by Holly Webb
“Why not?” Annabel wailed. She’d curled her own hair and was looking particularly sophisticated. Katie guessed she was trying to look older for Josh’s sake. “Please tell me you’re not just going to stick it in a ponytail? How boring can you get? You have to make a bit of an effort, Katie!”
“Why?” Katie growled. “I don’t want to go! It’s going to be embarrassing and horrible.”
Becky turned round from the mirror where she was holding up tops against her favourite jeans to find the best combination. She really wanted David to be impressed, and the good thing about having two identical sisters was having the run of three wardrobes when you most needed it. “Katie, it’s just a party! Why should it be embarrassing?”
Suddenly the pressure of secrets was too much. Although she’d decided that she wasn’t going to, Katie just had to tell Becky and Annabel about the notes – she needed them to help her survive the evening.
She got up from her bed and went to grab her rucksack. “Listen Bel, you have to promise me that you’re not going to go mad over this, OK?”
Annabel pricked up her ears. This sounded interesting. Becky put down the current outfit she was considering and came to stand next to Annabel.
Katie pulled the two notes out of her rucksack pocket and spread them out on the bed. Then she stood back and waited for the explosion.
Annabel grabbed the first one, and wheeled round clutching it. “Somebody sent this to you.”
Katie suddenly saw the funny side, which she’d been totally missing up until now. Maybe it was Annabel’s incredulous face, maybe it was the relief of sharing this whole weird thing with her sisters. “There’s no need to sound quite that surprised,” she said, mock-insulted.
“Katie, this is so cool!” Annabel was practically jumping up and down with excitement.
“Bel, you promised! It’s not cool! I don’t want anybody to fancy me. I’m quite happy not having a boyfriend!” Katie glared at them both – even Becky was looking far too enthusiastic.
“Yes, yes, yes, I know that, you’re always saying so. But it’s still nice to be liked, Katie! Do you know who they’re from?” Annabel compared the writing on the two notes carefully.
“No – but I’m going to find out tonight, aren’t I? That’s why it’s all going to be so embarrassing!”
“We can help,” Becky suggested. “If we stay close to you, then we can rescue you if it does get really embarrassing.”
Katie smiled gratefully. For once maybe it would be nice to be the one who was being rescued.
“But this means that you have to look extra-good,” Annabel put in firmly, pushing Katie on to a chair and grabbing her curling wand.
“Why?” Both Katie and Becky sounded confused.
“Because it’s much easier to do difficult stuff like this when you know you look good. C’mon, take that hairband out.”
Katie sighed and pulled off the band, shaking her long hair free. “Just don’t take too long, OK? Only do a few bits or something, I’m not sitting still for hours.”
“Fine, fine. Look, I’ll put it up for you, OK? Like this—” Annabel riffled through a magazine and waved a picture at Katie. “Topknots, yes?”
Katie scowled at the picture, but surprisingly it wasn’t too bad. She quite liked the look of the model’s hair – it didn’t look as though it was going to fall apart as soon as she moved, for a start.
“OK.”
“Have you decided what you’re going to wear?” Becky asked thoughtfully. Katie was currently modelling a highly attractive dressing gown.
“No. Look, you might as well just tell me. I’m going to end up wearing what you two want anyway, aren’t I?” Now that she’d agreed to let the other two help her, she felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders – it was nice to let somebody else make all the decisions for once. “Just nothing too pink, OK?”
Annabel smiled happily. It was good to have Katie behaving sensibly – it didn’t happen often. “Uh-huh. Well, I reckon you should wear my blue dress. The stripy one? It’s quite sporty, so it should look really good on you.”
Katie made a face, but more because she felt that Becky and Annabel expected it of her than because she actually objected to the dress. Annabel was right, if she had to wear a dress, that one was a lot better than some they could have tried to force her into. Feeling vaguely as though she was winning, she allowed Annabel to do her eye make-up, though she did make a stand on nail polish.
“No. You know I can’t sit still for long enough, Bel, and then it gets scuffed and I have to take it off because it drives me mad that it’s spoilt. There’s no point unless you’re going to tie me up to start with.”
Annabel looked as though the idea was tempting, but she still had her own make-up to do, and Becky’s to sort out once her sister had admitted that she’d done it all wrong, so she gave in. “Oh, OK. I suppose there isn’t really time anyway. I’ve got to look really good – I need to impress Josh and his mates.”
Katie sighed. Bel really was completely entranced by that idiot.
Annabel was still applying mascara for Becky when Mum called up the stairs that they needed to go.
