Free In Ecstasy by Kate McCaffrey

last train. You might not get back.’
    â€˜I’ll walk then.’ He took his hand away. The door started to slide closed.
    I jumped up from the seat. I couldn’t let him do that. ‘No.’ I pressed the button to open the doors again. ‘I’ll come.’

mia
    The week passed painfully slowly. I had to wait to see if my period came. Lewis didn’t call, and I became a serial phone checker. At school I’d walk through the canteen area inconspicuously, sneaking furtive glances towards the year twelve group, but I never saw him there. And as each day passed with no word I gradually realised the harsh truth. I’d been just a fling for him, a fifteen-year-old virgin to take out, get wasted and shag.
    I was miserable and Soph had been down all week, too. I wanted her to reassure me that sleeping with Lewis had been the right thing to do, and that no, I wasn’t a slut, but she didn’t get into it and I couldn’t understand why not. I thought about all the hours I’d spent listening to her when she had a new guy.
    She was so distant. Something was definitely up. I’d heard Dominic and Karen had split up after the party. Karen was pretty embarrassed about writing herself off. And I’d seen Dominic and Soph talking at school, but Soph wouldn’t talk to me about that either.
    â€˜He just needs a friend,’ was all she’d say. I was feeling left out and let down.
    I realised Soph must be embarrassed about Glenn. The guys she’s been with before—with the obvious exception of Thomas Creep Westcroft—were all way nicer than him. I wanted her to open up about it—she’d begun to once, but then closed down. If I could only get her to talk I knew I could make her feel better. And then everything would go back to normal.
    â€˜Do you want to talk about Glenn?’ I asked her gently one day.
    She straightened and looked me dead in the eyes. ‘There’s nothing else to say,’ she said in a hard voice.
    â€˜But Soph, maybe you need to.’ I was trying to reassure her that I was okay about it, but I got the impression she was scared of being judged.
    Then she put her hand up and said, ‘I don’t want to talk about it. Just drop it.’ And she walked off.
    I’ve never felt this way about her before, but I actually thought she was being a total bitch.
    Friday morning I woke with a dull ache in my lower back. I nearly screamed with joy. I’ve never been so excited to have my period before. I stood under the hot water in the shower and cried. Thank God for that. I still had a life in front of me. I hadn’t made a terrible mistake.
    Things just kept getting better. As I got dressed for school my mobile beeped at me: Message Received.
    I opened the inbox. When I read the number, my stomach started flipping out. It was Lewis.
    sorry been sic much betta now cum to party tonite?
    I felt the smile stretching to my ears. He’d been sick and off school! I immediately texted him back, my thumbs flying over the keys.
    abso-fkn-lutely! wot time?
    As I pressed Send I realised how desperate that would look. I wished I could take it back. I sat on the edge of my bed feeling my ears burn. I’d just made myself look like a complete and utter loser. But my phone beeped again. He was one fast texter.
    fantastic pic u up at 7 soph 2?
    Relieved and happy he’d said ‘fantastic’, I quickly messaged Soph. She texted back straightaway.
    cant got stuff on tlk @ skool.
    I’d known she’d say no. Something was so wrong with her. It was like how she acted after Thomas Westcroft—alienating herself, becoming anti-social. But I had to go, even without her. I texted Lewis back.
    S no but c u @7
    Mum was in the kitchen putting things in the dishwasher.
    â€˜Hello,’ I said cheerfully.
    She looked at me suspiciously. ‘What’s going on? Why are you so happy?’
    â€˜Can I go out