On his way out of the shop, in front of the fresh fruit display, he paused. Alice was standing there looking at apples, lifting the apples one after another and examining them for defects. Recognising her, he began to stand a little differently, straighter. It was not clear at first whether he would greet her or just exit without saying hello – he himself didn’t seem to know. Holding the ready meal in one hand, he tapped it on the side of his leg absent-mindedly. At that, maybe hearing him or just becoming aware of his presence in her peripheral vision, she did turn, and noticed him, and immediately tucked her hair behind her ears.
Hello there, she said.
Hey. How are you getting on?
I’m good, thanks.
Make any friends yet? he asked.
Absolutely not.
He smiled, tapped the ready meal on his leg again, and looked around at the exit. Ah here, he said. What are we going to do with you? You’ll go mad up there on your own.
Oh, I already am, she said. But then maybe I already was before I arrived.
Mad, were you? You seemed pretty normal to me.
Not a word I often hear in connection with myself, but thank you.
They stood there looking at one another until she lowered her eyes and touched her hair again. He glanced over his shoulder once more at the exit, and then back at her. It was difficult to tell if he was enjoying her discomfort or simply taking pity on her. For her part, she seemed to feel obliged to continue standing there as long as he wanted to talk.
Have you given up on the old dating app, then? he said.
With a smile, looking directly at him, she replied: Yes, the last attempt didn’t exactly inspire confidence, if you don’t mind my saying so.
Did I put you off men entirely?
Oh, not just men. People of all genders.
He laughed and said: I didn’t think I was that bad.
No, you weren’t. But I was.
Ah, you were alright.
He frowned in the direction of the fresh vegetables before speaking again. She looked more relaxed now and watched him neutrally.
You could come around the house tonight if you want to meet people, he said. Some of the gang from work will be there.
Are you having a party?
He made a face. I don’t know, he said. I mean, there will be people there, so. A party or whatever you would call it, yeah. Nothing big, though.
She nodded, moving her mouth around without showing her teeth. That sounds nice, she said. You’ll have to remind me where you live.
I’ll throw it into Google Maps for you if you have it, he said.
She took her phone from her pocket and opened the app. Handing him the device, she said: Are you off work today?
He typed his address into the search bar without looking up. Yeah, he said. They have me on really random shifts this week. He handed her back the phone to show her the address: 16 Ocean Rise. The screen displayed a network of white streets on a background of grey, beside a blue area representing the sea. Sometimes they hardly need you in there at all, he added. And then some weeks you’re in every day. Drives me mad. He looked around again at the till, seemingly in a different mood now. I’ll see you this evening, will I? he said.
If you’re sure you’d like me to come, she answered.
Up to yourself. I would go off my bean if I was out there on my own all day. But maybe you like it.
No, I don’t really. I’d like to come, thank you for asking me.
Yeah, well, no big deal, he said. There’ll be a fair few people there anyway. See you later, then, have a good day.
Without making eye contact with her again, he turned around and left the shop. She looked back at the box of fresh apples, and, as if now feeling it would be inappropriate to continue examining them in any detail, as if the whole process of searching for bruises on the exterior surface of fruit had been rendered ridiculous and even shameful, she picked one up and proceeded to the refrigerator aisle.
/
16 Ocean Rise was a semi-detached house, with the projecting left half of the facade in red brick and the right half painted white. A low wall separated its concrete front yard from that of its neighbour. The curtains were drawn on the window facing the street, but the lights were on inside. Alice stood at the door wearing the same clothes she had been wearing earlier. She had put powder on her face, which made her skin look dry, and she was carrying a bottle of red wine in her left hand. She rang the bell and waited. After a few seconds, a woman about her own age opened the door. Behind her the hallway was bright and noisy.
Hi, said Alice. Does Felix live here?
Yeah, yeah. Come on in.
The woman let her inside and closed the door. In her hand she was holding a chipped mug that seemed to contain some kind of cola. I’m Danielle, she said. The lads are just down here. In the kitchen at the end of the hall, six men and two women were seated in various positions around the table. Felix was sitting on the counter by the toaster, drinking directly from a can. He didn’t get up when he saw Alice enter, he just nodded