“Sit still! We don’t want to be dead on time, that would be really sad. Katie, go and tell Mum we’re nearly ready.”
Katie disappeared downstairs obediently. It was quite restful not being the bossy sister for once, but she wondered how long that would last. She had a feeling that it wouldn’t take her very long to get sick of it.
The school hall looked fantastic. Becky and Annabel gazed round proudly as they walked in – it had looked fab at lunchtime when they’d finished putting up the decorations, but now it was dark outside and the hall was full of people it looked loads better. Even Katie could see how much work they’d put into it.
“Wow – it looks so different. Did you make all of this stuff?”
Becky nodded. “Mm-hm. Us and Saima and Fran and David. And Mrs Cranmer, of course. Me and David mostly just did those big pink hearts, Bel and Fran did the complicated bits.”
The pink hearts were holding up swags of white and silver streamers that ran all round the walls, and Katie decided that by complicated bits Becky meant the little cupids that were dotted round the walls in a variety of poses.
“Saima made all those roses round the tables,” Annabel put in. “She learned how to make them from one of her cousins, I think. They had a big engagement party for her auntie and they hired a hall and decorated it.”
Groups of people were dotted round the hall, but no one was dancing yet, even though the music was on. And it was very noticeable that no one was mixing with people from other classes – all the Year Sevens were gathering over in the corner by the stage.
Annabel dashed over to Saima. “Hey! You look fantastic – I thought you were going to wear your pink trousers!”
Saima stroked the lilac silk of her sari complacently. “Well, I was, but then I decided it would be more fun to wear this. My grandmother sent it for my birthday. I hardly ever wear my Indian clothes, only for family parties and stuff, but they’re fun if you really feel like dressing up. And I did!”
Annabel looked enviously at the gorgeous material, and the pretty little purple top that Saima was wearing underneath the sari – she looked like a model, and loads of the Year Seven boys kept shooting her admiring glances.
“Josh came looking for you, by the way. I told him you’d be here soon.”
“Oh, OK.” Annabel looked round for Josh hopefully, but couldn’t spot him. “He’ll turn up,” she said, sounding more casual than she felt.
Saima grinned at her – she knew perfectly well that Annabel was putting it on. “Anyway, you look great, too. And I can’t believe you got Katie to wear a dress!” Saima waved at Becky and Katie, who were talking to Fran.
“Oooh, I nearly forgot! You’ll never gue
ss what’s been happening!” Annabel filled Saima in on the whole secret admirer thing. Katie had said she supposed she didn’t mind them telling Saima and Fran and David, as long as no one went on about it.
“So we have to look out for him, OK?”
“Definitely! This is so exciting!” Saima stared interestedly round the hall, as though she expected someone to appear with a sign saying “Katie’s Mystery Admirer”.
Annabel gazed round, still hunting for Josh. “Listen, Saima, I’ve just got to go to the loo. Back in a sec, OK?”
Saima shrugged and went to talk to David and Becky.
Annabel made her way to the girls’ toilets which were outside the hall. She was walking back down the corridor when she spotted Josh. Unfortunately, he didn’t see her, which perhaps explained why he was sitting on one of the corridor windowsills with Amy Mannering.
Josh had his arm around Amy and she was giggling as he whispered something to her. Just then Amy looked up and saw Annabel, who was frozen to the spot. Josh followed her gaze and smirked when he saw Annabel’s frosty glare.
She looked down her nose disgustedly, and said, in a voice that was impressively un-trembly. “Congratulations, Josh – you’ve finally found your perfect match. She’s just as slimy as you are.”
Then she stalked off back to the hall, refusing even to sniff until she’d got round the corner.
She wasn’t sure quite what to say to the others, but it turned out she didn’t need to say anything. She walked up to Katie, who was chatting with Megan. Katie took one look at Annabel’s face and burst out, “Oh Bel! What did he do?”
“He was with Amy – Amy!” Annabel hissed.
Katie put an arm round her, and Megan gave her a sympathetic look – then she turned round to see if the others were near. She reckoned Annabel could do with both her sisters right now. Becky caught her eye, took one look at Annabel, and skidded up looking worried. She threw her arms round Bel.
“Don’t make me cry. I don’t want to give Josh the satisfaction. You were right about him, Katie – he’s a worm.”
“Mmmm – I’m really sorry, Bel, I wish I hadn’t been.”
“I can’t believe it – he was so nice to me! He can’t have meant a word of it.”
“Um, hi?” came a voice from behind them, and the girls looked round – whoever this was, their timing was awful.
The tall good-looking boy smiled warmly. “Hey, Annabel … I was just wondering if you wanted to dance.”
