I'm Normally Perfect (re-upload)

Chapter Nine

Next day at my table I looked up and was startled by the sight of Professor Blackburn, regarding me curiously from Alex's window. He turned and spoke to someone, pointing in my direction, and Alex appeared beside him. She looked surprised, as if she'd never noticed me over there before. She was a horrible actress. I waved back to them as though I had also somehow missed that I was across from her. Once Professor Blackburn turned his back to me, Alex rolled her eyes and I pointed at her as if only just noticed her there and waved excitedly. She wagged her finger as if to say "naughty, naughty" and drew her curtains.

On Thursday I settled in a chair for our chess date, 'I had no idea you were over here all this time, imagine my surprise to look up and see you standing right there in the window. Have you always been in this office?'

'I told him you sat over there and gazed longingly in my direction and I tried not to encourage you.'

'If the teaching gig doesn't work out for you—you should consider taking up acting.'

She chuckled. 'Oh, do shut up.' She set up the board, 'Do you still wish to accompany me to Shropshire this weekend? I'll have to pick you up at seven.'

'"Pick me up at seven" is the correct phrase, you'll also have to carry me out to your car.'

She took her seat across from me, 'Not a morning person I take it. Well, neither am I, so I'll need you to help me stay awake for the drive up.'

'Man, you mean I'm gonna have a job? I didn't sign onto this road trip to work.'

'Too bad.' She made the first move and once she won we stared at the board as though it were the pieces fault.

I sat back, 'You know, we don't have to play chess every Thursday. We could do something less painful. Like set fire to one another.'

She cleared our tea things and I placed the board and pieces on the table it resided on then donned my coat. As I reached the door I remembered, 'May I have your phone number?'

'I didn't realise you didn't have it.' She wrote it on a sheet and passed it to me. 'See you Saturday.'

* * *

I spent Friday evening packing and re-packing. What does one wear to an estate sale and auction? Then there was the matter of what pyjamas I wanted Alex to see me in. I tried to get to sleep early, but was so excited I had a terrible time dropping off. Even on five hours sleep, as soon as my alarm went I jumped up and dashed down to have my bath. My stomach showed no interest in food and I was ready to go at five of seven. She knocked five minutes later.

I stood. 'Come in.' She looked marvellous in a black and grey pinstriped short coat and black slacks. Beneath the coat was a white blouse and black waistcoat. 'You look great.'

'Thank you. You're well put together. All set?' She took one of the bags from me. On the way to her car she asked, 'Did you sleep well?'

I shrugged, 'Eh. I was kinda excited. A girl's first estate auction is an important day.' We put my things in the boot and I went around to the passenger side to find a bag on the seat. 'What's this?'

'Breakfast. I bet you didn't eat.'

'You'd win that bet.' I unwrapped an egg sandwich and a small bottle of orange squash and watched the morning fog as we began north. Between bites I said, 'I love being up before everyone else. You get to see a part of the world most people miss. The air seems fresher and dew makes everything seem like it's just been dry-cleaned. Except without that weird smell.'

'I thought you weren't a morning person.'

'I didn't say I liked to get up before everyone else, I said I liked to be up.'