Free The One You Trust by Paul Pilkington Page B

notebook. He catalogued all the articles he found, listing them by magazine, date of publication, page number, and date he read them. He was already on his third notebook in just a year or so.
    ‘What would you like me to write?’ Emma said.
    ‘Whatever you like. My name’s Stephen.’
    ‘Okay, Stephen.’
    He watched intently as she wrote down a short note on the blank page in his autograph book. He was so excited that she was holding his book, using his pen. She handed the book back to him, and he studied the message. ‘“To my number one fan, love from Emma.”’ He looked at her and smiled. It was such an amazing message. ‘Thank you. You’re not just beautiful – you’re really kind. I think we’re going to be really good friends. I knew we would, from the first moment I saw you.’
    She seemed to like that. ‘Thanks. Look, I’d better get going now. Nice to meet you.’
    ‘Just a second,’ he said, nearly forgetting in his excitement to take the photograph.
    Emma put up a hand to block the shot. He’d read that she was camera shy, but she shouldn’t be. There could never be enough photographs of Emma Holden.
    ‘No, Stephen, please don’t.’
    He would prove to her how beautiful she was. ‘It’s okay, it’s done now.’
    ‘I have to go,’ Emma said.
    He watched her as she walked away, into the studios, longing to stay close to her. He waved, but she wasn’t looking. She had a lot to concentrate on, he knew that. ‘See you again soon!’
     
    ‘Emma,’ he said, as he saw her appear at the gates to the television studio building that afternoon. He’d been waiting for just under an hour, running through in his mind how she was going to react to his surprise. He smiled as she approached, but she just walked straight past him, as if she hadn’t seen or heard him. ‘Emma!’ he shouted. ‘What’s the matter?’ He raced up behind her, his camera bouncing on his chest. It hurt. ‘I’ve got your photo.’ He struggled to keep up with her. ‘Here it is.’ She didn’t stop to look. ‘I’m going to put it up on my bedroom wall.’
    ‘Please, Stephen, I need to get home,’ she said.
    ‘Are you okay?’ He had to start jogging to keep up. But he wasn’t very fit, and he felt tired after the first few steps. ‘Has someone upset you? Did he upset you?’ She looked so worried, scared even. He felt so sad that someone was making her feel that way.
    ‘I’m in a hurry,’ she said.
    ‘Going home to your boyfriend?’
    Emma stopped. ‘Look, Stephen. You seem like a nice guy, but it’s getting dark and I’ve really got to get home.’
    ‘To your boyfriend, to Darren.’
    ‘Darren?’ Emma had no idea why Stephen was referring to a character on the show.
    ‘Yes, Darren . . . Darren Clarke.’
    He was a nasty piece of work. Stephen didn’t understand for one moment why someone as lovely as Emma would be with such a person. He was someone who couldn’t be trusted; he lied, cheated and broke the law, but still she forgave him, because that was the kind of person she was.
    ‘His real name is Stuart,’ Emma said, ‘and I don’t live with him.’
    ‘I think you can do better than him,’ he said. ‘You shouldn’t be going out with a criminal – not someone like Darren. What do you see in him?’
    ‘Please, Stephen, I have to go now.’ She turned and began walking off.
    He couldn’t hold his feelings in any longer. Now was the time to let her know how much she meant to him. ‘Emma, I love you!’ She didn’t turn around, but Stephen had no doubt that she would be thinking of those words very carefully as she made her way home. He smiled. Today had been a good day.
     
    Stephen Myers unlocked the front door as quietly as he could and crept down the hallway. He could hear his mother cooking, could feel the heat from the steamy kitchen and smell the meal that was being prepared. It was Monday, so that meant burnt sausages and instant mashed potato. After that it would be an