EIGHTEEN

Lexi 

‘SANDWICHES FOR LUNCH?’ 

‘I’ll help.’ I get up from the floor and follow Mum to the kitchen. 

Dad looks at me over his newspaper. Like it’s any normal day. ‘Getting dressed any time soon?’ he teases. It’s two in the afternoon and I’m still in my onesie. Red and green and covered in candy canes. I feel like a giant Christmas stocking. I childishly stick my tongue out at him in response before disappearing through the door.

I pause in the hallway for a moment.

Boxing Day and I still haven’t told my parents. Not about Luc, and not about my cancelled School Direct placement.

I don’t want to ruin Christmas with the mess I’ve made. Maybe I’ll mention it when I’ve sorted it all out.

Today—without Markus here to make me look even worse—would have been the perfect opportunity. Turns out he’s not home for Christmas or New Year’s Eve this year. He’s training in France. I sort of miss him, actually, even if he is a bit of a prat. But it’s been nice pretending to be an only child. Not to feel compared to him and all his endless achievements. Not as much, anyway. I still had to hear about his latest skiing competition. 

OK, so I’m a bit bitter that my parents spent so much funding his hobbies that there was nothing left for me. And I hate myself for feeling that way. It’s not as if I never had anything, but somehow art supplies and an old Polaroid my that no dad no longer wanted don’t really compare to professional skiing lessons, ski equipment and international competitions.

I’m annoyed with myself too. Maybe if I’d actually known what I’d wanted it would have been different. Or maybe it wouldn’t—maybe they would have invested everything in the precious firstborn already.

So screw it. I’m just going to enjoy today. I’m going to lounge around, read books, watch TV, eat crap and maybe play Scrabble or Risk or Ticket to Ride with my parents while I have them all to myself for a change.

They don’t need to know about the School Direct thing if I actually manage to get a PGCE place.

Just like they don’t need to know about Luc.

And they don’t need to worry about how I’m managing to fund anything.

It’s not like they’ve asked. It’s not lying if you don’t say anything, right?

This is how you ended up arguing with Sam.

I frown and shake my head before walking into the kitchen.

Mum is cutting a loaf of white bread into thick slices. She looks up and smiles at me as I enter, putting down the bread knife and walking to the other side of the counter.

‘Turkey?’ she asks, opening the fridge. 

‘There are other options?’ I grin as I grab the cranberry sauce from the cupboard. 

‘Watch your lip, Missy,’ she says, voice stern but face smiling as she puts the platter of leftover turkey on the kitchen counter. 

I peer into the fridge. ‘Is there any cheese left?’

‘At the back,’ she says, stacking the sliced bread on a plate. 

I reach in and grab a blue plastic food container from the back, taking it from the shelf before closing the fridge door. Mum exits the kitchen with the platter, heading towards the dining room, and I open the box.

Cheddar, Gouda, Stilton…Camembert! I pull the wheel out and put it on a plate along with a knife.

‘Lexi! Bring the cranberry sauce when you come in,’ my dad calls from the other room. 

I smile to myself. He’s the only reason we even have it.

The doorbell chimes. And I’m the closest.

‘I’ll get it,’ I say, not caring how childish I look in my onesie to someone from my hometown. They’ve all known me since I was a toddler anyway. 

As I approach the big white door, I have a thought: who would be calling on Boxing Day anyway?

Must be my auntie or cousins or something. Or Markus is home early.

Yeah. That’s probably it. Damn it.

I unchain the door and open it.

And, somehow, my heart sinks and soars at the same moment.

The tall blond tilts his head at me, his cobalt eyes piercing me like never before.

The smile spreading across his face makes my heart melt a little bit.

‘Alexis.’ 

I STARE IN silent, open-mouthed shock for a moment. 

After a few seconds, I find the words.

‘What the hell are you doing here?!’ I hiss. 

‘Seeing my girlfriend,’ he says simply. 

‘But we’re not…’ I trail off as he raises his eyebrow at me. Shaking my head, I sigh. ‘How do you even know where I live?’ 

‘What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t know where my girlfriend lives?’ 

‘Luc!’ I scowl at him. 

He laughs. ‘I have my ways.’

‘You couldn’t even find your way across town the first time we met,’ I point out. ‘This isn’t even in the same county!’ 

