I flashed a look around. Too late. It was Keira. She’d seen us and was coming over. I didn’t know whether to run or stay still. My legs decided for me and stayed rooted to the spot. I hate not getting on with people and I hate confrontation. Keira had been so out of order the last time I’d seen her that I’d sworn that I never wanted to have anything to do with her again but here she was, standing right in front of me, smiling her fake smile. My mind went into meltdown. I didn’t know how to act. To be friendly would be false but I didn’t want to cause a scene in the middle of Harrods either.
‘Pia, Jess, how lovely to see you,’ gushed Keira. She was a stunning-looking girl with a heart-shaped face and eyes the colour of a cold blue sea. She would have had a good chance in the modelling competition if she hadn’t been caught cheating – stealing my dress for the final show to be precise.
‘I wish I could say the same,’ said Pia, who was never afraid to show her true feelings. ‘Come on, Jess, we’re going.’ She linked my arm and pulled me away.
Keira’s face fell. ‘Oh. OK. I . . . I can’t blame you. And I guess I owe you an apology. I’m sorry, Jess, truly I am.’
‘Sometimes sorry isn’t good enough,’ said Pia and tried to pull me away again. ‘And anyway, it’s a bit late.’
‘Jess can speak for herself, Pia,’ said Keira. ‘Listen. I was in a bad place earlier this year. I wasn’t myself, not at all. I don’t know whether you know or not but I suffer from depression. I’ve been getting help and I realised I behaved badly with you. I wanted to get in touch but . . . I wasn’t sure how you’d react. I’m glad I’ve bumped into you so I can apologise in person,’ she said, and for once she did look sincere.
Pia tugged on my arm. My mind was still spinning. Part of me wanted to say, ‘Stay out of my life and don’t come near me ever again,’ and another part felt sorry for her – and she had apologised.
‘OK. Fine,’ said Pia. ‘You’re sorry and now we have to go.’
Suddenly Keira sniffed the air. ‘I love trying on these perfumes, don’t you? What have you been trying?’
‘Er . . . Daisy,’ I muttered. ‘All sorts actually.’
Keira picked up the Marc Jacobs tester, pressed the nozzle and the sweet aroma filled the air.
‘Ow,’ spluttered Pia. Keira had sprayed the scent right into her eyes.
‘Oh no! Ohmigod,’ cried Keira and quickly put the spray down. ‘I didn’t mean to do that. I didn’t. I really didn’t. The nozzles are so tiny, I didn’t realise what direction it was going in. Oh God, you’re not going to believe me, are you? Pia, I’m so sorry. Are you OK?’
This time, Pia tugged harder on my arm. ‘Just stay away from us, Keira,’ she said.
‘Jess, Jess, you have to believe me. I wouldn’t do that on purpose,’ she pleaded. ‘I was trying to apologise, Jess. I really was.’
I wanted to believe her but the sincere look had disappeared and something in her eyes told me she was having a great laugh at our expense.
2
Unexpected News
As soon as Pia and I got back to my house, we settled down with glasses of elderflower cordial at the breakfast bar in the open kitchen and got stuck into the task that Mrs Callahan had set us.
Who am I? I wrote on the first page of my new silver notebook. What is happiness? I added.
‘I suppose our choice of notebooks says something about who we are,’ Pia commented as she opened her shiny pink one.
‘Yes. You’re pink, girly and shallow and I’m deep and mysterious.’
Pia biffed my arm. ‘So what should we write?’
‘I’m going to write a good deed a day gives the feelgood factor,’ I said. ‘I felt great when I handed Stephanie Harper’s case back to her earlier on.’
‘I would have felt even happier if you’d accepted the reward,’ said Pia. ‘We could have gone to the Topshop sale.’
‘I couldn’t,’ I said. ‘I would have felt mean.’
‘Goody two-shoes,’ teased Pia.
‘OK, I’ll write that under who I am. A Goody two-shoes. Otherwise, we could start with basic stuff, couldn’t we?’
Pia nodded. ‘We could do it like we do characters in creative writing. Physical, sociological, psychological.’
‘Good idea,’ I said, and started writing.
Physical
Name: Jessica Hall.
Age: Fifteen.
Birthday: December 3rd.
Appearance: Tall, chestnut hair, blue eyes, slim build. BIG nose.
