Extract 3 Poppy Love and the Devil (working title only)

‘Well, do you?’1

‘Do I what?’2

‘Have great hair.’3

‘I can have whatever I like.’4

Suddenly decided I’d had enough of talking to the back of his hood, it was about time he started doing as he was told. And his games and riddles were really starting to seriously wind me up.5

‘Well, talking of which,’ I began but he interrupted. ‘You want me to change so you can see me?’6

I nodded.7

‘So?’8

‘So what?’9

‘What do you want me to do? How do you want me to look?’10

How does a girl answer that one? Not surprisingly my mind completely wipes itself and now I’ve no idea how I want him to look.11

‘Can’t you just look like yourself?’12

‘Do you want to go mad?’13

‘Would you really be that hideous?’14

‘Not at all, just different. So? How do you want me?’ he repeated, a faint trace of impatience again sneaking in.15

‘Oh, I don’t know! You decide for once.’16

And can you believe it he sighed melodramatically, tutted in a way that’d make even Elly jealous (and she’s the queen of the heavy sigh) and simply melted. Came back pretty smartish before I could even open up this file and OMG I just couldn’t believe it. There’s no way on this earth he could go around looking like that. He wasn’t happy.17

‘Why? Don’t you like this? Friendly and intelligent,’ he frowned at me from behind his geeky square specs (a bit like the ones Mum makes Dad sometimes wear) and pushed his messy quiff out of his eyes. Are you getting the picture yet?18

‘You go around looking like that and you’ll get zillions of little kids chasing after you. Not to mention dribbling women begging for a glimpse of your sonic whatsit. Go and change – please!’19

Honestly, you just can’t get the demons nowadays. Now, whilst I’m not adverse to a little bit of that, it’s too well known, too popular, and I don’t particularly like sharing.20

Well he came back again almost immediately, completely transformed but I couldn’t believe it. True he was still very tall, but darker, edgier and definitely as Elly might say, fit. Thing is though, it was bloody Heathcliff, or rather my mother’s fantasy Heathcliff. He was quite offended when I said I didn’t want this one either. 21

‘And what’s wrong with me this time?’22

I tried to explain how I wasn’t quite my mother (yet) but he was gone before I could even finish my sentence in a definite whiff of angry sulphur.23

It was only with his fifth attempt I smelt a definite pattern.24

‘Not him,’ was all I managed before he started.25

‘Honestly, there’s no pleasing you. What’s wrong with me now? I’ve got great hair, certain geeky charm, so tell me why isn’t this to your liking madam? Have you any idea how uncomfortable all this changing is? Growing a beard’s not that easy you know. You try tattooing yourself in seconds, see if you like it.’26

‘Listen, you just don’t get it, do you? Look, you bound by some sort of rule in all this changing?’27

He looked a bit shifty then, his eyes roaming towards my copy of the American Declaration of Independence. Ok, I know other girls my age might drool over the usual, but I’m me and I don’t. 28

‘There’s some sort of condition isn’t there?’ He thrust his hands into his pockets and carried on staring at the wall. 29

‘Come on, what is it?’30

‘I, er have to take on the form a client finds acceptable and if I’m not directly instructed I have to work with any available data.’31

‘What available data?’32

‘The data that’s available.’33

‘Don’t be smart.’34

‘Well, you might say I pick up clues from a client regarding his or her preferences.’35

‘But none of these are remotely connected with me, they’re all, hang on!’ Suddenly I realised exactly what data he was working with. ‘You know whose preferences these are, don’t you?’36

‘Not yours?’37

‘You know they’re not! It’s my bloody mother. I should’ve known. All those, those are men my mother fancies, they’re nothing to do with me.’38

‘What? Even this one?’39

‘Yes. Especially this one. My barking mad mother. She has a thing for all of them. Go on, come back as somebody normal. For me, not my mother.’40

Thankfully he got it right this time, and if I say so myself, he wasn’t at all bad. Not dribble inducingly fanciable of course but definitely acceptable. Putting it delicately, I wouldn’t say no, not that he’d be doing any asking of course. I mean, he’s still a demon underneath it all, isn’t he? Whilst I’m no expert in these matters (as I said I’m invisible to lads) I was quite impressed. So, he was about five tenish, hair not too short, and thankfully not that McFly look, I can’t stand it. Think they must spend longer than I do with the straighteners. The hoody and the All Stars made a reappearance, but like I said, I wanted normality, and cool, ripped jeans. For a final touch he’d kept the specs, I did like them and he looked, well, sweet, if that’s the right word. They type who’d be a little hesitant at first, you know the one who wouldn’t ram his tongue straight down your tonsils. I could get quite carried away here! He’d nuzzle your lips gently before anything else, not that I’ll ever know….41

‘Well?’ he turned around and blinked almost benignly at me. ‘Is this what you want? Or do I have to get you to fill in a questionnaire? Well?’42

To be honest I didn’t know what to say. Again.43

‘Well?’ he demanded, folding his arms in a very Elly-like way. I’d definitely have to keep him away from HER. Can you imagine it? ‘Will I do?’44

‘Yes,’ I nodded, still a bit shocked. ‘You’ll do.’45

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