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he isn't there. Just carry on.'

There's silence. Mum and Dad are giving each other surreptitious looks, and I can see Mum

mouthing something. She stops abruptly as she sees me looking at her, and takes a sip of

coffee.

'Let's just… have a conversation!' I say desperately. 'So, Mum.'

'Yes?' she says hopefully.

My mind is blank. I can't think of anything. All I can think is that Jack is sitting four feet

away.

'How's the golf?' I say at last.

'It's… er… fine, thanks.' Mum shoots a glance at Jack.

'Don't look at him!' I mutter. 'And… and Dad?' I persevere, loudly. 'How's your golf?'

'It's… also fine,' says Dad stiltedly.

'Where do you play?' asks Jack politely.

'You're not in the conversation!' I cry, turning furiously on my chair.

There's silence.

'Dear me!' says Mum suddenly in a stagy voice. 'Just look at the time! We're due at the… the

… sculpture exhibition.'

What?

'Lovely to see you, Emma-'

'You can't go!' I say in panic. But Dad's already opening his wallet and placing a ?20 note on

the table, while Mum stands up and puts on her white jacket.

'Just listen to him,' she whispers, bending down to give me a kiss.

'Bye, Emma,' says Dad, and squeezes my hand awkwardly. And within the space of about

thirty seconds, they're gone.

I ca

'So,' says Jack, as the door pings shut.

Determinedly I shift my chair round, so I can't see him.

'Emma, please.'

Even more determinedly I shift my chair round again, until I'm staring straight at the wall.

That'll show him.

The only thing is, now I can't reach my cappuccino.

'Here.' I look round to see Jack has moved his chair right up next to mine, and is holding out

my cup to me.

'Leave me alone!' I say angrily, leaping to my feet. 'We have nothing to talk about. Nothing.'

I grab my bag and stalk out of the coffee shop, into the busy street. A moment later, I feel a

hand on my shoulder.

'We could at least discuss what happened…'

'Discuss what?' I wheel round. 'How you used me? How you betrayed me?'

'OK, Emma. I appreciate I embarrassed you. But… is it really such a big deal?'

'Such a big deal?' I cry in disbelief, nearly knocking over a lady with a shopping trolley. 'You

came into my life. You fed me this huge amazing romance. You made me fall in lo-' I halt

myself abruptly, panting slightly. 'You said you were gripped by me. You made me… care

for you… and I believed every single word!' My voice is starting to wobble treacherously. 'I

believed it all, Jack. But all the way along, you had an ulterior motive. You were just using

me for your stupid research. All the time, you were just… using me.'

Jack stares at me.

'No,' he says. 'No, wait. You have this wrong.' He grabs my arm. 'That's not the way it was. I

didn't set out to use you.'

How does he have the nerve to say that?

'Of course you did!' I say, wrenching my arm out of his grasp, jabbing the button at a

pedestrian crossing. 'Of course you did! Don't deny it was me you were talking about in that

interview. Don't deny you had me in mind.' I feel a fresh spasm of humiliation. 'Every detail

was me. Every bloody detail!'

'OK.' Jack is clasping his head. 'OK. Listen. I don't deny I had you in mind. I don't deny you

filtered into… But that doesn't mean…' He looks up. 'I have you on my mind most of the

time. That's the truth, I have you on my mind.'

The pedestrian crossing starts bleeping, telling us to cross. This is my cue to storm off and

him to come ru