You’re sad all the time, and I don’t blame you for that, but I don’t know how to help you. I don’t know what to say or do to make you feel better.’
Kate gave a sad smile. ‘You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, Eva,’ she said. ‘No one can helpme, but if anyone could, I know it would be you.’
Then she watched in silence as I put the last of my clothes into my suitcase.
As usual, I’d packed way too much stuff, and it took twenty minutes of pulling and dragging before the two of us managed to zip the suitcase closed. By then we were both hot and sweaty and giggling.
‘OMG,’ said Kate. ‘I know what’s going to happen the minute you get to London.’
‘So now you’re a fortune teller like Ruby’s mother?’ I said, laughing.
‘I don’t need to be a fortune teller. Anyone with half a brain can see that you’ve stuffed
way
too many clothes into that bag. I bet that the minute you get to London it’s going to explode and crowds of posh English people will fall around laughing as your knickers and socks go flying through the air.’
‘You really think that would happen?’
She shook her head. ‘No, but it would be soooo funny if it did. One of your socks might end up on the queen’s head, and you’d be locked up in prison forever.’
What she said probably wasn’t all that funny, but I was so happy to hear Kate laughing again, that I didn’t care. We both sat on my bed, and laughed until our throats hurt, and then Dad called us for lunch.
That afternoon, Mum, Joey and Kate watched as Dad loaded my case into his car for the trip to the airport.
Mum hugged me. ‘Be good, Eva,’ she said. ‘And be careful. London is a big city.’
‘I know that,’ I laughed. ‘I got an A in geography in my summer exams, remember?’
Mum pretended to slap me, and then she hugged me tight. When she finally let go, Joey hugged me too.
‘I’ll bring you back a present,’ I said, suddenly realising that I was going to miss his cheeky smile.
Then Kate stepped forward for her hug.
‘Will you bring me back a present too?’ she asked, as she clung on to me for longer than seemed necessary.
I wondered what I could possibly bring back that would make her happy.
‘Sure,’ I said. ‘I’ll bring you something. And until I get back … look after yourself.’
Kate pulled away and faked a smile. ‘You don’t have to worry about me. I’m tough,’ she said.
Then I jumped into the car and felt really, really bad, at how really, really good it felt to be escaping for a few days.
I started to get excited as we drove towards the airport. Before Dad’s business closed down, our family used to travel all around the world, but nowadays, my trips to Seacove were the mostexciting parts of my life.
When we got to the check-in desk, Ruby and Maggie were already there.
Ruby hugged me. ‘I’m so glad you’re here,’ she said.
‘I’m glad you’re here too,’ I said. ‘I’ve never been on a plane without my parents before.’
Ruby laughed excitedly, ‘I’ve never been on a plane before!’
While Dad helped Ruby to load her suitcase onto the belt, Maggie pulled me aside.
‘It is so very kind of you to go on this trip with Ruby, Eva,’ she said. ‘I don’t think she’d have been brave enough to go on her own.’
I grinned. ‘Trust me, I’m really looking forward to it.’
‘I need to ask you one thing though,’ said Maggie.
‘What?’
‘Can you please make sure that Ruby tries her best in the swimming trials?’
That seemed like a really stupid favour.
Ruby was going all the way to London for these trials, so why wouldn’t she try her best? But now Dad was calling me to check in so I smiled at Maggie.
‘Sure,’ I said. ‘Just leave it to me.’
Jenny met us at the airport in London, and she hugged Ruby for ages. I’m used to being an only child, but even so, I couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous of how close the two sisters were. Then Ruby reached out and pulled
Kate gave a sad smile. ‘You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, Eva,’ she said. ‘No one can helpme, but if anyone could, I know it would be you.’
Then she watched in silence as I put the last of my clothes into my suitcase.
As usual, I’d packed way too much stuff, and it took twenty minutes of pulling and dragging before the two of us managed to zip the suitcase closed. By then we were both hot and sweaty and giggling.
‘OMG,’ said Kate. ‘I know what’s going to happen the minute you get to London.’
‘So now you’re a fortune teller like Ruby’s mother?’ I said, laughing.
‘I don’t need to be a fortune teller. Anyone with half a brain can see that you’ve stuffed
way
too many clothes into that bag. I bet that the minute you get to London it’s going to explode and crowds of posh English people will fall around laughing as your knickers and socks go flying through the air.’
‘You really think that would happen?’
She shook her head. ‘No, but it would be soooo funny if it did. One of your socks might end up on the queen’s head, and you’d be locked up in prison forever.’
What she said probably wasn’t all that funny, but I was so happy to hear Kate laughing again, that I didn’t care. We both sat on my bed, and laughed until our throats hurt, and then Dad called us for lunch.
That afternoon, Mum, Joey and Kate watched as Dad loaded my case into his car for the trip to the airport.
Mum hugged me. ‘Be good, Eva,’ she said. ‘And be careful. London is a big city.’
‘I know that,’ I laughed. ‘I got an A in geography in my summer exams, remember?’
Mum pretended to slap me, and then she hugged me tight. When she finally let go, Joey hugged me too.
‘I’ll bring you back a present,’ I said, suddenly realising that I was going to miss his cheeky smile.
Then Kate stepped forward for her hug.
‘Will you bring me back a present too?’ she asked, as she clung on to me for longer than seemed necessary.
I wondered what I could possibly bring back that would make her happy.
‘Sure,’ I said. ‘I’ll bring you something. And until I get back … look after yourself.’
Kate pulled away and faked a smile. ‘You don’t have to worry about me. I’m tough,’ she said.
Then I jumped into the car and felt really, really bad, at how really, really good it felt to be escaping for a few days.
I started to get excited as we drove towards the airport. Before Dad’s business closed down, our family used to travel all around the world, but nowadays, my trips to Seacove were the mostexciting parts of my life.
When we got to the check-in desk, Ruby and Maggie were already there.
Ruby hugged me. ‘I’m so glad you’re here,’ she said.
‘I’m glad you’re here too,’ I said. ‘I’ve never been on a plane without my parents before.’
Ruby laughed excitedly, ‘I’ve never been on a plane before!’
While Dad helped Ruby to load her suitcase onto the belt, Maggie pulled me aside.
‘It is so very kind of you to go on this trip with Ruby, Eva,’ she said. ‘I don’t think she’d have been brave enough to go on her own.’
I grinned. ‘Trust me, I’m really looking forward to it.’
‘I need to ask you one thing though,’ said Maggie.
‘What?’
‘Can you please make sure that Ruby tries her best in the swimming trials?’
That seemed like a really stupid favour.
Ruby was going all the way to London for these trials, so why wouldn’t she try her best? But now Dad was calling me to check in so I smiled at Maggie.
‘Sure,’ I said. ‘Just leave it to me.’
Jenny met us at the airport in London, and she hugged Ruby for ages. I’m used to being an only child, but even so, I couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous of how close the two sisters were. Then Ruby reached out and pulled
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