have to bother about safe sex because you can’t catch anything off them.”
“What?”
I say.
“I don’t
believe
it!” says Magda.
“It’s true. He’s done it with lots of girls, but he gives them the elbow the minute they start to put out. This girl at our school, she got pregnant from this one time, but he just told her to get lost, he didn’t want to know. He said she was a slag anyway, saying if she’d do it with him then she’d do it with anyone.”
Magda and I stare at each other, horrified. Then we look at the cubicle where Nadine is. Surely she must have heard? She stays in there until all the other girls have gone. After a few minutes we hear her crying.
“Come out, Naddie,” I whisper.
“Yes, come on, babe, it’s just us,” says Magda.
Nadine comes out, tears streaming down her face. She heard, all right.
“We’re going to go home,” says Magda, putting her arm round her. “We’ll sneak out the back, leave him standing there. I’ve got the cab fare. You come back to my place and sleep over with Ellie and me.”
So that’s just what we do. And when I wake up at dawn and hear Nadine sobbing in the spare bed I slip over and get in beside her and cuddle her close.
nine favorites
1. FAVORITE BOY: Dream Dan.
2. FAVORITE GIRL: Nadine and Magda—can’t choose between them.
3. FAVORITE CLUB: Seventh Heaven. OK, it’s the only club I’ve ever been in, but it’s definitely the best.
4. FAVORITE MEAL: pizza with extra toppings of everything, especially pineapple.
5. FAVORITE SNACK: Magnum ice cream.
6. FAVORITE ANIMAL: elephant. Girl elephants stay with their mothers all their lives—true fact.
7. FAVORITE COLOR: purple.
8. FAVORITE FLOWER: pansy.
9. FAVORITE TV PROGRAMS: The X-Files, Friends, Sesame Street.
eight till late
Dear Dan,
I’m ever so sorry but you really CAN’T come and stay at my home. I did ask, but Anna my stepmother won’t allow it. I don’t think you realized this on holiday but she’s really really strict and right at the moment she’s dead annoyed with me because she found out that I went to this amazing club with a serious reputation so now I’m grounded for the rest of the TERM and she says I can’t have anyone at all to stay, so I’m afraid it really will be Christmas at the cottages before we see each other again. I do hope you understand and don’t feel too mad at me.
L. Ellie X
My tongue is black all over. It’s a wonder it hasn’t cracked at the roots and crumbled into cinders in my mouth.
I feel so mean saying all that stuff about Anna. She’s been really super to me. And she’s never said anything about the night of Magda’s party. I came home from Magda’s as good as gold on Sunday and said we’d just had this super birthday meal that had lasted practically all evening, but when I kicked off my killer shoes Anna saw my tights were all holes because I’d been dancing so much. She’s been an absolute sport and it’s especially unfair for me to say she won’t let anyone come and stay because next weekend she’s letting Magda and Nadine stay over Friday night.
We’re all going to Stacy’s birthday party. It’s going to be great if everyone starts celebrating their birthdays in style—we’ll be raving right through the year! Not that Stacy’s party is going to be a
rave
. We wondered why on earth she’d asked us to her party because she’s not our particular friend, we hardly know her, but it turns out she’s asked the entire class, and a lot of girls in Year Nine in the other classes too.
“My mum and dad are hiring the hall at the community center and there’s going to be a disco and a finger buffet and we’ve got an extension so it’s going to be eight till late,” Stacy burbles.
“Wow!” says Magda, but Stacy doesn’t twig she’s being sarcastic and just grins gratefully.
“Yeah, isn’t it fabulous? Well, see you there, you three.”
“We’re really looking forward to it . . .
not,
” says Magda,
“What?”
I say.
“I don’t
believe
it!” says Magda.
“It’s true. He’s done it with lots of girls, but he gives them the elbow the minute they start to put out. This girl at our school, she got pregnant from this one time, but he just told her to get lost, he didn’t want to know. He said she was a slag anyway, saying if she’d do it with him then she’d do it with anyone.”
Magda and I stare at each other, horrified. Then we look at the cubicle where Nadine is. Surely she must have heard? She stays in there until all the other girls have gone. After a few minutes we hear her crying.
“Come out, Naddie,” I whisper.
“Yes, come on, babe, it’s just us,” says Magda.
Nadine comes out, tears streaming down her face. She heard, all right.
“We’re going to go home,” says Magda, putting her arm round her. “We’ll sneak out the back, leave him standing there. I’ve got the cab fare. You come back to my place and sleep over with Ellie and me.”
So that’s just what we do. And when I wake up at dawn and hear Nadine sobbing in the spare bed I slip over and get in beside her and cuddle her close.
nine favorites
1. FAVORITE BOY: Dream Dan.
2. FAVORITE GIRL: Nadine and Magda—can’t choose between them.
3. FAVORITE CLUB: Seventh Heaven. OK, it’s the only club I’ve ever been in, but it’s definitely the best.
4. FAVORITE MEAL: pizza with extra toppings of everything, especially pineapple.
5. FAVORITE SNACK: Magnum ice cream.
6. FAVORITE ANIMAL: elephant. Girl elephants stay with their mothers all their lives—true fact.
7. FAVORITE COLOR: purple.
8. FAVORITE FLOWER: pansy.
9. FAVORITE TV PROGRAMS: The X-Files, Friends, Sesame Street.
eight till late
Dear Dan,
I’m ever so sorry but you really CAN’T come and stay at my home. I did ask, but Anna my stepmother won’t allow it. I don’t think you realized this on holiday but she’s really really strict and right at the moment she’s dead annoyed with me because she found out that I went to this amazing club with a serious reputation so now I’m grounded for the rest of the TERM and she says I can’t have anyone at all to stay, so I’m afraid it really will be Christmas at the cottages before we see each other again. I do hope you understand and don’t feel too mad at me.
L. Ellie X
My tongue is black all over. It’s a wonder it hasn’t cracked at the roots and crumbled into cinders in my mouth.
I feel so mean saying all that stuff about Anna. She’s been really super to me. And she’s never said anything about the night of Magda’s party. I came home from Magda’s as good as gold on Sunday and said we’d just had this super birthday meal that had lasted practically all evening, but when I kicked off my killer shoes Anna saw my tights were all holes because I’d been dancing so much. She’s been an absolute sport and it’s especially unfair for me to say she won’t let anyone come and stay because next weekend she’s letting Magda and Nadine stay over Friday night.
We’re all going to Stacy’s birthday party. It’s going to be great if everyone starts celebrating their birthdays in style—we’ll be raving right through the year! Not that Stacy’s party is going to be a
rave
. We wondered why on earth she’d asked us to her party because she’s not our particular friend, we hardly know her, but it turns out she’s asked the entire class, and a lot of girls in Year Nine in the other classes too.
“My mum and dad are hiring the hall at the community center and there’s going to be a disco and a finger buffet and we’ve got an extension so it’s going to be eight till late,” Stacy burbles.
“Wow!” says Magda, but Stacy doesn’t twig she’s being sarcastic and just grins gratefully.
“Yeah, isn’t it fabulous? Well, see you there, you three.”
“We’re really looking forward to it . . .
not,
” says Magda,
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