Love and Kisses Read online

  “You not late. I very stupid! I come early.”

  I said, “I could have come earlier, if you wanted.”

  “Then I be even more early!”

  He grinned then, and I giggled. He was making such an effort in a foreign language I couldn’t just leave him to struggle along on his own. By the time we’d drunk our first cup of coffee we were having almost a real proper conversation. I asked Alex where he came from and he said, “I come from Poland, from a leetle veellitch.”

  I didn’t understand at first what he meant; I couldn’t think what a leetle veellitch was. Alex said, “Leetle?” and held up a finger and thumb, about half a centimetre apart.

  I said, “Oh! Little.”

  He nodded and said, “Yes! Leetle. A leetle veellitch.”

  I got it, then. “A little village.”

  We both laughed. Alex said, “My accent…not good. You teach!” So then we practised saying “A little village” until he had it right.

  “You good teacher,” said Alex. “You speak good. I understand! Sometime—not so good.” He made quacking motions with his fingers. “Like duck! I not follow. You like person on radio!”

  I told him that was because of Mum and Dad being actors and always going on at us to speak clearly.

  “You going be actor?” said Alex.

  “Me?” I said. “No way!”

  “Why no way? You pretty! You be good actor.”

  I got all embarrassed when he said that. I wish I could accept compliments gracefully! I couldn’t even shake my hair over my face to hide my stupid blushes. Quickly, I changed the subject. I said, “Tell me about you! Are your mum and dad over here? Why did you come? Don’t you miss Poland?”

  “I miss at first,” said Alex. “My mum and dad, they stay. I call every day. I very…what the word?”

  I said, “Homesick?”

  “Homesick! I very homesick. Now not so bad. Specially now not so bad.” He grinned as he said that, and I started blushing all over again!

  So why did you leave?” I mumbled.

  He hunched a shoulder. “No job. No money. My family…not rich. My dad, he not well. My mum, she work. Not earn much. No future. Not good. This—” he opened his arms—“this the place to be. Good job, earn money…pretty girl!”

  He took my hand across the table. Hot tingles ran up my arm. A woman sitting nearby caught my eye and smiled at me. I smiled back.

  “I want come last year,” said Alex, “but my mum, she say wait. She say when you seventeen, then you go. How old you?”

  “Me? I’m…fifteen. Nearly sixteen!” The words were out before I could stop them. I would have given anything to take them back, but I wasn’t brave enough. It would make me look silly. But why did I say it? Why? Who would believe I was nearly sixteen? I did have my hair up, and I was wearing lipstick, and I know that I do look quite a bit older than my age, but…nearly sixteen?

  I waited with heart hammering for Alex to laugh. Instead, quite seriously, he said, “So you still in school?”

  I said, “Yes,” and pulled a face, as if I’d rather not have been.

  Then he did laugh. He said, “Me, I free…no more school! No more lesson! Out in the world.”

  “I wish I could be,” I said. It was absolutely not true. I like school! My tongue just seemed to be running away with me. Alex asked me if I’d like another coffee, but regretfully I said that I probably ought to be getting home. I could have rung Mum and pretended I was staying on at Katie’s, but I already felt nervous about lying to her. Alex wanted to walk me back, so I said “just to the corner” in case Mum or Dad—or Ellie! Just as bad—happened to be looking out of the window.

  It seemed for a moment, as we got to the corner, that he might be going to kiss me. I think I wanted him to. That is…I wanted him to want to! After all, it was what people did on dates. But in the end he changed his mind. Or maybe he hadn’t ever been going to. Did that mean he didn’t fancy me? Oh, God, please don’t let it mean that! Please!

  And then, very solemnly, he said, “You like see me again maybe?”

  At which my heart gave this massive leap and I said, “Yessss!” and we immediately agreed that we would meet the following Saturday, same time, same place.

  Alex said, “I look forward,” and he squeezed my hand, very hard. And that was when I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was about to fall in love…

  I was aching to tell someone! Ellie was coming downstairs as I let myself in. She said, “Ooh, you’re all pink.”

