around with some of my mates.’
‘Boy mates,’ says Lissa
reprovingly, but then she adds, ‘She’s really good.’
‘You should join a ladies’ team,’ he says and then we launch
into a debate on the merits of ladies’ and mixed football over men’s and
after a while the others drift away, bored out of their skulls.
It turns out that Rupert is very
knowledgeable about sport. He plays football for a Saturday league team as well as
being captain of his school rugby team, plus he surfs and plays tennis in the summer
and skis when he gets the chance. Action man! But he’s really easy to talk to
now I’ve got over my initial embarrassment.
I can’t help noticing he’s
got nice eyes as well as a gorgeous smile.
‘Can I get you a drink?’ he
asks and I say yes, feeling incredibly grown-up. I am really enjoying this party. I
almost wish the Barbies were here to see me chatting away to this guy; that would be
one in the eye for them with their patronizing remarks.
I sigh happily and glance around the
room. Everyone looks as if they’re enjoying themselves. I’ve been so
engrossed in conversation with Rupert that I didn’t notice Ajay arriving.
He’s chatting to Lissa and he’s brought a friend with him.
Even from the back, there is something familiar about that friend.
I freeze. Oh no! I don’t believe
it!
It’s Marvyn.
Chapter 16
Marvyn turns round and looks straight
at me. I expect him to be shocked when he sees I’m a girl but he just grins at
me so I grin back weakly. When he turns back to Lissa I can hardly breathe, waiting
for her reaction. I am so dead.
But they carry on chatting as normal. He
hasn’t split on me.
Thank you, Marvyn. I owe you.
When he looks back I smile again in
gratitude, but this time his eyes pass right over me and continue sweeping the room,
like he’s looking around to see if he knows anyone else. And then the penny
drops. He hasn’t recognized me dressed as a girl. Why would he? He’s
only ever seen me before as a mud-splattered male footballer.
He glances at most girls without a blink
but then he spots Tash, who is still talking to
Duncan, and nudges Ajay in the ribs. Ajay sees her too and his
eyes light up and immediately he makes a beeline for her. Poor Lissa, she
doesn’t stand a chance.
She still trails after him though, so
Marvyn, who is left on his own, follows her. I try to avoid eye contact as they pass
but at the last minute I can’t resist looking up. Marvyn catches my eye and
grins again. Then he stops, a small frown appearing between his eyebrows. Oh no!
Look down, Dani, look down!
‘Do I know you?’ he
asks.
Um, yes. We’ve played football together.
‘Don’t think so,’ I
say breathily, my voice unnaturally high, trying desperately to model myself on the
Barbies, the most girly-girls I know.
Convince him you’re someone else, Dani. You can do it. Don’t look
him in the eye. Play with your hair. Show him your red-white-and-blue-striped
fingernails. And smile. That’s it.
‘You remind me of someone,’
he says thoughtfully. ‘But I can’t think who.’
Oh flip. Flutter your eyelashes! That’s what Georgia does.
I open and close my eyes rapidly and he
looks a bit alarmed, but stands his ground.
‘Have you got something in your eye?’
‘Some mascara. And eyeliner. You
know, just girly stuff.’ I giggle nervously.
‘What’s your name?’ he
asks.
‘Danielle,’ I mumble.
‘What?’
‘Dani-
elle
,’ I
repeat, emphasizing the Elle. It works.
‘Hi, Elle, I’m
Marvyn,’ he says. ‘Are you at school with Tash?’
I nod, groaning inwardly. He’s
going to find out, I know he is, and then I’m done for. I am going to be so
humiliated when everyone finds out I’ve been pretending to be a boy. Plus my
football career will be over before it’s even started.
It’s not fair. I am never going to
live this down, especially when the Barbies get to hear about it!
And then I spot him. My superhero!
Rupert is coming to the
‘Boy mates,’ says Lissa
reprovingly, but then she adds, ‘She’s really good.’
‘You should join a ladies’ team,’ he says and then we launch
into a debate on the merits of ladies’ and mixed football over men’s and
after a while the others drift away, bored out of their skulls.
It turns out that Rupert is very
knowledgeable about sport. He plays football for a Saturday league team as well as
being captain of his school rugby team, plus he surfs and plays tennis in the summer
and skis when he gets the chance. Action man! But he’s really easy to talk to
now I’ve got over my initial embarrassment.
I can’t help noticing he’s
got nice eyes as well as a gorgeous smile.
‘Can I get you a drink?’ he
asks and I say yes, feeling incredibly grown-up. I am really enjoying this party. I
almost wish the Barbies were here to see me chatting away to this guy; that would be
one in the eye for them with their patronizing remarks.
I sigh happily and glance around the
room. Everyone looks as if they’re enjoying themselves. I’ve been so
engrossed in conversation with Rupert that I didn’t notice Ajay arriving.
He’s chatting to Lissa and he’s brought a friend with him.
Even from the back, there is something familiar about that friend.
I freeze. Oh no! I don’t believe
it!
It’s Marvyn.
Chapter 16
Marvyn turns round and looks straight
at me. I expect him to be shocked when he sees I’m a girl but he just grins at
me so I grin back weakly. When he turns back to Lissa I can hardly breathe, waiting
for her reaction. I am so dead.
But they carry on chatting as normal. He
hasn’t split on me.
Thank you, Marvyn. I owe you.
When he looks back I smile again in
gratitude, but this time his eyes pass right over me and continue sweeping the room,
like he’s looking around to see if he knows anyone else. And then the penny
drops. He hasn’t recognized me dressed as a girl. Why would he? He’s
only ever seen me before as a mud-splattered male footballer.
He glances at most girls without a blink
but then he spots Tash, who is still talking to
Duncan, and nudges Ajay in the ribs. Ajay sees her too and his
eyes light up and immediately he makes a beeline for her. Poor Lissa, she
doesn’t stand a chance.
She still trails after him though, so
Marvyn, who is left on his own, follows her. I try to avoid eye contact as they pass
but at the last minute I can’t resist looking up. Marvyn catches my eye and
grins again. Then he stops, a small frown appearing between his eyebrows. Oh no!
Look down, Dani, look down!
‘Do I know you?’ he
asks.
Um, yes. We’ve played football together.
‘Don’t think so,’ I
say breathily, my voice unnaturally high, trying desperately to model myself on the
Barbies, the most girly-girls I know.
Convince him you’re someone else, Dani. You can do it. Don’t look
him in the eye. Play with your hair. Show him your red-white-and-blue-striped
fingernails. And smile. That’s it.
‘You remind me of someone,’
he says thoughtfully. ‘But I can’t think who.’
Oh flip. Flutter your eyelashes! That’s what Georgia does.
I open and close my eyes rapidly and he
looks a bit alarmed, but stands his ground.
‘Have you got something in your eye?’
‘Some mascara. And eyeliner. You
know, just girly stuff.’ I giggle nervously.
‘What’s your name?’ he
asks.
‘Danielle,’ I mumble.
‘What?’
‘Dani-
elle
,’ I
repeat, emphasizing the Elle. It works.
‘Hi, Elle, I’m
Marvyn,’ he says. ‘Are you at school with Tash?’
I nod, groaning inwardly. He’s
going to find out, I know he is, and then I’m done for. I am going to be so
humiliated when everyone finds out I’ve been pretending to be a boy. Plus my
football career will be over before it’s even started.
It’s not fair. I am never going to
live this down, especially when the Barbies get to hear about it!
And then I spot him. My superhero!
Rupert is coming to the
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