Pia glanced at what I’d written. ‘You don’t have a big nose,’ she said.
‘Do. A great big hooter,’ I said.
Pia rolled her eyes then leant over and crossed out big. ‘Your nose is just the right size for your face. And you have a great mouth, write that down. Wide and often smiling.’
‘I can’t put that. It will sound like I’m a big-head.’ I glanced at what she’d written and burst out laughing. Under physical, she’d put, small in size but not in personality (which is true). Unconventionally good-looking with great sense of personal style (also true). ‘Add big-head,’ I said.
Pia shook her head. ‘There’s a difference between having confidence in who you are and being a big-head. You need to have more confidence. You’re one of the best-looking girls at our school and yet you always find fault with yourself – like writing you’ve got a big nose.’
‘Yes, but that is part of what makes me me and what makes you you. You’ve always been more confident and I’ve always been less so.’ I went back to my notebook and started the next section.
Sociological
Lives at No 1, Porchester Park in a mews house in the staff area. Three bedrooms and an open-plan sitting room/dining room/kitchen downstairs. Colour of bedroom: Pale blue.
Family: Lives with brother, Charlie, aged seventeen. Dad, Michael, and Dave my black-and-white cat. Mum, deceased.
Others: Gran. Aunt Maddie. Uncle John and Aunt Cissie and cousins, Sam and Louis.
Friends: Pia Carlsen. Alisha Lewis. Flo and Meg.
Boyfriend: JJ Lewis. (It made me feel great to write that.)
Good at: Art, English, swimming, daydreaming.
‘I don’t know what to write for goals,’ I said.
Pia spread her arms wide. ‘To conquer the world and do something brilliant. Don’t hold back or limit yourself.’
‘OK,’ I said and began to write again.
Goals: Win the Nobel peace prize for curing cancer. Write a best-selling novel. Win the gold medal for swimming in the Olympics. Travel the world. Stay friends with Pia for all my life.
(It felt good not to limit myself!)
‘Let’s take a break and read our horoscopes,’ said Pia after a short while. ‘Got any magazines with them in?’
I quickly scribbled Sagittarius in my notebook under starsign. ‘Not new ones. These days I usually check out my horoscope in the glossies up at Alisha’s. They always have the new Vogue and Harper’s up there.’ I indicated the fridge. ‘More juice, madam?’
Pia nodded. ‘Look on the Internet then. I know, why don’t you Google Stephanie Harper and find her site?’
I went to Dad’s laptop, which he always keeps on the breakfast bar, and soon found Stephanie’s site. Pia got some more elderflower cordial from the fridge, poured two glasses and handed me one. ‘Hey, there’s a picture here of Stephanie with a teenage boy. Do you think he’s her son?’ I said.
Pia looked at the screen. ‘Probably. He’s too young to be her boyfriend, looks about eighteen. Kind of cute in a boho-geek way, isn’t he?’
I laughed. Pia was always coming up with new types of boy. Boho geek wasn’t one I’d heard before but the boy on the screen did look interesting, with his mop of tousled blond hair and the same turquoise eyes as his mother.
‘OK, our July horoscopes. You first, Pia. Ms Aries. During the summer, it is probably best if you do everything your best friend wants and give her your new red top.’
Pia didn’t blink an eye
. ‘And what does it really say?’
‘“Travel abroad is likely and the full moon in Cancer will make you over-emotional around the eighteenth and prone to leap before you look with regard to some relationships. Try and stay steady, breathe and take things slowly.” Sounds like good advice for you.’
‘Huh, as if,’ said Pia. ‘She’s right about the travel though. Denmark with Mum. What’s yours?’
I clicked on the link for Sagittarius and read it out. ‘“Your dreams may meet with some obstacles in the next week and plans will be disrupted. I see an unexpected journey. Travel.”’
‘That might be whatever your dad has organised. What else does it say?’
I went back to the screen. ‘“A new man in your life.” Well, that can’t be right. I don’t want a new man in my life. I’m happy with JJ.’
‘Anything else?’
‘Something about choice. The unexpected. And an encounter with someone from my past. Do you think that means Keira?”
‘Maybe.’
‘I was thinking about her on our way back here. I’ve done what she did by accident,’ I said.
‘Done what by accident?’