  I nearly cried, “Yes, I’m in love!” But I managed to restrain myself. It would have been absolutely fatal to let Ellie know.

  Even as it was she felt the need to go and tell Mum that “Tamsin’s all pink…pink as a raspberry!” Which of course just made me go even pinker.

  Mum laid a hand on my forehead and said, “I hope you’re not sickening for something.”

  I gave a silly little giggle of excitement.

  “You are just so weird,” said Ellie. She turned to Mum. “We don’t want her throwing up, or anything. D’you think she should stay at home this evening?”

  I wouldn’t actually have minded staying at home. If I’d stayed at home I could have wallowed in the bath, listening to music and dreaming. But Mum wouldn’t hear of it.

  “It’s a celebration,” she said. “We’ve all got to be there.”

  So we all trooped up the road to Giovanni’s to eat pasta and drink champagne with Mum proudly explaining to anyone who would listen that “Ellie’s just been on the television!” She did it jokingly, but I could tell that underneath she was simmering with a quiet, mumsy-type pride. I have to admit, when I saw the thing later, Ellie did look good. She was a natural! And I guess it was quite something to have the camera pick her out twice, in such a huge crowd of people. I didn’t begrudge her her little moment of triumph. I might have done, once; but not any more. I didn’t begrudge her anything any more. She could be on TV as much as she liked. I was going out with Alex!

  I made a resolve that I wouldn’t say anything to Katie even though I was bursting to let it all out. I could see that she didn’t want me splurging all over her. I was quite surprised, at first break on Monday, when she dragged me off to a quiet corner and said, “Right! Tell! What happened?”

  I said, “Nothing really happened. We just sat and talked, and then…he walked me home!”

  “Did you ask him in?”

  “No! Mum still thinks I was round with you. Can I be round with you again next Saturday? Cos I’m seeing him again then!”

  Slowly, as if giving me up as a lost cause, Katie shook her head.

  “Pleeeze,” I said.

  She sighed. “All right. If you must. What about our sleepover?”

  “I could sleep over Friday.”

  “And then go off next day and meet him.”

  “Not until the afternoon.”

  “A secret assignation.” She does choose good words. Of course, her mum is an English teacher. “So tell me what you’ve discovered about him.”

  It was all the excuse I needed. I said, “Well…he’s only been here a little while, which is why he doesn’t speak much English. Yet. But he will, cos he’s really trying. He’s Polish. He comes from a leetle veellitch—”

  “You what?” said Katie.

  “A leetle veellitch. It’s the way he says it! It’s so cute. A leetle veellitch…”

  “Yeah, OK, I get it! Go on. What else?”

  “The other boy—the one with red-hair—”

  “The rude one.”

  “Yes. His name’s Marek. They came over together. The older guy, the one they work for, he came from the same village. But he came two years ago. Now he has his own business.”

  “So how old is he? Your guy. Alex.”

  It gave me such a tingle when she called him that. Your guy…

  “He’s seventeen.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “What d’you mean, am I sure?”

  “You su
re he’s not older?”

  “No! He’s not older…his mum said he couldn’t come over here till he was seventeen.”

  Katie said, “My mum’d do her nut if she found I was going out with someone that age.”

  I thought yes, well, Katie’s mum was a bit of a mother hen. Katie is her only child and she must have been at least forty when she had her. Unlike my mum, who was still a student when she had me. And would also do her nut, in all probability.

  “Doesn’t he find you a bit young?”

  I said, “No.” I didn’t confess that I’d lied about how old I was.

  Katie said, “Maybe…” She stopped.

  I said, “Maybe what?”

  She nibbled on a fingernail. It’s her thing that she does, like me hooking my hair behind my ears. “Maybe next time he should bring his friend with him and I could come, as well, and keep an eye on you!”

  I was taken aback, to say the least. She didn’t even like his friend; she thought he was rude. And why should she think I needed an eye kept on me?

  She assured me that it was perfectly all right, she wouldn’t interfere. So why did she want to come? I didn’t want her there! She might be my best friend, but just because you’re best friends doesn’t mean you have to do everything together.

