She doesn't want to talk!

Your chance didn't come at Poperinge; the **** cells where deserters were executed were way too closed in for a heart to heart and you felt a cloying impropriety about discussing your first foray into a sex life at a place where a hundred years before terrified lads scarcely older than you were being lined up to shoot a comrade.

But Essex Farm cemetery provided ample space and you caught each other at the monument to the Yorkshire West Riding regiment.

"...Ange" You spoke meekly, you sensed something was wrong. Well, not wrong but awkward.

"Oh I can't do this!" She seemed almost hysterical.

"Hey, hey it's okay Ange, rela..."

She tearfully hurried away and you hadn't the conviction to pursue. Shit. Now you felt like some kind of ****. You remembered how much she'd drunk and had a horrible worry she thought you'd taken advantage of her.

What if she told Mason? Or the fucking police?

Bryony intercepted you as you descended from the monument and took the footpath towards the former field hospital.

"Bryony, I" you began, your face white with fear.

"Elliott, just give her a bit of space. She feels like shit and she has a boyfriend." Your eyes widened at the realisation that Bryony knew. The pretty, alternative girl with her colourful hair and nose piercing held her camera in one hand.

"She said you two fooled around. She just feels really guilty because she cheated on Mason and you like that Lily girl in your year. She thinks she's a slut."

"She isn't at all. We were both a bit wasted and I hardly even know Lily. I should've known better. I made all the fucking moves."

"She doesn't blame you. She's just horrified Mason will find out. Elliott, she hasn't done anything before. Even with him."

Your head span. You'd shared your first experience with her. No wonder she wasn't on any birth control. "Fuck. No way Bry, I"

"Her parents are super-strict. If they found out what you two got up to she'd be home-schooled or something!"

You thought a moment and asked "can I have her number? Can I message her. Apologise or some shit?"

Bryony sighed but smiled. "Tell you what, I'll add you to the group chat with the Room 1 crowd. You hung with us both evenings and that'd give you Ange's number without it being obvious."

You thanked her and she surprised you by giving you a hug. "Look. Relax. She enjoyed it- she just... it's more complicated for her, yeah?"

You nodded. You had nothing to lose. In fact if it got out, it'd massively improve your reputation. Ange's would be destroyed. It really wasn't fair for girls.

On the way back to the town for some last day souvenir shopping, you saw you were added to the WhatsApp group "Rm1 Posse".

Alright. Time to try and make amends...