Read Online Fifteen Love by R. M. Corbet - Free Book Online Page A

Vanessa.
    â€˜Ohmigod!’ squeals Renata.
    â€˜I don’t believe it,’ gasps Vanessa. ‘He’s got groupies!’
    â€˜He’s signing their clothes!’ Renata screeches.
    â€˜He’s signing their bodies!’ Vanessa shrieks.
    â€˜They love it!’ giggles Renata.
    â€˜ He loves it!’ sniggers Vanessa.
    â€˜It’s tragic,’ I say.
    â€˜Pathetic,’ says Renata.
    â€˜Boys are like that,’ says Vanessa. ‘They love being chased by younger girls.’
    â€˜My father’s like that,’ I suddenly blurt out. ‘He’s got a girlfriend half his age!’
    â€˜Your father?’ says Renata.
    â€˜Since when?’ says Vanessa.
    â€˜It’s truly disgusting,’ I say. ‘He thinks it’s a secret. He thinks Mum doesn’t know.’
    â€˜Oh, Mia!’ says Renata. ‘You poor thing!’
    â€˜My dad’s the same,’ says Vanessa. ‘He goes to those men’s clubs in the city, where the girls dance on the tables.’
    â€˜Have you seen those girls?’ says Renata. ‘Have you seen the G-strings they wear!’
    â€˜Imagine the bikini wax!’ says Vanessa.
    â€˜Some of them wax all over ,’ says Renata.
    â€˜I know !’ says Vanessa.
    One moment I’m sharing my deepest, darkest secret with my two best friends. The next moment it feels as if I’m in a hair salon, discussing body wax and gossiping about tabletop dancers.
    WILL
    When I tell Dave about the Year 7 girls, he gets that look on his face.
    â€˜What about me, Will? I’m in Year 7! Did you tell them about me?’
    â€˜I said you were already taken, Dave. Engaged to Maria Sharapova.’
    Dave laughs loudly. ‘You did not, Will!’
    â€˜But Maria wants to break it off. She’s heard about you and Venus Williams.’
    Dave shakes his head. ‘You did not say that, Will!’
    â€˜Venus and Serena!’
    â€˜Tell the truth, Will!’
    â€˜ And Rafael Nadal. It was mixed doubles, I told them.’
    â€˜Stop it, Will! Not with Raffa, okay?’
    â€˜Why not, Dave? He’s a good-looking guy?’
    â€˜Will! Raffa’s a man! And I’m not like that , okay?’
    â€˜Sorry, Dave. I was just stirring.’
    â€˜Then say it. Dave Holland is not gay. Go on. Say it, Will.’
    â€˜Dave Holland is not gay.’
    â€˜ And neither is Rafael Nadal. ’
    â€˜And neither is Rafael Nadal.’
    I like stirring Dave. That’s what big brothers do. It’s part of our job description. But I also did it to stop the conversation from taking a predictable nosedive. When Dave starts talking about sex, it’s hard to stop him.
    â€˜ Dave Holland likes girls. Go on. Say it, Will.’
    â€˜Dave Holland likes girls.’
    â€˜ Dave Holland likes kissing and hugging girls. ’
    â€˜Dave Holland likes kissing and hugging girls.’
    â€˜Dave Holland likes grabbing—’
    â€˜I think we might stop you right there, Dave.’
    MIA
    Vanessa’s latest boy-craze is the St David’s boys. Most days, after school, we hang around with the St D’s boys up at the shops. They don’t have girls at their school, so they buy us milkshakes and chips and let Vanessa bot their smokes.
    The St D’s boys are okay. They’re pretty harmless. They throw their schoolbags onto the road in front of oncoming cars. They jump off walls and risk their lives, just to get our attention. As far as I can see, the most interesting thing about them is that they’re from another school. I swear Vanessa only raves about them to make the boys at our school jealous.
    We’re outside the milk bar watching the St D’s boys perform on their skateboards when I see Will and Yorick coming. They are walking along the footpath, deep in conversation, when one of the St D’s boys falls off his board and goes tumbling into them. Yorick drops his schoolbag