Billy and Me

  ‘Well, thank you,’ I say. Unsure what to do next, we stand in silence for a few seconds. ‘Are you staying for some coffee or having something to eat?’ I eventually ask.

  ‘Ah yes, please. A coffee would be great.’

  ‘Lovely. I’ll bring it over.’

  ‘Thanks,’ he says as he turns and heads straight to the same table he sat at yesterday.

  While his back is to me I let the excitement over his reappearance cause a massive grin to spread across my face; it takes a ridiculous amount of effort to stop myself from jumping up and down and cheering with joy.

  The stranger has his head buried in some papers again when I head over to him with his coffee, and on seeing me he closes the pile of papers and pops it down onto the table. I can’t help but read the writing on the front as I lower the coffee in front of him.

  ‘Ah, so you are working on Pride and Prejudice!’ I exclaim.

  ‘I sure am. Hence all the talking to myself,’ he says as he raises his eyebrows. ‘I’ve been learning lines. Well, trying to.’

  ‘So your odd behaviour makes sense, then! Miss Brown will be thrilled to hear that.’

  ‘Good,’ he smiles.

  My eyes widen and almost bulge out of my head as a thought dawns on me that he must have some insider’s knowledge.

  ‘You’ll finally be able to end all the rumours then – on who’s playing Mr Darcy?’

  ‘Well –’

  ‘All the schoolgirls that come in here have been harping on about this teen hot-shot bagging the role, apparently he did some big trilogy thingamabob – not my cup of tea really, never seen it. Erm, Billy something …?’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘Mmm … but me, I’m hoping for Jude Law,’ I declare.

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yep … I know it’s a long shot but he’d be much better at it than some newbie heart-throb who probably doesn’t know the first thing about romance or desire. So, do you have any idea if you’ll be joined by the one and only Mr Law?’

  He stares at me for a few seconds before saying, ‘Actually I’m not on set until tomorrow, so hopefully I’ll find out then.’

  ‘In that case you’d better come back and tell me everything!’

  ‘I’ll be sure to,’ he smiles. I can’t help but smile back.

  ‘Right, I’d better get back to work.’

  He says nothing, just simply continues to smile back at me.

  As I get up and walk away I’m in shock that I managed to stop being such a nervous buffoon and hold a conversation with this stranger, even if I did become a tad giddy. I have no idea what came over me. Perhaps I’m more excited about this film being made than I thought, or perhaps it was something to do with the concern on his face yesterday, and the fact that he came back. With flowers.

  I can feel the stranger’s eyes on me as I start baking muffins for the after-school rush. Every time I look up he is watching me intensely but looks away abruptly as soon as my eyes find his, rubbing his fingers against his forehead as if deep in thought, as though he wasn’t looking at me after all. Usually attention like this is the sort of thing I try to avoid, as it tends to make me feel uneasy and want to disappear, but there’s something about this guy that I find intriguing. I want to know more about him. Unfortunately those feelings still don’t stop my cheeks from turning a deep shade of pink at the realization that I’m being watched!

  I’ve only just placed the muffins on a plate when the door opens and in walk Janet, Ella and Charlotte with a few of their friends, all nattering about the latest teen drama.

  ‘Well, I heard that Matthew only said he liked Michelle to make Sarah jealous,’ declares Ella in a know-all tone.

  ‘I wouldn’t be so sure,’ says one of the girls I don’t recognize. ‘He’s taken her to the park to hang out. So he must like her.’

  ‘We’ll see …’ says Ella with a smug smirk.

  I can’t help but sigh at the drama of it all.

  ‘Hiya! Can we have a pot of peppermint tea and muffins for six, please?’ asks Charlotte politely as they all gather around the counter.

  ‘Of course,’ I say. I start to make up the pot of tea while they all choose their muffins.

  ‘They are all skinny muffins, aren’t they, Sophie?’ enquires Janet with a suspicious glare. A few months ago I accidentally gave them normal muffins (much to their horror), and this has led Janet to continually double-check that I’m not serving them a fat-infested treat instead.

