Mav sat on his own, away from his main group of classmates deep in troubled thoughts. He didn’t want to go back to where the others were because he didn’t know what he would say to them. He peered across to where Sam had been sitting earlier. She was still there.
Their eyes met.
They quickly departed.
Did he go and find Holly and try to sort things out with her or did he leave things as they were and learn from his mistakes?
Their eyes met again and this time remained locked.
Mav couldn’t just sit there any longer. He rose to his feet and at the exact time so did she. They couldn’t help but smile as they advanced towards one another.
‘I saw what happened,’ Sam said. ‘She didn’t look too happy. I hope that I haven’t mucked anything up for you.’
‘No, it’s not your fault. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. I’m afraid that I’ve screwed up a bit in the communication department. Perhaps I should get myself a decent cell phone.’
‘Perhaps you should go out and talk to her?’
‘I’m not sure what I would say.’
‘Since when were you ever short of something to say?’
Mav grinned. ‘When I’m not in control of the conversation.’
‘Well, perhaps you’d better get back in control?’
‘Maybe.’
‘It’s nothing serious, is it? I mean, she hasn’t got the wrong idea about you and I, has she? Actually, I thought that you were single, I didn’t realise that you had a girlfriend.’
‘I don’t. She’s not my girlfriend.’
‘You could have fooled me.’
‘I guess it may have been heading that way.’
‘Look, you need to have a serious think about this. Go and get some fresh air. After you’ve had a few moments to make a decision, come back in. It you want me, I’ll be here waiting. Otherwise go and find Holly and sort things out, ok?’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes. If you’re not back in fifteen minutes, I’ll find another dance partner, ok?’ She smiled. ‘And I promise I won’t hold a grudge. You’ve done me a huge favour, Mav. You’ve given me the nudge I needed to give Craig the boot and I’m thankful for that. Being single for a while will be fine. If you come back alone, that’s fine. I’ll be available. You know you’re the first guy who has ever proposed to me.’
Mav chuckled. ‘And you’re the first girl who’s ever turned me down.’
They both laughed.
‘You’d better get out there.’
‘Yeah, I’d better.’
Mav wasted no more time. He made for the main entrance and out he went. Keeping an eye open for teachers, he walked out into the cool night air. Nobody was about. Enough time to think, to try to make up his mind. He wondered where Holly was. He wondered whether he should go and find her or return to the hall to be with Sam. He wondered how Rex dealt with his myriad of female admirers. He must have had to deal with this sort of problem on numerous occasions. He would probably know what to do, but for Mav it was a very new experience.
He was about to walk around the back of the hall when a sharp whistle came from the trees near the school boundary. He stopped and spun around, expecting to see Mr Harris or someone like that standing there, but he couldn’t see anyone. There came another whistle. It came from the trees all right, but he couldn’t see who it was – they did not show themselves.
His first thought was that it was Holly, hiding, trying to attract his attention. But what if it was Wal or perhaps even Craig McLeod? He advanced closer to the trees, peering at them, trying to get a glimpse of any clue that might give away who it was. Who was to say that it was anyone that he knew? For all he knew, there was some thug awaiting him, ready to pounce out at him and attack him.
Something stirred behind one of the smaller trees. Mav moved forward cautiously, but another complication came in the form of an adult - a teacher walking through the main gates of the school. He had to move quickly if he didn’t want to be seen. He darted into the trees and around behind the bushes, only metres away from where the movement had taken place and waited until the teacher had gone.
There was no secret now as to who hid in the trees, because he stood directly ahead of him in full view. It was one of the guys Mav had been dreading running into all evening: Craig McLeod.