Strictly Friends? (6 page)

Megan's jaw dropped. He had noticed her! ‘I – uh – I'm Megan.'

‘Megan what?'

Megan felt dizzy under his intense stare. His eyes were like the sky on a freezing day. ‘Megan Hirst. I'm new here, remember? We met once before.' She nearly bit her tongue – trust her to remind him of the time she'd knocked him down!

He stared at her for a moment, and then his expression relaxed and he let go of her arm. ‘Megan Hirst,' he said, as if trying out her name on his tongue. ‘Nurse Megan.'

Megan gave a shaky laugh. ‘Oh, no. I couldn't be a nurse. Can't stand blood.'

‘Really?' His head tilted to one side. ‘Then why did you rush over?'

‘Oh.' Megan was stumped. She felt a blush creep over her cheeks. ‘I don't know. I just – well, I thought you might be hurt.'

‘Danny!' The blonde girl had reached them first. ‘You absolute doughnut, what did you think you were doing?'

The boy called Paul was sniggering loudly. ‘You owe me a fiver.'

Danny scowled. ‘The ramp collapsed. I never got a chance to try it.'

‘You still owe me.'

The dark-eyed girl was shifting nervously from foot to foot. ‘Are you OK? That looked like a really bad one.' Her voice was so soft Megan hardly caught the words, and she pulled at her long black hair anxiously.

‘I'm fine,' said Danny.

The blonde girl looked pointedly at Megan. ‘Who's this?'

‘This is Megan Hirst,' said Danny, with a smirk. ‘She's not a nurse.'

Megan felt embarrassed. She didn't belong in this group, and the blonde girl was wearing an expression of disgust. She got to her feet. ‘I just came to see if he
was all right.' She glanced down at Danny. ‘I should be going now.'

‘Been doing the shopping?' asked the blonde girl in a sneery voice.

Megan realized she was still clutching the raisins and TV guide. But the girl's tone annoyed her. ‘How did you guess?' she retorted.

Danny snorted with laughter. The blonde girl glared. The other girl retreated behind her curtain of hair. Megan thought to herself,
These people are really weird
. ‘Well,' she said politely, ‘it was nice to meet you.'

‘You want a go?' asked Danny, as she turned away.

Megan felt baffled. Who
was
this boy anyway? ‘A go?' she repeated.

Danny got to his feet with a grimace. ‘On my board. You want a go?'

Megan glanced at the blonde girl. She didn't look very friendly. Neither did the dark-eyed girl. ‘Oh, I don't think so . . .'

‘Ever been on a skateboard?' asked Danny.

‘Er – no, but . . .'

‘Right. Here's your chance.' Without waiting for her to reply, Danny fished out his skateboard from the pile of debris, brushed off the gravel and brick dust,
and tucked it under his arm. Then he held out his hand. ‘Come on. We'll start on the flat.'

Almost hypnotized, Megan took his hand. It was cool and rough in places – from all the grazes, she supposed.
I should be getting home
, said a little voice inside her head.
Why am I still standing here?

Now Danny was putting the board on the concrete and showing her how to place her feet. ‘Put down your stuff,' he said. ‘You need both hands free to help you balance.'

Megan did as she was told. The board wobbled under her feet. ‘I thought it was fixed,' she said in some surprise. ‘I mean, I thought the top bit stayed flat.'

Danny shook his head. ‘It's called a deck. It needs to be able to tilt in all directions. It's got suspension, like a car. Try rocking it from side to side.' He watched her critically. ‘You've got good balance.'

‘I'm a dancer,' said Megan, hoping this would sound impressive, but Danny seemed barely to hear her. His whole attention was focused on her feet.

‘Now try pushing it along a bit.'

He was a good teacher. It was only when Megan heard a snort that she looked up and realized the other three had been watching all along. The blonde girl had flung one arm casually over Paul's shoulders
and was busy whispering in his ear. The dark-eyed girl perched on the edge of a ramp and glared at Megan through her hair. The heat suddenly rose in Megan's face and she stepped off the board. ‘Look,' she said, ‘I don't think I'm really wanted here.'

Danny looked around in astonishment. ‘What are you talking about?' His expression cleared. ‘Oh, you mean the girls? Don't take any notice of them.' Megan thought this was a bit unkind, seeing as they were both within earshot. The Thai-looking girl's lips tightened. Danny laughed. ‘They're just jealous because I won't let them have a go on my board.'

