One Foot Onto the Ice Read Free Page A

teaching back at our old school. This is just such
a funny coincidence.”
    Susan was physically shaking with nerves, unable to return the
hug, making the whole introduction feel really rather awkward. Her voice
cracked as she spoke. “I’m surprised you remember me.”
    “The classes were tiny. Of course I remember you.” Jenna saw Susan’s
eyes dart away and clarified once again. “Sorry, no I didn’t mean I remember
you because of that.” She paused. “Ten years, wow.”
    Susan tried to act relaxed. “Yeah, wow,” she said, immediately
realising that yeah wow , wasn’t a combination of words she used very
often.
    Jenna reached around and hugged her old classmate once more. “It’s
good to see you again. I often wonder what happened to everyone in our year.
I’m awful at keeping in contact. I really should make more of an effort. It’s
so easy with Facebook and Friends Reunited, but I daren’t go on either. Too
many skeletons in the closet, if you know what I mean? I like to live in the
moment. Keep the past where it belongs. Focus on the here and now. Living in
the past only inhibits our future. I’m sure one of our old professors taught us
that.”
    Susan wasn’t quite sure how to act. This was the most direct
conversation she’d ever had with Jenna James. The Jenna James. She took
a deep breath and reminded herself that she wasn’t the spotty girl sporting an
ankle length skirt any longer. She was the woman with lip gloss. The woman with
recently pierced ears. The woman whose lilac fleece came from the expensive
range in Cotton Traders. She moved her weight onto her right hip, slid her pen
behind her ear and tried to play it cool. “I must admit I just spotted your
name on the briefing sheet and I did wonder, but I never imagined—”
    A voice interrupted her. “I’m back, Madam!”
    Susan fumbled with her clipboard, searching for her pen.
    “Priggy and Champs are here too!”
    More bodies filed past Susan and climbed up the steps. “Here,
Madam.”
    “Madam Quinn, we’re back. We’re the last two. Professor Ramsbottom
says he’ll just be a minute.” Willamena Edgington and Eugenie Rohampton boarded
the coach with their hands full of dirty euro coins.
    Susan yanked the ballpoint from behind her ear, catching a clump
of mousy brown hair in the pen’s grip, trying not to wince as the pain shot to
her temples.
    “Do you need a hand?” asked Jenna, watching Susan Quinn desperately
try to free the pen. She was twirling it the wrong way and making the knotting worse.
“Please, let me help.”
    Susan laughed as if this happened all of the time. “No, no, it’s
fine,” she said, shoving her clipboard under her arm so she could use both hands.
The clipboard slipped and Susan instinctively reached to grab it. She missed
and quickly bent to retrieve it from the floor. By the time she stood back up
the ballpoint pen was swinging gently at her jawbone.
    “Here,” said Jenna, stepping forwards and taking control of the
situation.
    Susan breathed in the sweet smell of Jenna’s coconut suntan lotion,
devastated by her ability to revert back to the nervous fumbling girl of her
youth. “Looks like I’m the same old Susan,” she said.
    “As long as you don’t…” Jenna stopped herself. A reference to the
quiff this early on wasn’t appropriate.
    “As long as I don’t what?” Susan froze. She remembers. Jenna James
remembers. Of course she remembers. Her yearbook entry had her down as Susan Quiffy Quinn.
    Jenna thought quickly. “As long as you don’t try and kiss me.” She
nodded towards the coach at the girls peering down at their teacher. “We’re
standing rather close.”
    Jenna yanked the pen free and Susan stepped backwards. “Why on
earth would I try and kiss you?”
    “I’m just teasing,” said Jenna. “But we all had crushes on each
other at school, didn’t we?”
    Susan flattened her slightly static brown hair. “Well I certainly
did not.” She saw Marcus