‘Sprayed scent in the wrong direction. She was right, the nozzle is so small on those testers, it’s hard to see sometimes and I’ve sprayed perfume right into my eyes by mistake before now.’
‘So have I,’ said Pia, ‘but this is Keira. You’re making excuses for her, Jess. I think she knew exactly what she was doing and where she was aiming. She knows that I’m not taken in by her. Never was, never will be. She’s never liked me either.’
‘Nor me,’ I said.
‘Jealous,’ said Pia. ‘She’s always been jealous of you; she was even back in junior school.’
The front door opened and Charlie came in with Flo, Meg, Henry and Podge. Podge is a new mate of Charlie’s and also in his band. God knows why his nickname is Podge because he’s as thin as a rake. Flo and Meg are our mates from school – Flo is tall with big dreamy grey eyes and wavy blonde hair, Meg is small like Pia but that’s where the likeness stops. Pia’s style is colourful and girlie, Meg looks like a tomboy with her short hair and she lives in jeans and trainers. Flo and Charlie have been going out for a few months now and lately Meg has got together with Podge, which is nice because she was getting fed up with being the only singleton of the group. So now, all four of us are all loved up for the summer.
‘Don’t say anything about Keira,’ I whispered. ‘I don’t want everyone getting into it.’
‘Why not?’ she asked. ‘Everyone needs to know what a creep she is.’
‘Who’s a creep?’ asked Flo.
‘Needs to know what?’ asked Charlie.
‘Thanks,’ I said to Pia. ‘Nothing,’ I said to Flo and Chaz.
‘We bumped into Keira in Harrods,’ Pia announced. ‘She apologised to Jess for being a jerk at the modelling competition and then “accidentally” sprayed perfume tester in my face.’
‘Yeah right,’ said Meg. ‘Accidentally on purpose, more like.’
Pia gave me a knowing look. ‘Exactly.’
‘Who’s Keira?’ asked Podge.
Charlie made his eyes cross, did a zombie stagger towards him and mock strangled him. ‘She’s the girl from your worst nightmare. She will scoop out your brain and eat it for breakfast. Yum, yum, slurp.’
‘Let’s talk about something else, shall we? She’s taken up enough of our time already,’ I said as the front door opened and Alisha, Alexei and JJ trooped in. As always, they looked glossy and effortlessly chic, like they’d stepped out of a Vogue magazine shoot. JJ and Alisha with their dark good lucks and Alexei in contrast with his floppy blond hair, pale skin and blue eyes. Alexei is Russian and lives in one of the upstairs apartments. He’s an only child, home-schooled and like JJ and Alisha, was glad to find friends here in the UK of his own age when he moved into No 1.
‘Who’s taken up enough of your time?’ asked Alisha. ‘I hope you’re not talking about me.’
‘Course not,’ said Pia. ‘We were talking about Keira.’
‘Wasn’t she that nutjob who got thrown out of the modelling competition for stealing your dress?’ JJ asked.
I nodded.
‘She came up to the apartment, didn’t she?’ said Alisha. ‘She was so desperate to be in with us, but I could tell it was only because she thought we might be of some use to her. A typical hanger-on.’
‘She tried to get off with JJ,’ said Charlie.
‘And Tom. Though even he saw through her in the end.’ I sighed. ‘Can we please not talk about her? Look, it’s a lovely day. I’m here with my best mates. Why ruin it?’
I looked around at them as they all flopped down to sit where they could: Alisha, Alexei and Meg squashed on the sofa; Charlie, Podge and Flo on the giant bean bags; JJ leaning on the bar next to Pia. All my favourite people, all so different to look at. Charlie and Flo like a romantic pair from a Pre-Raphaelite painting. Henry handsome, sturdy, straight off the rugby pitch. Alexei beautiful and angelic-looking. Alisha and JJ black, American, so cool. Meg in her usual jeans, and Pia, who was wearing a coral and red crepe vintage nineteen fifties dress she found in Notting Hill market.
‘So, everyone ready for the hols?’ I asked.
Charlie glanced at Alexei and then at me. ‘Actually, Jess, I have something to tell you. Alexei’s invited me over to stay in the South of France with him.’
‘And me,’ said Henry.
‘Iz for boys’ time,’ said Alexei.
‘How long for?’ I asked.
