Chapter 8

25th of August: Dear Diary,

Today was the most beautiful day in my life! Okay, maybe I'm a bit exaggerating, but I just had so much fun! I met up with Liam, Amy, Spike and Tiffany at 9 a.m. at a pancake house, something I've wanted to do for a long time! But in order to avoid Roberta feeling offended I didn't tell her. The food was fantastic!

Spike: ¡Dios, tengo hambre como un caballo!

Tiffany: Don't talk Spanish, we don't understand you, Spike!

Spike: You would understand me if only you tried!

Tiffany: (ironically) So if I spoke French right know, you'd understand me?

Spike: Well… let's give it a try! – Je t'aime, ma chouchoute.

Tiffany: Show-off!

Eileen: Why do you speak Spanish and French?

Spike: Well, I grew up in Mexico but my mother is French.

Eileen: Unfortunately, I only speak English…

Liam: And Gaelic!

Eileen: Just a few words! My mum was Irish.

Amy: Was?

Eileen: Er, is of course.

We were at the pancake house for about two hours, talking about what we would do on Sunday. They filled me in on some project they were planning, but they were being so secretive, so I didn't know what they were talking about.

Anyways, afterwards we went to the beach. I brought my neon orange bikini and sunscreen, shades, everything. But do you know what I forgot? A towel! So Amy was so nice to share hers with me. They hid my book so I had to join them playing volleyball. Oh dear, I've always been unbelievable bad in playing volleyball! It was the first time since elementary school that I had to play. The others were enjoying so much watching me failing that they made me play 5 games! 5!

Amy: You didn't play that bad Catherine!

Liam: (laughing) She actually did!

Amy: True, she did, but…

Eileen: Hey, I never said I was good!

Spike: But you didn't tell us that you are so bad either! Because of you we lost all five games! Now I have to give Amy my new toaster.

Eileen: You bet about how bad I'm playing? (Ironically) Nice friends I have!

My arms were hurting pretty bad. Afterwards, they wanted me to play water-ball, but I convinced them that I would drown if I did, so they let me off the hook. I watched them play and took some pictures. We were in the water almost all day. And I think that's why I got a little sunburned. My cheeks are so red. Did I mention Liam brought his guitar? He really can sing! It sounds so pretty, charming, wonderful…. Amy can sing as well but she's too shy. It was absolutely beautiful!

Spike's brother and some of his friends joined us as well and we stayed until it was dark. As it became a bit chilly, we lit a bonfire and fetched some pizza from an Italian place.

Spike's brother: Amy? Could you hand me another slice of pizza, please?

Amy: Sure. Did you read that long editorial article in the S. F. Morning Post? The one written by Jacqueline Sanderson?

Spike's brother: You mean the one concerning the election? I had to think about our discussion last week, when I read it.

Liam: Actually, if we do get a new president, taxes will be raised and I have to worry about Amy and my family business.

Amy: We're going to make it, Liam. I'm absolutely confident. You're a financial talent!

Spike's Brother: YES WE CAN!!!

Everybody was laughing.

We watched the stars and Tiff told me a lot about her past. Amy and Liam had to work that week, their family business deals with computer programmes and Liam is a programmer. He studied I.T. at SF University. I think that's cool. Tiff has a day off tomorrow and we arranged to meet for coffee and lunch at 12.

Good night, I'm over and out!

(pause)

12th of August:Dear Diary,

I just came home from meeting Tiff. It was fun! She brought her best friend Gloria, who is really nice, but she talks a lot.

Gloria: Well, my boyfriend is a true asshole, he forgot my birthday!

Eileen: Really? (Ironically) Why has he been that busy?

Gloria: No idea! You don't think he's cheating on me, do you?

Tiffany: No way Gloria, Jonah loves you.

Gloria: But how can I be sure I'm the only one!

A car was passing the café; loud music was coming from its radio.

Eileen: Oh listen, that's my favourite song!

Gloria: (Shocked) Are you serious?

Eileen: You don't like the Black Keys? They're pretty famous in… I mean in my urban district.

Tiff: Oh, I love them! I went to a concert once with Spiky, they were awesome! It was one of the greatest shows I've ever been to.

Eileen: You're kidding.

Gloria: Well, but that was not the topic, we were talking about Jonah and me!

Tiff: Actually, I'm really hungry. Let's go to the vegetarian restaurant I told you about.

Tiff is a vegetarian, so we went to that place offering vegetari-an food.

Later we had some cake and coffee at a nice little place and made plans for the weekend: Friday evening, we want to go out with Amy, Liam and Spike. Tiff invited me to come round to her place, so we can go to the beach Saturday morning.

