would be grounded for the rest of eternity. My life was over.
I was feeling utterly miserable when a hand suddenly slapped on my shoulder. I almost jumped out of my skin. ‘There you are,’ said a familiar voice.
I turned. It was Riko.
‘Here I am? Where’ve you been?’
Riko grinned. ‘Hey. Don’t sweat it. I haven’t been anywhere.’
‘But you were supposed to meet us in the café.’
She grinned. ‘Sorr ee . I’m always losing track of time. But it’s cool, yeah?’ She didn’t look sorry at all as she glanced at her watch and waggled her wrist at me. ‘We’re still on time, yeah?’
‘Yes, so that’s all right then. I’ll let Pia know we’re ready to go,’ I said sharply. I felt cross with her for getting us so worried. I texted Pia to meet us at the entrance then went back to Riko, who was now checking out the bath gels in the bathshop. She appeared totally unconcerned about the scare. ‘Yes, we’re on time, Riko, but you gave us a fright. Your dad and mine would have been furious if they’d known we’d split up.’
Riko gave me a fake smile. ‘Hey chill, Jess. I’m here now, so what’s the problem?’ She linked arms with me. ‘Don’t be mad with me, Jess Hall. I won’t get lost again. Promise. And, anyway, dads are always cross, right?’
‘Why did you turn your phone off?’ I asked. I was still annoyed with her.
‘Did I?’ She pulled it out from her pocket. ‘Um . . . it’s new. Sometimes I er . . . hit the silent button and don’t realise. Silly me. But hey, Jessie, I wouldn’t have dropped you in it, really I wouldn’t. You’re my good friend.’
Yeah right , I thought as we took the escalators down. Friends don’t wander off and not say where they’re going, Riko. And don’t call me Jessie!
‘I can’t tell you how fabulous freedom is, if only for a short while,’ continued Riko. ‘To be on my own with no-one watching my every move.’
‘I guess I can understand that,’ I said begrudgingly as we reached the ground floor where Pia spotted us and came to join us.
‘Where the hell were you, Riko?’ she demanded. Pia was never one to mince her words. ‘Jess and I were freaking out. What if you’d been kidnapped or something had happened to you? We’d have been right in it, that’s what. Or don’t you ever think of other people?’ She shoved Riko’s bags at her. ‘And I’m not carrying these any more either. I believe they belong to you.’
Riko looked taken aback by Pia’s outburst but it made me want to giggle. She was voicing exactly what I had been too polite to say. Riko looked at a loss as to what to do for a few moments then she reached into one of the carrier bags and pulled out two small boxes. She gave one to me and one to Pia. ‘I’m sorry. Truly I am. And see, I got you a scented candle each to say thank you for today. For being my friends and not my minders. Yes? Understand? The candles are amber and fig. Mm. Smell fab.’
I felt like I was being paid off. Pia clearly felt the same.
‘Thanks, Riko, but we don’t need presents to be your friend. Just don’t go wandering off again, right?’ she said. ‘And you’re right. We’re not your minders but your dad is holding us responsible for showing you around.’
‘Please take the candles all the same,’ she said. ‘I realise now that I worried you.’ She attempted to look apologetic but part of me felt like I couldn’t trust her and that she was putting on an act. However, as she continued to press the candles at us, we eventually accepted them.
‘Thanks, Riko,’ I said.
She was all smiles now and linked arms with Pia and me as we went out to the car. ‘Good. Now we’re all friends again. I’m very happy to have had this time with you,’ she said.
I wasn’t though. The all-pals-together act felt false to me. She had a secret and friends shared secrets. No way was she sharing hers with me.
9
‘Yay,’ I said as I glanced at my computer the next morning.
I was feeling utterly miserable when a hand suddenly slapped on my shoulder. I almost jumped out of my skin. ‘There you are,’ said a familiar voice.
I turned. It was Riko.
‘Here I am? Where’ve you been?’
Riko grinned. ‘Hey. Don’t sweat it. I haven’t been anywhere.’
‘But you were supposed to meet us in the café.’
She grinned. ‘Sorr ee . I’m always losing track of time. But it’s cool, yeah?’ She didn’t look sorry at all as she glanced at her watch and waggled her wrist at me. ‘We’re still on time, yeah?’
‘Yes, so that’s all right then. I’ll let Pia know we’re ready to go,’ I said sharply. I felt cross with her for getting us so worried. I texted Pia to meet us at the entrance then went back to Riko, who was now checking out the bath gels in the bathshop. She appeared totally unconcerned about the scare. ‘Yes, we’re on time, Riko, but you gave us a fright. Your dad and mine would have been furious if they’d known we’d split up.’
Riko gave me a fake smile. ‘Hey chill, Jess. I’m here now, so what’s the problem?’ She linked arms with me. ‘Don’t be mad with me, Jess Hall. I won’t get lost again. Promise. And, anyway, dads are always cross, right?’
‘Why did you turn your phone off?’ I asked. I was still annoyed with her.
‘Did I?’ She pulled it out from her pocket. ‘Um . . . it’s new. Sometimes I er . . . hit the silent button and don’t realise. Silly me. But hey, Jessie, I wouldn’t have dropped you in it, really I wouldn’t. You’re my good friend.’
Yeah right , I thought as we took the escalators down. Friends don’t wander off and not say where they’re going, Riko. And don’t call me Jessie!
‘I can’t tell you how fabulous freedom is, if only for a short while,’ continued Riko. ‘To be on my own with no-one watching my every move.’
‘I guess I can understand that,’ I said begrudgingly as we reached the ground floor where Pia spotted us and came to join us.
‘Where the hell were you, Riko?’ she demanded. Pia was never one to mince her words. ‘Jess and I were freaking out. What if you’d been kidnapped or something had happened to you? We’d have been right in it, that’s what. Or don’t you ever think of other people?’ She shoved Riko’s bags at her. ‘And I’m not carrying these any more either. I believe they belong to you.’
Riko looked taken aback by Pia’s outburst but it made me want to giggle. She was voicing exactly what I had been too polite to say. Riko looked at a loss as to what to do for a few moments then she reached into one of the carrier bags and pulled out two small boxes. She gave one to me and one to Pia. ‘I’m sorry. Truly I am. And see, I got you a scented candle each to say thank you for today. For being my friends and not my minders. Yes? Understand? The candles are amber and fig. Mm. Smell fab.’
I felt like I was being paid off. Pia clearly felt the same.
‘Thanks, Riko, but we don’t need presents to be your friend. Just don’t go wandering off again, right?’ she said. ‘And you’re right. We’re not your minders but your dad is holding us responsible for showing you around.’
‘Please take the candles all the same,’ she said. ‘I realise now that I worried you.’ She attempted to look apologetic but part of me felt like I couldn’t trust her and that she was putting on an act. However, as she continued to press the candles at us, we eventually accepted them.
‘Thanks, Riko,’ I said.
She was all smiles now and linked arms with Pia and me as we went out to the car. ‘Good. Now we’re all friends again. I’m very happy to have had this time with you,’ she said.
I wasn’t though. The all-pals-together act felt false to me. She had a secret and friends shared secrets. No way was she sharing hers with me.
9
‘Yay,’ I said as I glanced at my computer the next morning.
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