Stuck with You: the perfect feel-good romantic comedy!

‘You’re meant to have a guess.’

‘I’m rubbish at stuff like that. Just tell me!’

‘Daniel Moore!’

‘What? The Daniel Moore?’ Rachel’s eyes popped and she gasped. Sitting back down with a bump, she stared at me in disbelief. ‘The one you stalked in sixth form?’

I nodded, feeling mildly offended. These days I preferred to think of him as the boy I kissed at the prom, not the boy I stalked for two years. ‘Yes.’

‘Just the two of you? How did you cope with that?’ Rachel was looking at me askance, as though she suspected I might have taken all my clothes off and begged him to ravish me.

‘It was a bit of a shock at first, but he was so nice. I was really worried he was going to be vile and arrogant and completely spoil my memories of him, but he was just lovely.’

‘Oh God, please tell me you haven’t resurrected your crush on him. I don’t want you to get arrested. Stalking someone when you’re a teenager is different to stalking someone when you’re an adult.’

‘What? I had a crush on him, yes, but to say I stalked him is a bit much.’

‘Finding out his address from school documents? Check. Riding past his house on your bike? Check. Stealing items of clothing so you could sniff them in bed? Check—’

‘Oh, come on! It was just his scarf and I didn’t steal it, he left it behind. I just looked after it for him overnight. I left it on his chair the next day.’

‘I made you do that.’

‘Yeah, meanie.’ I pouted. ‘Anyway, I’m not seventeen any more. I’m a sophisticated young woman and I’m already in a relationship.’

‘An unhappy relationship.’

‘Geez! What’s with you tonight?’ I snapped. ‘Are you trying to piss on my parade or what?’

‘I’m just worried about you, Elena. I’m the one who mopped up your tears and listened to you go on and on about him for months after we finished sixth form.’

‘I did not. He kissed me and I was happy.’

Rachel blew out through her lips. ‘You were devastated, more like. You were on a high for about three days and then you crashed back down to earth big time. You moped all summer. I’d be like “You coming out” and you’d be like “No, I’m going through my Daniel box”.’

I gasped. Somehow, I’d forgotten about the Daniel box. Possibly because I didn’t want to admit to being that sad and pathetic. It was just a shoebox that contained bits and pieces I’d collected from him over the two years at sixth from. A piece of paper that had fallen out of his bag, pencil shavings, a pen lid indented with his teeth marks. A leaf from his drive. I’d written poems about him and drawn pictures too. What had happened to that box? Was it still in my old wardrobe at my parents’ house?

‘So what’s he like now anyway? Does he still have that long hair? Was he wearing a black leather jacket?’

‘No, he was wearing a jumper and jeans. He’s still recognisable, but older, obviously. He’s got short hair, bit of a beard, and he’s filled out. He’s taller, I think. Broader. More manly.’

She gave me a look. ‘Did you recognise him immediately?’

‘Well, I didn’t take much notice of him at first. But as soon as we got stuck, I realised.’

‘Did he recognise you?’

I nodded.

‘So, what did he say?’

‘He just said “Hey, aren’t you Elena from college?” and I said “Yeah”.’

‘Did you mention the kiss?’

‘He did. I said I’d forgotten.’

‘Good for you!’ Rachel clapped her hands in delight and laughed. ‘He always had a girl on the go, didn’t he? That’ll bring him down a peg or two.’

‘Oh, Rachel, he was lovely.’

‘Maybe so, but he shouldn’t have kissed you like that and just left.’

I shrugged. ‘I wanted him to kiss me. I was glad he kissed me.’ I collapsed sideways onto her sofa, clutching a cushion to my chest. ‘It was the best kiss ever.’

‘I know you were glad. But I wanted to kill him. You got really sad after.’

‘But that was my fault for being so pathetic.’ I sighed and lay for a while, staring at Rachel’s television. She’d paused whatever she was watching so that the actors’ faces were frozen mid conversation. Everyone looked like they were screaming. ‘I’d better give Alex a ring, actually. Let him know where I am.’

‘I’ll put the kettle on.’

Rachel got up and went into the kitchen while I dialled Alex’s mobile. He picked up on the fourth ring. ‘Elena? I was going to call but I lost track of time.’

I could hear voices and laughter in the background. The sound of glasses clinking. I frowned.

‘Where are you?’

‘Just having a catch-up with the boys. I’ll be home in ten minutes.’ His voice was slightly slurred.

‘You’re not driving, are you?’

‘What are you, my mother? No, I’m getting a taxi.’

‘Good. Well, I was just phoning to say I’m at Rachel’s.’

‘Oh! Aren’t you at home either?’

‘Not yet. If you’re still out, I’ll stay here with Rachel.’

‘Okay.’

‘See you tomorrow.’

‘Yeah, see you.’

I rang off, feeling annoyed.

‘Did I just hear you say you’re staying here tonight?’ Rachel asked, coming back into the lounge.