Page 99 of Five Gold Rings

Mia nods, none of it going in though. All she owns is trainers. She has a wall of them in her flat piled like shoe Jenga. The conversation goes painfully quiet for a moment. This is where I need to say something and not sound like a complete and utter idiot.

‘You teach Maths,’ I say to Caitlin, failing miserably in my goal.

‘I do,’ she replies. ‘For my sins. I like numbers.’

‘So do I,’ I say, smiling broadly, knowing I look too happy about this fact and need to play it cool. If I knew how to do that.

‘Well, who doesn’t like numbers? They essentially make the world go round.’

‘That and gravity…’ I add. God, I’m smooth with my science talk. So smooth. Mia knows this and puts an arm around me, almost in condolence.

‘I also like your lunchbox,’ I fumble.

Mia turns her head to me, her eyebrows raised, trying to stop herself from giggling through this bin fire of a first meet.

Caitlin smirks. ‘Why, thank you. I’m hoping I get a minute to eat before my first lessons.’

‘Anything nice in there?’ Shoot me, someone. Just physically stop me.

‘Umm… pesto chicken salad.’

‘I love pesto!’ I say, a little too enthusiastically. And loudly because I hear someone across the room laugh.

‘Who doesn’t? Don’t mind him. He’s obsessed with lunch,’ Mia intervenes, trying to save me.

Caitlin scans us both. Oh dear, instant fail. ‘Well, it’s good to meet you both. The teacher over there… Tommy?’

I glance at Mia and see her clench her teeth at the very mention of his name.

‘He’s mentioned a welcome drink at The Otter’s Pocket after school if you’re free. Would be great to have you there,’ she says, sweetly.

‘Yeah, we can go. Right, Mia?’ I say, perhaps a little too quickly, elbowing her.

‘I don’t turn down pub invitations so yes, we will be there,’ Mia replies.

She moves on to the next people in the room as I stare into space, wondering how and when I became such a buffoon when it came to the opposite sex. Is it genetic? Is it a product of too many teen years spent in my bedroom and not engaging with the world? Is it just not in my nature?

‘Did you just say you liked her box?’ Mia whispers as she’s out of earshot.

‘I did. I also asked if there was anything nice in her box.’

‘Classy, Eddie. Super classy.’