Read Off Limits for Free Online Page B

number plate twice in one day.
We couldn’t prove that it was the same car that had followed us before. “I bet
they wouldn’t even look into it, though. Don’t we need some proof or
something?”
     
    “I guess you’ll
have to google it and let me know or something. I’ve got no internet access at
mine.”
     
    I made a mental
note to do that, but it would be on my mind so much there was no chance I’d
forget. Having an apparent stalker wasn’t something I was likely to just forget
about. “Sure.”
     
    At Luke’s house,
my nerves hadn’t completely calmed. I still found myself staring around before
getting out of the car and my hands were permanently clammy. How was I supposed
to ever feel safe again after this?
     
    Inside, Luke
greeted his mother and we all sat ourselves down in the living room. “Do we
have any chips?” He checked. “I need something quick to put in the oven for us
to eat.”
     
    “Yes! And some
fish fingers, too, and I bought a gorgeous loaf of bread this morning. That’s a
good tea right there.”
     
    He excused himself
and I was left alone with this mother. It was probably awkward enough already,
but I only made it worse by saying something stupid. It had been occupying my
mind ever since I’d been offered the job, though, and I really just wanted to
help.
     
    My parents were
fucked, but at least Angela and Luke could be happy. I might resent him for it
sometimes, but he most definitely deserved better than a chippy. And his mum
seemed nice enough, too.
     
    “They offered me a
job at the same place Luke worked today,” I was rushing my words and my fingers
were white from clasping them together so hard, but I needed to say this before
Luke came back. “And Luke told me about all the stuff you’re going through and…
well, I wanted to offer you half my pay check. And I’m really not trying to be
like charitable or anything like that, I don’t know if Luke said anything, but
my parents are going through a messy divorce right now and there’s really
nothing I can do about that, but well… I really, I really kind of like Luke and
I think he deserves not to have to worry about this so I’m just offering for
him. If that makes sense.”
     
    Angela was
watching me with wide eyes and her mouth opened and closed once in silence. “I
really can’t take money from you, I’m sorry.”
     
    It was of course
the first response, it had to be to be polite, but I really wanted to do this.
My mother spent her spare cash on fancy clothes and stupid furniture that didn’t
fit in our house. It was almost a blessing if she had to spend some of that on
petrol and my insurance. Whereas Luke, he was nice and I was in the stupid
phase where I fancied the pants off him.
     
    I just wanted to
help someone out.
     
    “I know that you
think I’m probably being weird or something, and I’m really trying not to be
patronising, I just want to help. It would only be half my pay check, it
probably wouldn’t even be that much money.”
     
    Angela couldn’t
even look at me, but I knew she was dying to say yes. It was an irresistible
offer and I was genuine. I hoped that came across. “I would pay you back every
penny, with interest, if you wanted.”
     
    “There’s no point
in putting you in even more debt. Just take the money.”
     
    I’d never really
done anything genuinely nice for someone before. I mean, minor things, of
course, but I’d never given to charity or volunteered or gone out of my way to
do something. This took limited effort and it made me feel incredibly good
about myself.
     
    I was consumed in
a hug. “I’ll never be able to repay you for this.”
     
    “I don’t want you
to, and I don’t want you to tell Luke, if he starts acting all soppy then I’ll
be really sad. I just want things to stay the same, but for him to not have so
much of a burden, you know?”
     
    “Thank you,” it
was a teary hug that went on almost uncomfortably long. I really didn’t want