Page 45 of Girls Just Want to Have Sun

‘Connie! Behind you! Two o’clock!’ bellows Big Sue.

Another bread bun floats to the surface a few feet from me with some air bubbles. Within seconds, I’ve located Cherry and hauled her up to the surface, coughing and spluttering. The security team have galvanised at the sound of the girls shrieking and have thrown us an assortment of inflated rings.

I grab on to the nearest ring for support and pull Cherry towards it. When she has tight hold of it, I reach out for another ring and guide Cherry to the dock wall, which is only a few feet away.

‘Don’t forget her bag,’ yells Big Sue.

I spot it glistening on the surface, just about to sink. ‘Okay,’ I yelp, swimming towards it.

‘And the chicken fillets if you can, babes. She borrowed them from me!’ Liberty shouts down.

I see them floating nearby.

‘And that hairpiece. That’s mine,’ yells Big Mand. ‘Over there, Connie. Quick, grab it before it disappears.’

FFS.

There’s a metal ladder bolted to the wall, which we attempt to climb while trying to manage the bag, the buns, the hairpiece, and the enormous safety rings at the same time. It’s easier said than done and makes a real climb of shame out of it as Cherry, a few rungs above me and still wearing very high-heeled slingbacks, slips a few times, almost sending us hurtling back into the sea.

There’s a huge gasp each time from the girls, which does nothing to help but seems to amuse the gathering crowd.

‘Mind you don’t break your nails, love,’ yells Liberty. ‘Or your heels. Or your neck.’

When we reach the top, Matteo is standing there, ready to lift us up, with a look of disbelief on his face. Once Cherry is safely standing on two legs, he reaches for my hand. ‘Are you okay?’

‘I’m not doing this on purpose,’ I say as he puts an arm around me once I’m up. ‘I’m really not.’

‘It’s like there’s a huge drama everywhere you go,’ he says with an incredulous tone, taking the ring, the soaking wet bag, the straggly hairpiece and the fillets from me. I cringe. He’s not wrong.

Cherry sputters beside us. ‘Thanks, you two.’

I take in the thick black streaks of make-up running down Cherry’s face, her hair strewn all over, her skimpy clothes riding high up her waist, and I assume that I must be pretty much in the same bedraggled state.Oh well. It was nice while it lasted.I yank my dress back down and remove a glob of seaweed from my shoulder as Matteo returns the bag and chicken fillets to Cherry. She gives me a grateful smile.

‘Eeh, I must learn to swim at some point.’

By now, we have attracted a huge audience, and they have all seen fit to capture it on film. I ammortified.

‘Well, I better go back in,’ Matteo says formally. ‘The security guards will want to assess the damage before the event can continue.’

I pick up my shoes, feeling overwhelmingly deflated. That’s two nights on the trot the Dollz and I have ruined his gigs. Not to mention the first night when he had to stay and keep me company and make sure I didn’t die from concussion.

He must surely have had enough of us getting in the way of his work. That passionate and unforgettable kiss we shared is probably a distant memory already.

‘Bye then,’ I say, watching him leave. ‘And sorry again.’

He doesn’t even acknowledge me as people rush at him from all directions, bellowing hysterically in Spanish and carrying on as though there’s been a major threat to national security. A blare of sirens announces the arrival of a squad of cars screeching to a halt on the dock. Dozens of Guardia, the national police and two trucks of firemen spill out, ready to charge onto the boat and determine the exact cause of the fire, probably for blaming and insurance claim purposes.

I groan loudly.

What did I say about being jailed for something the Dollz have done?Despite my best efforts to remain calm, the weight of what just happened falls heavily on my shoulders as a wave of disappointment envelops me. It’s a new low of professionalism. I swiftly weave in and out of the crowd, away from the yacht. Away from the Dollz.

‘Connie, wait up!’ yells Big Sue.

The Dollz are clambering down the plank after me. I hesitate, taking in their serious expressions. The girls are probably distraught at the chaos they have caused. They’ll be petrified of going to jail. Probably wanting me to represent them in acourt of law with my A level Spanish. I studied long and hard for that prestigious qualification. Therefore, I should be able to explain to the judge, should he ask, what our hobbies are, what our favourite lessons at school were and how many pets we have between us. But outside of that, very little. They will be disappointed.

I wait for them to catch me up. They may be looking to me for comfort and reassurance. I will do my best.

They crowd round me, linking my arms.

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