Alice was walking on air as they went through the streets to find a taxi. There was no point trying to get one in the throng spilling out of the Dog & Duck. The chances of getting into a cat fight or having someone vomit on your shoes were much higher.

"I think I'm in lust," she told them. "He kisses better than any guy I've ever known."

"You haven't kissed every guy you've ever known," Jules said.

But nothing could dampen Alice's spirits. Even with the alcohol wearing off she was in a buoyant mood.

Jules had to practically pull her out of the path of a car. "Have you taken something?" she asked.

"No, I'm just high on life."

"I wouldn't be if I were you. You won't be singing on Monday morning when he spots you in assembly. Or tomorrow morning given how much you've drunk."

They were all heading back to Jules' house. Her parents were the most laid back about them returning in the early hours. Becky's parents had no idea how late they stayed out.

Becky herself was also elated, gushing about her cricketer. "Brett's only twenty-two and his mum's a nurse just like mine."

"Come on, we'll go to the taxi rank in the High Street or we'll never make it home," Jules said. She was usually the party animal of the three so it was odd for her to be like this.

"Why are you on such a downer?" Alice asked. "Is it because you didn't pull?"

"I did pull if you must know. He asked for my number but he's not my type."

"He was nice looking," Becky said.

"It takes more than that. He was too wholesome."

The other two were in fits of laughter at this. "You play Captain Sensible all night and then you complain because the guy who hits on you is too wholesome? You were the one who set us all up with them."

Alice guessed that Jules was worried about Mr Walker. Jules was trying to stay out of trouble that term, the last thing she wanted was a suspension before their final exams. She'd got her dream offer to read law at one of the best universities in the country but she needed top results in her A-levels to take it up.

Not that she was the only one. Alice was hoping to do veterinary science which was even more competitive. Though she did have a few more options in front of her.

Her spirits were still soaring as they rode in the taxi. She felt warm and happy all over. A gorgeous man kissed me, she thought. An actual man. Not a schoolboy.

"Did Brett say when he'd call you?" she asked Becky. She hadn't given a lot of thought to what she would actually do if Mr Walker did try and contact her. She wanted him to, of course, but she had no idea where it could go if he did.

"No, but he said he'd call me for next weekend."

"Does he know you're still at school?" Alice asked.

"Yes but he didn't seem bothered by it."

Jules made a sarcastic noise from the front seat. "I don't think your Romeo will be quite so laid back, Alice."

"Maybe I could just avoid him at school all week. Make sure I don't go near the cricket pitches."

But there were a thousand places she could bump into him. Assembly. The dining hall. The main corridor past the staff room. Anywhere else in the grounds.

"Maybe you'd better just get it over with," Becky suggested. "Perhaps he'll be cool about it. After all, you are eighteen."

"He could get sacked, Becky. And we'd probably all get suspended or even expelled if they found out we were going about the town with fake ID and getting off with county cricketers," Jules said.

It was a strange thing being eighteen. In theory they were adults and could do what they liked. In practice there were a whole host of rules about upholding the school's reputation that they could still fall foul of.

"Your best bet," Jules continued, "is that he sees you, gets over his shock, and completely blanks you. Never refers to it again. It's not like you need to have any dealings with him, is it?"

This was true. But Alice wasn't sure she just wanted to forget about it.

They arrived at Jules' house, split the cost of the taxi fare, and crept inside as quietly as possible. Jules' parents - her father and stepmother - were pretty tolerant but they didn't want to push their luck.

"You're lucky having Kate you know," Alice said, referring to Jules' stepsister. Kate was the same age as them but she went to a different school.

"How so?"

"She's blazed the trail for you. She's always had loads of freedom so now your dad has to treat you the same."

Jules' father had remarried when she was fourteen, and though she didn't mind her stepmother she hadn't initially got on very well with Kate. They had resented one another badly at first and this had eventually progressed into a sort of blank tolerance. Only the last year or so had relations thawed. But both had entirely different interests, schools and friend groups so they didn't really socialise together.

Both Jules and Alice had lost a parent: Alice's father had been killed in a car accident before she was born, and Jules' mother died when Jules was eight. It was partly what had brought them together as friends.

"I don't think I'll ever shower again," Alice said as they brushed their teeth. "I want to feel the smell of him all over me."

"You won't say that when you wake up tomorrow reeking of stale booze and sweat."

Right now all Alice wanted to do was fall asleep and dream of Mr Walker. Once she was in bed she closed her eyes and relived the entire night, replaying the moment his lips touched hers over and over again. She didn't want the memory to fade. It still gave her a jolt in her stomach just to think about it.

If only he was here now, running his hands all over her body. She was still a virgin but she would definitely go all the way with him.

Right now the little voice saying "he's a teacher!" was well suppressed by the euphoria of it all.

* * *

The sun was horribly bright, Alice's head was splitting and her mouth was desert dry. Jules had been right: and even she had woken up feeling fairly rough. Becky just pulled the sheet over her head and moaned.

Despite her intentions of the previous night Alice went straight for the bathroom. Jules' parents had an amazingly powerful shower that drummed down on her, half punishment, half pleasure.

Closing her eyes in the steam she replayed everything that had happened. Much of it was hazy but she remembered the kissing, how she had felt, how much she wanted it again. And more.

Next week was going to be interesting, if he recognised her.

Back in Jules' bedroom there was a discussion going on about whether they should go to the cricket that day. "We could take your dad's pass and sit in the members' enclosure," Becky was saying.

Alice guessed that Becky, who had no interest in cricket, wanted to watch Brett play.

"God no, way too keen," she advised her. "Not unless he specifically asked you to come. Did he?"

Becky admitted that nothing had been said.

"He's going to call you, isn't he? Leave it at that."

"Alice is right you know," Jules agreed. "You don't want to look like a groupie."

"Does cricket have groupies?" Becky asked.

"Lawn bowls has groupies," Alice said. "Seriously. You don't want to be that girl. Let him pursue you."

"I bet you'd go if Mr Walker was going to be there," Becky said.

Alice's stomach flipped slightly at the prospect. There was a strong chance he would be there, given his friendship with Gloucestershire's coach. But she thought about it for a moment. "No, I wouldn't. Even if there wasn't the whole complication of him being at school next week I still wouldn't go. It'd just look sad."

"Besides which are they even playing at home?" Jules asked.

"In Taunton. But it's not far."

"No way can you go then, it will look absolutely desperate. Like you're stalking him."

Becky was obviously disappointed but she couldn't win against both of them. Nor did she want to go by herself. "What if he goes out tonight and meets someone else?"

"If he does, he does," Jules said. "They are sportsmen. What goes on tour and so on."

"I think he really liked you," Alice said, to console Becky who was now looking really glum. It wasn't exactly a lie, Alice couldn't honestly remember through the haze of lust and drink what Brett's intentions were or weren't. But she didn't want Becky making an idiot of herself or feeling miserable. "And they're not on tour anyway, they won't be staying overnight if it's only Somerset."

They were all going to sit around brooding if they didn't go out and do something. Alice suggested they go shopping. "You can look for something nice to wear for when he calls you," she said.