28th of August:Dear Diary,

I've just read you. The last two days. I mean, I've just read my last two diary entries: It makes me sick. What is wrong with me? I mean, THEY killed Fergus, right? But they seem to be so nice. I've got to concentrate on getting into the RH-Assembly and not on Liam. Even though I think his little gap between his front teeth is the cutest thing in the world.

29th of August: Dear Diary,

I just got out of the shower and have to get ready for tonight. Tiff and Gloria are going to pick me up in about 40 minutes!

30th of August:Dear Diary,

I just got home from sleeping over. But I didn't sleep over at Tiff's place; I slept over at Amy's. What's so special about that? Ok, from the beginning: Before Tiff and Gloria fetched me I got dressed. I wore that new green dress with the black high heels and the black blazer. We went to a club called F2. It was so much fun. We drank a bit and danced all night and then Liam and I left the club and went for a walk. Unfortunately, we couldn't see any stars because there's an orange haze over the city at night. But still: It was romantic. Somehow I really like him. And at 3 am we went to his place. But during watching a movie, I fell asleep.

Liam: Eileen?

Eileen: What? What happened? Who was the murderer?

Liam: The father.

Eileen: The father?! No way!

Liam: Yeah, he was schizophrenic and killed the mother because she'd cheated on him. You want to sleep in Amy's room? She's got a couch.

Eileen: So it was the one the audience was least expecting to be guilty…

Liam: Poor girl. At the end, he wanted to kill her, too.

Eileen: The father? No way!

Liam: Yeah it was pretty dramatic… You look so pale, Cathe-rine, what's wrong with you?

Eileen: (nearly crying) Nothing. I just…I just…

Liam: It was just a stupid movie! Hey, it's ok, come here.

Eileen: I guess I'd better go into Amy's room now! Good night!

And I left. I didn't sleep well that night. There were so many questions! Was it him? The man I am afraid of falling in love with? How can I feel that way! What kind of a person am I, falling in love with my father's murderer! Or was it really him? Am I wrong about the whole RH-Assembly? And who the hell did send me the file?

Amy woke me up way too early. We had breakfast in her kitchen and then I went to wake Liam. He looked so peaceful lying in his bed, sleeping. And again I had to remind myself:

He. Killed. Fergus. Or didn't he?

Well, whatever. I woke him. He didn't like that and in return he started to tickle me for punishment. I've always thought he would spend a lot of time in the bathroom to style his hair, but his "out of bed" look was literally the hairstyle he got out of bed with. We drove to Spike's place and met up with Tiff and Spike's brother Alex and his friends but – honestly – I can't recall all their names. Today everybody, even the girls, wanted to surf. We drove to another beach, they all changed into neoprene suits and luckily I brought my cam, so I took many amazing pictures. And I read a lot. And I tanned. It was another perfect day. Liam wanted to teach me how to ride the waves but I chickened out. I was not kidding about me drowning when playing water-ball, so you can imagine what would happen to me if I surfed.

Eileen: Seriously, Liam, I'm afraid of water, I've never learned swimming that well.

Liam: But it's so easy, and I will be there, so if anything hap-pens…I will rescue you and….

Amy: (giggling) Oh Liam! Always playing the hero rescuing helpless little girls no matter how dangerous the situation is!

Suddenly, the whole thing reminded me of the movie we saw yesterday – a murderer, a girl who trusted him …

Liam: Catherine?!

Eileen: What?

Liam: I've just asked you if you let me show you how to do it next time we're here.

I looked into his eyes, blue like the ocean and so… innocent. Honest.

And suddenly I decided to trust him. Well it wasn't a con-scious decision; it was more a feeling, more like the trust I had felt towards my father or still had in Stark.

Eileen: (sadly) Sure. Next time you can show me.

Liam: Promise?

Eileen: (Huge breath) I promise.

When he took my hand it felt good. I don't know any more what the hell I'm doing. I can't justify every single move I make by saying I do it in order to get into the RH-Assembly. I do what I do because it's fun, and because I really like them all. I like Amy very much, we had a lot of girl talk yesterday evening and that was very nice. She told me about ex-boyfriends and I told her some more lies about my ex-boyfriends. I told her I once had a boyfriend named Ben but I left him. Sweet irony. Tomorrow is Sunday and we are all going to the cinema to watch 'The Expendables 2'. I'm really looking forward to that. I'm bored when I'm in my B&B now. I've never been bored here before. Of course I'm not bored while having dinner with Roberta, because she fills me in on her sons and her friends and what she did all day. Now I find myself looking at the pictures I took in and around SF and of Liam. And I am always smiling like a fool. It's kind of getting on my nerves. Still. I am near my goal, am I not? He will con-fide in me sooner or later. I will be able to infiltrate the RH-Assembly and I'm going to destroy them. But now I'm going to sleep.

