Read Online The Honeymoon Sisters by Gwyneth Rees - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Gwyneth Rees
Ads: Link
I could understand that. ‘But she shouldn’t hit you!’ I insisted.
‘Oh … that was just a few smacks because I nearly made us late for Joe. He’d borrowed his brother’s car to pick us up.’
‘Who’s Joe?’
‘Alison’s boyfriend.’
‘And does he hit you too?’
‘Of course not! Alison wouldn’t let him!’
‘Well, she shouldn’t either. It’s bullying!’
‘Poppy, why are you getting so worked up? She’dnever really hurt me. And she’d never let anyone else hurt me either. That’s not the problem!’
‘Oh? So what is ?’
She stayed silent, but just as I thought she’d completely clammed up she asked, ‘Poppy, have you ever been forced to make a really hard decision? To make a choice that you really don’t want to make?’
‘Well …’ I thought about it. ‘I had this best friend called Olivia last year. Anne-Marie was my best friend too. But Anne-Marie said I couldn’t have two best friends and that I’d have to choose.’
Sadie seemed to find that amusing. ‘I’ve noticed Anne-Marie is pretty possessive. So what did you do?’
‘I chose Olivia. Then she moved away in the summer.’
Sadie snorted. ‘I bet you felt like a right klutz! Talk about backing the wrong horse!’ She was enjoying this way too much now.
‘Shut up, Sadie,’ I snapped. ‘So what’s your big decision, then?’
Before she could answer her phone beeped and she swiftly checked her text. ‘It’s Alison. She went to the cafe to get us some hot chocolates while I came to fetch you. She’s waiting for us at the gate.’
‘What? You mean she’s actually here ? Wait a minute …’
But Sadie was already leading the way.
I followed behind her slowly, feeling nervous and curious both at the same time. I made sure I put my book safely away in my bag before I got to the gate.
Sure enough, there was the older girl I’d seen with Sadie at the bus stop. She wore jeans today and a denim jacket with different arty-looking patches sewn all over it. Her hair was still short and spiky and she wore big earrings and a nose stud. She was holding two polystyrene cups with plastic lids.
Sadie quickly introduced us. ‘Alison, this is Poppy – my cousin.’ I was quite surprised to hear her say that so readily after all the times at school when she’d acted like she didn’t want anyone to know.
‘Hey, Poppy.’ Alison gave me a bit of a stare as she placed the two takeaway drinks on the wall beside her.
‘Hi,’ I mumbled nervously. ‘Sadie’s … um … told me about you.’
‘Oh yeah? What did she say?’
‘Um … just that you’re her friend.’
‘ Best friend,’ Sadie corrected me crossly.
‘More of a big sister, I’d say,’ Alison corrected both of us. I wasn’t expecting what happened next. She reached forward and gripped Sadie in a massive hug.‘Whatever you do, make sure you always leave your phone switched on. If I can’t contact you I’m going to get really mad, OK ?’
Sadie nodded. ‘I promise.’
‘ OK . See you soon!’ Alison picked up one of the cups and walked off down the street without looking back.
As we walked home together Sadie said, ‘Remember – don’t you dare start repeating any of my business to your mum or anyone else …’
‘Listen, Josh already knows you’re my cousin,’ I told her quickly. ‘Our mums are really good friends and they tell each other everything. He knows about your dad, but there’s no way he’d ever tell anyone.’
‘He’d better not!’ She sounded cross. ‘Same goes for that gossipy Anne-Marie.’
‘Anne-Marie doesn’t know anything. But Sadie, you do realise there are already a few crazy rumours about you going around at school, don’t you?’
‘What rumours?’ she demanded.
‘It’s just … well … some people are saying your dad’s a … a hitman,’ I mumbled, feeling a bit stupid just repeating it. ‘That’s what Anne-Marie was about to say theother day. You know … when Mr Jamieson called you over
‘Oh … that was just a few smacks because I nearly made us late for Joe. He’d borrowed his brother’s car to pick us up.’
‘Who’s Joe?’
‘Alison’s boyfriend.’
‘And does he hit you too?’
‘Of course not! Alison wouldn’t let him!’
‘Well, she shouldn’t either. It’s bullying!’
‘Poppy, why are you getting so worked up? She’dnever really hurt me. And she’d never let anyone else hurt me either. That’s not the problem!’
‘Oh? So what is ?’
She stayed silent, but just as I thought she’d completely clammed up she asked, ‘Poppy, have you ever been forced to make a really hard decision? To make a choice that you really don’t want to make?’
‘Well …’ I thought about it. ‘I had this best friend called Olivia last year. Anne-Marie was my best friend too. But Anne-Marie said I couldn’t have two best friends and that I’d have to choose.’
Sadie seemed to find that amusing. ‘I’ve noticed Anne-Marie is pretty possessive. So what did you do?’
‘I chose Olivia. Then she moved away in the summer.’
Sadie snorted. ‘I bet you felt like a right klutz! Talk about backing the wrong horse!’ She was enjoying this way too much now.
‘Shut up, Sadie,’ I snapped. ‘So what’s your big decision, then?’
Before she could answer her phone beeped and she swiftly checked her text. ‘It’s Alison. She went to the cafe to get us some hot chocolates while I came to fetch you. She’s waiting for us at the gate.’
‘What? You mean she’s actually here ? Wait a minute …’
But Sadie was already leading the way.
I followed behind her slowly, feeling nervous and curious both at the same time. I made sure I put my book safely away in my bag before I got to the gate.
Sure enough, there was the older girl I’d seen with Sadie at the bus stop. She wore jeans today and a denim jacket with different arty-looking patches sewn all over it. Her hair was still short and spiky and she wore big earrings and a nose stud. She was holding two polystyrene cups with plastic lids.
Sadie quickly introduced us. ‘Alison, this is Poppy – my cousin.’ I was quite surprised to hear her say that so readily after all the times at school when she’d acted like she didn’t want anyone to know.
‘Hey, Poppy.’ Alison gave me a bit of a stare as she placed the two takeaway drinks on the wall beside her.
‘Hi,’ I mumbled nervously. ‘Sadie’s … um … told me about you.’
‘Oh yeah? What did she say?’
‘Um … just that you’re her friend.’
‘ Best friend,’ Sadie corrected me crossly.
‘More of a big sister, I’d say,’ Alison corrected both of us. I wasn’t expecting what happened next. She reached forward and gripped Sadie in a massive hug.‘Whatever you do, make sure you always leave your phone switched on. If I can’t contact you I’m going to get really mad, OK ?’
Sadie nodded. ‘I promise.’
‘ OK . See you soon!’ Alison picked up one of the cups and walked off down the street without looking back.
As we walked home together Sadie said, ‘Remember – don’t you dare start repeating any of my business to your mum or anyone else …’
‘Listen, Josh already knows you’re my cousin,’ I told her quickly. ‘Our mums are really good friends and they tell each other everything. He knows about your dad, but there’s no way he’d ever tell anyone.’
‘He’d better not!’ She sounded cross. ‘Same goes for that gossipy Anne-Marie.’
‘Anne-Marie doesn’t know anything. But Sadie, you do realise there are already a few crazy rumours about you going around at school, don’t you?’
‘What rumours?’ she demanded.
‘It’s just … well … some people are saying your dad’s a … a hitman,’ I mumbled, feeling a bit stupid just repeating it. ‘That’s what Anne-Marie was about to say theother day. You know … when Mr Jamieson called you over
Similar Books
