Angel Kiss (11 page)

‘Go ahead, use whichever one you like. Will I wait a while before I serve your tea?’

‘Thanks, yeah, just need a few minutes,’ I said.

There was a long table by the wall with three white Macs sitting on it. I sat down in front of the one nearest the window.

I messaged Hannah, Sophie and Ross, letting them know that things were looking up in Avarna, but didn’t tell them about any of the weird episodes. I told them all about Nick and Colin and the others I’d met up in the forest. I didn’t mention the girl in the trees though. I had pushed that whole experience to the back of my mind. After I’d messaged them I messed around on the Internet for a bit. I read through a couple of blog posts. Then I typed Beth Cullen into the search box. Even though I didn’t like thinking about what had happened to her, I couldn’t help wanting to know more. The first result was an article from the
Irish Times
, about Beth and three other women whose murders remained unsolved.

Following an extensive search, Beth Cullen’s body was found close to the Avarna mines in Co. Leitrim in late December 1986. Gardai investigating the murder questioned a number of suspects, but no one was charged. Twenty-two-year-old Ms Cullen had been shopping for Christmas presents in Carrick-on-Shannon and had been sighted cycling just outside the town at around 4.30 p.m. on 21st December. Her parents raised the alarm when she did not return home for dinner that evening. Her bicycle was recovered three miles from where her body was found …

‘Hi, Jacki,’ said a voice from behind. I closed the tab and turned round. Emily was standing there, looking like a mini-rainbow in a polka-dot skirt, a stripy coloured T-shirt and purple Nikes.

‘One chocolate cupcake, please, Ali,’ she said, and then propped herself on the chair beside me.

‘What you up to?’ she asked, logging into the computer next to mine.

‘Nothing much,’ I said, clearing the search history with two swift clicks.

She looked even prettier in daylight. Her hair was a stunning dark red and she had a perfect button nose. She was smaller than me, maybe about five foot, and her nails were painted bright blue.

‘Anything interesting happen after we left last night?’ I said.

‘Nope, not really. I went home pretty soon afterwards.’ If she knew about my freak-out, she didn’t say anything.

‘Have you heard from Nick?’ I asked. I wondered how he was doing. And how long it would take him to get over Sarah …

‘No, I texted him, but he didn’t reply. Nobody’s heard from him yet. Poor guy. And he goes to the same school as her and everything. I’m so glad I go to an all-girls school. No fear of bumping into any ex-boyfriends.’

‘You go to St Mary’s?’ I said, noticing the transition-year pin on her bag.

‘Yep, I’m going into fifth year. Are you going there?’

‘Yeah, I’m going into transition year. I’m glad you’ll be there. At least now I’ll know one person.’ I was so relieved. Knowing just one person, even if they were in a different year to me, made the thought of the first day at school slightly less terrifying.

‘St Mary’s is actually an all-right place. I think you’ll like it.
I’ll introduce you to lots of people, don’t worry. Put your number in there,’ said Emily, handing me her phone, which was decorated with purple diamanté studs.

I put my name in, followed by a smiley face. I really was in a good mood now that school was a less intimidating prospect. I didn’t think I’d ever feel OK about the uniform though. Wine was so not my colour.

I noticed one new email. It was a friend request from Emily. I turned and smiled at her.

‘We’re officially friends now,’ she said jokingly.

Ali brought over the tea and cupcakes. We moved away from the computers and sat down at one of the tables. A few minutes later I noticed a dark-haired guy with glasses outside approaching the café door. He seemed to spot Emily and stepped back to check his reflection in the glass. When he saw me looking he stopped fixing his hair and opened the door.

‘David!’ said Emily. ‘You’re back!’ She got up and rushed over to the door to give him a hug. ‘How was your trip?’

‘Hi, Emily,’ he replied, blushing slightly from her embrace. ‘It was brilliant. Really cool.’

I remembered Nick and Colin had mentioned David at the table quiz. He had braces and was about a foot taller than Emily. From his reaction to her hug I guessed he was one of her many admirers.

‘David, this is Jacki,’ said Emily, grabbing his arm and bringing him over to the table.

‘Hi,’ said David, sitting down beside Emily. ‘Nice to meet you.’

‘I just moved here,’ I said. ‘A few weeks ago.’

