Background: Angela is shocked when William, an old friend from her past, who she hoped never to see again, comes back into her life, after he applies for a role at her work and successfully secures the job. William’s sudden reappearance puts Angela on edge. She’s terrified he’s discovered her secret, which she needs to protect her family from. William’s convinced Angela knows what happened to his former girlfriend, Caz, who hasn't been seen for twenty years, and that something terrible happened to her. The only person, who can help Angela, is her once best friend, Michelle, but Angela hasn’t seen Michelle for more than a decade. Faced with the threat of William’s return, they know they’ll need to work together to save their future, even if this does mean reopening old wounds, and revisiting a past they'd rather keep buried.

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August 1999

I glance at the book Michelle’s currently engrossed in, Girl with a Pearl Earring. I’d read a review of it last week and decided to buy it for Michelle, knowing it would be her cup of tea.

‘Any good?’ I ask, placing my hands on the back of the sofa

Michelle doesn’t say anything, but nods, before turning the page over. I smile, knowing the answer’s a yes. She’ll be begging me to try it when she’s finished with it, I’m sure. My stomach seems to grow lighter, although historical fiction’s never been my bag. I step back and glance at my watch. It’s just approaching ten a.m. I need to get ready. I dash into the hallway and slip on my running Nike trainers, which have been thrown on top of the pile of shoes in the corner by the front door. Caz is meeting me outside. I’d persuaded her to start up running a couple of weeks ago, and we’ve been meeting every Sunday since.

Caz is doing some stretches, when I reach the top of the flight of steps outside.

‘You’re keen.’ I laugh.

She begins to jog up and down on the spot, and then wipes her brow, giving me a big excited smile. ‘I’m rearing to go, I am, you know. Where shall we go, Hyde Park?’

We break into a steady jog.

‘What’s William been up to recently?’ I ask, after about five minutes of jogging, the bottom of my spine tingling. ‘It’s been ages since he last came out with us.’

I keep my eyes fixed on the road ahead. Ahead of me there’s a family out walking a dog, the children dressed in designer gear. They look like the sort of family that’s always photographed in holiday brochures. I imagine they must live in one of the big houses round here I keep dreaming about. I love how quiet it is in this part of London on a Sunday morning, it’s a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life it is during the week; it’s only around the touristy spots where it tends to still get busy.

‘He’s . . . fine. He’s just been focusing on his work at the moment, so he’s not been going out too much. Why do you want to know?’

I want to kick myself. I shouldn’t have said anything. I am curious, though. Caz hasn’t mentioned him at all in recent weeks. Are they even still together? I’m sure Caz would’ve mentioned it if they weren’t. If they weren’t together then I wouldn’t feel so guilty about . . .

‘No reason at all really, it’s just you haven’t spoken about him much.’

I jog to the side to get out of the way of a man in a suit walking towards us, phone clamped to his ear.

‘Well, perhaps I can see if he’s up to joining us at the weekend, that’s if, if you want him to come?’ Caz asks.

Caz is looking at me expectantly, waiting for my answer. I almost want to say yes, it’ll be great to see him. Then I think of Michelle. She’s only just started warming to Caz. I know Michelle doesn’t like William. Even if he was to turn up with a bunch of roses for her, like Caz did with the flowers that time, she still wouldn’t change her mind. I don’t want to upset things but it’s going to look rude though if I say no, when Caz has asked.

‘Let me mention it to the others first,’ I say, tension coiling in my stomach. ‘I’m sure they won’t mind.’

‘By that you mean, Michelle,’ Caz says, grinning at me. ‘Lauren and Hayley don’t mind William at all when he’s out with us, but Michelle looks at him like he’s some sort of dangerous insect.’

My cheeks flush. ‘Yeah I do sort of mean Michelle, but I'm sure she won't say no.’

‘You know, I think I prefer it when it’s just us lot going out together. William, don’t get me wrong I love spending time with him, but he, it’s like he becomes this whole other person when he’s with us as a group.’

The bridge of my nose begins to itch. ‘What’s he like with you, at home?’

Caz shrugs. ‘Keeps himself to himself most times. When we first got together, I think we had sex near enough every day, but that’s sort of worn off now.’

‘You . . . you don’t think he’s seeing someone else do you?’

‘It wouldn’t bother me if he was,’ Caz says sighing. ‘Like I said to you before, he’s great for me for now. But I can’t see it lasting. I definitely don’t want to spend the rest of my life with him, you know.’

So there could be a chance that things might fizzle out between them. I don’t know what to make of Caz’s remark about him keeping himself to himself.

‘You’ve never explained what he actually does, though, for work,’ I say.

‘Well, I’m not exactly going to shout about it in public,’ Caz says, dropping her voice.

Nerves attack my spine. ‘Is he . . .’

‘He does the odd bit of drug dealing here and there, nothing too terrible, but it keeps us going, you know.’

Nothing too terrible. Caz’s words are exploding like tiny fireworks in my mind.

I’m not sure if I would ever have had William pinned down as a drug dealer. But whatever it is he’s involved in, it doesn’t seem to bother Caz. I swallow. Perhaps Michelle was right in the first place to warn me about Caz and William. 

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Character List:

Angela Watkins - Protagonist 

Paul Watkins - Angela's husband

Rebecca Watkins - Angela's daughter 

Michelle Blake - Angela's former best friend 

Kirsty - Receptionist (Angela's friend) 

Olivia - Angela's boss

William Harris - Angela's former friend 

Caroline (Caz) - Angela's friend 

Hayley - Angela's former friend

Lauren - Angela's former friend