Page 142 of Inbetweeners
“Do I have to carry everything?”
“You wanted it.” But Phoenix picked up the box of stuff from the shop.
The closer they came to Greenwich, the twitchier Phoenix became. Emmett found himself pressing his foot down on an invisible brake.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea coming back here,” Phoenix said. “Greyson knows where we live. VinandGreyson combined? I don’t like the idea of staying in the flat.”
“Wherever we are, Vin will find you. We know now that Vin and Greyson are working together. Vin would just find some way to tell Greyson if we went elsewhere. We’ll booby-trap the entrance so we’ll hear if Greyson forces a way in, and I’m going to booby-trap the flat against Vin. I’m not frightened.”
“Well, you fucking should be.”
“Hush. Everything is going to be okay.”
“If you’d been employed to calculate the outcome of this, you wouldn’t be saying that.”
“Stats are one thing. People are another. Even demons. They make things unpredictable. Too many variables mean it’s impossible to predict outcomes.”
Phoenix pulled up in the parking space under the building.
“What do you fancy to eat?” Emmett asked. “We might as well walk around the corner to the supermarket first.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Steak and chips?”
“I might be hungry.”
Emmett took hold of his hand as they set off for the main road, and looked at his palm. “Is this the one you cut?”
“Yes.”
“No mark at all. Maybe we need to sharpen the points on the wristband so they do some damage.”
“Hmm.”
“Was that another good idea?”
“Possibly.”
“We are definitely going to fuck when we get back. Can we add that to the list of good ideas?”
“You’ve changed.”
“It’s the clothes. I’ve found my true self. I’m a born-again punk. I almost wish my mother could see me.”
Phoenix laughed as Emmett hoped he would.
“We look an odd pair,” Phoenix said.
Emmett smiled. “Do we? We don’t feel like an odd pair.”
“No, we don’t.” He tugged Phoenix into the shop. “I’ll buy dinner. You buy me chocolate. Don’t let me see what you get, okay?”
Phoenix rolled his eyes but wandered off to the confectionery section. Before Emmett looked for food, he had something he wanted to get without Phoenix seeing. He was delighted when he saw they had it. He also bought envelopes, and for some reason that escaped him, a bag of fortune cookies, then made for the till.
When he got there, Phoenix already had a bag in his hand and was waiting by the door. Emmett was pretty sure he managed to keep the secret item hidden as he paid, and he bought a book of stamps as well.
“Thank you so much,” Emmett said to the young woman on the register.