  ‘Yes, Janet. I made them es—’

  I’m interrupted by Ella, who unleashes the loudest and shrillest shriek I’ve ever heard.

  ‘AHHHH! IT’S BILLY BUSKIN!’ she cries.

  Luckily I’ve put the pot of boiling water down on the side before the rest of the girls join in with her madness. It’s the handsome newcomer who is making the girls act in such a bizarre way. Janet instantly pulls out her mobile phone and starts taking pictures of him, Ella runs over and almost rugby tackles him to the ground, and one of the girls I don’t know actually starts hysterically crying …

  Oh. My. God.

  I feel like shrinking behind the counter and hiding until they all leave as it suddenly dawns on me that he is the Hollywood hotshot that they’ve all been raving about. He is Billy Buskin – the one they’ve all got posters of pinned up on their walls. Why didn’t that possibility even cross my mind? And why didn’t he tell me? He listened to me harping on about blooming Jude Law and let me continue to talk about how I thought that this ‘Billy Something’ wouldn’t have the first clue about passion or desire. So, basically, he was ridiculously kind to me yesterday, bought me flowers today and then I insulted him in a roundabout way by saying I thought he would be rubbish in the role. Crap! Oh what a nitwit!

  I focus on finishing the girls’ order as I attempt to compose myself, which isn’t easy to do when I can feel my cheeks getting redder by the second and am having to fight the urge to burst out crying with embarrassment.

  Billy, on the other hand, is a dream. He’s more than welcoming to the school rabble as he signs their school books, has photos taken with them, and speaks to one of their absent friends on the phone. He even laughs politely at their jokes and answers all their intrusive and personal questions.

  Eventually, the girls start to calm down when I take the pot of tea and muffins over to their table, although they continue to act in peculiar ways. Janet tries her best to sit in a seductive fashion (legs crossed, chest forward) whilst pouting her lips, Charlotte and Ella can’t help but sit and stare in silence, and the sobbing friend continues to sniff away – they’re all still in disbelief at having stumbled across their heart-throb in their local teashop.

  It comes as no surprise when Billy decides to pack up and leave following all the excitement. As he comes up to the counter to pay his bill I struggle to make eye contact and am all too aware that my burning cheeks have caused me to resemble a flaming tomato. Even though I’m not looking at him I can make out the smile on his face as I hand him his bill.

  Ten seconds of excruciating silence follows before he hands over some cash, leans in and quietly says, ‘So, turns out I’m the newbie heart-throb you mentioned.’

  ‘So I see …’ I mumble.

  ‘And I do happen to know who’s playing Darcy … I would’ve said, I was going to – it’s just that once it was clear you favoured Jude for the role I didn’t quite know how to break the news.’

  ‘Well, I’m very disappointed,’ I say, whilst raising my eyebrows and shaking my head.

  ‘That the teen hotshot is playing Mr Darcy?’

  ‘No …’ I say, finally looking him in the eye. ‘That I won’t get to meet Jude Law.’ This causes him to rock his head backwards and let out another almighty laugh, which this time he is happy to let boom around the shop and doesn’t try to cover up, even though it causes the girls to turn around and gawp some more.

  ‘I’ve got to say, service in this place is a little peculiar, you’re either having mini episodes
and causing customers to wait on you in some twisted weird role-reversal thingy, or you’re insulting them. Very strange approach to customer service, but it must be working because I can’t wait to see what’ll happen next time I’m in.’ Then he quietly adds, ‘Although it’ll have to be during school hours of course.’ With a quick wink and a broad smile, he turns away from the counter, shouts a quick goodbye to his star-struck admirers and walks out of the shop. Leaving me to stare after him.

  As soon as he is out of sight, Molly rushes over, ‘I told you I recognized him!’

  ‘Oh, Molly …’

  ‘What, pet?’

  ‘I’ve just made an absolute idiot of myself!’ I say, burying my face in my hands.

  ‘As if!’

