Chapter 21
Hetty hadn’t done as much theoretical physics as she would have liked yet, but at least her computer classes were progressing well.
She’d started writing a daily diary on Substack and had even managed to open something called an Instagram account, thanks to Stella and her favourite classmate Elsie, a former photographer.
More unnervingly, it was staring right back.
Stella chuckled. ‘You’d almost think you’d never seen a tiger in your life before, Hetty. Not even in a book.’
Hetty bit her lip. Oh, how little she knew of the truth. She tore her eyes away from the tiger and into the even more entrancing gaze of Stella, who was holding two sticks of—
‘What … what’s this?’
Stella’s face twisted into utter disbelief, before she turned her head and took a huge bite out of one of the pink clouds next to her. ‘Candy floss, silly.’
Hetty was still exploring the mysterious qualities of the candyfloss – what little there was left of it – when they reached the zebra enclosure.
‘They’re … stripey. Stripey horses? How completely bizarre.’
She’d given up hiding her astonishment now, and to her immense relief Stella had likewise seemingly given up on astonishment at Hetty’s constant astonishment.
‘You’re hilarious, Hetty. It’s like you’re some posh old Tudor lady in the body of a cute brunette.’
‘Tudor?! And … you think I’m cute?’
Stella laughed and nudged Hetty in the side. ‘Obviously you’re cute. Especially when you let me steal your candyfloss.’
Hetty grinned, feeling daylight flooding her as she handed over the rest of her bright pink miracle, and then started awkwardly as Stella linked their arms.
‘What next?’ she asked, her voice shaking slightly.
‘Hmm. How do you feel about meerkats?’
‘Good. Great. Wonderful. I feel just excellent about meerkats. Lead the way.’
‘You don’t know what a meerkat is, do you?’
‘Not a clue.’
There was some invisible bond pulling them together, Hetty thought, and it seemed to pull tighter as the day went on.
Bessie wouldn’t believe her eyes if she saw me now.
Oh, how she wished she could share these feelings with someone – and yet at the same time, they seemed too private, too precious to share with a single soul.
As a young girl, Hetty had never met handsome princes or dashing knights in her dreams. They had always been full of princesses instead. And even in the wildest ones, no warrior queen or ethereal angel had been quite so spectacular or blinding as Stella.
‘Come on, we have to do this! I freaking love these!’
Stella was pulling her towards a board gaudily painted with cartoon animals – the faces had been cut out. Stella handed her phone to a confused-looking tourist. Hetty hesitated for a moment, but, though it was hard to explain, the pull of Stella’s hand on her wrist wasn’t just physical.
‘Say cheese!’ Stella called to Hetty.
‘Cheese!’
They emerged from behind the cut-out and looked at their photos – Hetty as an elephant, Stella the giraffe – and electricity seemed to crackle between them.
She’d never danced a waltz, never even attended a dance, but suddenly Hetty felt the desire to twirl and spin and dance until she was dizzy.
The world seemed to shine around her in a new, vivid way which totally eclipsed the simple satisfaction she’d always found in her studies.
As they walked towards the lion enclosure – and before she even knew what she was doing – Hetty’s hand brushed against Stella’s.
Hetty pulled her hand back. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean—’
‘To hold my hand?’ Stella asked, taking Hetty’s hand in hers. ‘That’s a shame, because I like it.’
Hetty stared at Stella and felt a sudden, intense urge to kiss her, tingles running between their joined hands. She blinked it away.
‘Is this a bit much for you, Hetty?’ said Stella.
‘Maybe a little. Only … only a very little, though.’
A crowd had appeared out of nowhere and they turned to see what was going on. To their surprise, a lioness had appeared at the window. Their hands gripped more tightly than ever.
The lioness watched them quizzically for a moment, before abruptly turning and calmly prowling over to her mate.
Hetty turned in delight, only to find Stella watching her. Stella reached over to push a loose strand of hair behind Hetty’s ear, and Hetty found herself wishing she were a little braver – that she could embrace her inner lioness.