Dying To Get Away

Chapter Three

After leaving Costa Simon made his way to the bus stop. Carrie and Emma carried on towards the park. They should have been making their way home for their teas, but were too full of excitement - Carrie had just done her first day at the factory and Emma was dying to know how Carrie's date went the previous evening.

'How did things go last night, then? With you and Simon?' Emma asked as the two girls sat on a park bench, eating a bar of chocolate between them.

'Yeah, it went OK.'

'Just OK?' Did he try to kiss you?' Come on, tell your best mate. Don't be shy.'

'I'm not saying, but he did buy me flowers.'

'Flowers? You jammy sod! The last time I went to the cinema with a boy, I finished up paying cos he was skint, and you get flowers. Did you sit in the back row?'

'Yeah, we did, if you must know.'

Emma was so envious, but she wasn't going to let Carrie know that. She wanted to go out with Simon when they were at school, but he never gave her a second look. Now he was going out with Carrie and there was nowt she could do about it. How unfair life could be?

They made their way from the park. Emma walked Carrie to the bus stop. Emma didn't have far to walk. The estate she lived on was only on the other side of the park.

The next day it was back to work. Carrie was carrying out her usual tasks in the office when suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw Darren, the office manager staring at her.

'You all right?' he asked her.

'Yeah, I'm fine.'

'Need to ask you something. It's a bit personal. Meet me outside at lunchtime?'

'Yeah, OK,' Carrie replied, intrigued. But why would he want to ask her to meet him at lunchtime? She began to worry. She was convinced she was going to get the sack, but if that was the case why didn't he just call her into his office? It didn't make sense.

But as lunchtime approached and Carrie was about to make her way outside, she ran into Emma, who was on her way to the snack bar to get a sandwich.

'What are you up to?' she asked Carrie.

'Meeting Darren outside.'

'Why?'

'I dunno. Said it's important and doesn't want to say what he has to say in his office. Oh' Emma, it sounds as though he is going to sack me.'

'Ask you out more like. He's got his eye on you. Why do you think he gave you that office job?'

'You are winding me up.'

'Am l?'

Emma vanished leaving Carrie on her own. It was ages before Darren turned up. Carrie wanted to give up and return inside to eat her lunch, but as she thought it, she saw him heading towards her. She felt a lump come to her throat as he got near.

'Hi, Carrie,' he said to her.

'What did you want to see me about? It's freezing being stuck out here.'

'Yeah, sorry about that,' he replied. 'I got called to the phone just as I was on my way to see you. Are you busy tomorrow night?'

Carrie was dumb-struck. He was about to ask her out. So, Emma was right after all. But what could he see in her? He had a Porsche and loads of money and here he was asking a girl out from a run-down housing estate. She was beginning to think that it was some sort of joke.