‘Who'd want to?' the blonde girl flashed back.

Danny grinned. ‘That's Samantha. She's my sister, so she has to hate everything I do.'

His sister!
Megan automatically felt relieved. Samantha was far more glamorous than she was. But if she was Danny's sister, then at least she wasn't his girlfriend . . . Her gaze swept over to the dark-eyed girl.

‘That's Jasmine,' said Danny dismissively. ‘She hangs around with us.'

Jasmine drooped slightly at Danny's words, as though disappointed by what he'd said.

‘Go on.' Danny's pale gaze fastened on Megan again. ‘Have another go. Really.'

Why is he being so nice to me when the others don't want me around?
Megan wondered. She felt strangely flattered. Danny had actually noticed her over the past week! And he'd obviously forgiven her for knocking into him. ‘How long have you been skateboarding?' she asked, as she stepped back onto the board.

Danny shrugged and looked at Paul. ‘Years,' he said.

Paul nodded in agreement. ‘I've had six boards altogether.'

‘Six!' Megan stared at him. ‘Why?'

‘Some got broken,' said Danny, with a grin. Paul grinned too, as though it were all a big joke. ‘But it's like buying anything. The more you spend, the better the deck. I'm saving up for new Alien Workshop wheels.'

This went completely over Megan's head. ‘Just the wheels?'

‘Sure,' said Danny. ‘You buy everything separately and then build it yourself.'

‘You mean it doesn't come like this?' asked Megan, staring down at the black and white graphic design under her feet. ‘You have to put it together yourself? Like a – a bookshelf?'

Paul frowned, but Danny laughed. ‘Yeah, like a
bookshelf.' He seemed to find this very funny. ‘A bookshelf! You can't skate on a bookshelf.'

‘Bet you could,' Paul broke in. ‘You could slide along the spine.'

Danny swung round, his eyes alight. ‘We haven't done a bookshelf before. There's a house down my road that's got a skip outside. Bet they're throwing out a bookshelf.'

Megan looked from one to the other, bewildered. These boys were on another planet! Samantha yawned loudly. ‘Are you going to do any more tricks, or are you just going to stand around and chat?' she asked in a bored voice. ‘Because we need to go to the club and get it sorted.'

‘Yeah,' said Jasmine, who was biting her nails. ‘Me too.'

Samantha rolled her eyes. She turned to Megan. ‘You going tonight?'

‘Going to what?' asked Megan.

‘The youth club thing, of course,' said Samantha. ‘Didn't you know about it?'

Megan tried to think. ‘A poster at the arts centre?' she hazarded. ‘Something for charity?'

Samantha nodded and flicked her shiny hair over her shoulder. ‘I'm on the committee.'

Megan was surprised. Samantha didn't look like
the sort of girl who'd want to bother herself with committees. ‘Oh, right. Sorry, no, don't think I can make it.' If it had been Mari asking, Megan would have been there like a shot. But something about Samantha made her feel uncomfortable. And a whole youth club of people she didn't know . . . Megan wasn't sure she was ready for that!

Samantha shrugged. ‘Oh well.'

Megan felt she should try to continue the conversation so that she didn't seem too rude. ‘Which charity is it?'

‘Childline,' said Samantha.

‘Oh, right. That's a good one. I knew a girl who rang Childline once. She said they were really nice.'

‘I didn't pick it,' said Samantha.

‘Oh.' Megan ran out of things to say. It was funny, she thought briefly, how you just clicked with some people, like Mari, whereas with others . . . it was so much harder.

Danny finished his discussion about the bookshelf with Paul and turned back to Megan. ‘You haven't got very far,' he said. ‘Just go up and down a bit.'

Megan wobbled from one end of the park to the other and then back again. She wasn't sure she liked the feeling of the board beneath her. It made her slightly sea-sick. But Danny's expression was
approving. ‘Good,' he said. ‘You're doing really well for a beginner.'

Despite herself, Megan flushed. ‘Do you think so?' What
was
it about Danny? Why was she so anxious to have his approval?

Danny looked her up and down. Megan felt an absurd desire to cover herself up with something, even though she was fully clothed. ‘You've got the right build for boarding,' he said. ‘Or BMXing.'

‘Huh?'

