Phoenix was wildly shy and barely spoke to India, which everyone thought was cute.
‘I think he likes you, honey,’ Sonja had said. ‘But why wouldn’t he?’
It was as if the universe was telling her it was the time to find her Great Love.
Back in London, she applied for a foundation course to study interior design along with a friend.
In the evenings, they went to each other’s homes to study but the studying ended when India began dating Jake.
He was twenty-one, took himself very seriously andwanted to be a music producer. The DJ gig was just for fun, he told her.
‘You’re so beautiful, India,’ he said the first time they slept together.
He stroked her face as he gazed into her eyes, saying she should be on the cover of the first album he produced.
India almost died with love.
She belonged to this gorgeous boy/man, they were twin souls, destined to be together for ever.
At night, India could hardly bear to leave Jake.
What if something happened to him when they were apart? What if he found another twin soul?
India couldn’t bear the thought. She stopped concentrating on her foundation course and spent hours daydreaming about her life with Jake.
Where they’d live, what they’d do, where they’d go on holidays …
They had six glorious weeks together.
Six weeks where India didn’t eat, listened to Jake talking about music and football, and pretended she had no needs of her own.
She cancelled a night out with Lizzie and Cleo, her friends since school, because Jake wanted to go to Barcelona for a night to see a football match.
Lizzie and Cleo had gone out anyway without her when she’d cancelled.
They’d had the best time, while India was stuck on a charter flight with loads of men, all getting horribly drunk.
Turns out she’d hated the football. All that shouty screaming made her nervous. Men pumped up on testosterone and football fever.
Not that she’d said that to Jake.
‘I love being with you,’ she’d said eagerly when he’dasked her – the bastard had actuallyaskedher if she was having fun. He must have seen that she was fibbing?
Lizzie and Cleo were hurt.
‘Sisters before misters,’ they reminded her sadly. India knew she could never make it up to them.
Jake broke up with her a week later.
He didn’t want to be tied down, it seemed.
‘Live together? Nah.’
Plus, he’d fallen for a girl he met in a club.
India had been heartbroken but recovered quickly because Jake’s older brother, Nicky, had told her his little brother must be mad to have dumped her.
‘You’re a jewel, nobody could leave you. Little bro’s a moron. I know you must have heard this before but you should be a model like your mum. I love your stepdad, Magnús, too: he’s so cool.’