31th of August:Good morning Diary,

How are you today? Look, I'm being retarded. I slept in today and got up at 12! I had lunch with Roberta and we talked about the weather and the news and stuff like that. She says she can't believe how I changed from being uncommunicative to being so open-hearted. She says it's that boy. With "that boy" she means Liam. I can't even remember telling her stuff about him. I'm going to work out now, shower afterwards and meet the others at the cinema later. I'll have to get myself a job. I'm not running out of money just yet but at least it will give me something to do.

1st of September:Dear Diary,

The movie was great! It was so funny and awesome. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, Rambo, all the old action-heroes. I had some popcorn and coke. Anyways, that's all not really interesting, is it? I sat next to him. There was, like – I don't know how to explain – tension between us. Well, well, well. I really don't think I'm imagining things, I think he likes me. Today everybody has to work, so let's see what I will do.

3rd of September:

Liam called! He asked me out. Like a date. DING, time's up. I knew it.

Friday evening. He told me to wear something pretty. I'm going to the hairdresser's tomorrow. I'll have to concentrate on getting Liam in order to get into the RH-A. Let the games begin.

5th of September:

Ok, that's how it happened:

It's 7 pm. He is not running late. I am so ready. I am wearing a red knee long dress and black high heels with a matching clutch. My hair is straight and I've pulled it up into a pony tail. I am nervous. But when he hugs me all the tension kind of fades away and I feel like myself again. Well, maybe not my-self, but at least I feel like Catherine again. He drives me to an expensive looking Italian restaurant, so I eye him with suspi-cion. I know that he isn't that rich. I know a lot of stuff about him, and I don't mean the stuff I've learned through my ob-servation. Stuff Amy told me, and Spike and Tiff, and he him-self. I feel as if I've known him my whole life. I always have to remember that he might have killed my dad. He is a bad man. That's it. We park and get inside.

Waiter: A table for two, Sir?

Liam: Yes, please.

Waiter: Here you are. Drinks?

Liam: How about some red wine, Catherine?

Eileen: Sounds good.

We sit down and he smiles at me. We talk about our trip to the beach and now there is silence. It feels so wrong. So I start babbling.

Finally the waiter comes with the menus so we talk about the food and order. I order pasta and my favourite sweet red wine and he goes for some fish and a coke. Finally the tension fades. We talk about so many things. His parents, my parents – the ones I made up and about his time at the university. I tell him that I'm thinking about studying English and becoming a librarian and that I'm looking for a job, maybe in a library. He says he could help me, he knows a few nice places nearby my B&B.

Eileen: I totally forgot to ask you. Why were you playing the Black Keys in the car?

Liam: Well, I remembered you liked them, so I bought their album and they're great! They're almost as good as the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Eileen: No way, you like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers? I listened to them when I got ready for tonight, they always make me feel so…

Liam: (laughing) Happy?

Eileen: Yeah, true, but not only that. They sing about life and how it can suck sometimes and -

Liam: I know exactly what you mean; you don't have to explain.

Eileen: Do you know Kings of Leon?

Liam: Yeah, but they always make me kind of sad. I listened to them a lot just after my parents died. Do you know that feeling, when music makes you remember emotional situations of your life you were going through at the time you listened to this particular music a lot?

Eileen: Yeah, I can't listen to Mumford and Sons anymore…

Liam: Why?

Eileen: There is no reason, actually.

We are having a good time and the time fades like dust in the wind. We are already having dessert and still we're talking and laughing – together and at each other. I'm sad when he tells the waiter that we'd like to pay and I peek at my phone. I am shocked! It's 11:30 pm. Of course, I offer Liam to pay for my meal myself but he politely insists. We get up and out of the restaurant. It's a 5-minute walk to his car. He's next to me. Where else would he be? We are talking about finding a job for me again. I can see his car. He lets his fingers slip into mine. I look up at him in surprise. He looks as if he is trying to find the right words.

Liam: See, Cathy –

Eileen: (giggling) Yes?

Liam: Why are you laughing at me?

Eileen: I'm not laughing at you! I'm just giggling because you're so cute.

Liam: Am I? I haven't started yet. But, see, Catherine, I really, really like you.

Eileen: Do you?

Liam: Yes I do.

By now, I'm definitely grinning at him. Liam asks: What? And I lean over to brush his cheek with my lips and whisper in his ear: Liam, I also really, really like you.

Now I'm back home and can't sleep because I feel so bad. I really like him, I do. But he probably killed my father! And I, I don't know what to do because tonight was so wonderful. Spending time with Liam feels so good! I can't sleep. I need to look at his picture. I miss him. I'll try to sleep now.