disgusting smell of sick and I open the door a crack and peer through the gap, as much to get some air as to see what’s going on in the hall.
Sasha’s out there, surrounded by a group of her friends. She’s obviously been crying, and who can blame her. She is going tobe in
so
much trouble. I almost feel sorry for her.
Almost.
Suddenly Seth comes down the stairs. ‘I’ve rung our parents,’ he tells Sasha. ‘They’re on their way home. Has anyone seen Alice?’
No, no, no!
‘Alice! What, you mean you brought Alice here?’ Sasha is screeching in a most unattractive way.
Seth disappears into the sitting room and I can hear Chelsea saying to Sasha, ‘I thought you didn’t invite Alice,’ and then Clara chips in with ‘Is Seth going out with
Alice
?’
There’s something very uncomfortable about hearing people talk about you when they don’t know you’re there. I consider just making a dash for the front door now Sasha knows I’m here anyway. I really need to get home. But I freeze when I hear what Sasha says next.
‘Of course not, stupid. But I did have a bet with him that he couldn’t get into her knickers. He was probably trying to win that. He didn’t have to bring her here, though.’
If the loo wasn’t already taken I’d probably have turned round and been sick right into it. Luckily, at that moment, everyone in the hall moves off towards the kitchen so at last I can make my getaway. I have to struggle with the front door because I’m blinded by tears, but I get it open and slam it behind me. As I run down the path I hear the front door open again and Seth’s voice calling me. The bastard. How dare he? Is he hoping I’ll go back so that he can get into my knickers and win his bloody bet? I keep running until I get home.
Chapter Ten
Before I open the front door and apologise to Imogen for taking so long, I try and compose myself a bit. If she sees that I’ve been crying I’ll just pretend that I’m upset about Miss Maybrooke.
But when I get inside I can hear voices in the sitting room. Damn, I think as I open the door, I’ll have to put Rory to bed. But it’s not Imogen and Rory in there. It’s Imogen and Mum!
They both turn and stare at me. Why is it that everyone seems to be staring at me tonight? Then Mum goes ballistic.
‘Where have you been?! I was about to call the police. You’re a thoughtless, selfish girl! As if I haven’t got enough on my plate!’
This is typical. My mother thinks that she is the only person in the world with problems.
‘Imogen says you told her I rang you and you had to go to the nursing home. I think you’ve got some explaining to do.’
Hell! I don’t know what to say. I glance at Imogen, but she’s just staring blankly at the television screen, which is a bit odd as the telly isn’t even on. I’m desperately trying to come up with a solution to my lie having been discovered and I’m just contemplating saying that I really wanted to go and see how Miss Maybrooke was doing but was too embarrassed to admit it to Imogen, so I made up the bit about Mum ringing. However, even I can see that this was a bit weak as excuses go, and doesn’t account for the fact that I’ve been gone for nearly two hours and never even turned up at the nursing home.
But as I’m wondering what to say, Mum goes off on one. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so angry. It’s like a dam bursting. She starts off with how hard she’s tried to keep the family together and hold down a job. This is a bit rich, I think, as it was her who left Dad, which is hardly keeping the family together. Then it’s on to me and how selfish I am and how I do nothing to help her and that it’s about time I grew up and realised that not everything revolves around me . . . I won’t bore you with all the details. Normally I’d butt in and have a go back at her about how it’s not me that’s selfish, it’s her, for ruining my life, etc, etc, but, like I said, I’ve never seen
Sasha’s out there, surrounded by a group of her friends. She’s obviously been crying, and who can blame her. She is going tobe in
so
much trouble. I almost feel sorry for her.
Almost.
Suddenly Seth comes down the stairs. ‘I’ve rung our parents,’ he tells Sasha. ‘They’re on their way home. Has anyone seen Alice?’
No, no, no!
‘Alice! What, you mean you brought Alice here?’ Sasha is screeching in a most unattractive way.
Seth disappears into the sitting room and I can hear Chelsea saying to Sasha, ‘I thought you didn’t invite Alice,’ and then Clara chips in with ‘Is Seth going out with
Alice
?’
There’s something very uncomfortable about hearing people talk about you when they don’t know you’re there. I consider just making a dash for the front door now Sasha knows I’m here anyway. I really need to get home. But I freeze when I hear what Sasha says next.
‘Of course not, stupid. But I did have a bet with him that he couldn’t get into her knickers. He was probably trying to win that. He didn’t have to bring her here, though.’
If the loo wasn’t already taken I’d probably have turned round and been sick right into it. Luckily, at that moment, everyone in the hall moves off towards the kitchen so at last I can make my getaway. I have to struggle with the front door because I’m blinded by tears, but I get it open and slam it behind me. As I run down the path I hear the front door open again and Seth’s voice calling me. The bastard. How dare he? Is he hoping I’ll go back so that he can get into my knickers and win his bloody bet? I keep running until I get home.
Chapter Ten
Before I open the front door and apologise to Imogen for taking so long, I try and compose myself a bit. If she sees that I’ve been crying I’ll just pretend that I’m upset about Miss Maybrooke.
But when I get inside I can hear voices in the sitting room. Damn, I think as I open the door, I’ll have to put Rory to bed. But it’s not Imogen and Rory in there. It’s Imogen and Mum!
They both turn and stare at me. Why is it that everyone seems to be staring at me tonight? Then Mum goes ballistic.
‘Where have you been?! I was about to call the police. You’re a thoughtless, selfish girl! As if I haven’t got enough on my plate!’
This is typical. My mother thinks that she is the only person in the world with problems.
‘Imogen says you told her I rang you and you had to go to the nursing home. I think you’ve got some explaining to do.’
Hell! I don’t know what to say. I glance at Imogen, but she’s just staring blankly at the television screen, which is a bit odd as the telly isn’t even on. I’m desperately trying to come up with a solution to my lie having been discovered and I’m just contemplating saying that I really wanted to go and see how Miss Maybrooke was doing but was too embarrassed to admit it to Imogen, so I made up the bit about Mum ringing. However, even I can see that this was a bit weak as excuses go, and doesn’t account for the fact that I’ve been gone for nearly two hours and never even turned up at the nursing home.
But as I’m wondering what to say, Mum goes off on one. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so angry. It’s like a dam bursting. She starts off with how hard she’s tried to keep the family together and hold down a job. This is a bit rich, I think, as it was her who left Dad, which is hardly keeping the family together. Then it’s on to me and how selfish I am and how I do nothing to help her and that it’s about time I grew up and realised that not everything revolves around me . . . I won’t bore you with all the details. Normally I’d butt in and have a go back at her about how it’s not me that’s selfish, it’s her, for ruining my life, etc, etc, but, like I said, I’ve never seen
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