‘Yeah, I heard,’ said David. ‘Nick told me about you.’

Now it was my turn to blush.
Nick told him about me
. So Nick had been talking about me. Which meant Nick was thinking about me. I wanted to ask him what Nick had said. I wanted to ask him to repeat every single syllable exactly as he’d heard it, but I decided to keep quiet and hope no one could see my delight.

‘You had fun in Japan then?’ said Emily.

‘It was epic. I have Colin’s stuff here,’ he said, putting a plastic bag with some Japanese lettering on it on the table. ‘And I got you something,’ he added, rummaging through its contents. He pulled out a little Hello Kitty purse and gave it to Emily.

‘Aww, wow! Thanks!’

‘And you can have Sarah’s one,’ he said to me.

‘Oh … I don’t think I –’

‘No, it’s no problem – have it. I’m so glad I don’t have to pretend to like that girl any more.’ David handed me the purse. I said thanks, but felt awkward taking it from him. David told us more about his holiday, and then he and Emily started to gossip about people I didn’t know. My mind began to wander. I thought about Beth again. How could somebody just vanish? Especially in a little village? How could she be cycling home one minute, and be gone the next? But when I thought of her I didn’t imagine her cycling along the road. I thought of her pale frozen body lying on the ground. I hated that image. It was really detailed and horribly clear. I gripped the plastic purse so tightly that it left an imprint in my palm.

‘Here’s Nick,’ whispered Emily.

I looked up to see him trudging along the path outside. I put the purse in my bag and banished the image of Beth from my
mind. Nick spotted us inside and pushed open the door. He looked tired as he came over to the table. Tired and grumpy. But still very hot.

‘We heard what happened …’ said Emily sympathetically. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ he said, sitting across from me.

Nick proceeded to eat four cupcakes and ignored Emily’s advice that comfort eating would solve nothing. I wanted to say something to him, but was afraid I’d say the wrong thing. I didn’t want to mess up my chances.

Shortly afterwards Colin came into the café, and almost dived for the bag when he saw it on the table. His face lit up as he pulled out the DVDs and Manga stuff. ‘David, you’re an absolute legend,’ he said. ‘I love you.’

‘Steady now,’ said David.

Colin smiled as he flicked through one of the books. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen anyone look so happy. It reminded me of Mum when she’d found our Italian kitchen tiles at half price.

‘Fancy going to Sligo later?’ said Nick. ‘I need to get away from here.’

I’d have done anything to go to Sligo with Nick, but I didn’t want to sound too keen, so I waited to see what the others would say.

‘Can’t,’ said David. ‘My parents had to go off to Wexford for the night and they forgot to leave me money.’

‘So you have a free gaff?’ asked Nick, his voice more animated.

A look of horror spread across David’s face. ‘Nick, I’m not having another party. You know the shit I got into after the last one.’

‘Not a party, David … just a few friends over.’ Nick had already got his phone out and was busy texting.

‘Fine,’ said David. ‘But you’re not allowed to bring any of your bandmates.’

‘But –’

‘I mean it.’

‘OK!’ said Nick.

‘Relax, David,’ said Emily. ‘It’ll be fun.’

‘So you’re coming then, yeah?’ he said, sitting back in his seat.

‘Definitely. And Jacki will come, won’t you?’ She smiled at me.

‘Yeah, OK,’ I said. A party would be the perfect place to talk to Nick.

‘And can I bring a few of the girls?’ Emily suggested.

‘Sure.’

‘So she gets to bring people and I don’t?’ Nick protested.

‘Nick, at my last party your bassist
ate
my goldfish.’

‘That was so funny,’ said Nick with a laugh.

‘It was
not
funny. It was traumatic,’ said David.

I was so excited. I couldn’t wait for the party. This was even better than a trip to Sligo. This was a house party. With no parents. Maybe something would happen with Nick. I knew it was a long shot, because he had just broken up with his girlfriend, but that didn’t stop me imagining. I just wished my excitement wasn’t dampened by the sick feeling in my stomach. I had begun to feel very ill again, just like I had the night before in the forest and the other night in my back garden.

I looked around for the bathroom and made my way to the back of the café.

‘It’s kind of dark in there,’ said Ali as I walked past the counter. ‘I haven’t had a chance to change the light bulb yet.’

