One More Thing

Chapter Twenty Nine: Just Like Magic

"You've got it bad, Valerie," says Mae as we walk out of the school gates on Monday afternoon. "Really, really bad."

"Tell me about it," I shrug.

Mae is looking at me bemusedly, her small mouth pursed into a knowing smirk, and I really really want to remind her that she was ten times worse when she was crushing on Tom, but I don't.

"Is that him there?" she nods her head towards the main entrance.

Sure enough, Jude is standing under a sycamore tree with his hands in his blazer pockets. He looks almost unrecognisable in his school uniform but still handsome as ever, his chestnut hair glistening under the setting sun.

His face breaks into a grin as soon as he sees us.

"Hey!" I shout, quickening my pace.

I don't get far though because two girls bash into me, causing me to drop my bags.

"Oh crap," I mutter, crouching down to pick up the textbooks that have fallen onto the ground. Mae rushes over to help me.

"Ouch!" I yell, as some clueless kid steps on my outreached hand. He turns around, his face petrified.

"Sorry!" he gasps, before dashing off into the street.

I exchange a knowing look with Mae before standing up, dusting the gravel off my skirt.

To my horror, Sydney and Meg are standing next to Jude. Sydney is saying something to him and I feel my cheeks burn with rage.

"Did they bash into me?" I whisper to Mae.

"Yep."

"Right, that's it."

I find myself storming towards Sydney. How dare she have the nerve to barge past me like that and speak to Jude, after everything that has happened.

She sees me and immediately stops saying whatever it is that she was saying to Jude.

"You alright?" I ask defensively.

She doesn't say anything, just raises a blonde eyebrow and purses her lips. Meg is glaring at me, arms crossed.

"Sydney was just telling me how sorry she is," says Jude, his face unreadable.

Sydney stares at the ground, her cheeks reddening.

"It's a shame," says Jude, "because it was a very convincing apology. But I can see through all that now."

He reaches out a hand towards me and I take it. I look into his dark eyes, which are glinting with warmth and a trace of something else that I can't quite identify, and for a moment I don't give a damn about the unfolding situation.

It's just as well, because Sydney lets out a sound that is somewhere between a groan and a sob, and storms off. Meg gives me a death stare and runs after her like a loyal golden retriever.

"I hate her," I hear Sydney say, but I don't care.

All I care about is the two people in front of me: Jude and Mae. I smile at them both warmly, feeling super grateful that they are both in my life.

The three of us walk down the street. I'm holding hands with Jude and it feels so surreal, so unlikely, that I'm tempted to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. I get a few surprised glances from people in my year and, whilst I hate to admit it, it's kind of satisfying.

"Hop in," says Jude, opening the passenger door of his car.

I push the seat forwards so that Mae can squeeze into the back. Then, I clamber in and close the door. It's a small cosy car and, despite the grotty bodywork, it is actually spotless inside. I close my eyes, breathing in the scent of lemongrass air freshener.