Page 51 of Clara's Secret Garden
I get into the passenger seat and Rory drives the shortdistance home. Switching off the engine, he turns, still with that seriousface.
‘What’s wrong?’ I ask, alarmed.
He shrugs. ‘You tell me.’
‘What do you mean?’
He sighs. ‘We’ve always been friends, Clara. And recently,doing your gran’s garden together, I don’t know... I supposeI felt it really cemented our friendship. I love your company. We get on sowell. Or at least I thought we did.’
‘We do.’ I stare at him, puzzled.
‘But now... it’s like we’re strangers. AndI don’t know why.’
I swallow hard, looking down at my hands twisting in my lap.‘Of course we’re still friends.’
‘Well, it doesn’t feel like it.’
‘No?’ I look up at him helplessly. What am I supposed tosay? I can’t tell him the truth – that I’ve had a crush on him for years andmeeting up with him again has only deepened those feelings, and that having towatch him falling in love with Lois is tearing me apart inside...
‘No. It seems like you make excuses to get away from mewhenever I try to talk to you.’ He shrugs. ‘It’s as if now that your gran’sgarden is done, you no longer need my friendship.’
‘What? No! That’s not true at all.’ I gaze at him in horror.
‘Well, have I done something to offend you, then? Because ifso, I’d like to know, so that I can put things right between us.’
I shake my head helplessly. ‘Of course you haven’t.’
He shrugs wearily. ‘Look, I just want to know why thingshave changed, that’s all.’ He grins. ‘You can’t blame me for thinking you onlyliked me for my lawnmowing skills!’
He’s joking but it hurts, that he could really think thatabout me... that I’d be so mercenary... Awave of frustration rises up inside me. ‘You know, you only kept helping out inthe garden at home – mowing the lawn and doing all that pruning – because itmeant you could keep seeing Lois! So you can hardly accusemeof beingsly!’
‘What?’ He stares at me.
I shrug crossly. ‘I thought you were doing me a favour, butyou clearly had an ulterior motive all along.’
‘No, of course I didn’t. I was doing it as a favour to you.Pure and simple.’
‘Oh, really? Well, I don’t believe you. It was an excuse tosee Lois.’
‘It really wasn’t,’ he says coldly.
‘Maybe not at the start. But later...’ Isigh. ‘Look, Rory, I understand you wanted to get to know Lois. And that’s fairenough. I just wish you’d told me. I feel really stupid that I didn’t knowthere was something developing between you.’ I shrug, regretting my outburstnow. ‘That’s all.’
‘But there was nothing to tell. At least, I didn’t think so.I only found out Lois had feelings for me when she announced it in front ofeveryone in your gran’s kitchen that day.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes.’ He shrugs. ‘I’ve really missed you, Clara. It wasgreat... doing the garden together.’
I relent, returning his smile. ‘Yes. Yes, it was. But...things change, don’t they? You and Lois...’
‘I guess they do. But you and I can still be friends,surely?’
I swallow. ‘Of course we can.’
He gives a sigh of relief. ‘Good. So... Zumbaagain on Monday?’
‘Of course.’ I smile. ‘Elsie would never forgive me if wemissed a session.’
