Read Online The It Girl by Katy Birchall - Free Book Online

lovely to be here.” Helena smiled her impeccably white-toothed smile at him, and he stared dopily at her.
    Gross.
    Helena nudged her daughter subtly. “Thank you for having us,” Marianne added quietly, looking at Dad. Dad then looked at me.
    I’m not sure what he was expecting. I assume he hoped I might follow suit and take my turn graciously to announce how “lovely” it was to have them. To his disappointment, my brain was still not fully functioning.
    â€œMy chin is not normally this red,” I began.
    The three of them stared at me.
    â€œYeah,” I continued when no one replied. “I had an incident on the stairs.”
    I thought about launching into an explanation, but I decided I had nothing else to add so I just nodded slowly. Dad opened his mouth as though to comment but thought better and closed it again.
    â€œWell, I’m so glad that we’ve all been introduced,” Helena said brightly, taking a step back to put her arm around my dad.
    Weird. Weird. Weird. A movie star just put her arm around my DAD.
    Helena giggled, and I saw Marianne narrow her eyes at her in suspicion.
    â€œI think it’s time to tell them, Nick,” Helena said enthusiastically, gazing up at my father, fluttering her eyelashes.
    â€œYes,” he said deeply, taking her hand in his.
    He took her hand . My DAD took the HAND of HELENA MONTAINE, a woman who happens to have a STAR on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And she wasn’t pulling it away. It was like it was a NORMAL THING TO DO.
    On vacation in Portugal once my dad wore swimming trunks that had elephants sipping cocktails on them. And now he was holding Helena Montaine’s hand.
    NOTHING MADE SENSE ANYMORE.
    He cleared his throat. “Marianne and Anna, we have something we’d like to tell you.”
    Marianne gave a fleeting nervous look in my direction.
    Grinning like a mischievous teenager, my dad looked down at Helena, who turned to us excitedly with tears in her eyes.
    â€œWe wanted you both to know.” She beamed. “We’re getting married!”

8.
    â€œYOU LOOK AWFUL !”
    Jess and Danny peered down at me where I was sitting in the corner of the hockey field.
    â€œSo what happened?! Why are we here? You hate sports!” Jess plonked herself down next to me.
    â€œFirst of all, are you okay?” Danny asked, giving Jess an admonishing look. It’s very difficult to hide your feelings from Danny, especially when he looks at you in such an earnest manner, which was what he was doing. Maybe it’s something to do with those angelic curls, but whatever it is, it makes Danny seem very trustworthy.
    â€œI’m fine.” I sighed dramatically, picking at the grass.
    Jess tutted impatiently, and I scowled at her for ruining the moment.
    â€œWe’re here because every normal person—except for you, Jess—hates field hockey and would never hang out here voluntarily, and I don’twant anyone else to overhear.”
    â€œAnna, what could be so bad? Did you step on a snail again?” She folded her arms.
    â€œThat snail came out of nowhere! And we promised to never speak of that day again.”
    â€œWell then, what’s the problem?”
    I took a deep breath and told them.
    â€œHelena Montaine?! That’s insane!” Jess gasped.
    I nodded.
    â€œMarianne Montaine was in your house?” Danny gaped.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWow.” He looked dazed.
    â€œWipe the saliva off your chin there, Danny,” Jess mocked before turning back to me and shaking her head in disbelief. “What did you do when they announced their engagement?”
    â€¢Â Â â€¢Â Â â€¢
    Marianne and I had stood there in stunned silence. Helena and Dad glanced excitedly from one of us to the other, waiting for a positive reaction, but I had been unable to speak.
    Marianne had eventually just blurted out, “Not again!”
    â€œNow, Marianne,” Helena