And I waited until he’d left the room before I screamed into my pillow so hard my throat hurt, as the perfect summer I’d almost had flashed before my eyes.
3
Eurocamp. Could my lifeactuallybe more embarrassing? Eighteen, not eight. Mum turned round in the front seat of the too-small-for-five-people rental car and motioned for me to take off my earphones. We’d got off the plane in Bordeaux and were now squished into the car on our way to some campsite in Biarritz. The kind of campsite that we’d gone to every summer until I was about nine. And I used to love them. Ten years ago. I’d go to the kids’ camps and spend days in the sun doing crafts and playing football, topped off by hours in the swimming pool or on the beach. Then Wren and Rue were born, and it just stopped.
I’d moved as close to the window as possible, but Rue’s elbow was still digging into me.
I turned up the music that was blasting into my eardrums.
‘Oh, Margot, what is that music?’ Mum’s face twisted in disgust when she heard it. ‘Turn it down please, before they hear that.’ As if the precious eight- and nine-year-old ears beside me would be scarred for life if they heard the word ‘motherfucker’.
‘We’re here!’ she said to the whole car.
Rue and Wren cheered, and I looked out the window.
Rows of pine trees, mobile home after mobile home, thena few tents to break up the monotony. A blazing sun cast scattered pockets of light on the dusty lanes, and there were little childreneverywhere.God.
Dad slowed down and stopped at the entrance as some girl on a bike, with a huge smile, blonde hair and a Eurocamp hat spoke to him through the open window. Then we followed her, twisting down a million paths until we pulled up in front of our mobile jail.
‘This is us. Home for the next four weeks.’ Despite my music, I could hear Dad over it.Fourweeks. The joy of having parents who were both teachers … Way too long to be away from Theo. But maybe that was deliberate. Dad said I’dchangedsince getting a boyfriend, but I think he was mistaking change with growing up. And anyway, I think he was just saying that to try to pretend he was actually still involved in my life. I think he was just mad that I packed in the swimming. And that was nothing to do with Theo.
I waited for them all to get out of the car and checked my phone.
ARI: Hey bitch, can’t believe they kidnapped you
ME: I know, ffs.
ARI: Send me pictures
ME: Of what? Tents?
ARI: Wish my parents would kidnap me on holiday
ME: I’d rather be in Belfast. Seriously
Dad poked his head through the open door. ‘Margot, give us a hand, please.’
I pulled my earphones down round my neck, so I could still hear the music, and got out of the car as slowly as possible.
Scorching heat hit me in the face, and I recoiled like a vampire. I could hear the chirpy Eurocamper explaining stuff to Dad.
I grabbed my bag from the boot and dragged it inside, wishing they’d just left me at home. I mean, technically, I could have protested more. I was eighteen. An adult. I didn’t have to do what they told me. Four weeks was, like, totally excessive, but I guess I’d still have Theo when I got back and we could spend the rest of the summer together, and whatever came after that. My A-level results were going to be a disaster; that Ididknow. I pushed the thought away again, like I’d been doing for months.
‘Margot, pick it up, you’ll ruin it,’ Mum complained. I hauled my bag up, making it look heavier than it was, then chucked it on to the little sofa, dust and all.
Mum sighed. ‘This is going to be a long four weeks for everyone if this is your attitude the whole time.’
I winced at the shriek that came out of Wren’s mouth. It was going to be anunbearablefour weeks if I had to listen to thosetwo squealing like banshees the whole time. And my room was right beside theirs. I glanced in as I walked past. Rue had Wren in a headlock. Oh well.
I lay down on the ridiculously small bed. Of course it was hard.
Dad stuck his head round the door frame, then pointlessly knocked.
‘We’re going swimming, Gogo. Want to come?’
‘Don’t call me that.’ He really needed to let that name fucking go … go.
‘At least take a walk or something – you’ve been sitting in that car for ages, we all have. Why don’t you go for a dander and meet us back here for pizza at seven?’
