Page 69 of Fireworks at Pennycress Inn
At least it was done now. They’d promised her they’d let her know the outcome of the interview process later today, so she wouldn’t have to wait long. Pulling her tote bag onto her lap, she wrapped her arms around it. And then more interviews would come if she didn’t get the job, or, if she did, she’d have to have the worst conversation with Zac.
Pulling her mobile from her pocket, she scrolled through her apps, leaving the messages from Zac unopened. She couldn’t face reading them. She knew what they’d be saying. He’d be asking her how things were going and whether she’d managed to get everything done she’d needed to sort. He’d likely be offering her a lift back to Pennycress, too. But she couldn’t face lying to him. It had been hard enough when she’d said goodbye yesterday and she’d had to make something up again and, now after feeling drained from the day of relentless questions and judgements, she really didn’t think she could face trying to evade more questions, not when she didn’t even have the answers herself.
No, she’d wait until she’d heard the outcome of the interview and then she could be honest with him. Once she’d accepted the position – if she was even offered it – then it would be done. He wouldn’t be able to talk her out of it. Swiping away as a missed call from him flashed up, she clicked on Tetris and settled back against the hard wooden bench, looking forward to zoning out whilst she waited for Stacey. Looking forward to not thinking.
She heard a car pull up on the road in front of her and kept her eyes fixed on her screen, guiding a purple block into the perfect space. She didn’t have the energy to make small talk and she couldn’t risk looking up and one of her old pupils’ parents recognising her or anything. She watched as the row of tiny bricks flashed on her screen before disappearing and began guiding another block down into position.
‘Polly.’
Dropping her phone, Polly leaned forward and grabbed it just before it landed screen-down on the tarmac. Looking up slowly, her eyes locked with Zac’s. She swallowed. What was he doing here? What would she say to him? Tell him she was waiting for Stacey? It was true, but it wasn’t the whole truth.
‘Zac, what are you doing here?’
Widening his stance in front of her, he frowned. ‘I could ask you the same thing.’
‘I…’ She looked down at her phone, closing the app of the game before she mumbled her reply. ‘Declan told you?’
‘He did.’
Feeling the seat of the bench shift under his weight as he sat down next to her, she forced herself to look at him, to see the hurt in his eyes. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just?—’
‘The problem is, you quitting has left poor Declan in a bit of a sticky situation.’ Zac held out his hand.
Placing her hand in his, she immediately relaxed as she felt his touch, the stresses of the day melting away, and this confirmed she’d done the right thing. Only, what was he saying?
She shook her head. ‘What do you mean? What situation?’
‘Well, last week he had two potential successors to train up to take over his job from him and now he has none.’ Zac smiled.
‘You’ve quit too! Why did you quit?’ Snatching her hand back, she tucked her hair behind her ears.
‘The same reason as you, I should think.’ He shrugged nonchalantly.
‘No, you can’t. I quit for you, so the stupid promotion didn’t come between us. You didn’t need to as well. What’s the point in us both handing in our notice?’ This couldn’t be happening. It made no sense. Why did he have to do this after finding out she had? It was madness. Utter madness.
‘Not much point, really.’
‘Then take it back. Take back your resignation.’ She widened her eyes. All of this had been for nothing.
‘You take back yours.’ He met her gaze again, challenging her.
‘No! I quit first! You do it. You go back.’ She crossed her arms. What was he trying to prove?
Zac shook his head slowly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. ‘I phoned Declan up when we got back from the hospital. I handed in my resignation before you.’
Slumping her shoulders, Polly opened her mouth, ready to speak before closing it again. How was she supposed to respond to that admission?
‘You blew me away at the hospital. The way you were there for me. You even hung around after having the displeasure of meeting my parents. Not many people would have done that,’ he chuckled quietly. ‘It was then when we were driving back to Pennycress after our dinner that it hit me.’
‘What hit you?’ She searched his face. What was he trying to say?
He shrugged. ‘That I love you and I have for a while now. I pushed you away before because I had feelings for you and I didn’t know how else to cope having to compete for the promotion, but what I didn’t realise, not until that weekend at your flat, was quite how much I felt for you, and I wasn’t about to let anything have a minuscule chance at coming between us.’
‘Say it again.’ Shifting on the bench, she turned to face him.
‘I don’t want anything to jeopardise our relationship.’
She shook her head. ‘Not that bit, the other bit.’