  ‘No, seriously …’ I quickly fill her in on our exchanges, all the time getting hotter with embarrassment, whilst my eyes prickle with threatening tears. Molly stops me and holds both my shoulders so that I’m looking straight at her.

  ‘Soph, that young man came in to see if you were feeling better and bought you flowers. He hasn’t been able to take his eyes off you since he came in – and I noticed that before I knew he was some blooming fancy film star! I’m telling you, he’ll be back before you know it.’

  ‘I doubt that, Molly!’ I blub, as I give up and let the tears stream down my face.

  ‘Well, I guess only time will tell!’ she says, as she guides me into her arms for a warm embrace.

  4

  I don’t read on my journey to work the following morning. I’m not in the mood. Whereas the night before I suffered from a lack of sleep due to excitement, last night I was left staring at the ceiling all night as I was burdened with the overwhelming sense of dread and humiliation. So, instead, on today’s walk, I kick at little stones and fallen branches on the pathway, releasing some of the anger I feel towards myself.

  As I walk out from the alleyway onto the High Street I’m surprised when I look up the hill to see a figure standing on the doorstep of the cafe, peering through the windows. It doesn’t take me long to realize it’s Billy. A wave of nervous excitement rushes over me as I continue to walk towards him.

  ‘What are you doing here so early?’ I ask.

  ‘Ah, Sophie! There you are!’ he says, blowing onto his fingers in an attempt to warm them in the crisp spring morning air. ‘I wasn’t sure when you opened.’

  ‘Not until eight, so you’ve got quite a wait.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘Bugger.’

  ‘I would invite you in but I can’t offer you anything hot until everything’s heated up. So no coffee, I’m afraid.’

  ‘I don’t mind something cold until then! I couldn’t just perch at a table and work on my script while you bake or whatever, could I?’ he asks with pleading eyes.

  I know that Molly won’t mind. In fact, I know she’ll be beside herself and bursting to point out that she was correct about him coming back.

  ‘Ok, come on in, then.’ I sigh, unlocking the door and letting us both in.

  ‘Thank you. I’ve got to be on set at nine anyway, so I won’t stay too long.’

  ‘You’re still working on your script, then?’

  ‘Well, I guess you could say that I keep getting distracted,’ he says with a glimmering smile in my direction. ‘I think I’ll blame Miss Brown for kicking it all off with her suspicious mind.’

  And me, for a variety of things, I think. ‘Well, I don’t think she’ll be doing that again – not now that she knows she’s in the presence of greatness. In fact, I bet she’s been on the phone all night to everyone she knows gushing about you. She’ll have been telling anyone who’ll listen that she knew there was something “special” about you from the start.’

  I swear I can actually see Billy’s cheeks redden as he mumbles, ‘I’m sure she hasn’t.’

  I find myself taken back by this bashful side of him. After all, he’s a Hollywood superstar; aren’t actors meant to have huge egos and think incredibly highly of themselves? Surely he is used to better praise than that.

  ‘Right,’ I say, aware of the time. ‘I’ve got to crack on with the baking.’ I nod towards the oven. ‘Can I get you anything?’

  ‘No, no, no. I’m fine. Just … act like I’m not here.’

  I give him a slight smile before heading behind the counter to the ovens where I whip up the morning batch of muffins, cupcakes, bread and a special carrot cake for Mrs Wallis who has her family over for the weekend. I’m almost finished when I hear Molly swing through the door at seven forty-five, ready to knock together her signature scones. I watch her stop in confusion when she sees Billy sat at a table, and then break out in a smile. I know instantly what she’s thinking.

  ‘Back again already, Mr Buskin? I didn’t expect to see you so soon. At least not until opening hours anyway.’

  ‘I wasn’t sure what time you opened, but thankfully I was let in to get on with some work.’

  ‘Hmm. Sophie’s good like that. I’ll leave you to get on with it. Let us know if you need anything.’

  Molly’s still smirking when she comes behind the counter and removes her coat. ‘Good morning, my dear,’ she says to me, before giving me a big wink and mouthing the words, ‘See? What did I say?’ I can’t help but blush.

