30

I take off my blindfold but there’s no sign of my summer holiday anywhere.

As the rain lashes down on us it’s safe to say the storm everyone has been threatening has finally arrived.

‘I’m calling time, Freddie and Lila win,’ Ali shouts. ‘Night, all.’

Everyone runs off in the same direction, but Freddie stops me.

‘Let’s take the shortcut,’ he shouts over the hiss of the rain. ‘Through the trees, by the waterfall.’

I swallow hard before I can reply.

‘Okay,’ I blurt.

We hurry through the beach bar, towards the secret path that leads up to the villa. Hidden behind a wall of leaves is a secret gate, which Freddie ushers me through before leading the way.

It’s a particularly tricky balancing act, hurrying up this path, battling the rain, weaving in and out of trees in heels, and all the while being unable to think about anything but how Freddie just kissed me.

The kiss from Daniel was just awkward and confusing – can you imagine what Eva would say, if she knew? She’d be horrified. But the kiss from Freddie… did I just escalate the showmance, by giving him that peck on the lips? I wasn’t even doing it for the benefit of our audience (I don’t really know what I was thinking), but perhaps that made him think that I wanted to put on more of a show? But my God! What a show he put on! I know he’s an actor but… my God! The hands, the way he uses his lips, the flick of his tongue. However much they pay him to star in Edge of Eden, he’s worth it. Worth every penny.

I make conversation to distract myself.

‘Is this a safe shortcut?’ I ask. ‘In this weather?’

‘Of course,’ he replies. ‘I was here nearly two weeks before you arrived. I know this path like the back of my hand.’

‘Wow, two weeks?’

‘Yeah. Don’t worry, the lightning is still far away and at least the bigger trees shield us from the rain.’

I’m surprised how long Freddie is here for, given that he’s here solo. I was hoping he’d say more…

At the exact moment I hear a loud ripping sound I feel my body jolt to a stop. I fall forwards onto the ground, which is thankfully quite a soft landing.

‘Shit!’ I blurt, in that foul-mouthed way I often do when I slip up.

‘Lila!’ Freddie gets down on the floor to help me up. ‘Are you okay?’

‘I’m fine,’ I reply. ‘Just a little embarrassed.’

As Freddie helps me to my feet I hear that tearing sound again. By the time I’m on my feet I realise I’m standing there in my underwear. My strapless dress, having firmly snagged itself on a particularly sharp branch, has got stuck, torn, and as I’ve stood up, thanks to a lack of straps, it’s fallen to my ankles.

‘Make that a lot embarrassed,’ I correct myself. I don’t know what else to say, standing here, drenched in rain, in my mismatched pink bra and black knickers.