The days passed slowly in Graeme’s house. I spent most of my time at his window watching the church.

Every few hours Graeme would turn on the kettle and grab two cups from his dish-rack.

‘How about a cup of tea?’

My answer was always yes. The hot liquid seemed to calm my nerves a little. Graeme wrote letters and we played a bit of chess. Despite the warmth, I think I was more miserable there than on the roof of the church. At least outside I had the cold to distract me.

It was five days after I’d got to Graeme’s flat that he started trying to reason with me.

We were playing a game of chess in front of his windows. Every few minutes I’d glance out at the church. A mist hung in the air and tourists wandered about aimlessly between stores.

‘See here boy, suppose she doesn’t show up, I don’t think you’d want to spend the rest of your life here waiting.’

I shrugged; I didn’t know what else to do.

Graeme took out my queen, knocking it to the side of the board.

‘A lot of people think losing their queen means the game is over. The truth is… the game isn’t over until it’s over. Sometimes you can play better without it, and of course, there’s always the opportunity to get a new queen.’

Graeme paused and checked to see whether his words had any effect. Some small part of me understood him, but the rest of me was screaming for Ayamin. I avoided his eyes by looking out the window.

Out at the church was a girl with a beanie on. She was sitting on the steps like I had been, just gazing around like she was looking for someone. My heart sped up… it looked like… Ayamin.

‘Your move Danny.’

I was still staring out the window. The girl had got to her feet. Started to walk. What if it’s her… you’ve waited all this time and she’s just going to slip away.

I stood, knocking over the chessboard.

‘Hey, Danny!’ Graeme called.

I was running. Down the stairs and into the square. The whole way to her I held my breath. I’d been wrong before. I stopped just a few meters away. Her back was to me.

‘Ayamin?’

The girl turned and stared at me. I felt like crying. Her clothes looked different than from above. She had a more rounded face than Ayamin.

She asked a question in French – then pointed up to the church.

I shook my head and turned away from her. In the window Graeme stood watching, disappointment hung on his face as he bent to pick up our game from the floor.

The French girl was trying to ask me another question, but I ignored her as I dragged my feet along the cobbled square. I wondered how I’d apologise to Graeme for messing up. I didn’t feel like sitting around anymore. I wanted to crawl into a deep dark hole and just lie there for a while. Part of me wondered if I’d ever be okay. The air was cold on my forehead. I had a headache. I realised the French girl wasn’t wearing a beanie. The girl I’d seen out the window had a beanie.

‘Hey Danny.’

I stopped short and held my breath. Every muscle in my body was taut. In front of me, beanie in hand, stood Ayamin.