'It's certainly better than the last two but there's still something not right about it.' Zander complained as he tugged at the waistcoat Sarah had put together for his costume.
'This is the fourth alteration I've made in the past two weeks.'
'I know, I...I'm sorry. I just can't get comfortable in anything.'
Sarah sighed heavily as Zander walked behind the curtain and began to get changed. There was a silence that lingered until Zander re-emerged, he tiptoed around the table and looked over Sarah's shoulder a few times.
'Wow, you really are so talented.'
'Don't you have work to get on with?' Sarah interrogated, completely ignoring his compliment.
'I'm sure they'll cope without me for a bit. Besides, I need a break from Lucy. I know she's your mate but..'
'Yeah, she is a bit bitchy but she's a great friend.' Sarah threw the pencils back into the tray and stood up.
'You know the kind...' she glared at him as she gathered up all the material needed for the alteration.
'Reliable, trustworthy'
Zander stood and came beside her, placing his palms flat on the table so that they were level with hers. As she began to pull the thread from the fabric, Zander lifted his hand and swiftly placed it over hers.
'Don't do that?' he lifted her hand away 'I've not been entirely truthful with you.'
'Sounds familiar' Sarah snatched her hand free from his grip.
'I love the costume, it's perfect. I loved the very first one' he lifted the outfit from the table and held it against his body.
Placing a coat hanger tentatively inside the attached shirt, Zander placed it on the rack. Sarah's lips parted as she tried to open her mouth and speak but Zander politely hushed her.
'It's not just that. I've been lying to myself. Ever since that night, I've been unable to get you off my mind.'
'Really? Why's that?' Sarah slowly lifted her head but just as she did, Zander knelt beside her.
He placed his fingers on her chin and forced her head towards his. Softly, his lips touched against hers and he brushed his fingers through her hair.
'Because I'm in love with you and I want to know if you'll go out with me.'
***
Sarah glanced over her shoulder at every second door she walked past, checking no one was following until she turned the corner, the blue Bentley was parked in the usual spot at the bottom of the next street. Zander lowered the volume on the radio and leaned forward as Sarah opened the door.
'Good morning' he growled playfully and passionately kissed her lips.
The kiss lingered and Zander pulled her closer to him, holding her tighter until she wriggled away from his arms, remembering where they were.
'We'd better get going or we'll be late.'
'I still don't understand why I have to pick you up here and not outside your place.'
'Because people will talk.'
'I thought that's what you wanted.' Zander decided more than asked as he sped up the road, slamming hard on the breaks as he reached the traffic lights.
'Well that was before you told me that you didn't want to be with me, then you did.'
'That's what two weeks in the company of the world's most beautiful person does to a man...well, that and another thing.'
Sarah jokingly slapped his harm as she caught on with what he was implying. Zander was forced to drive on by the fierce beeping of the horn from the car behind them. Once again, he pressed his foot firmly against the pedals and picked up speed as he raced down the road.
***
'Let me prove how much you mean to me and how wrong I was before.' Zander spun the car round so fast that no other vehicle would get a look in for the parking space.
'In there' he insisted, nodding towards the glove compartment.
Sarah lifted out the white envelope and tore it open carefully.
'So, what do you say?' he asked, as they both stepped out of the car. just as Lucy came running across the road and straight into Sarah's arms.
'Oh hi' she said, spotting Zander as he locked the car.
Lucy's eyes darted between them as Sarah and Zander exchanged nervous glances at the other.
'Have I interrupted something here?'
'Lucy...I wa...' Sarah began but it was Zander who finished the sentence for her.
'Sarah was just passing and she saw me coming. Thought she'd stop to see if I needed a hand with anything.'
'Zander's having a party for his 21st birthday, he's invited me along.' Sarah concluded, noticing as Lucy lowered her eyes at the possession in Sarah's hand.
'You can come too of course. The more the merrier' he forced the words out of his mouth like a lamb being forced to the slaughter.
'Won't your family be there?' Lucy asked
'I'm celebrating with them at the weekend instead, they're treating me to dinner at the poshest restaurant in Greenwich.'
'Well, I'll thin...' Sarah threw her hand over Lucy's mouth so that the last of her words were silenced.
'We'll both be there.' Sarah answered on behalf of them both. Her raised eyebrows and forceful expression had Lucy at liberty to agree.
'Great.' Zander smiled. 'It's on June...'
'Sixteenth' the girls completed in unison.
'Yeah' Zander frowned worriedly because it was as though there was nothing these two adoring fans never knew about him. 'Well, I'll see you inside.'
Lucy nodded and linked her arms with Sarah's, waiting until Zander was through the college gates before they walked on.
'So, what's really going on with you two?'
'I knew you weren't buying that "just passing" routine.' Sarah answered, her brown eyes were safely locked on Zander as he chatted to Donna and whole swarm of girls around him.
'The truth is, we've been seeing each other for a few weeks now.'
'Oh yeah? I thought he didn't want a serious relationship.'
They stopped just feet away from were Zander was standing. 'He didn't, until we started spending more time together.'
Zander turned to Sarah and mimed tying a noose around his neck as he entered the building.
'Well, we've got this party in two weeks, that'll give you some time to get to know him better.'
***
'I thought we could have lunch together.' Zander suggested as he entered the costume room at lunchtime that day. He placed two plastic sandwich boxes on the table, along with bottles of Pepsi and Irn Bru.
'Take your pick' he said as he pushed the bottles in front of her.
'And I bought you coronation chicken. I hope you're not vegetarian.'
'No, it's fine. Thanks' she answered.
Zander placed his hands on either of her shoulders and pulled her away from the work table where she was sewing up his Romeo costume.
'Zan' she screamed excitedly as he forced to walk.
'I've got to get this finished. Her protests fell on deaf ears as Zander pulled the chair from underneath the table and pushed down gently on her shoulders until she was sitting.
'There's plenty time to get it finished later. Right now, you have to eat.' He shifted her hair away from her face and kissed her neck, sucking into her skin.
Sarah giggled as the suckling tickled her and she pulled her head away in resistance to the temptation to throw herself against her body.
'I thought we were having lunch'
'We are' Zander playfully growled ' after I have my starter' his head shifted from her neck to her mouth and forced his tongue inside.
Sarah moaned against Zander's lips as their passion intensified but quickly pushed him away.
'No, we've really got to get on with this. The sooner we eat, the faster I get everything done.'
***
'Well that was lovely' Sarah declared as she cleared up the table, sweeping the empty packets and bottles into a plastic bag.
'We should do it again sometime' Zander suggested
'It's funny you should say that' Sarah said as she sat back down and placed her hand on top of his.
'I was thinking, why don't you come round to my place at the weekend for dinner? My mum would love to meet you.'
But Zander diverted his eyes from Sarah's and shuffled in his seat. He squeezed her hand and cleared his throat, his tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth as he prepared to explain but Sarah snatched her hands free and furiously jumped to her feet.
'I can see the thought clearly disgusts you' she hissed as she charged towards the door and yanked it open in frustration.
'Sarah, it's not like that. I ju..'
'Forget it' she commanded, averting her attention from him as she waited for him to leave.
'And thanks for the party invite but no thanks' and she slammed the door closed despite his pleas to be heard out.