There were hundreds of people on the boat. It was hot in the sun, a lovely day. People watched the sea and the small boats. I liked being in the sun and thinking about the two weeks holiday in

Spain. Old Webb started

Mmm. She's nice.

one of his stories about

And she's looking at me!

Argentina, but I didn't

listen. I started to look at

the people. And this girl was

there, near me, a really good-

looking girl with nice brown

eyes and black hair.

18

I'm really shy and I'm not very good with girls. I didn't talk to her then, but I w a t c h e d her with her sister and her m o t h e r and father. Then they walked away and she smiled at me for a

moment before they

went. My brother

Hey! She's smiling at

Dave saw her,

you . . . and you re all red

and he laughed

in the face - you're in love!

quietly at my

Hey, man! You're in love!

red face.

19

I wanted to see her again, perhaps in the cafe at lunch-time, or perhaps in the cinema in the afternoon.

But she wasn't there and I don't remember the film.

In the evening we had a drink with Old Webb and Lovely Lucrezia (that's our name for Mrs Webb). After that Dave and Harry went to the disco — they wanted to meet some girls. I don't like dancing, but I went to the disco later: I wanted to see her again, the lovely girl with the dancing brown eyes and the nice smile.

20

It was dark in the disco, and I stood near the door and watched the dancers. T h e n I saw her on the dance-floor . . . and she was with Dave! With my brother, Dave! She smiled at him, too, a lovely smile.

I didn't want to watch; I walked out. I went and looked at the sea and thought about things quietly. I thought about her, her and Dave.

Oh no! She's with Dave!

21

I was up early in the morning, before six o'clock. I went out again and watched the early morning sun and the sea. There was only one old man and the sea birds there with me. The old man smiled at me, but we didn't talk. I liked being quiet.

I went in and had a coffee in the cafe, but I didn't want to eat. All the time I wanted to see her. I wanted her to walk into the cafe and come across to my table and sit down with me and tell me her name and talk to me. But she didn't come. I waited and waited, but she didn't come.

22

At eight o'clock I went to find Nick and Dave.

Dave was very quiet all day, and he was really nice to me. And I didn't see her again before we arrived in Santander at eleven.

She wasn't there.

Will she come?