Distracted By You: Book 1 in The Exeter Running Girls Series, стр. 53

“In short,” Ellie rested her chin in her hands. “Apologise and pour your heart out.”

“You make it sound so simple,” I beat the earth with one of my hands.

“So you got your heart broken, happens to us all,” Cara said with good cheer. “Piece it back together with masking tape and get back to life.”

“Masking tape? Can we not find anything better?” I thought the best plan was to change the topic. “Speaking of which, how’s your broken heart?” As I had been so honest with everyone, I didn’t see the harm in making Cara be honest too.

“Broken heart?” Ellie repeated with surprise.

“Who broke yours?” Leonora snapped her head round on the floor.

“I hate you sometimes,” Cara threw the chocolate wrapper at me.

“I love you too.” I smiled.

“How come you didn’t tell us?” Ellie was looking truly hurt at this new piece of information.

“Alright, fine!” She found a few other spare chocolate wrappers and threw them all at my face. “I kind of had a little crush on someone… Fortunately it is passing, but when it started someone else got him first.”

“Who was this?” Leonora tilted down her sunglasses to see Cara properly. “Tell me so we can go beat the man-thief up.”

“There’s something quite brilliant about you asking it like that,” I laughed, pointedly looking at her, but even her usual perceptiveness couldn’t quite pick up on the hint. “You.”

“Me?!” Leonora shot up to her knees, just as Cara threw more chocolate wrappers at me. Ellie fell about laughing, clutching her stomach like she was watching a farce. “What the hell? Who? Tell me who it was?”

Cara winced, scratching her neck uncomfortably.

“Benji.” She said eventually.

Leonora scurried forward on her knees and grabbed Cara’s shoulders, shaking her roughly.

“How could you not tell me?!” Her voice was shrill and panicked. Even Cara was laughing at being so treated. “I could hit you with one of your gorgeous red stilettos.” She made a grab for Cara’s foot, but she wriggled away and hid behind me.

“You were too quick – you and your swooping skills, you had picked the guy up before I had chance to tell you.” She peered over my shoulder, affecting her mastered look of innocence. Leonora was knelt in front of me with her hands on her hips, absolutely furious at herself.

“I’m so horrible!”

“No you’re not.” Cara reached across my shoulder, waving a hand at her to be calm, but not yet brave enough to come out from hiding. “Besides, it’s mostly passed. Now I just think he’s good looking.”

“He’s not good enough for you anyway,” Leonora said miserably, folding her arms in a huff.

“Aww, you think so?”

“I know so.” Leonora turned her eyes on Ellie who was now hitting the earth as she laughed. “What’s so funny to you?”

“Oh,” she struggled to laugh, swiping her black curls from her eyes. “I was just thinking what kind of friends we are. I went after the guy Ivy liked and you went after the one Cara liked. At least I didn’t bed Tye!” She started laughing again, just as Leonora launched an attack on her.

“While they destroy each other, here,” Cara passed me my phone. “Text him.”

As we collected frappuccinos from the shop, I did text him.

CAN WE TALK? I x

Yet there was no reply. Not for hours. Then for days. As the next Sunday came round, Leonora had definitely had enough of my moping.

“Right, no more! Can’t stand this,” she reached into my wardrobe and collected my black ankle boots.

“What’s wrong?” I asked innocently from the desk chair.

“We are going out tonight.” She threw one of the ankle boots at Ellie, who caught it just before it collided with her face.

“What? Why?” I didn’t really feel like it.

“You are going to call Savannah.” She threw the other shoe at Cara, who was much more prepared and caught it with glee.

“I am?”

“Yes. You are going to ask her where Tye is tonight. If he’s going out, then we’ll conveniently be at the same place.” She reached into the wardrobe and pulled out my little black and white dress.

“Aw, the old accidentally bump into trick,” Ellie approved with a smile.

“What? No! And I’m not wearing that.” I tried to take the dress and put it back in the wardrobe, but she resisted.

“Yes and yes,” she threw the dress over my shoulder where both Ellie and Cara caught it.

“He clearly doesn’t want to see me.” I folded my arms.

“Have you tried calling?”

“No. I texted him and he hasn’t replied. You can’t do this over the phone.”

“Exactly, so let’s go do it in person instead.” She looked at me with triumph, as though she had won. I merely growled in frustration. “Call her now.”

“No.”

“Call or I’m never driving you anywhere again.”

“Damn you,” I complained as I picked up the phone. “Maybe we should stop calling Cara evil and give you the title instead.”

“Evil pixie and evil tall, lanky, cousin,” Cara giggled. “I like it.”

“I don’t.” Leonora returned to the wardrobe as I dialled Savannah’s number. She answered on the second ring.

“One second!” She whispered manically. It was followed by running sounds and doors shutting. “There we are, now no one can hear me. Ivy?”

“Savannah? How are you?” I sat down and buried my free hand in my hair with stress.

“I’m fine, girl. I want to hear about you.”

“What was all that running?”

“Well, I’m at Sam’s and Tye’s. I didn’t want to give away who I’m talking to, so I’ve barrelled down the stairs. I think Sam saw the caller id, but I’ll threaten to withdraw sex if he tells Tye.”

“Ha, I like it.”

“So, how are you?”

“I’m…” I looked round to my friends