The New Girl by Cathy Cole Page A

the roof garden in five minutes. She could see Polly queuing at the bar. A reckless feeling swept through her.
    Why not? she thought.

TEN
    The rusty spiral steps up to the roof garden looked a lot more dangerous now that Lila was thinking of climbing them. Shivering a little in the cold, she set her foot on the bottom step and started to climb. The steps squealed and groaned as she passed. She held on to the handrail as tightly as she could.
    And then suddenly the handrail wasn’t there. It had rusted away to nothing, leaving a big drop to the concrete below. Lila felt sick. If she fell, she would break her neck! Focusing on thoughts of Ollie’s bright blue eyes and mischievous smile waiting for her, she forced herself onwards, keeping as far away from the yawning gap as she could.
    She caught her breath at the top, willed her legs to stop shaking – and felt a punch of horrible disappointment.
    The garden was halfway through a makeover, dotted with bags of compost, old pots, chicken wire and garden tools. There was a beautiful view: the town’s old roofs spread out like a patchwork blanket below her, and Lila could see the sweeping bay with its bracketing cliffs. But Ollie wasn’t there.
    The wind from the sea blew her hair around her face. She could feel it getting tangled and curly. What was going on? Was this one of Eve’s tricks? Suddenly she didn’t feel safe up here. The wind was strong, and the walls around the edges of the garden weren’t very high. Eve would love it if she fell off the roof.
    There was no way she was going back down those rusty outside steps. Lila tried the handle on the rooftop door, which opened on to a dark, twisting staircase. She was shaken as she held on to the banister and made her way down.
    She could hear voices now, drifting up from the café below her feet. She paused for breath on a tiny patch of landing beside a door, which suddenly flew open.
    â€œSorry,” said Ollie as Lila staggered backwards, almost tumbling down the second twisting flight of stairs. “I didn’t see— Lila! Where were you?”
    â€œ Where were you ?” Lila accused, trying to straighten her skirt and flatten her windblown hair.
    â€œWaiting for you. I didn’t see you come up the stairs.”
    â€œI thought you meant the roof garden.” Her cheeks were heating up as usual. “I went up the fire escape.”
    Ollie’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re mad. That thing’s a death trap!”
    â€œI know that now ,” Lila said.
    Several people were coming up the stairs. In the squash and squeeze of the narrow landing, Lila was pushed right into Ollie. She froze as his hands came around her back.
    â€œI like your hair mussed up like that,” he said, looking down at her with those deep blue eyes. “It suits you.”
    Their faces were so close. His mouth was inches away from hers. He was about to kiss her, she was sure of it. And she knew that she would kiss him back. . .
    You hardly know him! she told herself desperately. Her thoughts were in chaos. Don’t make the same mistakes you made in London! But she didn’t seem able to stop herself. Something was drawing her towards him.
    He seized her hand. It felt warm in hers. “Listen,” he said. “I really want to tell you something. Can we find a quiet place to talk?”
    â€œAbout what?”
    He dragged her all the way downstairs, away from the bar area and into a corridor ending at a disabled toilet.
    â€œPerfect,” he said in relief. He pushed open the door, ushering Lila inside, then locked it behind them.
    Lila looked round the dingy little room with its buzzing overhead light. What was going on? Why were they hiding in here?
    â€œI’ve known Eve a long time,” Ollie began. “We were at primary school together. We don’t live far apart, our parents are friends, and I know she wants to go out with me. The trouble is,