act perfectly normal.
“Ellie! Your dad says you’re not allowed out.”
“I know, but he’s not here.”
“Oh for God’s sake, don’t do this to me! Ellie, you
can’t
go out, not after last night.”
“You know Dad overreacted.”
“Maybe he did a bit, OK—but if you go out now he’s never going to back down over this.”
“He won’t know. I’ll be home long before him.”
“I should tell him.”
“But you won’t, will you?”
“
I
don’t know. Look, Ellie, can’t you invite this Russell round here? That way you could still see him and not defy your dad.”
“I don’t know his phone number. I don’t even know his second name. That’s why I have to go and meet him, Anna. If I don’t he’ll just think I’ve stood him up and then I’ll never see him again.”
“And you really like him?”
“Yes! Oh, Anna, please. I’ve got to go and see him.”
“I
can’t
just let you go off with him. What if anything happened?”
“What could happen? Look, we’re meeting at Flowerfields. I expect we’ll go to McDonald’s. Or maybe for a pizza, I don’t know. I’ll explain that I have to get back early—really early. By nine. Well, nine-thirty, say. Please, Anna. Please let me go. I
promise
I’ll get back by nine-thirty. I won’t let you down. Please trust me.
Please.
”
“Oh go on then, you bad girl,” says Anna, and she even gives me another fiver.
I throw my arms round her and give her a big kiss. “You’re a darling,” I say, and I rush off.
I’m so thrilled she’s let me go that I bounce up the road. It isn’t until I’m on the bus into town that I start to get nervous. I wonder what I’m going to say when I see Russell. “Hi, Russell,” I mutter to myself, grinning and giving little waves. Oh God, someone’s staring at me. They’ll be wondering about the mad girl sitting muttering and waving to herself. I am starting to get very hot inside my lacy top. It’s quite cheap lace so it’s itchy. I’m scratching myself with both hands. Now everyone will think I’ve got
fleas
.
I must keep still when I meet Russell. No more grins, mutters, waves and definitely no more scratching—otherwise he’ll sketch me as a monkey.
The bus is taking forever. I’m scared I’m going to be late, and he’ll think I’m not coming. Oh, Russell, of
course
I’m coming. I’ve braved my dad, I’ve bullied poor Anna—I’ve chanced everything to see you.
I leap off the bus as soon as it gets into town. I run wildly all the way to Flowerfields Shopping Centre. I pull up, panting, with one minute to spare. I’m
first
.
And last. This is why.
I wait.
Russell is late.
I wait and wait and wait.
Russell is very very very late.
I wait until eight.
And then I trail home, trying not to cry.
doom and gloom time
Oh, “ Ellie, thank goodness. You are a good girl! But you didn’t have to come back this early,” says Anna.
Then she sees my face.
“Ellie? Oh dear. What happened? Wasn’t he so nice this time? Did he do anything to upset you?”
“He didn’t do anything. He didn’t turn up!” I wail, and then all the tears inside me gush like the waters in
Titanic.
Eggs is in bed, thank God, and Dad is out of course. So it’s just Anna and me. She puts her arms round me and I howl on her shoulder. She’s wearing a new pale blue sweater her friend Sara gave her and I’m wearing a lot of mascara.
“Oh God, Anna, I’ve got black splodges all over your sweater. I’m so sorry,” I burble.
“Never mind. I don’t actually like this sweater anyway—simply because Sara shows off so much about designing her own-label clothes. She thinks I’m dotty about her stuff but I only bought it to be polite.”
“I’ll have it off you if you don’t like it.”
“I wonder why you want to wear everyone
else’s
sweaters,” says Anna, mopping at my face with a tissue.
“I draw the line at Dad’s,” I say. “Oh, Anna, don’t tell him Russell didn’t turn up, will
“Ellie! Your dad says you’re not allowed out.”
“I know, but he’s not here.”
“Oh for God’s sake, don’t do this to me! Ellie, you
can’t
go out, not after last night.”
“You know Dad overreacted.”
“Maybe he did a bit, OK—but if you go out now he’s never going to back down over this.”
“He won’t know. I’ll be home long before him.”
“I should tell him.”
“But you won’t, will you?”
“
I
don’t know. Look, Ellie, can’t you invite this Russell round here? That way you could still see him and not defy your dad.”
“I don’t know his phone number. I don’t even know his second name. That’s why I have to go and meet him, Anna. If I don’t he’ll just think I’ve stood him up and then I’ll never see him again.”
“And you really like him?”
“Yes! Oh, Anna, please. I’ve got to go and see him.”
“I
can’t
just let you go off with him. What if anything happened?”
“What could happen? Look, we’re meeting at Flowerfields. I expect we’ll go to McDonald’s. Or maybe for a pizza, I don’t know. I’ll explain that I have to get back early—really early. By nine. Well, nine-thirty, say. Please, Anna. Please let me go. I
promise
I’ll get back by nine-thirty. I won’t let you down. Please trust me.
Please.
”
“Oh go on then, you bad girl,” says Anna, and she even gives me another fiver.
I throw my arms round her and give her a big kiss. “You’re a darling,” I say, and I rush off.
I’m so thrilled she’s let me go that I bounce up the road. It isn’t until I’m on the bus into town that I start to get nervous. I wonder what I’m going to say when I see Russell. “Hi, Russell,” I mutter to myself, grinning and giving little waves. Oh God, someone’s staring at me. They’ll be wondering about the mad girl sitting muttering and waving to herself. I am starting to get very hot inside my lacy top. It’s quite cheap lace so it’s itchy. I’m scratching myself with both hands. Now everyone will think I’ve got
fleas
.
I must keep still when I meet Russell. No more grins, mutters, waves and definitely no more scratching—otherwise he’ll sketch me as a monkey.
The bus is taking forever. I’m scared I’m going to be late, and he’ll think I’m not coming. Oh, Russell, of
course
I’m coming. I’ve braved my dad, I’ve bullied poor Anna—I’ve chanced everything to see you.
I leap off the bus as soon as it gets into town. I run wildly all the way to Flowerfields Shopping Centre. I pull up, panting, with one minute to spare. I’m
first
.
And last. This is why.
I wait.
Russell is late.
I wait and wait and wait.
Russell is very very very late.
I wait until eight.
And then I trail home, trying not to cry.
doom and gloom time
Oh, “ Ellie, thank goodness. You are a good girl! But you didn’t have to come back this early,” says Anna.
Then she sees my face.
“Ellie? Oh dear. What happened? Wasn’t he so nice this time? Did he do anything to upset you?”
“He didn’t do anything. He didn’t turn up!” I wail, and then all the tears inside me gush like the waters in
Titanic.
Eggs is in bed, thank God, and Dad is out of course. So it’s just Anna and me. She puts her arms round me and I howl on her shoulder. She’s wearing a new pale blue sweater her friend Sara gave her and I’m wearing a lot of mascara.
“Oh God, Anna, I’ve got black splodges all over your sweater. I’m so sorry,” I burble.
“Never mind. I don’t actually like this sweater anyway—simply because Sara shows off so much about designing her own-label clothes. She thinks I’m dotty about her stuff but I only bought it to be polite.”
“I’ll have it off you if you don’t like it.”
“I wonder why you want to wear everyone
else’s
sweaters,” says Anna, mopping at my face with a tissue.
“I draw the line at Dad’s,” I say. “Oh, Anna, don’t tell him Russell didn’t turn up, will
Similar Books
