by Jo Cotterill
‘Are you a championship skateboarder now then?’ asked Bryan in a teasing voice. ‘Got your ollies sorted from your nollies?’
‘What?’ said Megan, startled. ‘How do you know about all that stuff?’
‘I wasn’t always a dad, you know,’ said Bryan. ‘I had a skateboard once. From a toy shop.’
Megan grinned. ‘I don’t think the boys I saw today would be impressed. They build their own – decks and trucks and everything.’
Bryan snorted with laughter. ‘Now who’s talking the language?’
They grinned at each other. ‘I had a very nice time, thank you,’ said Megan primly. ‘Where’s Mum and Owen?’
‘Gone swimming,’ said Bryan. ‘Owen asked specially.’
For a moment, Megan felt disappointed. She loved swimming. And splashing around with Owen was good fun.
Bryan saw her face. ‘We didn’t know what time you’d be back. Owen had one of his manic moments. Your mum thought he should burn off some energy. Sorry.’
‘It’s OK.’ She sat down on the sofa next to him. ‘I can go next time.’
‘So what did you do?’ Bryan shuffled The Sunday Times out of the way and turned to face her. ‘Did you fall off?’
‘Only once,’ admitted Megan. ‘I hurt my ankle a bit but it’s OK now. Danny showed me some tricks while I was resting.’
‘Danny?’
‘This boy.’
‘Ah . . .’ said her dad in a knowing voice. ‘A boy.’
Megan laughed. ‘He’s really nice, Dad. And amazing on a skateboard – I mean, really mind-boggling.’
Bryan grinned. ‘Let me guess – he’s also incredibly good-looking and was very nice to you all the time you were there.’
Megan flushed. ‘Dad . . .’
He held up his hands. ‘Sorry, sorry. Didn’t mean to embarrass you. So, are you going back again? To – uh – see Danny?’
We might be sort of going out somewhere together . . .’ mumbled Megan. ‘Maybe.’
‘Say no more,’ said her dad. He patted her on the back. ‘I hope you have a lovely time.’
Megan knew it was Jake when her mobile rang, but when she answered it, all she could hear was laughing. ‘Jake? Jake, what’s going on?’
‘AHAHAHA!’ Jake laughed loudly in her ear. ‘AHAHAHAAAA! Seriously, though, I’m crying with laughter here.’
‘Why?’ Megan felt the corners of her own mouth creep up. ‘What’s so funny?’
There was a pause and then Jake said, ‘You on a skateboard! AHAHAHAAAA!’
‘Oh ha ha, yes it’s all hilarious,’ said Megan sarcastically. ‘Have you ever been on one?’
‘I have actually,’ said Jake, stopping laughing as suddenly as he had started. ‘For about five minutes. It didn’t go anywhere, so I got off.’
Megan laughed despite herself. ‘You idiot.’
‘So, how did you do?’
‘Not too bad,’ Megan told him proudly. ‘I only fell off once.’
‘Was that when it started moving?’
Megan blew a loud raspberry down the phone. ‘You are impossible. I won’t tell you anything else about it.’
‘Fine. I’ve got news to tell you instead.’
‘Really? What kind of news?’
Jake sounded amused. ‘You know that drinky thing we had to go to the other evening? With the new people next door?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Well, it turned out to be this really mad evening. We were there till one o’clock in the morning!’
Megan nearly dropped the phone. ‘What? On a school night? Bet your mum loved that!’
Jake chuckled. ‘You’d be surprised. She was playing charades with a party hat on her head.’
‘No!’
‘But that’s not the strangest thing,’ Jake continued. ‘They’re knocking through the kitchen and lounge wall, and they’ve put a hot tub in the conservatory!’
‘A hot tub?’ Megan clutched the phone. ‘You’re not going to tell me you spent the evening in a hot tub?’
‘No. It’d only just arrived that day, there wasn’t any water in it or anything. I did sit in it for a minute but then Skye told me I might damage it.’
‘Who’s Skye?’
‘She’s the girl next door. She’s got a brother – get this – he’s called Jasper.’
Megan giggled. ‘They’re called Skye and Jasper? Wow, they’re going to stick out a bit in Milton.’
‘I know. Skye told me she’s already had some kids at school making up songs about her.’
‘Oh, that’s nasty.’
‘Ah well, they’ll get bored soon. I told her not to worry. She’s really nice. Same age as us.’
