Page 12 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘You’ll be the last one walking with Rob,’ she whispered, her eyes bright.
‘So?’
‘I think he likes you.’
‘Don’t be silly!’ I hissed, slowing her up a little so the others didn’t hear us. ‘What . . . what makes you say that?’
‘Suzy said that, while we were rehearsing, he kept looking at you.’
‘He was probably looking at how bad my singing and dancing was.’
‘Not the way Suzy said it, he wasn’t.’
‘What are you two gossiping about at the back there?’ Eddie turned back towards us.
‘Nothing!’ I quickly replied. ‘Hurry up, Claire, we’re dropping behind.’
We caught up with the others and nothing more was said. But as we walked along Harbour Street and up through the town, and our party of six diminished one by one, I couldn’t help thinking about my conversation with Claire.
Now I realise I’ve been thinking a little too much, because now we’ve said goodnight to Claire, and it’s just me and Rob, I’ve barely spoken in the last few minutes.
‘Yes, yes, I’m fine,’ I reply to his question.
‘Good, you’ve just been a bit quiet since we left the beach, that’s all.’
‘Not much to say. I’m not one to chat away about nothing.’
Rob smiles. ‘That’s good to hear. Most of the girls I know chit-chat and gossip all day. My sisters are terrible for it.’
‘Nope, not me.’ I shrug, suddenly worrying I might sound a little rude with my abrupt answers.
‘I wondered if the reason you were quiet was because the others had asked me to be part of your act?’ Rob looks genuinely worried, which surprises me.
‘No! No of course not,’ I assure him. ‘I’m pleased you’re going to be one of the mermaids – sorry, we’re not really called that. But until we – or Eddie – think of a better stage name, we’ve kind of called ourselves that temporarily.’
‘Eddie and the Mermaids!’ Rob says, waving his hand in front of our faces as though he’s reading our name up in lights. ‘Doesn’t really have much of a ring to it, does it?’
‘No, that’s why we have to think of something better.’
‘I was genuinely pleased when Suzy asked me, you know?’
‘Were you?’
‘Yeah, I’ve not really found any good friends since I came here to St Felix, and you guys always look like you’re having a great time together. I have to admit I’ve been quite jealous.’
I stare at him and almost stop walking.
‘What?’ he asks.
‘But I’ve always thought how well you fitted into the school since you came here – how easy it seemed for you.’
‘No way.’ Rob shakes his head. ‘I may have made it seem easy, but I can assure you it hasn’t been. Because of what Mum and Dad do, I’ve changed schools a couple of times before, and it’s never easy being the new kid. Maybe I’ve just got better at it.’
‘So the boys you hang around with – they’re not really your friends?’
‘Mates, maybe, but nothing like you and your friends seem to have. Without sounding weird, I’ve seen you all together loads of times. You’re a really close little gang, aren’t you?’
‘Yes, I guess we are. But we never set out to be a gang – we all just kind of ended up together cos we’re all a bit different.’