‘You look adorable in that onesie, by the way,’ he says, ignoring my dig. 

Footsteps approach. ‘Who is it, sweetie?’ Mum says, tentatively stepping into view on her way to the kitchen.

I look between them. ‘Uh, this is Luc,’ I say.

‘Friend from uni?’ she asks, smiling. 

‘Um, sort of. We’re sort of seeing each other,’ I add, slowly. ‘Luc, this is my mum.’ 

My mother looks confused for a second. ‘Lexi, you never said you had a boyfriend,’ she scolds gently. ‘Luc, lovely to meet you. Come in!’

I step aside so Luc can enter. He takes my hand in his, squeezing my fingers softly.

‘It’s lovely to meet you too, Mrs Johnson,’ he says, smiling. 

‘Oh don’t be silly. Call me Claire, please.’ 

This is not supposed to happen. This is complicating things.

‘Lexi, take him through to the dining room. I’ll slice some extra bread.’ Mum turns back to face the dining room. ‘David!’ she calls through to Dad. ‘Lexi’s brought her boyfriend home.’ 

Mum disappears into the kitchen and I narrow my eyes at Luc.

Today was meant to be simple. Board games, not real-life games. Now I’m introducing my parents to some guy who’s paying me to pretend to be his girlfriend to get rid of his ex-girlfriend.

Five minutes later, the four of us are sat around the table, assembling sandwiches. Luc chatting like he’s known my parents for years.

‘We met at a gig,’ he says, nudging me playfully. 

‘Oh, I hope you’re not letting your snapping cut into your studies,’ Mum says to me, disapproval in her tone. 

‘I haven’t even touched my camera this year,’ I protest, glaring at Luc. ‘I haven’t had time. Got to focus on uni work.’ I turn back to my parents, giving them as reassuring a look as I can manage. 

‘Have you heard from your placement?’ Dad asks between bites. ‘They said they’d check in on you, didn’t they?’ 

I hesitate. ‘I, uh…yeah, they called last month. Or the month before.’ I’ve lost track of time since Luc showed up in my life. I take a deep breath. ‘The funding has fallen through, though, so they can’t offer me a place any more,’ I add quietly, my heart rate quickening.

‘How did that happen?’ my mum says, some panic in her voice. 

‘It’s OK,’ I say quickly. ‘I’ve already applied for PGCEs as a back-up. I’m sure I’ll get a place somewhere.’ 

I chew on my lower lip, waiting for their reactions. Under the table, Luc finds my hand with his and looks at me, stroking my thumb. I look at him. He nods slightly. It’s OK. 

Dad studies my face. ‘You do still want to teach though, don’t you?’

I look back. I can’t lie to his face. But I can’t tell him the truth. They seemed so happy when I first told them I’d finally figured out a career path. And they’ll blame Luc, and think I’m—

‘I don’t know why you don’t consider professional photography,’ Luc’s voice says from my right. 

I look at him again. What are you doing?! 

He takes a bite from his sandwich using his free hand.

‘No, no that’s not realistic,’ I say before my parents can react. ‘I need a real job. Photography’s just a hobby.’ I look at them across the table, watching for their reaction. Their approval. 

Dad nods and Mum just smiles. ‘As long as you’re happy. The kids liked you though, didn’t they?’ she says.

I nod, taking a small bite and looking down. Crisis averted.

‘What about you, Luc? What do you do?’ Mum asks, and I remember they have no idea he’s a famous rock star. 

Luc swallows his bite. ‘I’m a drummer,’ he says, smiling.

Drummer. Rock star. Girl magnet.

‘Full-time?’ Dad says. ‘Do you get much work?’ 

‘I thought you were a student,’ Mum adds before Luc can respond. 

Luc smiles. ‘Full-time musician. My friend and Lexi’s friend are seeing each other, so we met through them,’ he says, looking at me.

Dad raises an eyebrow. ‘Does it pay well?’ he asks. Clearly wondering if this guy is good enough for his daughter. If only he knew.

‘It fluctuates, but I get by,’ Luc confirms, nodding. 

Mum brushes the crumbs from her hands into a napkin. ‘Well, it’s a good thing Lexi wants to teach then. At least one of you needs a stable income,’ she teases.

I can practically taste the irony.