  “Thing is,” I said, “Marek’s already going out with someone.” Liar, liar, pants on fire! “He’s not really free to go out with anyone else.”

  “I don’t want to go out with him,” said Katie, nibbling and munching as hard as she could go. “I just thought I could come along to…watch over you.”

  “Honestly,” I said, “I don’t need watching over. Stop fussing!”

  “I can’t help it, I feel responsible for you.” She looked at me, hurt. “Wouldn’t you feel responsible for me, if I was going out behind my mum’s back with someone who was seventeen? I hope you would, cos it’s what friends are supposed to feel. And if they don’t, then they’re not being very good friends.”

  I didn’t like the thought of Katie being upset. “Look,” I said, “maybe later?”

  “Later what?” she mumbled, ungraciously, as she munched on another nail.

  “Maybe later you could come along.” Except who would she bring? She didn’t know anyone. A foursome might be fun, but she was right: three was definitely a crowd. In my imagination, Alex and I were already kissing and cuddling and holding hands…how would we be able to do that with Katie sitting there scowling all on her own? Maybe, after all, she and Marek could come along. He couldn’t be too bad if he were a friend of Alex. I made a note to find out whether he really did have a girlfriend or whether I’d just made it up.

  Katie took her finger out of her mouth and stuffed her hand under her armpit where she couldn’t get at it. “I hope you don’t think I want to spy on you,” she said.

  I said no, of course I didn’t; though that was exactly what it felt like.

  “I just think it would be…safer. I mean…seventeen! That’s practically grown-up.”

  That was what was so exciting about it.

  “He might want to do things.” She whispered it at me, earnestly. “Things you don’t want to do.”

  I said, “Then I wouldn’t do them.”

  “You might not be able to help yourself! You might get carried away. People do,” said Katie. “It’s the way it happens. You don’t mean it to. It’s the heat of the moment.”

  Yes, and at that particular heat of the moment, thank God, the bell rang for the end of break. I was beginning to feel quite uncomfortable with this conversation. Loftily I informed Katie that she had a mind like one of those magazines you find in the dentist.

  I told Katie that it was really nice of her to come, but honestly, I knew what I was doing!

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Who says dreams can’t come true? On Saturday, when we met, Alex kissed me…French style, on the cheek. Really sophisticated! Maybe it’s what Polish people do. But I bet Jimmy Doohan wouldn’t! Or any of the boys in our class. Spotty things.

  I know that’s not fair. They’re not all spotty and even the ones that are can’t help it. But they were just so young. I couldn’t imagine going out with anyone so young!

  After we’d drunk our coffee we went for a walk and Alex held my hand. Electric shocks went shooting up my arm and zinging round my body. His hand was warm, and a little bit rough from all the building work that he did. I didn’t mind it being rough, I was just glad it was warm. I once had to hold hands with this boy called Roger Barlow in a drama class and it felt all damp and clammy. Horrid!

  We walked along by the river, and I wished someone from school could see me. Preferably Beth, cos then the whole class would get to hear of it. Or maybe Kez Daniels. Kez is so pretty, and so popular, and she’s been going out with the same boy for, like, just about ever. They are deep in love and hold hands wherever they go, even at school. Nobody laughs; it’s too serious for that. I used to envy her. Sometimes, lying in bed at night, I even used to pretend to be her. Now I didn’t need to pretend. I was deliriously happy being me!

  I just wanted someone to see me…but nobody did. I don’t know what I would have done if Ellie had appeared. My hand was glued so tight I’m sure I couldn’t have pulled it away. Fortunately, walking along by the river is not Ellie’s thing. I was safe for the moment…

  “It nice, no?” Alex swung my hand as we walked. “Nice by the river…you like?”

  I nodded, blissfully.

  “Some girl, they no like walk. They say, no car, no go!”

  I assured him that I wasn’t one of them. “I love walking!”

  “Me, I like too. But one day I have car. I save money, then I buy. Then we go all over! All over country. You like come with me?”

