Under the Arches

she had still found time to reflect on their conversations, and every time she did so more questions arose that needed answering.

  She popped round that evening, but Zeus did not appear to be at home. However, she could not be disheartened, and the next week continued in the same vein as the last. That Tuesday, with two further unsuccessful attempts at seeing Zeus under her belt, she was called into Mrs Adcock’s office. Their meetings had become almost a weekly event, but since Angelina had started putting more effort into her studies and was now outstripping the rest of her class by a country mile, the tone and content of them had changed.

  ‘Angelina I am so glad that you have managed to overcome your domestic hardships and are dedicating time to your studies.’

  ‘Domestic hardships?’ thought Angelina. Mrs Adcock really didn’t seem to have a clue about her personal circumstances, but that was nothing new. She smiled as sweetly as she could manage.

  ‘May I ask, what has prompted this sudden change of heart?’

  Mrs Adcock’s question was as honest and to the point as they always were, but this one caught Angelina off guard. She had not expected to explain her new found hunger for life.

  ‘Err… I found Jesus,’ she said, thinking honesty was the best policy and hoping it did not sound too clichéd. Mrs Adcock was a devout Christian and all the school knew it. At any other time Angelina would have never dreamed of admitting to sharing anything in common with Mrs Adcock, but she now felt compelled to share this with her.

  ‘My dear girl, that’s wonderful!’ said Mrs Adcock. Angelina had never seen her genuinely happy before. It was a little unnerving. ‘Once you have accepted the Lord into your heart then the world suddenly takes on a whole different shape. I found Jesus myself when I was about your age, although I had been going to church my whole life.’

  Angelina’s face brightened.

  ‘Really?’ she said. ‘Where did you find him?’

  ‘I’m sorry?’ said Mrs Adcock.

  ‘Jesus Miss, where did you find him?’

  ‘Why, in my heart, my dear. Where he had always been without my knowing.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Angelina frowning slightly. ‘Hmm…’

  ‘What’s the matter, my dear?’

  ‘Well, I found him under the Arches, over near the retail park,’ said Angelina.

  Mrs Adcock looked taken aback.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said again. ‘Are you saying that is where you were when your heart discovered him?’

  ‘No, I was round his house having dinner,’ said Angelina in a matter-of-fact way. ‘He showed me his music collection.’

  Mrs Adcock’s face broke into a deep scowl.

  ‘Angelina Marsh, it is not right to make fun of other people’s religions. You should know better than that.’

  ‘But I’m not Miss. I really saw him. He’s down the High Street most weekends selling the Big Issue.’

  ‘Angelina! If you say another word on the subject you’ll be in for a month’s worth of detention.’

  ‘But Miss!’

  Mrs Adcock held up her hand and Angelina knew there was no point in further protest. The deputy head went on to tell her that she wished for Angelina to stay behind on Mondays and Thursdays for extra tuition. She said that the school had recognised her need to be stretched and extra time would be made available to help her get the most out of her studies. She also went on to talk about how a few select students sometimes took one or two of their GCSEs early if they showed the right level of ability.

  Angelina listened politely, but her interest had waned following their disagreement and shades of the old Angelina had returned. She did her best to sound enthused when asked what she thought of the idea, but in reality her mind had already moved on to her next meeting with Zeus.

  It was beginning to get dark when she finally left the school and wandered back along Wiggenhall Road and up Deacons Hill towards her home. The sky was clouded with the threat of autumn’s late arrival, and as she walked through Oxhey Park at the top of the hill there was a sombre feeling in the air. She passed between the avenue of trees, and by the time she reached the door to the block of flats she had completely forgotten her conversation with Mrs Adcock. She went inside, changed out of her school uniform, and was back out of the door immediately, keen to see if Zeus was in.

  After her previous disappointments she was in luck this time. Light could be clearly seen coming from beneath the door, made all the more apparent by its absence on the previous days. When the traffic allowed she crossed onto the roundabout, but before she could even knock on the door it opened and Zeus almost knocked her over as he came out.

  ‘Blimey Angelina,’ he said, startled.

  ‘Not expecting me this time?’ she asked, smiling sweetly.

  ‘Well not right at this moment, but this evening certainly.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Angelina taken aback. ‘Do you… err… shall I come back later?’

