‘Don’t lie,’ she murmurs, as I prop myself up on my elbow beside her.
‘OK,’ is all I say, as I start to stroke her back. It’s unfair of me, but she really needs some sleep. Tori’s eyes stay shut and her face softens. I smile as her lips part slightly. She hates it if I point this out, but when she’s really deeply asleep, she drools a bit. I actually find it kind of cute, but that part doesn’t seem to get through to her. And today ‘cute’ isn’t the word for my feelings as she lies beside me. Her body is heavy and relaxed, and the quiet sigh that escapes her sets my blood boiling.
Jeez, I’m pathetic. And however hard I try to think about maths exams, Valentine Ward and any other turn-offs, my trousers are feeling tighter. Tori’s hip is on my thigh. I can feel it through my clothes and it’s driving me crazy.
It’s not like it’s the first time she’s lain beside me, doing my head in. It’s just the first time I haven’t been trying to suppress it at all costs. Because we werejust friends. The biggest lie in the history of the world. We are friends, but we’re more than that. She’s hot, she’s the most beautiful person in the entire world. And she’s lying in my bed. Oh God.
I shut my eyes, but that doesn’t help. Quite the reverse. She’s asleep, I have to stop being this turned on, but it’s hard when you’re eighteen and are feeling so much. Her warm back under my hand, her soft lips on mine. Everything about Tori is soft. Her hair is so silky, her skin, her voice. And me . . . nothing about me is soft. Not just now, anyway.
Maybe I should get up and actually pick up a book. Carry on with our reading for English, learn Latin verbs. Something dull, dry . . . But I’m only human and, anyway, I wouldn’t want Tori to wake up. She really needs this hour of peace because, knowing her, she’ll go straight on to rehearsals and not get any rest. She’sincorrigible. And I love her. I love her like Romeo loves Juliet. In this totally clichéd, unconditional way. Boak-worthy, I know. But anything else would be a lie. And I’ve done enough lying in the last few years.
I don’t know how I managed to fall asleep, but when my door flies open after one of Henry’s short, hard knocks, I barely know what day it is, or even my own name.
‘Hey, have you . . . ? Oh.’ Henry stops in the middle of the room as I start to sit up. ‘Sorry.’ He has the sense to turn and shut the door. Apparently, study hour is over, because the corridor isn’t nearly as quiet as it was earlier. Tori unwraps herself from my arms. Henry keeps his back to us.
‘Are you naked? Please tell me you’re not naked.’
‘You’re such a dick, Bennington,’ I say, wishing my voice wasn’t so hoarse.
‘Oh, really? Well, I’ll be off, then.’
‘No.’ Tori clears her throat and slides over. ‘We were just lying around.’
‘Oh, right.’ Henry glances over his shoulder. ‘That’s nice. Em and I do that a lot too.’
‘Jeez, man, too much information.’
‘OK,Charlie.’ He looks way too pleased. ‘Did I ever tell you how happy I am for you two? So’s Emma, by the way. She can’t talk about anything else but what a cute couple you make.’
‘Henry,’ I say, but not as menacingly as I’d like.
‘No, fine, sorry. But we should agree on a sign. A sock on the door handle when you don’t want to be disturbed, or something.’
‘A sock,’ Tori repeats slowly.
‘Yeah, or something at the window so Mr Acevedo doesn’t see. How do you manage it in the west wing?’
‘God, what’s your problem?’ I snap.
‘I was just thinking,’ says Henry, downcast.
‘What did you even want, anyway?’
Henry eyes me, then shrugs his shoulders. ‘Can’t remember.’
‘You’re kidding me.’
‘Sorry. I got a shock. But a good shock. You know. Anyway. I’m going to find Emma.’ He turns back to the door, but looks around again. ‘A flag at the window would be an option too.’
‘Henry!’
‘Bye . . .’
Tori squats on the bed, as speechless as I am, while Henry disappears as quickly as he arrived. Then she lets herself sink back onto the mattress. Her head lands in my lap.
‘Your friend is impossible.’
‘He’s your friend too.’
