He took Daisy everywhere Jimmy had taken him on his first few days in the city. He showed her the promenade and the White Tower, although they didn’t go in, and walked up to Galerius’ palace. He showed her the landmark Galerius Arch and Rotunda, and they took a small detour to his old neighbourhood, steering well clear from the actual house. The last thing Ren wanted was an encounter with the wankers he used to live next to.

‘I still cannot believe you haven’t gone to the police about their behaviour,’ she told him, making their way back to Aristotle Square and up Elektra Palace roof garden where they had a view of the entire city and the Thermaic Gulf.

They ordered beer and Daisy wasted no time lighting a cigarette.

‘I know. But I don’t know how this country works with bullying and scare tactics. What if they do nothing?’

She side-eyed him. ‘How will you know if you don’t try? And when are you gonna take your money back from that swine? It’s not your fault your neighbours were imbeciles.’

‘He won’t answer his phone. Jimmy has tried calling him a hundred times, but he won’t pick up,’ Ren explained.

‘Go to the university then. Weren’t they the ones who recommended him to you? Ask them for your money back. It’s as much their fault for not vetting landlords properly.’

The waiter came to their table with some water and their beers. He set down a bowl of crisps and a plate of carrots, cucumber, and olives drenched in vinegar.

Daisy picked up a slice of cucumber. ‘How’s uni?’

Ren sighed. ‘Boring. As usual. A change of country can’t make me interested in bullshit.’

‘Then quit, hon. You don’t need to get a degree to please mummy and daddy.’ She flicked another cucumber in her mouth and put her cigarette out.

Now Ren gave her the side-eye. ‘What? Tell my academic, doctorate parents I want nothing to do with higher education? That’s a sure way to get rejected by them. They will stop giving me money, paying for my rent, and everything else. I’m not exactly ecstatic that they do, but I need to have a backup plan. Or a career, if I’m gonna tell them anything of the sorts.’

‘And I’ve told you, you always have a place to stay if you’re stuck. I’d rather have you loitering my couch than wasting your life on something you don’t like.’

He looked away from her and into the sea. She had told him before.

‘Yeah, I can’t do anything now, can I? I’m only here because of uni. If I drop out, I’ll have to leave.’

Daisy raised her eyebrows. ‘And we wouldn’t want that now, would we?’

‘I like it here,’ Ren told her and took a gulp of his beer.

Daisy giggled. ‘Oh golly, I wonder why? Could it have anything to do with the young Adonis we spent our afternoon with?’

Ren giggled. He denied it, but his reaction was more telling than his words. ‘Yeah, okay, I do like him quite a bit.’

‘And? Do tell,’ she urged him on.

He hesitated. He didn’t know if Jimmy wanted him to reveal anything. But then again, Daisy was his aunt and she would keep her mouth shut if he asked her to.

‘Well, at first I thought he was straight.’

‘And? What happened that changed your mind?’

Ren combed his hair with his fingers. It was getting a bit dry and knotty.

‘We snogged. I was drunk, he was tired from an all-nighter at work,’ he said.

Daisy exclaimed. People turned to stare at her, but she didn’t care. She never cared about anyone’s opinion of her.

‘I’m so excited for you, hon. That’s so wonderful. He’s a handsome fella.’

Ren breathed in and out. ‘That’s the thing. I don’t know where we stand now. We haven’t seen each other since. Or not alone anyway. I don’t know if it was a straight guy experimenting, or if he is actually gay, or bi, and into me. How do I even ask him that?’

Daisy raised her eyebrows again and leant forward on the table. ‘Are you joking me, hon? You ask him with your tongue.’

‘Fuck off, Daisy.’ She leant back, laughing. ‘I am having a really hard time trying to understand what happened and why, but I don’t know how to talk to him. Every time I seem to mention my sexuality, he looks away, pretending to be distracted by something else. So, I don’t know what to think about our kiss.’

Daisy took her beer in her hand and another cucumber with her other. ‘Hon, he sounds like a closeted case. Be careful not to get hurt. Okay?’

‘I’ll try,’ he said, but deep down he knew it was inevitable. If not for Jimmy’s uncertainty than for the limited time they would have together if something were to happen.

The sun was setting and they were on their fifth or sixth beer. Daisy was munching on her hundredth savoury platter for the evening. The heat was finally starting to subdue and give way to a cool breeze. His phone buzzed, and he read the message to Daisy.

‘It’s Jimmy. He says hope you’re having a nice time with your aunt. The guys called and they said they wanted to take you two out tomorrow night to show you the Greek nightlife. Let me know if you want to. X Jimmy.’ Ren’s eyes lingered on the X and so did Daisy’s.

‘Is he sure he doesn’t just mean the two of you?’ she commented.

‘God, I hate you, Daisy.’

‘What did I do?’ she looked at Ren and slipped back into her seat.

He put his phone down. ‘You’re making me hope. I’d rather think nothing’s going to happen than get too attached and find out he was high on something and didn’t know what he was doing.’

‘Shut up, Renny. And please answer the poor man that yes, we will be going out with them.’

Ren shook his head and grabbed the phone back to ask Jimmy where to meet them.

I asked a colleague to come in a bit early and cover for me so let’s meet here at 10?

Do we need to wear anything special? Also, we can meet you there before 10 and have a quick bite before going out.

Hahaha, was the immediate reply. And a few seconds later. We will be eating where we’re going. And no, no special attire required. lol

Ren told Daisy and they ordered another round.

‘You know, something tells me this week is going to be so much fun,’ she said and winked at him.

Ren had no idea what she had in mind, but he hoped, prayed even, she wouldn’t do anything stupid to embarrass him—or Jimmy for that matter. Not that he wouldn’t appreciate some help with him. He was going crazy not knowing what had happened and why? Had he been misreading the signs? Was Jimmy being jealous or revolted when Stelios pretended they were a couple as part of their jokes? Was he experimenting with Ren because ‘all English men are gay,’ or did he actually fancy him? Ren wished he could ask him straight up, but it would have to wait until they were alone again. Which would hopefully be very, very soon.