‘That’s OK,’ I said, pushing open the bathroom door. It was a little room painted dark green and there was a tiny window up high on the back wall that didn’t let much light in. The toilet was old, with a wooden seat, and a chain dangled from the cast-iron cistern hanging up on the wall.

As I washed my hands I stared into the mirror above the basin. My eyeliner had smudged, and dark shadows hung under my eyes. I reapplied my make-up and fixed my hair, trying to make myself feel better. I needed to go to that party. I was already planning my outfit, trying to remember what clothes were clean. I put my make-up back in my bag and tried to turn the key in the lock, but it wouldn’t open. It was one of those old ones that you had to twiddle a bit. I tried the lock again. It still wouldn’t budge. There was probably a knack to it … I could just call out for Ali to help me. But that would be embarrassing.

Eventually the key turned. As I pushed open the door I felt something rush past me. Something familiar. A dark figure with flowing black hair. It disappeared so quickly that it became little more than a blur.

My heart thumped rapidly. I tried to convince myself that it was nothing, but deep down inside I knew I needed to accept that something strange was going on. Had I just seen a
ghost
? It was a crazy thought; I didn’t believe in that kind of thing. Or did I? My brain was telling me not to be ridiculous, but my body was reacting so strongly: my legs felt wobbly and my hands were clammy. After what had happened in the garden, then the forest last night … and now this … What was going
on? I thought back to the card Dr Cahill had given me for the healer. Maybe it was worth asking him a few questions. But I quickly dismissed this idea. There had to be a simple explanation. It was probably stress, or tiredness …

I forced myself to calm down. I took a few slow deep breaths and waited until I felt normal enough to face the others.

Later that evening Colin came over to the caravan so we could go to the party together. I wasn’t sure where Mum was, but I knew she wouldn’t be happy about the mess. There were clothes scattered everywhere. I had no time to clean up – I was far too busy trying to make myself look as irresistible as possible. Colin enjoyed trying on various items from my wardrobe as I got ready. I needed to find something perfect to wear. I rummaged through my suitcase and pulled out my tight white shirt.

‘Colin, that’s not going to fit you!’ I said as he tried to squeeze himself into my denim waistcoat. To my disbelief he managed it.

‘Do I look like Kate Moss?’ he asked.

‘Spitting image,’ I giggled, as I searched for my other ankle boot. It was impossible to find anything.

‘We should put on some music,’ said Colin. He grabbed my iPod and within seconds ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ was blasting from the portable speakers. Colin tied my red silk scarf round his neck and proceeded to dance around the tiny caravan.

‘Don’t look,’ I said as I changed into my shirt and tartan skirt.

‘What you’re sellin’ I ain’t buyin’,’ said Colin, mid twirl.

I put on a silver necklace and my leather jacket. My outfit was finally coming together.

‘Lookin’ good,’ said Colin.

The door swung open and almost hit him in the back. Oh no, here we go, I was going to be in major trouble. The caravan was in a state.

‘Hi, Mum, I was just about to clean this –’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ she said, struggling in with shopping bags. Colin grabbed them for her and found a clear space on the table.

‘We’re going to a party,’ he explained, motioning to the piles of clothes. ‘A girl has to look her best.’

Mum smiled. ‘Jacki, it’s fine. You go off to your party.’ She started to unpack groceries and I put on the rest of my make-up in the bathroom while Colin chatted to her about house renovations. He was one of those guys who parents loved because he was so chatty and polite. I could tell from her tone of voice that Mum seemed to be in a really good mood. I filed a mental note to bring Colin round more often.

As I stepped out of the bathroom I heard a car outside. ‘Who’s that?’ I asked, looking out the window.

‘It’s Des,’ said Mum.

‘It’s half nine. Why is Des here?’

‘We’re going to the Chinese in Carrick.’

‘What? Why?’

‘He asked me if I wanted to –’

‘Wait … is this
a date
?’ I asked, dreading her answer.

Colin stood awkwardly between the two of us, trapped in the tiny space.

‘Yes. It’s a date.’ She knew I wouldn’t explode with Colin there. I couldn’t believe it. She was actually going on a date with him. He was totally not right for her. This was ridiculous.

‘Here,’ she said, handing me twenty euro. ‘Don’t be back too late.’

‘
You
don’t be back too late!’ I shrieked.