, and we're all screaming with laughter until it's time to climb out.

“That was great,” I exclaim, not caring that my ponytail band has fallen out and my hair's all over the place. “Shall we go on again?”

“Yeah,” Jude yells and we all pile back in. Our screams of laughter are attracting a crowd and the man doesn't mind us having a few extra goes for free.

“That was brilliant,” Kyle announces as we all come out and flop down beside the river. I glance over at Ben, aware of excitement fizzling inside me. He's changed everything, in just one day. The dodgems would have been fun without him, but somehow, he's made the day sparkle.

“So how did you meet Kyle?” I blurt out, determined to at least
say
something.

Ben arranges himself cross-legged beside Layla and me. “I went to that drop-in music session last Friday,” he replies. At the Acorn, he means – our tiny local theatre where pretty much everything happens here: scouts, junior choir, Matty and Amber's Young Adventurers club (where they learn all kinds of survival skills, in case they happen to find themselves stranded with nothing but hedgehog to eat). “You're so lucky,” he adds, “having a place like that.”

“It's shutting down, though,” I explain. “The roof was badly damaged in a storm just after Christmas, and they haven't been able to raise enough money to fix it.”

“What'll happen to it?”

I shrug. “There's talk of it being turned into flats, if someone's willing to buy it in the state it's in…”

“You might have noticed the leaks and drips,” Kyle adds with a smile.

Ben nods. “It'll be a real shame if it closes, though.”

“There's a vintage market tomorrow to raise money,” Layla adds. “But I doubt if that'll be enough.”

I turn to Ben. “So what d'you play?”

“Guitar, and I sing a bit—”

Kyle bursts out laughing. “A
bit
?” He grins at us. “He's brilliant. You should hear him—”

“He's, like, professional standard,” Jude chips in.

“He even writes his own songs,” Harris adds. As Ben starts protesting that he's not that good, and the others argue that he really is, I wonder how the boys feel about this. They've been playing together for a year or so. No gigs yet – they reckon they're not ready – but I know that's what they're aiming for. So how will Ben fit in?

I glance at Jude, knowing how proud he is that he's one of the best guitarists at our school. Yet he doesn't seem remotely put out that Ben has impressed everyone after just one session at the Acorn. Every now and then, I sneak another look at Ben – his eyes are
amazing
. I try to picture him in Mossbridge High's gloomy uniform of grey trousers, black blazer and white shirt, and know he'll be surrounded by girls – girls from his year, not mine and Layla's. And he'll be too caught up with all that to bother with us.

“Want to see the rope swing?” Jude asks him.

“Sure,” Ben says, and they all spring up and make their way towards the woods, where a gnarly old rope, with a log “seat”, has hung from the conker tree for years now.

I pull off my trainers and socks and dip my toes into the cool river. “What a day,” I murmur to Layla.

A smile lights up her face. “Amazing…”

“Have you ever met anyone like that?” I'm so glad it's just the two of us now, with the chance to discuss him.

“Never. I was thinking how his eyes are the colour of that fish at primary school – the blue angelfish, remember?”

“The only one that survived
the illness
?” I add with a smile. That's what Miss Farmer told us – that all the others had died of a mysterious disease during the night – trying to protect us from the truth that they'd been gobbled up by the one we'd imaginatively named Bluey. It was only on our last day at primary that she admitted he'd wanted the whole tank to himself.

Squinting in the sunshine, Layla looks over to where Ben is flying through the air on the rope. “Fancy a go?” she asks.

“OK,” I say, trying to ignore another wave of shyness building up inside me. My phone buzzes in my pocket as I jump up. Five missed calls? Eek! Who's been trying to reach me? “Hello?” I say, answering the call.

“Is that Zoe, Matty's sister?” asks the female voice.

“Yes?”
God, what's he done now?

“Holiday club closed twenty minutes ago,” she adds sharply.

“Did it? Oh, I didn't realize…”

The girl sighs loudly. “Well, he's sitting here waiting for someone to pick him up. Everyone else has gone home and he's
very
upset.”