‘Danny is obsessed with wheels,' said Samantha, but she spoke with a kind of pride. ‘He can drive anything – go-karts, bikes, cars.'

‘
Cars?
' Megan was astonished.

Danny smiled, and his eyes lit up with silver. ‘They're the best,' he said enthusiastically. ‘Our uncle has a Jeep he lets me drive on his farm. It's awesome.'

Megan's jaw dropped. ‘A real
Jeep
?'

‘Yeah, a real one.'

Megan stared at him. Danny was full of surprises, she thought. She'd never met anyone like him before. He drove a Jeep? Wasn't that illegal? And dangerous?

‘I could take you for a drive sometime,' offered Danny.

‘No you couldn't,' said Samantha. ‘Uncle Ed would kill you. He won't let
me
come in the car with you.'

‘Uncle Ed wouldn't have to know,' said Danny carelessly.

Megan was fascinated. ‘You'd take the car without asking him?'

He shrugged. ‘Maybe.'

Megan knew she should be appalled by this, but somehow it just added to her awe. Samantha spoiled the moment by commenting acidly, ‘He'd beat you to dust if you did.'

Jasmine gave a high giggle and then fell silent in embarrassment.

There was a pause. ‘So are you finished then?' asked Samantha.

Danny frowned. ‘What?'

Samantha leaned forward to enunciate her words very clearly. ‘Have – you – finished – teaching – your – new – pupil? Because you promised you'd help me put up the decorations at the youth club for tonight.'

Danny rolled his eyes. ‘We've got all day. There's no hurry, is there?' Jasmine giggled again and Danny shot her an exasperated look. ‘Yeah, all right, I'm finished.' He turned to Megan. ‘See you tomorrow,' he told her. ‘Same time.'

Megan's breath caught in her throat. ‘Uh – tomorrow?'

He nodded, and his eyes seemed to glitter in the light. ‘Yeah – don't you want another go on the board? I can teach you some tricks.'

‘Yeah, if you're sure. Thanks!' Megan was sure her face had flamed bright red, and she knew Jasmine was glaring at her.

Danny nodded, and he and Samantha set off across the park, arguing about something. Paul trailed after them, not even bothering to say goodbye. Jasmine looked uncertainly from the disappearing group to Megan, and then suddenly pulled her hair back from her face. ‘He's not what you think,' she said to Megan, and her voice sounded brittle.

‘Pardon?'

Jasmine nodded. ‘You'll see.' She gave Megan another strange look before hurrying away.

Megan stood still for a moment, her head spinning. She felt like she'd just spent time in an alternative world of some kind. It was almost as though Danny and the others spoke a language she didn't understand. What they said seemed to mean something else entirely . . . Megan rubbed her face briskly.
Snap out of it!
she told herself.
They're just a bit different to what you're used to, that's all. But Danny seemed to like you
. . .

He remembered her from before. He wanted to
teach her how to ride his skateboard. He thought she was interesting . . .

Megan had the oddest feeling her parents wouldn't approve, but she couldn't help smiling all the way home. And she couldn't wait for tomorrow!

MEGAN STARED AT
the computer screen and deleted the three sentences she'd already written. Why was it so hard to tell Jake about Danny? Jake was her best friend. He knew her better than anyone. He'd understand, wouldn't he? Or
would
he? Megan shook her head in frustration. She'd never had a boyfriend before. Jake hadn't had a girlfriend either. They'd both had crushes on people, but this . . . well, this felt a bit different. How did you talk to your best friend about boys if your best friend
was
a boy?

from: Megan

to: Jake

sent: 26 September

subject: salsa and skateboards

Hey you!

Salsa is going OK – actually, I'm kind of having fun. You
remember I told you about Mari? She was telling me all about her friend who's in a TV series – how cool is that! And apparently this friend had a nasty accident in the summer when she was acting in
Romeo and Juliet
and fell off the ladder leading to the balcony. Only it wasn't an accident because this other girl put oil on the rungs so she'd fall off. Don't you think it sounds like something out of a book? If it hadn't been Mari telling me, I'm not sure I'd have believed it. But I don't think Mari can lie. She just opens her mouth and all her feelings come spilling out. She's the main reason I'm still going to salsa, actually. She's got no rhythm at all but she tries really hard and she's always asking me for help. You'd think I was the teacher, not Corinne! In fact, Corinne has even asked me for help in the classes too!