our bags and sit. Huddling like military advisors, we start to plan.
‘How am I going to fit eight outfits into one bag?’ Savannah looks imploringly at me. ‘Can you spare a bit of shoe space in your luggage, Gem?’ Horror freezes her face.
‘
Where
am I going to pack all the stuff I buy when I’m
there
?’
Treacle’s gaze flicks past her and brightens. I turn round, checking what she’s seen. My stomach flips. And not in a good way.
Rupert’s heading towards us.
‘Hi, Rupert,’ Treacle greets him brightly.
Sav spins round. ‘Rupert!’ She grabs Treacle’s wrist. ‘Come on, Treac.’ She stands up. ‘Let’s go and check Mrs West has definitely filed my
form.’
‘Yeah.’ Treacle’s on her feet and following Savannah. ‘We could get a receipt for it or something. Just to make sure.’
I leap to my feet and start to follow, but Rupert’s staring at me expectantly.
‘You don’t have to go, do you?’ he says.
I sink wearily back into my chair. ‘I guess not.’
He sits down beside me, dragging his chair close. ‘You’re in early. Couldn’t you sleep?’
‘Early meeting.’ I remember my promise to Treacle and Savannah to give the guy a break. ‘I work on the school webzine.’
‘I know.’ Rupert shifts closer. ‘I guess I should watch what I say. I don’t want to end up as next week’s headline.’
Yeah, like that’s going to happen.
‘I’m just an assistant really.’
‘Have you had anything published?’
I shake my head. ‘I kinda helped out with a story.’
‘That’s
news
to me.’
I dig my nails into my palm as he starts punning. ‘It was a pretty big scoop.’
‘You discovered a new ice cream?’ He’s leaning so close I can smell the Cheerios on his breath.
‘No,’ I mutter. ‘It was about a nightclub.’
‘Two peanuts walk into a nightclub . . .’ Rupert ignores me and shifts into joke gear. ‘One was a-salted.’ He starts laughing and slaps the table.
‘You’re a real fun guy.’ I regret it the moment I speak.
‘Fungi? Not mush-room for improvement, eh?’ He laughs again and I try to join in. If Rupert is covering up his shyness like Treacle said, he must be
very
shy.
‘Hey, Rupert.’ I touch his arm and he freezes. ‘You don’t have to try so hard.’
‘Really?’ Hope sparks in his eyes.
‘You don’t have to try and be funny all the time . . .’ My voice trails away as I spot a pair of Converse high-tops heading towards me. I look up and see Sam. Cindy’s
padding along beside him, Barbara at her heels. Sam glances at me as they pass. His gaze flits towards my hand, which is still resting on Rupert’s arm. He raises an eyebrow.
No!
Alarm bells clang in my head.
He thinks we’re an item!
I let go of Rupert as though he’s caught fire.
Too late.
Cindy glances back at me, then at Rupert, and smiles knowingly. Then she whispers something to Sam and he shrugs without looking back, as they stop at the PC section where David and Phil are
huddled round a screen.
I fight the urge to pick Rupert up and throw him at the Ice Queen. Then I spot Barbara. She’s stopped short, staring at her smartphone.
The webzine!
It must have hit her inbox. She’s reading something.
Her horoscope?
I cross my fingers.
Will David read his?
‘Gemma?’ Rupert waggles his hand in front of my face. ‘Earth to Gemma. Come in, Gemma.’ He cups his hands round his mouth as though he’s loud-hailing me.
‘Calling Gemma. Calling Gemma.’
But I’m too busy wishing.
Please let Barbara and David follow Jessica’s starry advice and realize they’re made for each other!
Mum pops her head round my bedroom door. ‘Don’t chat too long, girls. You’ve got an early start in the morning.’
Treacle salutes. ‘OK, Jane.’ She’s sitting on my bed while I lounge on the floor. Savannah’s preening in front of my mirror. They’re sleeping over. We leave for
Paris before dawn, so it makes sense to travel to the coach together. Mum’s
‘How am I going to fit eight outfits into one bag?’ Savannah looks imploringly at me. ‘Can you spare a bit of shoe space in your luggage, Gem?’ Horror freezes her face.
