behind her. He’s Italian and very handsome, like a movie star. With parents as good-looking as they are,
it’s no wonder Nesta’s such a stunner.
When they’d gone, Nesta brought up the important business of choosing our outfits.
‘Fashion show, fashion show,’ said Nesta. ‘Mum got me a new dress. I can’t wait to show you.’
She disappeared for a few minutes then came back wearing a short silky silver dress with sequins round the neck. She looked fantastic, legs right up to her armpits, lucky thing.
‘You look gorgeous,’ I said. ‘Shoes?’
‘Dunno,’ said Nesta, holding up two pairs. ‘Black and strappy or these silver ones? Do you think they’re a bit summery?’
‘No, perfect for the dress,’ said Lucy. ‘Anyway, it’ll be boiling once we start dancing. What about you, Iz? What are you going to wear?’
‘Not going,’ I said.
Nesta and Lucy looked appalled.
‘What do mean, not going?’ said Nesta.
I shrugged. ‘Not in the mood.’
‘But I thought Mark said he was going?’ said Lucy.
‘He did. But he hasn’t phoned to ask if we can go together and I don’t want to bump into him and go through all that stuff again. I realised that I’ve been doing all the
running. No, if he wants to see me, he can make an effort.’
‘Quite right,’ said Nesta. ‘But I don’t see why you should miss the disco because of him.’
‘You’ve got to come, Iz,’ said Lucy. ‘I thought you wanted to see King Noz play. You can ignore Mark if he’s there. And we’ll be there. Me and
Nesta.’
I wasn’t convinced. ‘Anyway, I’ve got nothing to wear. What are you wearing, Lucy?’
‘I made something specially,’ she said. Lucy is a real whiz on the sewing machine. She’s made me and Nesta tops in the past and they’re really fantastic,
professional-looking. ‘You’ll see tomorrow – it’s a surprise.’
‘Please come, Izzie,’ begged Nesta. ‘It won’t be the same without you and remember what we said about not letting a boy come between us.’
I did remember. And she was right. I was letting it all get to me again. Running around, trying to bump into him accidentally-on-purpose hadn’t worked. Neither had all that waiting in for
the phone. Maybe cutting off and hiding away wouldn’t work either? Oh why couldn’t it be simple? Then I thought, why should I let Mark ruin my Christmas? So he didn’t
phone. I’d had enough of letting him affect my moods.
‘I suppose I could come for an hour or so,’ I said.
‘Fantastic,’ said Lucy, then grinned mysteriously. ‘Anyway, I brought something for us to try tonight. Just up your street, Izzie, to get you in the party mood.’
Half an hour later I found myself standing in front of the mirror in Nesta’s bedroom while she and Lucy coached me from Nesta’s bed.
‘Again,’ demanded Lucy. ‘Again, but try to make it more convincing. Try and feel the words.’
The mystery ‘something’ was one of her mum’s self-help books on affirmations.
‘Just what you need,’ said Lucy before we got started. ‘You say the affirmations over and over again until your mind starts to believe what you’re saying and it becomes
real for you.’
She and Nesta had pored through the book until finally they picked one for me.
‘Say it again,’ said Lucy.
I straightened my shoulders. ‘I am full of joy,’ I intoned to the gloomy face looking back out at me. ‘I am full of joy.’
Nesta shook her head. ‘Yeah, looks like it.’
I slumped back on to the bed next to her. ‘Sorry, girls, I did try.’
‘Maybe it’s not the right affirmation for you,’ said Lucy, going back to her book. It was called Change Your Life by Changing Your Thoughts.
‘OK, read me some of the others,’ I said. I knew she was trying to be helpful. The least I could do was go along with it.
‘I’m light, I’m bright, I’ve got it right. Nah, that’s not appropriate.’ She flicked the pages.
‘Try another,’ said Nesta.
‘I’m
it’s no wonder Nesta’s such a stunner.
When they’d gone, Nesta brought up the important business of choosing our outfits.
‘Fashion show, fashion show,’ said Nesta. ‘Mum got me a new dress. I can’t wait to show you.’
She disappeared for a few minutes then came back wearing a short silky silver dress with sequins round the neck. She looked fantastic, legs right up to her armpits, lucky thing.
‘You look gorgeous,’ I said. ‘Shoes?’
‘Dunno,’ said Nesta, holding up two pairs. ‘Black and strappy or these silver ones? Do you think they’re a bit summery?’
‘No, perfect for the dress,’ said Lucy. ‘Anyway, it’ll be boiling once we start dancing. What about you, Iz? What are you going to wear?’
‘Not going,’ I said.
Nesta and Lucy looked appalled.
‘What do mean, not going?’ said Nesta.
I shrugged. ‘Not in the mood.’
‘But I thought Mark said he was going?’ said Lucy.
‘He did. But he hasn’t phoned to ask if we can go together and I don’t want to bump into him and go through all that stuff again. I realised that I’ve been doing all the
running. No, if he wants to see me, he can make an effort.’
‘Quite right,’ said Nesta. ‘But I don’t see why you should miss the disco because of him.’
‘You’ve got to come, Iz,’ said Lucy. ‘I thought you wanted to see King Noz play. You can ignore Mark if he’s there. And we’ll be there. Me and
Nesta.’
I wasn’t convinced. ‘Anyway, I’ve got nothing to wear. What are you wearing, Lucy?’
‘I made something specially,’ she said. Lucy is a real whiz on the sewing machine. She’s made me and Nesta tops in the past and they’re really fantastic,
professional-looking. ‘You’ll see tomorrow – it’s a surprise.’
‘Please come, Izzie,’ begged Nesta. ‘It won’t be the same without you and remember what we said about not letting a boy come between us.’
I did remember. And she was right. I was letting it all get to me again. Running around, trying to bump into him accidentally-on-purpose hadn’t worked. Neither had all that waiting in for
the phone. Maybe cutting off and hiding away wouldn’t work either? Oh why couldn’t it be simple? Then I thought, why should I let Mark ruin my Christmas? So he didn’t
phone. I’d had enough of letting him affect my moods.
‘I suppose I could come for an hour or so,’ I said.
‘Fantastic,’ said Lucy, then grinned mysteriously. ‘Anyway, I brought something for us to try tonight. Just up your street, Izzie, to get you in the party mood.’
Half an hour later I found myself standing in front of the mirror in Nesta’s bedroom while she and Lucy coached me from Nesta’s bed.
‘Again,’ demanded Lucy. ‘Again, but try to make it more convincing. Try and feel the words.’
The mystery ‘something’ was one of her mum’s self-help books on affirmations.
‘Just what you need,’ said Lucy before we got started. ‘You say the affirmations over and over again until your mind starts to believe what you’re saying and it becomes
real for you.’
She and Nesta had pored through the book until finally they picked one for me.
‘Say it again,’ said Lucy.
I straightened my shoulders. ‘I am full of joy,’ I intoned to the gloomy face looking back out at me. ‘I am full of joy.’
Nesta shook her head. ‘Yeah, looks like it.’
I slumped back on to the bed next to her. ‘Sorry, girls, I did try.’
‘Maybe it’s not the right affirmation for you,’ said Lucy, going back to her book. It was called Change Your Life by Changing Your Thoughts.
‘OK, read me some of the others,’ I said. I knew she was trying to be helpful. The least I could do was go along with it.
‘I’m light, I’m bright, I’ve got it right. Nah, that’s not appropriate.’ She flicked the pages.
‘Try another,’ said Nesta.
‘I’m
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