Amanda Brooke - The Affair - The shocking, gripping story of a schoolgirl and a scandal

‘Am I disturbing you?’ she asked.

‘No, we were due a break anyway.’

‘Right, the thing is, I’m still with Mum,’ Vikki said slowly. ‘She’s no better. In fact, I think she’s worse.’

‘Ah.’

‘I can’t leave her, Rob,’ she said, and bit her lip before adding, ‘Would you mind if I stayed?’

‘I think the point is, would your mum mind you staying after kicking you out less than a fortnight ago?’

‘She wants me to stay, which only proves how sick she is.’

‘Oh right, so it’s all been arranged and it doesn’t really matter what I think?’

‘It wasn’t like that. I thought she’d say no when I offered,’ she said. ‘If you don’t want me to stay, Rob, then I won’t. I just thought …’

‘It’s all right,’ Rob said softly. ‘Your mum’s ill and I can hardly complain about coming second. I am going to miss my naughty witch, though.’

‘You could still come over tomorrow so we can go trick-or-treating.’

‘Erm, I think I might find some extra marking to do instead.’

‘You’re not angry with me, are you?’ she asked.

‘If I say yes,’ he said, lowering his voice, ‘does that mean you’ll make it up to me when you do come home?’

‘I’ll do whatever you want.’

‘That would be a first,’ Rob said, and Vikki couldn’t be sure if he was playing with her, or if he was genuinely hurt.

‘No, I mean it. I love you,’ she said. ‘If you can put up with me being a terrible wife for a bit longer, I promise I will make it up to you.’

Do you want to hear about the first time we did it? I think I should tell you, just so you know it wasn’t like people think. No way was he abusing me.

It happened on Halloween, which is quite funny when you think about it. I still wasn’t sure how I was supposed to handle this secret power I had over men, and the next minute I was getting to use it. It wasn’t planned or anything. I was too busy dreading Eva’s party. I knew she’d be gloating about being sixteen, even if she wasn’t going to be legal for another week. Not that she had anyone to get legal with at that point.

I know Eva’s my best friend, and don’t get me wrong, she is really pretty, but she has the most ridiculous laugh you can imagine. I think it was her laugh that put boys off, but that wasn’t going to stop Eva trying, and I had this horrible feeling I know who she was after.

I’d been grounded all week and had only been allowed out to go to the library. I definitely wasn’t allowed to see friends, which suited me fine because I much preferred adult company anyway. I was so over being a hysterical teenager and when Bryn dropped me and Liam off at the party, I didn’t want to get out of the car.

‘Call me when you’re ready to come home.’

‘Do we have to come home together?’ I asked. There was no way I was going to waste my breath arguing with my drunken brother about what time to leave.

‘I can walk home,’ Liam said.

‘I have a feeling you won’t be walking in a straight line by midnight,’ Bryn answered. And then to me he said, ‘I’ll pick you up together or separately, whatever you want, Scarlett.’

Seriously, that should have been within five minutes of stepping into the house, which was already full of schoolkids who were pissed before they arrived. I’d been invited for pre-drinks with Linus and a few of the others, but there was no way I’d say yes to him. I wanted Linus to know I wasn’t interested in him, but he didn’t do subtle.

‘Here, you look like you need it,’ he said as he handed me a pint glass full of gin and lemonade.

I must have downed it in a couple of minutes and I did start to relax after that, a bit too much, if I’m honest. A couple of hours later I ended up sitting on Linus’s knee while a group of us talked about life-and-death decisions, like what was better, Burger King or McDonald’s. Linus hadn’t started trying to grope me yet, but it was like only a matter of time.

Anyway, I was messing about on my phone, which was much better than watching Eva and Liam sucking the faces off each other. I wrote out a message and dared myself to send it.

What are you doing?

The reply came maybe ten seconds later.

What are YOU doing?

I told you I’d hate this party and I do

Want to talk about it?

Yes

Want to meet?

Linus was stroking my leg and he kept slipping his hand under my pirate’s jacket. I took one look around the room and asked myself what the hell I was waiting for, but I did hesitate, I swear. I didn’t want to let Mum down, she trusted me. But then I reminded myself how she hadn’t thought about me when she decided to bring Bryn into our lives. Maybe that didn’t justify what I did, but I couldn’t help myself. I sent the reply before I could change my mind.

Yes

Now?

Yes! Yes! Yes!!

Slipping out of the party was easy enough, I just said I was going to the loo and never went back. He was waiting at the top of the road where no one would see me getting into his car. We didn’t really speak until he’d parked up on some quiet country lane that was miles away from anywhere. All I could hear was my heart thudding.

‘I was waiting for your message. I knew you’d want to escape.’

‘I suppose you think you know me so well now.’

He unbuckled his seat belt and turned towards me. ‘I don’t know. Do I?’

I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t daft. I knew what might be about to happen and part of me wanted him to take control and tell me what to do, but he’s not like that.

‘What would you like to talk about, Scarlett?’

I told myself to stop panicking and use my superpowers. ‘Tell me about you,’ I said.

‘What you see is what you get.’

I can’t believe I had the nerve to say what I said next and it was a good job it was dark because I was blushing so much. ‘Really?’ I said. ‘So what am I getting?’

He took hold of my hand and kissed it. I could feel the tip of his tongue licking my skin and you have no idea what it did to me.

‘So what now?’ I asked. I was desperate for the teasing to stop and to just get on and do it.

‘I think you know.’

‘Then say it. Are you too scared?’

‘Are you?’ he asked.

‘I’m on the pill.’

He stretched his spine and groaned. He didn’t look nervous one bit, while I was starting to shake like an idiot.

‘Why don’t we move to the back seat?’ he said. ‘There’s more room there.’

When I got out of the car, I stumbled. It was the fresh air making my head spin, but no way was I going to back out and make an idiot of myself again. We got into the back and sat next to each other like two strangers sitting on a bus. It was just too funny and I had to stop myself from giggling.

‘You’re a beautiful woman, Scarlett,’ he said. ‘Any man would be lucky to be in my position, but I need you to think very carefully about what might be about to happen. This is serious stuff and I’m trusting you. No one can know about this. You do realize how many lives we could destroy, and all because …’

‘Because what?’

‘Because it’s Halloween and you’ve put me under your spell.’ It was such a corny line that I really was about to laugh this time, but what he said next sobered me up straight away. ‘I want you so badly, Scarlett. Do you want me?’