Megan felt suspicious. ‘Do you fancy her, Jake?’
‘Of course not.’ Jake’s response was just a little too quick, Megan thought. ‘She’s just a friend.’
‘Riiiight.’
‘Why do you girls do that? I haven’t asked you if you fancy Danny Boy, have I?’
‘Don’t call him Danny Boy.’
‘Anyway, it doesn’t matter.’ Jake took a breath. ‘Listen, there’s something else. Mum and I were talking the other day and she said maybe I could come down and visit you guys in half-term. What do you think?’
‘Oh!’ Megan felt a smile sweep across her face. ‘That would be fab! Half-term’s only about three weeks away, isn’t it? That would be amazing!’
Jake sounded a little relieved. ‘Good. I wasn’t sure if . . . I mean, I thought maybe you might be busy with your new friends or something.’
‘Are you kidding?’ Megan laughed. ‘You’re my best friend. It would be so cool if you came to see us. Would you stay for a bit?’
‘Yeah, a couple of nights, I think. If that’s OK.’
‘I’m sure it’ll be fine. I’ll talk to Mum.’
‘My mum says if you can meet my train, too . . . there’s a direct one from Milton to Parchester, which is kind of handy.’
Megan grinned. ‘We can get it sorted. Oh, wow! I can’t believe you’re coming to stay! We’re going to have such a brilliant time!’
Chapter 6
you’re GOING OUT WITH HIM?
‘I AM GETTING better, aren’t I?’ Mari gazed anxiously at Megan. ‘You would tell me, wouldn’t you, if I was completely hopeless?’
Megan laughed. ‘You’re making good progress, Mari. You just need to listen to the rhythm a bit more. Try to feel the beat.’
Mari glanced around the studio. It was the end of the class and Megan had spent most of it trying to teach Mari the short routine Corinne had given them. ‘Everyone else can do it better than me.’
Megan pulled off her shoes. ‘No they can’t. You’re imagining things. And you’re doing really well in those shoes.’
‘They help,’ confessed Mari. ‘I can sort of imagine I’m a proper dancer, you know. Thanks so much for lending them to me.’ She glanced at the shoes in Megan’s hands. ‘Are you sure you don’t want these back? Only, the ones you’ve got now . . .’
‘Are very comfortable,’ finished Megan, grinning. ‘Don’t worry. They’re not sparkly silver like yours but they’re fine. I have another silver pair but they’re for best only.’
‘Best what?’
‘Well, when I do competitions and things like that.’
Mari shook her head in awe. ‘Wow. Competitions. I can’t imagine dancing in front of anyone, let alone competing.’
Megan felt a pang. She had always entered competitions with Jake. Now, even those shoes were a reminder of the old days in Milton. When was she going to find a class that was more suited to her level? Because nice though it was, this salsa class wasn’t challenging her in any way – unless it was as a teacher!
As if she’d read Megan’s mind, Mari suddenly said, ‘I don’t suppose . . .’ and then stopped.
‘What?’
‘Well, I was wondering . . .’ Mari chewed her lip for a moment and then rushed on with, ‘You’re such a good teacher, Megan, I was wonderin
g if you’d give me a bit more help. Outside classes, I mean.’
Megan was surprised. ‘Outside classes? You mean, practise on our own?’
‘Yes. I just don’t want to hold everyone else back.’ Mari’s face was beginning to turn red. ‘Of course, if you’re busy . . .’
Megan laughed. ‘Don’t be silly. I’d love to help out a bit.’
Corinne, who was passing, overheard this. ‘Good idea. You’re a good teacher, Megan. Have you ever thought of doing it as a career?’
‘No,’ said Megan, taken aback. ‘Not really.’
‘Well, it’s just a thought. Come on, you two, I need to lock up this room.’
Megan and Mari headed towards the front entrance, discussing when and where they could meet up. ‘My house is tiny,’ said Mari abruptly. ‘We’d only be able to take three steps in any direction. How much room have you got?’
‘Quite a lot,’ replied Megan, considering. ‘If we rolled back the rug in the lounge . . .’
‘Whereabouts is your house?’
‘Just three minutes round the corner. Listen,’ said Megan as a thought struck her, ‘why don’t you come back that way now and I’ll point it out to you?’
Mari nodded. ‘Good idea. Then I can come knocking on your door one evening!’
