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Authors: Cathy Hopkins
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idea occurred to me. ‘But seeing as I don’t really want to and you’re blackmailing me through guilt . . . how about we do a deal?’
Aunt Maddie looked at me suspiciously. ‘Do a deal?’
‘I do something I don’t want to. You do something you don’t want to.’
Aunt Maddie narrowed her eyes. ‘I’ve got a feeling I’m not going to like this, but go on. What’s the deal?’
‘You let me do a makeover on you.’
Aunt Maddie sighed heavily and I thought I’d let myself in for another lecture but then she smiled and held out her hand to shake. ‘Fair enough,’ she said. ‘Deal.’
When it was time for her to go, I walked with Aunt Maddie to her bus-stop then made my way to our local shop to buy some milk. It was freezing outside, with a bitter wind and, on the way back, I noticed Bridget over in the usual paparazzi spot looking pale with cold. I nodded at her when I went past.
‘OK, Jess?’ she asked.
‘Yeah. You look frozen.’
She nodded, her teeth chattering. ‘Part of the job,’ she said. ‘So glamorous, don’t you think? We get to go to all the best locations.’
I laughed. It wouldn’t do any harm to chat to her for a few moments. ‘What’s it really like being a journalist, Bridget?’
‘Hard work, long hours, waiting in all weathers for the big scoop,’ she said then indicated the few others who were parked nearby, stomping their feet and hugging themselves to keep warm. ‘And very competitive.’
‘So why don’t you do some other kind of writing?’
‘And that’s not competitive? Believe me, I have my novel on the go. Me and twenty thousand others.’
‘Don’t you feel bad invading people’s privacy?’
‘Ah now, the paper I work for doesn’t set out to ruin anyone’s reputation, unlike some who print what they like. I’m looking for the interesting story, so I am. People these days are fascinated by celebrity, so I go where the trend is. Like anyone else, I have bills to pay, I have to make a living.’
‘But who are you hoping to see come in or out of Porchester Park?’ I asked. ‘Most people have gone away to their holiday homes. It’s almost empty.’
‘Must be quiet for you in there, then,’ Bridget asked.
‘Ghost town,’ I said.
‘What’s it like living there for you?’
I looked at her suspiciously. ‘Hey, you’re not catching me out.’
‘Not angling for a story, angel. I’m just interested. I mean, there’s a lot of people with a lot of money in there . . .’
‘And I’m ordinary. Is that what you were going to say?’
‘Not ordinary, Jess. Normal. You and your brother live a normal life. Back and forth to school. I see you getting off the bus as they get out of limos. You must note the contrast on many levels.’
I nodded. I felt like I’d already said too much but it was nice to be asked about me for a change and it seemed like she was just chatting, not digging for dirt. All the same, I didn’t want to get into trouble. ‘Better be going in now, Bridget.’
‘Sure. And have a lovely Christmas.’
‘You too,’ I replied.
She’s OK , I thought as I let myself back through the side gate. Paparazzi are only human after all.
When I got back up to my room, I called Pia. ‘ A-allllll byyyy my-se-el-elelf ,’ I warbled into the phone. ‘ I don’t wanna be . . .’
Pia laughed at the other end. ‘Gotcha,’ she said. ‘Actually, I was thinking I’d been neglecting you lately. Sorry. Bad friend. I forgot the golden rule. Mates first, boys second.’
‘So, do you want to hang out and do Christmas London-style?’
7
‘Don’t ever let it be said that I haven’t given this Christmas my best,’ I said to the photo of Mum that I kept in my bedroom.
In the last week, I’d taken Aunt Maddie and Dad’s advice and packed in as many Christmassy things as I could.
Pia and I had been to see the lights on Oxford Street. Oo, lover-ly.
Charlie, Henry, Pia and me had been ice-skating on the outdoor rink up on
Aunt Maddie looked at me suspiciously. ‘Do a deal?’
‘I do something I don’t want to. You do something you don’t want to.’
Aunt Maddie narrowed her eyes. ‘I’ve got a feeling I’m not going to like this, but go on. What’s the deal?’
‘You let me do a makeover on you.’
Aunt Maddie sighed heavily and I thought I’d let myself in for another lecture but then she smiled and held out her hand to shake. ‘Fair enough,’ she said. ‘Deal.’
When it was time for her to go, I walked with Aunt Maddie to her bus-stop then made my way to our local shop to buy some milk. It was freezing outside, with a bitter wind and, on the way back, I noticed Bridget over in the usual paparazzi spot looking pale with cold. I nodded at her when I went past.
‘OK, Jess?’ she asked.
‘Yeah. You look frozen.’
She nodded, her teeth chattering. ‘Part of the job,’ she said. ‘So glamorous, don’t you think? We get to go to all the best locations.’
I laughed. It wouldn’t do any harm to chat to her for a few moments. ‘What’s it really like being a journalist, Bridget?’
‘Hard work, long hours, waiting in all weathers for the big scoop,’ she said then indicated the few others who were parked nearby, stomping their feet and hugging themselves to keep warm. ‘And very competitive.’
‘So why don’t you do some other kind of writing?’
‘And that’s not competitive? Believe me, I have my novel on the go. Me and twenty thousand others.’
‘Don’t you feel bad invading people’s privacy?’
‘Ah now, the paper I work for doesn’t set out to ruin anyone’s reputation, unlike some who print what they like. I’m looking for the interesting story, so I am. People these days are fascinated by celebrity, so I go where the trend is. Like anyone else, I have bills to pay, I have to make a living.’
‘But who are you hoping to see come in or out of Porchester Park?’ I asked. ‘Most people have gone away to their holiday homes. It’s almost empty.’
‘Must be quiet for you in there, then,’ Bridget asked.
‘Ghost town,’ I said.
‘What’s it like living there for you?’
I looked at her suspiciously. ‘Hey, you’re not catching me out.’
‘Not angling for a story, angel. I’m just interested. I mean, there’s a lot of people with a lot of money in there . . .’
‘And I’m ordinary. Is that what you were going to say?’
‘Not ordinary, Jess. Normal. You and your brother live a normal life. Back and forth to school. I see you getting off the bus as they get out of limos. You must note the contrast on many levels.’
I nodded. I felt like I’d already said too much but it was nice to be asked about me for a change and it seemed like she was just chatting, not digging for dirt. All the same, I didn’t want to get into trouble. ‘Better be going in now, Bridget.’
‘Sure. And have a lovely Christmas.’
‘You too,’ I replied.
She’s OK , I thought as I let myself back through the side gate. Paparazzi are only human after all.
When I got back up to my room, I called Pia. ‘ A-allllll byyyy my-se-el-elelf ,’ I warbled into the phone. ‘ I don’t wanna be . . .’
Pia laughed at the other end. ‘Gotcha,’ she said. ‘Actually, I was thinking I’d been neglecting you lately. Sorry. Bad friend. I forgot the golden rule. Mates first, boys second.’
‘So, do you want to hang out and do Christmas London-style?’
7
‘Don’t ever let it be said that I haven’t given this Christmas my best,’ I said to the photo of Mum that I kept in my bedroom.
In the last week, I’d taken Aunt Maddie and Dad’s advice and packed in as many Christmassy things as I could.
Pia and I had been to see the lights on Oxford Street. Oo, lover-ly.
Charlie, Henry, Pia and me had been ice-skating on the outdoor rink up on
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