Read Online Girls in Tears by Jacqueline Wilson - Free Book Online Page A

not much,” I say. “Nowhere near as much as they tell me. You should hear some of the things Nadine’s Ellis says to her!”
    “What about Magda? Who’s she seeing at the moment?”
    “Well, no one really. She was wondering whether to get back with Greg, but now she thinks he’s insensitive. Her hamster had this terribly traumatic terminal accident and Greg wanted to give her little new baby hamsters Toffee and Mallow straightaway, but Magda says she’s still mourning and she can’t bear to get involved with any other hamsters at the moment. She doesn’t really want to get involved with Greg
either
.”
    “Oh, great,” says Russell. “Because Big Mac’s having a big do for his birthday and most of the guys in my class are coming, right, but there’s a distinct shortage of girls.”
    “Magda’s not
that
sort of girl,” I say fiercely. “I know what your mate Big Mac is like.”
    “No no, this is a proper party, dead respectable, parents in the background, I swear. I promised Big Mac we’d go. That’s OK, isn’t it?”
    “Well, you could have asked first. You never tell me things, Russell. Like that art competition—”
    “Don’t nag, Ellie! OK, OK, point taken. I’m sorry, I should have told you sooner. Still, there’ll be heaps more competitions.”
    “But you’re not to appropriate my Ellie Elephant ever again,” I say, tapping him on the nose.
    “She’s not
your
elephant. Anyone can draw a flipping elephant.”
    “Not a cute girl one with a twisty trunk and painted toenails. She’s Ellie Elephant. My invention.” I tap a little harder.
    “Ouch! Stop it, missy,” says Russell, grabbing me by the wrists.
    We play at wrestling, mucking about at first— but then Russell starts to get serious again.
    “Oh, Ellie, I love you. Please.”
    “Russell! You’ve got a one-track mind.”
    “Look, if I win the competition I’ll share the prize with you, seeing as you insist you invented the silly little elephant.”
    This is sweet and generous of him. Though I still find it annoying. And I don’t want this wrestling match to develop.
    “Stop it, Russell. I’ve got to go now. I’ve got to get to the shops before they shut.”
    “You’d sooner go boring old shopping than be with me?” Russell says, sounding peeved.
    “I’m not shopping for me. It’s food shopping for all the family.”
    I told Anna at breakfast I’d go to Waitrose for her as she was tied up with so much work. I said it pointedly in front of Dad. I knew it would get to him.
    “Look, we’ll all go on Sunday,” Dad said. “Stop looking at me like that, Ellie. You don’t have to play the martyr.”
    It wouldn’t work if we all went shopping on Sunday as a family. We’re not
acting
like a family now. Dad and Anna are barely speaking. Dad stays out late most evenings. Anna works solidly. She has a permanent little worry frown on her forehead and dark circles under her eyes. Eggs is forever whining, even though Anna keeps buying him little treats to keep him happy. He’s started to cling to Anna like a baby. I know Anna’s really worried about him. I don’t want her to have to worry about me, too.
    I do all the shopping, even though it’s more boring and bothersome than I thought. I can’t find half the stuff. I have to trail round every single aisle. I stand in the checkout queue for ages. There’s just one woman in front of me now. I start getting all the stuff out of the trolley and then sneeze. I fumble in my pocket for a tissue. Oh no.
Tissues
. I forgot all about them.
    I charge back for them, my trolley careering wildly on its wobbly wheels, and bash right into this tall blond guy in a white hat and overall filling up the fridge with cartons of milk. He drops a carton and we both hold our breath—but it doesn’t split or spill.
    “So we don’t have to cry over spilt milk,” I say, wondering why he’s grinning at me in such a familiar way. And then I realize. He’s not just
any
tall blond guy.