Chasing the Browns

Chapter Ten - Part 1

Chapter Ten

‘He said what?!’

I sighed. Did I need to repeat it again?

‘I don’t understand. I thought he hated you! Why is he so confusing?’

‘You tell me,’ I muttered, fiddling with the bottom of my school jumper. I was waiting in the drama studio for Poppy to turn up. I’d got to miss out on P.E because my back hurt way too much, and Poppy had made me stay with her to help out with the auditions.

‘Why?’ I’d whined. ‘That’s not fair! I’m hurt! What happened to friends taking care of friends?’

‘All the other girls on the council are snobs and take everything too seriously. Plus, if you’re not auditioning, you owe me this,’ she’d said.

Now I was talking over the phone with Marie about what had happened today.

‘OK, is there anything else you’ve missed?’

As if I’d missed anything. Marie had made me recount every event with as much detail as possible. Including the incident by the lockers which I hadn’t liked describing very much. It was interrogation all over again.

How come I never got to ask the questions?

‘Oh, um, yes, actually,’ I said, remembering something. I’d been trying to avoid it but I knew that if I didn’t tell her, she’d be upset. ‘I’ve been invited to a party.’

There was a pause. Then a scream. I yanked the phone away from my ear as quickly as I could, but not before the start of her crazed screech pierced my eardrum.

‘Marie! Calm down, OK? God, it’s just a party.’

‘JUST A PARTY? LEA, THIS IS THE START OF OUR SOCIAL LIVES! Oh, my God! We’ve been invited to a party! When is it? And what will I wear?’

I cringed. It wasn’t we, just me. I didn’t really want to have to tell her that; I knew it would crush her spirits. I’d seen how Vince had reacted to when he’d thought that Rita might have been invited, too. Choosing between my newfound friends and my best one had to be an easy choice, right? But I didn’t want to give Vince another reason to hate me, not now.

‘Lea? Where’ve you gone?’

I bit my lip. Maybe I could just change the subject?

‘Hey, for the first time in history, we got to choose our partners in a practical this week. Mr Granger—’

‘What dress should I wear? I—’

‘Marie…’ I paused. ‘It’s Alex’s party.’

‘Alex?’ she asked. I could practically hear her grin fading.

‘Yeah. As in one of the guys I made friends with this week?’

‘So you’re friends with them, then, huh?’ All traces of excitement had gone and died.

‘Yeah.’

There was a pause.

‘So…so it’s just you going to the party, then?’

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me.

‘N-not me?’

Oh, God, she wasn’t going to cry, was she?

I heard her sniff. Oh, God, she was going to cry…

‘Oh no, Marie, please, don’t—’

‘D’you want to come over to mine to get ready? Might as well seeing as I’m not going.’

Was that a trace of bitterness I caught there?