missing.
“Hey, Noah.” I look up at the unfamiliar voice and I’m surprised to see Blake standing there. “Now that you’ve found her, I’m going to get back to the hotel.”
“Sure, man, thanks for helping me out. Can you let Dean know everything’s OK? And get him to check with security to see if anyone’s handed in Penny’s phone. It’s got a pink case with PP doodled in black Sharpie on the back,” Noah says.
“Uh, Penny, I’d better go too.” Megan stands up from her seat and gives me a little wave, but I can tell her attention is all on Blake, despite this being the first time she’s met Noah. Slouched against the doorway, Blake strikes an edgier, grungier vibe than Noah, and possesses that rock-star confidence that can only come from being onstage in front of a huge, screaming audience. Megan casually takes her hair out of her bun, shaking it out around her shoulders, and I can see Blake stand up and take notice too. “Thanks for the tea, Dahlia.”
“Of course, Megan,” says my mum. “Thank you for being there for Penny today. It’s nice to see the two of you together again.”
“My pleasure. Any time. See you later, Penny.” Megan flashes me a wide smile, tossing her hair and rolling her shoulders back to showcase her outfit—my dress somehow looks completely different on her. At least I know the world hasn’t completely turned upside down; this is the Megan I’m used to.
“Megan . . . thanks. A lot,” I say. “I’ll see you around.”
She nods and disappears down the hall towards the front door. Blake follows a step behind.
“What are you doing here?” comes a high-pitched voice from the hallway. I cringe as I realize Elliot must have come into the house just as Megan was leaving. Talk about bad timing.
“I was helping out my friend , which is more than I can say for you.”
I let out a noise that is somewhere between strangled cat and deranged weasel, then jump up and run into the hallway. A battle between Megan and Elliot is not what I need right now.
“Elliot,” I say, and I give him a look I hope says, It’s OK. Megan might have redeemed herself but I’m not sure yet. Can a single look convey that entire message? I’m not too sure.
He seems to get it though, in the way that only best friends can.
“See you later, Megan,” he says through gritted teeth.
“Bye,” she says, before finally leaving, followed closely by Blake.
“Don’t let the door hit your giant head on the way out!” he shouts at the closed door. He looks up and takes in my appearance, which I imagine can be summed up in oneword: disaster. I’ve changed into my favourite onesie, my hair is a bedraggled mess, and my eyes are still swollen from crying.
We all regroup in the living room. “Princess Penny, what happened?” asks Elliot.
I decide to tell him the condensed version of the story—I can always fill in the details later, in private, and he’ll also read the blog I wrote. It’s not just my feelings that I have to consider right now—I’m also aware of the look on my mum’s face, the frown that deepens every time she hears me talk about how panicky I got. I’m not used to seeing her look so worried. Normally she’s carefree and breezy, taking every concern in her stride.
But now I can feel my chance to go on tour with Noah slipping through my fingers. If she thinks I can’t handle it . . .
Dad pours more tea into my mug—a Disney one with Piglet, my favourite character, on the front. I hug the mug to my chest, feeling its warmth spread through my body. I lean into Noah’s arms. He’s holding me so tightly I don’t think he ever wants to let me go.
Elliot sits down on the floor, and my parents both take chairs opposite. I feel like we’re about to go into full-blown interrogation mode. Mum and Dad exchange a long look, before turning to Noah and me. “I think this is exactly what we were afraid of,” says Dad, his voice grave.
Mum nods. “Your dad’s
“Hey, Noah.” I look up at the unfamiliar voice and I’m surprised to see Blake standing there. “Now that you’ve found her, I’m going to get back to the hotel.”
“Sure, man, thanks for helping me out. Can you let Dean know everything’s OK? And get him to check with security to see if anyone’s handed in Penny’s phone. It’s got a pink case with PP doodled in black Sharpie on the back,” Noah says.
“Uh, Penny, I’d better go too.” Megan stands up from her seat and gives me a little wave, but I can tell her attention is all on Blake, despite this being the first time she’s met Noah. Slouched against the doorway, Blake strikes an edgier, grungier vibe than Noah, and possesses that rock-star confidence that can only come from being onstage in front of a huge, screaming audience. Megan casually takes her hair out of her bun, shaking it out around her shoulders, and I can see Blake stand up and take notice too. “Thanks for the tea, Dahlia.”
“Of course, Megan,” says my mum. “Thank you for being there for Penny today. It’s nice to see the two of you together again.”
“My pleasure. Any time. See you later, Penny.” Megan flashes me a wide smile, tossing her hair and rolling her shoulders back to showcase her outfit—my dress somehow looks completely different on her. At least I know the world hasn’t completely turned upside down; this is the Megan I’m used to.
“Megan . . . thanks. A lot,” I say. “I’ll see you around.”
She nods and disappears down the hall towards the front door. Blake follows a step behind.
“What are you doing here?” comes a high-pitched voice from the hallway. I cringe as I realize Elliot must have come into the house just as Megan was leaving. Talk about bad timing.
“I was helping out my friend , which is more than I can say for you.”
I let out a noise that is somewhere between strangled cat and deranged weasel, then jump up and run into the hallway. A battle between Megan and Elliot is not what I need right now.
“Elliot,” I say, and I give him a look I hope says, It’s OK. Megan might have redeemed herself but I’m not sure yet. Can a single look convey that entire message? I’m not too sure.
He seems to get it though, in the way that only best friends can.
“See you later, Megan,” he says through gritted teeth.
“Bye,” she says, before finally leaving, followed closely by Blake.
“Don’t let the door hit your giant head on the way out!” he shouts at the closed door. He looks up and takes in my appearance, which I imagine can be summed up in oneword: disaster. I’ve changed into my favourite onesie, my hair is a bedraggled mess, and my eyes are still swollen from crying.
We all regroup in the living room. “Princess Penny, what happened?” asks Elliot.
I decide to tell him the condensed version of the story—I can always fill in the details later, in private, and he’ll also read the blog I wrote. It’s not just my feelings that I have to consider right now—I’m also aware of the look on my mum’s face, the frown that deepens every time she hears me talk about how panicky I got. I’m not used to seeing her look so worried. Normally she’s carefree and breezy, taking every concern in her stride.
But now I can feel my chance to go on tour with Noah slipping through my fingers. If she thinks I can’t handle it . . .
Dad pours more tea into my mug—a Disney one with Piglet, my favourite character, on the front. I hug the mug to my chest, feeling its warmth spread through my body. I lean into Noah’s arms. He’s holding me so tightly I don’t think he ever wants to let me go.
Elliot sits down on the floor, and my parents both take chairs opposite. I feel like we’re about to go into full-blown interrogation mode. Mum and Dad exchange a long look, before turning to Noah and me. “I think this is exactly what we were afraid of,” says Dad, his voice grave.
Mum nods. “Your dad’s
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