  ‘No, no,’ said Zeus closing the door behind him and locking it with an odd-shaped key. ‘As long as you don’t mind a quick wander down to Tesco’s?’

  ‘No, that’s fine.’

  ‘Cool,’ said Zeus. They crossed to the pavement and began walking back through the retail park in the direction of the superstore. ‘It’s just I’ve been out of the country for a couple of days and there’s not much food in the fridge.’

  ‘Where have you been?’ asked Angelina.

  ‘Italy mainly. Thought I’d pay the pope a visit and see how he’s getting on.’

  ‘And how is he?’

  ‘Oh he’s fine. Just causing a spot of friction with his ill-timed comments on religion and other international matters. The usual sort of thing. I was supposed to get back yesterday, but my flight got delayed, then cancelled, and I had to spend the night at Rome airport. Anyway, how about yourself?’

  ‘Me? Oh I’ve been good,’ said Angelina. ‘Actually I’ve been more than good. I can’t remember a time when I had so much energy and motivation. I mean, I’ve actually been paying attention in class and have been putting some serious effort into my homework.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it,’ said Zeus. ‘It is important that you aim to reach your full potential.’

  ‘That’s what everyone says,’ replied Angelina. ‘It’s just I never felt the urge until now. I’ve even started participating more in PE, which is unheard of. And it’s all thanks to you.’

  ‘Me? Nah, all we did was have a bit of a chat, nothing more. All these negative thoughts are just up here,’ Zeus tapped his temple with his forefinger. ‘It was all down to you Angelina.’

  There was a pause while she considered this.

  ‘Well then,’ she said eventually. ‘Thanks for the chat.’

  They arrived at Tesco’s and found a trolley with vaguely enough working wheels to allow it to travel in a straight line. The Hallowe’en costumes were out on display and the TV screens hanging from the ceiling displayed the latest offers in store.

  ‘Hallowe’en already,’ remarked Angelina. ‘It barely feels like summer has ended.’

  ‘And before you know it the oranges and blacks will be replaced by the reds and whites of Christmas and then out come the yellows, greens and blues of Easter,’ said Zeus.

  ‘And then summer will be just around the corner again,’ added Angelina with a smile. ‘Seems there’s always something we should be celebrating. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day…’

  ‘… first clean pants after Pentecost,’ added Zeus.

  Angelina giggled.

  ‘I’m amazed by the people in this country,’ Zeus continued. ‘Any excuse for a celebration, but when it comes down to it, how many of them actually believe in what it’s all about?’

  ‘Well I certainly believe in clean pants, especially after Pentecost,’ said Angelina.

  ‘I’m glad. It’s an important time of year to have clean underwear.’

  They ambled around the shop and picked up what they needed as they went. The supermarket was bustling and t
here were trolleys at most of the checkouts down at the far end, so they wandered back towards the front of the store and eventually arrived at one of the self-service checkouts close to the main doors.

  ‘Scan or pack?’ asked Zeus.

  ‘I’ll pack if that’s OK?’ replied Angelina. ‘Mum never let me do it. She always said I’d do it wrong, but how can I learn if she never lets me try?’

  ‘Right you are then,’ said Zeus and he began taking their groceries from the trolley and putting them through the scanner; bread, milk, biscuits and bottle after bottle of mineral water.’

  ‘Is your tap water not good to drink or something?’ Angelina asked.

  ‘Oh no, it’s lovely in its own way,’ said Zeus.

  ‘The why all the bottled water?’

  ‘Err… best if I show you when we get back.’

  Zeus finished his scanning and brought up the total.

  ‘Twenty-five quid for that lot!’ he said, astonished. ‘Blimey, times have changed.’

  ‘Is it OK?’ asked Angelina anxiously. ‘I mean, do you have enough money?’

  ‘Oh, I’ll just stick it on my plastic,’ said Zeus. ‘It’s no trouble.’

  ‘You’ve got a credit card?’ said Angelina incredulously.

  ‘Debit card actually,’ said Zeus. ‘I opened up an account a few weeks ago. I don’t believe in credit cards. They’re bad news.’

  ‘This I’ve got to see,’ said Angelina.

  Zeus pulled out a battered old leather wallet from his back pocket and withdrew a shiny silver card from inside. He handed it to Angelina, who examined it with interest.

  ‘Mr R Sole?’ she read aloud. ‘Oh my Go… how rude!’