  My heart almost burst. Alex dropped my hand and put his arm round me, instead. “I very safe driver. You be safe with me.”

  I felt safe. Completely safe. I think I would have gone anywhere with Alex.

  Every day, now, both in the morning and again in the afternoon, he would be waiting for me at the building site and we’d stop and chat. Sometimes, if no one was about, he’d put his arm around me or hold my hand. Mum couldn’t understand why I was so eager to be on time for school. Not that I have ever been one of those people who always sneaks in late, but now I was racing out of the door before I’d properly finished my toast.

  “What’s with all the mad enthusiasm? Have you got a secret admirer or something?”

  Ha ha. Ellie sniggered; even Dad gave a little smile. Old boffin brain Tamsin with an admirer! What a joke.

  One morning as I walked past the flats Alex wasn’t there. Marek explained that he was working indoors. And then he winked and said, “Wait! I get.” Putting both hands to his mouth he bellowed at an open window: “ALEXXXXX! YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS HERE!”

  It did make me a tiny bit panicky, in case any of our neighbours might be about. The couple who live next door to us, Mr and Mrs Waugh (Dad calls them the Woffs) have always seemed a bit suspicious of our family, what with Mum and Dad being actors and Dad quite often being at home all day instead of out doing a proper job. Mum and Mrs Woff quite often have long gossipy chats together, so any news would be bound to get back.

  “I see Tamsin’s got herself a young man…works on the buildings.”

  I was living on a knife edge! I could be found out at any moment. But when Marek called me Alex’s girlfriend, it made my stomach go all wonderfully hot and gooey. Just three short weeks ago I’d almost despaired of ever being anyone’s girlfriend. Now here was this rude boy yelling it out for all the world to hear—and suddenly I didn’t care if the Woffs were about. I didn’t care if Mum did discover Alex and me were an item!

  Marek gave me this big grin and said, “He come double quick! Break his neck, he not careful.”

  We both agreed that morning that we couldn’t wait until Sunday to be together. Alex suggested we go to a movie. He said there was one on locally that I would like.

  “We go Friday, ma
ybe?”

  Friday was good. I could tell Mum I was staying on for choir practice then going round to Katie’s. Just so long as I was home by eight-thirty, cos if it was any later they’d want to come and pick me up.

  “I know eight-thirty is really early,” I said, “but my gran’s coming, and she’s only here for one day, so I’ve got to spend a bit of time with her. She doesn’t come that often and she’d be really upset if she didn’t see me at all, so if we could, like, catch the early show?”

  I gabbled the lies out so fast I’m not really sure how much of it Alex managed to grasp, but he didn’t seem to think it was odd that I had to get home. He nodded when I said “my gran”. We agreed to meet after school at the Pamino Bar in the high street, then go on afterwards to the cinema. I had to tell Katie, because of missing choir practice. She said, “Miss Morgan’s going to be furious!”

  “Just tell her I’m going to the dentist,” I said.

  “Me?” said Katie. “Why me?”

  I said, “All right! I’ll tell her.”

  “So where are you really going? Apart from meeting Alex.”

  It thrilled me every time she just said his name! I explained that we were meeting in the Pamino Bar then going on to a movie. Big mistake. She immediately wanted to come with us.

  “You can’t!” I said. “We can’t both miss choir practice.”

  “Why not? If you can, I can!”

  “I’ve got a good reason,” I said.

  “So’ve I, I want to see the movie! I don’t see why I can’t come with you. What difference would it make? I’d be quiet as a mouse! You wouldn’t even know I was there.”

  When she saw she wasn’t getting anywhere she said in that case why couldn’t she just come along to the Pamino Bar and have a coffee?

  She doesn’t drink coffee.

  “Why can’t I do that? Just to say hello?”

  How could I explain? When you’re in love, every minute you’re together is precious. You don’t want other people there; you want to be on your own, just the two of you. Poor Katie, she had no idea! All the same, it upset me to think that she was feeling left out.

  “You don’t want me seeing him,” she said, “do you?”