Diary of a Crush: Sealed With a Kiss Read Online Free Page B

he asked groggily, rubbing his fists into his eyes.
    ‘My head’s buzzing,’ I said softly. ‘Go back to sleep.’
    But Dylan made me get back into bed by the simple act of reaching over and yanking me into it and then pulling the duvet over me and curling me up in his arms.
    ‘I hate that I’m not talking to her,’ I said, as he tried to get me to rest my head on his chest and I resisted because Dylan’s way too bony to make a comfortable leaning post. ‘I’ve never had an argument like this one before.’
    ‘All mothers are clinically insane. I think there’s a law or something.’
    ‘But I don’t want to have left home!’ I burst out. ‘I’m too young and stupid to have left home and it’s just too full-on.’
    ‘Like you’re all scared and small and the world is this big, vast thing that’s gonna swallow you up and you’re worried that no-one will even notice that you’ve gone?’ Dylan had obviously been listening to too much Radiohead but he had a point.
    ‘You’d notice if I wasn’t here, wouldn’t you?’ I asked and I wasn’t really joking. My voice sounded tinny and flat and Dylan hugged me harder.
    ‘You wouldn’t get to be not here because I’d notice way before that,’ he said firmly, his breath tickling my ear.
    And then he stroked my hair very slowly and didn’t stop until he knew I was asleep.
     
14th October
    Ha! Carter’s moved out. They came back from classes today to find that he’d done a flit taking the big telly with him and owing a month’s rent. Somehow I can’t find it in my heart to care.
So
over him cornering me outside Dylan’s room when I’m staying the night and making the most obscene remarks. I mean, really rude. So rude, that I didn’t dare tell Dylan because he’d have gone ballistic. Still, don’t have to worry about Carter any more.
    Boys are very unstressy when it comes to stuff that isn’t girl-related. I’d have been all bothered about having to sort out a new flatmate but if Simon, Paul and D became any more laidback they’d fall over.
    It’s just as well that my toothbrush is practically a permanent feature in their bathroom (Mrs Poppy doesn’t really mind, other than making me let her know where I’m sleeping so she doesn’t stay up worrying that I’m lying dead by the side of the road) because otherwise I wouldn’t get to see Dylan at all. What with him doing the art boy thing and me doing the waitress thing and Poppy making us rehearse every evening, crashing out in his bed is about the only quality time we get together.
     
15th October
    Dylan popped in for lunch today.
    ‘I’ll have a cheeseburger with all the trimmings, a full-fat Coke and the biggest portion of chips you do,’ he said by way of greeting when I looked up from the espresso machine.
    ‘And hello to you too,’ I said distractedly, as I put the lid on a cappuccino for the harassed-looking suit who was giving Dylan the evil-eye for taking my attention away from the serving of his hot beverage. I’ve got pretty good at multitasking. ‘Thank you, see you soon.’
    Dylan just winked at me. ‘If you get my lunch ready in super quick time, I’ll make it worth your while.’
    ‘Oh yeah, you’re going to leave me a tip, are you?’ Which would like be a first.
    Dylan rested his elbows on the counter and curled his tongue behind his front teeth. ‘I was thinking more of ravishing you in the storeroom, if you fancy it.’ Sometimes he was too bloody cute for his own good.
    ‘And they said romance was dead. Hello… can I help you?’
    I continued making googly eyes at Dylan who was giving me a slow once-over in a way that wasn’t entirely appropriate for lunchtime, and not paying much attention to whoever it was who’d come up to the counter when I heard a voice say:
    ‘Do I know you from somewhere? You look terribly familiar.’
    I recognised that voice! ‘Dad! What are you doing here?’
    He was standing there, clutching his briefcase and looking terribly