shoulders.
‘OMG!’
Lissa is looking completely relaxed,
like she’s used to having tall, good-looking,
mature
guys giving her
a cuddle. I’m not kidding, this particular guy must be fifteen or sixteen at
least!
‘Lissa’s got a
boyfriend!’ Tash splutters. ‘I don’t believe it! She never
said!’
I believe it. I’ve always thought
Lissa was a dark horse. I don’t get it though. I thought she was mad about
Ajay, Tash’s friend. Lissa’s life is even more complicated than
mine.
And there was me worrying myself silly
about my little secret! It pales into insignificance compared to hers. I
wouldn’t want Ajay if I could have him!
I give myself a little shake. What am I
on about? I don’t even like boys! Not in that way.
But if I did like boys, I’d like
him.
I can’t stop staring at him. He’s got thick dark hair and broad
shoulders and a gorgeous smile. He’s smiling at Lissa like he thinks
she’s the best thing since sliced bread. Then he glances up and sees me
staring at him and he smiles at me too, before bending his head to whisper in
Lissa’s ear.
Oh no! I can feel myself blushing!
I never blush.
‘They’re coming over!’
yelps Tash and the two of us immediately look the other way.
‘Hi!’ says Lissa as cool as
a cucumber, with the two boys in tow.
‘Oh, hi!’ I trill, turning
round and acting really surprised to see her here at her own party. She gives me a
funny look and says, ‘Let me introduce you. This is Duncan.’ She
indicates the other boy: fair hair, T-shirt, baggy trousers.
Nice. But nothing special.
What is wrong with me? I never judge
boys on their appearance normally. It’s like I’ve not just had a
makeover, I’ve had a personality transplant as well.
To my surprise Duncan extends his hand,
first to Tash, then to me. ‘Pleased to meet you,’ he says.
‘Pleased to meet you,’ we mumble, and then Lissa continues,
‘And this is Rupert.’
‘Rupert,’ I repeat as
Gorgeous-Smile-Boy takes my hand. ‘Your …’
‘Brother.’ She completes my
sentence. He’s looking at me like he finds me really amusing.
Horrified, I drop his hand and say,
‘I thought you weren’t coming!’ which is just about the daftest
thing I could say, seeing as I’ve never met him before in my life. His smile
widens.
‘I didn’t know you were
expecting me.’
‘I wasn’t! I
mean … Lissa said you weren’t coming … I
mean … oh flip, I used your shower to get ready, you see …’
He leans towards me and sniffs hard. I
jump back but not quickly enough. ‘Thought so,’ he says. ‘You used
my shower gel too.’
My face grows so hot I think I’m
about to implode. I’m really tempted to make a joke of it, which is the way I
normally get myself out awkward situations. The words are there, ready, in my head.
OK, I come clean. Get it? I used your shampoo, your conditioner and your
body scrub as well. And your moisturizer.
But instead I stand there
speechless, glowing like a beacon.
‘You’ve gone bright
red,’ observes Lissa
annoyingly
which makes me go redder still. She should know better being as she’s the
biggest blusher of the four of us. ‘What’s wrong with you,
Dani?’
Can’t she understand how
embarrassing this is? Obviously not. To be fair to her, she’s probably never
seen me react like this before. Dani Jarvis, tomboy of Year Seven, doesn’t do
embarrassment. As if to confirm my thoughts she adds, ‘Dani’s mad about
football. You two should have a lot in common.’
‘Really? Who d’you
follow?’
‘West Park Wanderers.’
‘Me too.’ I’m treated
to the full Gorgeous Smile and, encouraged by his approval, I say, ‘I play a
bit too.’
‘Who for?’
‘Um …’ I am so tempted
to tell him I play for Blackett because I want him to smile at me more, but I
hesitate. Careful, Dani. If you say too much you’ll let the cat out of the bag
and you’ll never get to play for them again. ‘Oh, you know, I just kick
a ball
‘OMG!’
