I HAVE TAKEN A LOVER

Achilles was not accustomed to girls ignoring his messages, which made Rebecca’s infrequent responses all the more bewildering. He had thought they were getting on well, even welcoming the fact that she was proving to be more of a challenge than his usual conquests. And so, when he woke to discover a message from her at last, he felt considerable relief to learn that he was not, at the ripe old age of seventeen, losing his touch.

Rebecca Jones

Sorry for late replies. Been really busy. Want to meet up tomorrow night? My place? I’m alone for the weekend.

Although he immediately got a hard-on, there was a part of him that felt a little disappointed. He’d wanted to sleep with her from the moment they met in Schuh, of course, but he’d been rather enjoying the chase. Still, he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Achilles Cleverley

Yeah, I think I can make that. Eight o’clock? Text me the address and I’ll see you then.

He got out of bed and went to his wardrobe, opened the bottom drawer and removed the tin box that he kept inside. Ensuring the door was locked, and trying his best not to feel like Fagin in Oliver Twist, he indulged in one of his favourite pastimes: counting his money.

There was almost £35,000 in hundreds, fifties and twenties, all taken from lonely men who’d fallen for his tricks, and with any luck he’d have another £5,000 by the end of the weekend. He’d been stringing Jeremy Arlo along long enough, he decided. It was time to go in for the kill. He’d meet him tonight and put the squeeze on him, and get him to pay up tomorrow, which would set him up nicely for his date with Rebecca.

A knock came on the door and someone tried the handle.

‘Achilles?’ said a voice that he recognized as his brother Nelson’s. ‘Why is the door locked?’

‘I’m busy,’ he shouted, locking the box again and putting it back in its hiding place.

‘Can I talk to you?’

He sighed and unlocked the door.

‘What do you want?’ he asked.

‘Why are you still in bed at this time of the day?’ asked Nelson. ‘Why aren’t you in school?’

‘I had free periods this afternoon, if it’s any of your business, and I fancied a nap. What do you care?’

‘Just because I’m not a teacher any more doesn’t mean that I don’t care about the education of our young people. You’re our greatest natural resource, you know.’

‘What do you mean, you’re not a teacher? You were yesterday.’

‘I quit this morning.’

Achilles rolled his eyes and turned around, climbed back into bed and pulled the covers up to his neck.

‘Come in if you want,’ he said. ‘But close the door behind you. I wasn’t planning on being at home to visitors.’