They approached the skate park together, and Megan felt her heart skip a beat as she spotted Danny practising ollies in the middle of the concrete. On an impulse, she turned to Mari. ‘You see that boy over there?’ she whispered.
‘Which one? The tall one with the dark hair?’
‘Yes. He’s teaching me to skateboard.’
Mari looked astonished. ‘He’s what? You’re learning to skateboard?’
Megan nodded, eyes sparkling. ‘Well, sort of. He’s amazing, Mari. He can do all these jumps and tricks and things.’
‘I’ll bet he can. He’s very cute too.’ Mari raised her eyebrows. ‘How do you know him?’
‘I bumped into him one day. Literally. We crashed into each other.’
‘Wow. And so now he’s teaching you to skateboard.’ Mari nudged her friend. ‘Did you pretend to be interested so that you could talk to him?’
‘I am interested! Skateboarding is kind of fun.’
Mari grinned. ‘Bet it’s more fun when you’ve got a good-looking boy teaching you!’
Megan blushed. ‘Well, that helps, I suppose. But he is really amazing. I mean, look at that! How does he do it?’
‘Oh dear,’ said Mari, smirking, ‘you have got it bad. Shouldn’t you dash down there now? Aren’t you afraid someone else is going to become his pet pupil?’
‘I hadn’t even thought of that,’ said Megan, startled. ‘But then there are these two girls who hang around him. One of them’s his sister. They’re not very friendly. They nearly scared me off.’
Mari laughed. ‘Nice. He must be worth it, to put up with them!’
‘He is. Well, I like him. And I’m sure the girls are nice really. It’s just taking a while to get to know them.’ A movement behind Danny caught her eye. ‘There they are. Those two, just coming down the steps from the playground.’
Mari glanced across, amused. Then, suddenly, she stiffened all over. Her eyes turned hard and cold. ‘Those two girls?’ she said icily. ‘The blonde one and her friend?’
‘Yes. The blonde one is his sister. Danny’s sister, I mean.’
Mari grabbed her arm, and Megan jumped at the tightness of her grip. ‘But that’s Samantha,’ she hissed.
Megan was startled. ‘Samantha, yes, that’s right. Do you know her?’
‘Samantha Brooks,’ said Mari urgently. ‘That’s her! That’s the girl who injured Fliss in the play!’
Megan gaped. ‘What?’
Mari pulled Megan back towards the arts centre and out of sight of the skate park. ‘Oh my God, have you not been listening to a word I said? That’s Samantha Brooks! She’s only the most evil cow-bag ever!’
‘But . . . but . . .’
‘And you’ve been hanging out with her?’ Mari suddenly dropped Megan’s arm, a horrified expression on her face.
‘I didn’t know it was her!’ protested Megan, suddenly defensive though she had no idea why. ‘I’ve only just moved in! How would I know anything about what happened?’ A sudden thought struck her. Danny had said something about Samantha being ‘off track’ since what happened in the summer . . .
Mari was glaring at the ground. ‘Megan, you’ve got to stay away from her. She’s a nasty piece of work.’
Megan felt uncomfortable. ‘Well, it’s not that easy, if I’m going out with her brother.’
Mari actually took a step backwards. ‘You’re GOING OUT WITH HIM?’
‘Not like that, not like that! Mari, you’ve got it all wrong!’ Megan gabbled. ‘We’re not going out like boyfriend and girlfriend, it’s just I only ever see him at the skate park and I said it would be nice to go somewhere just the two of us and so he said he’d take me somewhere really cool and we could . . .’ Her voice trailed off under Mari’s steely expression. ‘He’s really nice,’ she ended lamely.
‘He can’t be nice,’ Mari said in a decided tone. ‘He’s a Brooks. He’s Samantha’s brother.’
‘Exactly,’ said Megan, feeling a little more sure of herself. ‘He’s her brother. He’s not her. I mean, you can’t say just because she’s nasty that he is too. Have you even met him before?’
‘No,’ admitted Mari.
‘Well, then.’
Mari shifted from foot to foot. ‘But if you hang out with him, you have to hang out with her,’ she said. ‘That’s what you said. She’s always around.’
Megan felt frustrated. ‘Well, what do you want me to do? I like him. He’s really cool on a skateboard and he wants to teach me. She’s not very friendly, but I don’t have to be friends with her, do I?’ She took a breath. ‘Look, Mari, I know why you feel the way you do, but I only just moved here. I haven’t got many friends yet. Danny’s been nice to me. I don’t want to stop seeing him.’