Lissa is looking completely relaxed,
like she’s used to having tall, good-looking,
mature
guys giving her
a cuddle. I’m not kidding, this particular guy must be fifteen or sixteen at
least!
‘Lissa’s got a
boyfriend!’ Tash splutters. ‘I don’t believe it! She never
said!’
I believe it. I’ve always thought
Lissa was a dark horse. I don’t get it though. I thought she was mad about
Ajay, Tash’s friend. Lissa’s life is even more complicated than
mine.
And there was me worrying myself silly
about my little secret! It pales into insignificance compared to hers. I
wouldn’t want Ajay if I could have him!
I give myself a little shake. What am I
on about? I don’t even like boys! Not in that way.
But if I did like boys, I’d like
him.
I can’t stop staring at him. He’s got thick dark hair and broad
shoulders and a gorgeous smile. He’s smiling at Lissa like he thinks
she’s the best thing since sliced bread. Then he glances up and sees me
staring at him and he smiles at me too, before bending his head to whisper in
Lissa’s ear.
Oh no! I can feel myself blushing!
I never blush.
‘They’re coming over!’
yelps Tash and the two of us immediately look the other way.
‘Hi!’ says Lissa as cool as
a cucumber, with the two boys in tow.
‘Oh, hi!’ I trill, turning
round and acting really surprised to see her here at her own party. She gives me a
funny look and says, ‘Let me introduce you. This is Duncan.’ She
indicates the other boy: fair hair, T-shirt, baggy trousers.
Nice. But nothing special.
What is wrong with me? I never judge
boys on their appearance normally. It’s like I’ve not just had a
makeover, I’ve had a personality transplant as well.
To my surprise Duncan extends his hand,
first to Tash, then to me. ‘Pleased to meet you,’ he says.
‘Pleased to meet you,’ we mumble, and then Lissa continues,
‘And this is Rupert.’
‘Rupert,’ I repeat as
Gorgeous-Smile-Boy takes my hand. ‘Your …’
‘Brother.’ She completes my
sentence. He’s looking at me like he finds me really amusing.
Horrified, I drop his hand and say,
‘I thought you weren’t coming!’ which is just about the daftest
thing I could say, seeing as I’ve never met him before in my life. His smile
widens.
‘I didn’t know you were
expecting me.’
‘I wasn’t! I
mean … Lissa said you weren’t coming … I
mean … oh flip, I used your shower to get ready, you see …’
He leans towards me and sniffs hard. I
jump back but not quickly enough. ‘Thought so,’ he says. ‘You used
my shower gel too.’
My face grows so hot I think I’m
about to implode. I’m really tempted to make a joke of it, which is the way I
normally get myself out awkward situations. The words are there, ready, in my head.
OK, I come clean. Get it? I used your shampoo, your conditioner and your
body scrub as well. And your moisturizer.
But instead I stand there
speechless, glowing like a beacon.
‘You’ve gone bright
red,’ observes Lissa
annoyingly
which makes me go redder still. She should know better being as she’s the
biggest blusher of the four of us. ‘What’s wrong with you,
Dani?’
Can’t she understand how
embarrassing this is? Obviously not. To be fair to her, she’s probably never
seen me react like this before. Dani Jarvis, tomboy of Year Seven, doesn’t do
embarrassment. As if to confirm my thoughts she adds, ‘Dani’s mad about
football. You two should have a lot in common.’
‘Really? Who d’you
follow?’
‘West Park Wanderers.’
‘Me too.’ I’m treated
to the full Gorgeous Smile and, encouraged by his approval, I say, ‘I play a
bit too.’
‘Who for?’
‘Um …’ I am so tempted
to tell him I play for Blackett because I want him to smile at me more, but I
hesitate. Careful, Dani. If you say too much you’ll let the cat out of the bag
and you’ll never get to play for them again. ‘Oh, you know, I just kick
a ball
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