‘
Where
am I going to pack all the stuff I buy when I’m
there
?’
Treacle’s gaze flicks past her and brightens. I turn round, checking what she’s seen. My stomach flips. And not in a good way.
Rupert’s heading towards us.
‘Hi, Rupert,’ Treacle greets him brightly.
Sav spins round. ‘Rupert!’ She grabs Treacle’s wrist. ‘Come on, Treac.’ She stands up. ‘Let’s go and check Mrs West has definitely filed my
form.’
‘Yeah.’ Treacle’s on her feet and following Savannah. ‘We could get a receipt for it or something. Just to make sure.’
I leap to my feet and start to follow, but Rupert’s staring at me expectantly.
‘You don’t have to go, do you?’ he says.
I sink wearily back into my chair. ‘I guess not.’
He sits down beside me, dragging his chair close. ‘You’re in early. Couldn’t you sleep?’
‘Early meeting.’ I remember my promise to Treacle and Savannah to give the guy a break. ‘I work on the school webzine.’
‘I know.’ Rupert shifts closer. ‘I guess I should watch what I say. I don’t want to end up as next week’s headline.’
Yeah, like that’s going to happen.
‘I’m just an assistant really.’
‘Have you had anything published?’
I shake my head. ‘I kinda helped out with a story.’
‘That’s
news
to me.’
I dig my nails into my palm as he starts punning. ‘It was a pretty big scoop.’
‘You discovered a new ice cream?’ He’s leaning so close I can smell the Cheerios on his breath.
‘No,’ I mutter. ‘It was about a nightclub.’
‘Two peanuts walk into a nightclub . . .’ Rupert ignores me and shifts into joke gear. ‘One was a-salted.’ He starts laughing and slaps the table.
‘You’re a real fun guy.’ I regret it the moment I speak.
‘Fungi? Not mush-room for improvement, eh?’ He laughs again and I try to join in. If Rupert is covering up his shyness like Treacle said, he must be
very
shy.
‘Hey, Rupert.’ I touch his arm and he freezes. ‘You don’t have to try so hard.’
‘Really?’ Hope sparks in his eyes.
‘You don’t have to try and be funny all the time . . .’ My voice trails away as I spot a pair of Converse high-tops heading towards me. I look up and see Sam. Cindy’s
padding along beside him, Barbara at her heels. Sam glances at me as they pass. His gaze flits towards my hand, which is still resting on Rupert’s arm. He raises an eyebrow.
No!
Alarm bells clang in my head.
He thinks we’re an item!
I let go of Rupert as though he’s caught fire.
Too late.
Cindy glances back at me, then at Rupert, and smiles knowingly. Then she whispers something to Sam and he shrugs without looking back, as they stop at the PC section where David and Phil are
huddled round a screen.
I fight the urge to pick Rupert up and throw him at the Ice Queen. Then I spot Barbara. She’s stopped short, staring at her smartphone.
The webzine!
It must have hit her inbox. She’s reading something.
Her horoscope?
I cross my fingers.
Will David read his?
‘Gemma?’ Rupert waggles his hand in front of my face. ‘Earth to Gemma. Come in, Gemma.’ He cups his hands round his mouth as though he’s loud-hailing me.
‘Calling Gemma. Calling Gemma.’
But I’m too busy wishing.
Please let Barbara and David follow Jessica’s starry advice and realize they’re made for each other!
Mum pops her head round my bedroom door. ‘Don’t chat too long, girls. You’ve got an early start in the morning.’
Treacle salutes. ‘OK, Jane.’ She’s sitting on my bed while I lounge on the floor. Savannah’s preening in front of my mirror. They’re sleeping over. We leave for
Paris before dawn, so it makes sense to travel to the coach together. Mum’s
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