  Having finished my contribution to the morning load I watch Billy, who is still looking increasingly wound up at the papers in front of him. In an attempt to make up for my appalling behaviour, I decide to say thank you and sorry by taking him a pot of coffee and some freshly baked breakfast muffins. He looks up in surprise when I place the loaded tray onto his table.

  ‘What’s this for?’

  ‘It looked like you could do with it. Your frown lines have been getting increasingly worse for the last hour – not good news for someone who’s face regularly gets blown up to the size of a house!’ The words spurt out of my mouth before I have a chance to sensor myself. ‘I mean in cinemas, because the screens are so big. I’m not saying you have a big head or anything.’ I’m aware of myself rapidly turning into a bumbling buffoon, but Billy takes the comment the way I originally intended and he begins laughing out loud uncontrollably, yet again.

  Once he has calmed down he looks down at the pages in his hands and whimpers, ‘It’s just these lines I’m trying to learn … Actually,’ he says as his eyes twinkle with an idea, ‘I don’t suppose you could sit and go over them with me, could you? It’s just so much easier to do if you have someone to read out loud with.’

  I contemplate saying no, but somehow Billy’s pleading eyes win me over.

  ‘Hand them over,’ I say, holding out my hand. ‘I’m no professional but I did do my fair share of amateur dramatics when I was younger.’ A slight white lie; I’ve only ever had one experience of acting, and that was when I played the Wicked Witch of the East in a local children’s production of The Wizard of Oz, when I was nine. You know, the one that dies as soon as she appears? I think the part is usually just a pair of stuffed stockings, but seeing as I’d been paying two pounds a week to be part of the club they had to do something with me. Mum and Dad said they’d never seen the character played with such enthusiasm, which I took for a compliment at the time.

  Billy smiles as I pull out a chair, sit down and join him. ‘Thank you. Are you sure I’m not distracting you from your work?’

  ‘Sadly not,’ I smile. ‘Our regulars won’t start coming in for at least another half hour. Now, where should we go from?’

  With a huge grin, he says, ‘Let’s go from the top of the page, from “Come, Darcy”. Do you know the book at all?’

  ‘Yes … it’s one of my favourites,’ I admit.

  ‘Ahh, so you know what’s happening.’

  ‘Yep. Ok … here goes. “Come, Darcy,” ’ I put on a deep and manly Mr Bingley voice as I start, causing Billy to laugh. ‘Oi, you can’t laugh at me!’ I say, pretending to be offended by his outburst.

  ‘Sorry!’

  I keep up wit
h the silly voice, but with less gusto than before, as I continue, ‘ “Come, Darcy, I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance.” ’

  ‘ “I certainly shall not,” ’ starts Billy. ‘ “You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such a … gathering”?’ His face squirms as he looks at me for confirmation or a correction.

  ‘Assembly.’

  ‘Right, sorry – “At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand.” ’

  ‘ “Up with” … there’s an “up with” at the end of that.’

  ‘Ah … “whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with.” ’

  ‘ “I would not be so fastidious as you are for a kingdom! Upon my honour, I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life, as I have this evening; and there are several of them you see uncommonly pretty.” ’

  ‘ “You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room.” ’ Something about the way he slowly says the last part of the line, as his eyes penetrate mine with such meaning, catches me by surprise and renders me breathless, causing me to momentarily forget what I’m doing.

  ‘Errr … sorry, lost where I am,’ I say, flustered as my eyes search up and down the page. ‘Oh yes. “Oh! She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and dare I say, very agreeable …” ’

  We work our way through the scene a few times, followed quickly by two others, before customers start coming into the shop and Molly starts to look snowed under, meaning we have to stop. To be honest, I’m glad to step away as I kept finding myself getting more and more muddled, whereas Billy seemed to be getting more confident with his lines and blowing me away – causing more awkward pauses.

  As it nears nine o’clock Billy turns to me with a whimsical smile as he makes to leave.