Charlie shrugged and looked at Alexei. ‘As long as we want,’ he said.
‘But I thought that Dad had arranged something for us, Chaz?’
Charlie looked slightly uncomfortable. ‘I checked with him. He said I can go to France with the boys.’
‘So where am I going?’ I asked.
Charlie’s face flushed. ‘Er . . . I’ll let him tell you,’ he said.
‘Surprise?’ asked Pia.
Charlie nodded then looked away. I guessed that he felt bad about not accompanying me to wherever the mystery destination was. I was still hoping it was going to be with the Lewis family to somewhere fabulous. I’d be fine on my own with them if that happened, especially now that I knew that Charlie would be having a fabulous time of his own.
‘Is it OK with you that I go?’ Henry asked Pia.
‘Course,’ said Pia. ‘I’ll be in Denmark for the first week, anyway. I’m really glad you’re going.’ I nodded that I agreed with her. After our amazing trip to India in the Easter holidays, I couldn’t begrudge Charlie a brilliant holiday too. I’d felt guilty at the time that he had been left behind and I know that Pia felt the same about Henry. I was glad they’d be getting a treat themselves. I knew a trip to the South of France with Alexei wouldn’t be dossing down in a tent anywhere. It probably meant travelling in a private plane, a chauffeur to pick them up in a limo and accommodation in some stunning location with the best of everything laid on. Sometimes it bothered me that I couldn’t repay the treats that JJ, Alexei and Alisha gave us, although Pia is always reminding me that it’s our friendship that means a lot to them, not presents or anything like that.
It’s strange to think that the teen residents at Porchester Park seem to have it all – designer everything, extravagance all the way – but the one thing that money can’t buy them is mates. All the same, I wished I could return some of their generosity. Like today, Alisha handed me a little bag with a pink ribbon when she arrived and inside were a dozen freshly baked fudge chip cookies from a local deli. She never arrived empty-handed when she came to mine and always brought something divine to eat or drink. On my pocket money, what could I take up to her? A packet of chocolate HobNobs? It just wasn’t the same.
‘A boys’ holiday? Are you going, JJ?’ I asked, suddenly worrying that my plans to spend time with him over the break might not happen after all.
‘Er . . . I have been invited but . . .’ He glanced at
his sister. ‘Actually, I need to talk to you, Jess. In private.’
‘Oh, yes,’ I said. ‘I got your text.’ Again the shiver of anticipation ran through me. I was sure that I was going to be invited to go on holiday with them. Charlie was going to go with Alexei and I was going to go with the Lewises. Yay. It was then that I noticed that Alisha was looking down. ‘You OK, Alisha?’ I asked. Her eyes filled with sudden tears which she tried to brush away.
I jumped off my stool. ‘Come upstairs,’ I said and led her up to my room before anyone else noticed. JJ followed after us. As soon as I closed the door behind the three of us, Alisha burst into tears.
‘Hey, what is it?’ I asked as I gave her a hug. I looked to JJ for explanation.
‘It’s Gramps,’ he said. ‘His heart.’
‘Oh no,’ I said as the penny dropped. ‘That’s what you had to tell me? Is he going to be OK?’
JJ nodded. ‘We just heard this morning. He was rushed into hospital last night with heart failure and is in intensive care. We’re flying to the States tonight.’
‘Tonight?’ I blurted.
‘He couldn’t even come on Skype,’ said Alisha, ‘and he always does that.’
‘Alisha’s very close to him,’ said JJ, and this time his eyes filled with tears. ‘We’re all very close to him. He virtually brought us up in the beginning when Dad was just starting out as an actor and away a lot.’
‘God, I’m so sorry. How awful for you all. Is he your mum’s father or your dad’s?’
‘Dad’s,’ said JJ.
‘So how’s your dad doing?’
JJ shook his head. ‘I’ve never seen my dad so upset. He just wants to make sure he gets there in . . .’ JJ could hardly say the words.
‘I understand.’
JJ took my hand. ‘I know we had so many things planned for the summer, Jess, but everything is up in the air now for all of us. For instance, one of Mum’s friends from the States had planned to stay with us over the holiday. She only arrived yesterday, and now she’s going to be in the apartment on her own. Mum feels so bad about leaving her, but we have no choice. We don’t know how long we’ll be gone or when we’ll be back.’
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