Mari sighed. ‘Sorry, Megan. I didn’t mean to go off the deep end. I know I put my foot in it sometimes. It’s just that Samantha and I – we have a bit of history, let’s say.’
‘I know, but . . .’
‘And I will never forgive her for what she did to Fliss,’ Mari went on. ‘But I don’t know Danny at all. He could be nothing like her. And you have a right to be friends with whoever you want, of course you do.’ She glanced back towards the skate park. ‘Just be careful, that’s all. You don’t want to get on the wrong side of Samantha.’
Megan grinned. ‘All right. And thanks for looking out for me.’
‘He’s waving at you,’ said Mari. ‘I should go.’
‘No, don’t.’ Megan grabbed her arm. ‘I’m showing you where I live, remember?’ She waved back at Danny and then firmly turned away, although she really wanted to run over to him. ‘I can talk to him tomorrow.’
‘I’m impressed,’ joked Mari as they walked away from the skate park. ‘You may be smitten, but you’re staying strong. Good on you, girl.’
‘Mari,’ said Megan affectionately, ‘you are an idiot.’
Chapter 7
let’s do it again!
MEGAN’S JAW DROPPED. She’d never seen anything like this before.
‘Cool, isn’t it?’ said Danny enthusiastically.
Everywhere she looked, Megan saw red and white stripes, rubber tyres, steel beams, tarmac . . . And the noise! ‘I never realized go-karting was so loud!’ she said, raising her voice.
‘What?’ Danny called back. ‘Oh, yeah! I know, it’s the engines!’
Megan wanted to put her hands over her ears. She could see them, the low-slung karts, racing around the track. The whole building was like some giant aircraft hangar, and the ceiling was criss-crossed with what looked like scaffolding and steel struts. Big banners advertising brand names – Pirelli, Dunlop, Ferrari – adorned the walls. To her right was the reception desk, and beyond that a seated area wit
h a TV screen. The other side of this was a snack bar, and several people were already seated and tucking into pizzas, laughing and joking around with their friends.
But the really fascinating sight was the track itself. Bordered by concrete and tyres, striped red and white, it snaked tightly round corners and even up and over itself. The karts whizzed dizzyingly past, some overtaking, the odd one crashing into the barrier with a body-stunning jolt. Megan felt her mouth go dry. The drivers were completely anonymous, dressed identically in boiler suits and full helmets. She glanced at Danny. His face was lit up as he watched the karts. His eyes seemed to be fizzing with sparks. Megan felt a slight quiver somewhere in the pit of her stomach. It was the first time she’d been somewhere with a boy who wasn’t Jake. And Danny was so definitely not like Jake, she wasn’t sure exactly how to behave.
‘Are you sure . . .’ Megan started to say, and then swallowed. ‘Are you sure it’s safe? I mean, it looks kind of dangerous.’
Danny laughed. ‘That’s half the fun. Come on, let’s get you kitted up.’ He glanced at her feet. ‘Good, you wore trainers like I said. You just need the rest of the stuff.’ He lifted his right hand and waved his helmet at her. ‘I brought my own.’
Megan followed him to the reception desk, where the assistant booked them in and looked her up and down critically before passing over a boiler suit and helmet. ‘Take them to the briefing area,’ he said. ‘Someone will show you how to put them on.’
‘I can help her,’ said Danny. ‘I’ve been here before.’
The assistant shook his head. ‘Sorry, mate. Everyone has to sit through the briefing. Doesn’t matter how many times you’ve been.’
Danny tapped his hand on the desk impatiently. ‘It takes time away from racing.’
The assistant grinned. ‘Don’t worry, we won’t dock your track time. It’s just the rules, mate.’
Danny rolled his eyes and turned to Megan. ‘Come on then. Let’s go and do the health-and-safety stuff.’
Megan sat clutching her suit and helmet as a burly man in a red fleece explained to a small group of them how the karts worked, how to speed up and brake, what to do if you crashed and how to overtake. Megan decided straight away she wouldn’t be overtaking anyone! Her legs felt oddly as though they belonged to someone else. And her mind was playing strange tricks on her too. She had a ridiculous impulse to put her hand on Danny’s leg for reassurance as she sat next to him. How embarrassing would that be! Megan gripped her suit even tighter, her knuckles turning white.