Annabel looked thoughtful – it was Dan Mitchell from Year Eight. He’d been Buttons in the play and had always seemed really nice. Not to mention very good-looking, and after all, the best way to show Josh she didn’t care about him and Amy would be to find somebody else.
She smiled determinedly at Dan. “Sure. That would be nice.” But as she followed him on to the dance floor she muttered in Katie’s ear, “Don’t worry, I won’t believe a word he says…”
The drama with Josh had totally put Katie’s secret admirer problem out of the triplets’ heads. Becky and David went to dance, and Katie wandered over to the drinks table with Megan, still keeping half an eye on Annabel, and another half on Josh and Amy, who were also dancing. Josh looked distinctly disappointed that he’d been done out of a tearful ex-girlfriend scene, and Katie wouldn’t have put it past him to try something else.
They walked past a group of boys from their class, and Robin called out, “Hey, Katie!” He left his mates and walked over to the drinks table with her and Megan. “Is Bel OK? I thought she was seeing Josh Matthews?”
“So did Bel.” Katie shrugged. “He’s a worm, what can I say?”
“Wow, that’s really awful. Hey, do you want to dance?”
Katie had come to the party with the express intention of not dancing with anyone, but Robin was a mate. She could get a drink later. She looked enquiringly at Megan – she didn’t want to abandon her.
“Mmm, you go, I’m desperate for something to drink. See you in a bit.”
“OK. I like this one.”
They headed over to where Becky and David were dancing. Robin was a surprisingly good dancer and Katie was enjoying herself – until something suddenly clicked in her mind.
She looked thoughtfully at him, and he went pink. Katie did a mental run-through of the last few times she’d spoken to Robin. Him being so nice after the disastrous practice … asking if she was going to the Valentine’s Ball… She stopped dancing, and so did Robin, and they stared at each other, oblivious to everyone still laughing and talking around them.
“It was you!” Katie breathed, shocked.
Robin was blushing scarlet by now. He coughed. “Look, can we get out of here?” He gave her a pleading look and nodded at everyone dancing, and they shuffled their way through the other dancers to the edge of the room.
“It was you, wasn’t it? You sent me those notes?”
“Um, yeah… I wasn’t sure what you’d say if I asked you for real. I do really like you, you know. I wasn’t trying to freak you out or anything.”
“It was really weird!”
“Sorry! I was hoping you’d be pleased – with it being Valentine’s Day coming up and everything. I thought girls liked that kind of stuff.” Robin looked miserable.
Katie sighed. “I’m sorry, Robin. The notes were sweet – it was romantic, I suppose, but I’m not feeling very into that kind of thing right now.” She took a deep breath, and tried to think of all the tips for telling people you weren’t interested that Annabel had given her while she was doing her hair. “Can’t we just be friends? Please? I mean, you’re a mate.”
Robin’s miserable expression lifted slightly. “Yeah? That’s good. I mean, if we can’t go out, at least you’re still talking to me.”
“Course.” Katie nodded. “And if you ever want to meet up and kick a ball about in the park, that’d be cool.”
“OK.” Robin seemed almost relieved.
Katie looked round at the dance floor – Annabel still dancing with Dan, smiling at him and looking really happy; Becky whispering something in David’s ear. It looked fun.
She smiled at Robin. “Want to finish that dance?”
Chapter Nine
“I still can’t believe it was Robin!” Annabel said, shaking her head. “I mean, Robin? Sending you secret notes? It’s so strange! I thought it would be somebody we didn’t really know.”
“Sorry!” Katie grinned, and shrugged. She couldn’t believe how much better she felt now that she no longer had to worry about her mystery admirer, or that slime ball Josh.
For once, all three of the triplets were up early (ish) on Saturday morning. Annabel and Becky were both keen to get the post as soon as it arrived, and they’d dragged Katie downstairs with them. They were all sitting round the kitchen table in their onesies, discussing the events of the night before.
“It was a really fun party in the end,” Katie went on thoughtfully. “OK, so I don’t want to go out with Robin, but he’s a very good dancer. Maybe it’s something to do with being good at football. Fancy footwork and everything.”
Annabel shook her head. “No mention of footballers allowed, it reminds me of you-know-who.”
“Dan doesn’t play football then?” Becky giggled.
Annabel looked haughty. “Actually no. He thinks ice-hockey is much more demanding. He says football’s all just luck, no skill involved.”
Katie spluttered into her cornflakes. “Oh, does he? Are you going out with this idiot then?”
Annabel looked thoughtful. “Maybe – maybe not. He talked about himself an awful lot, and Josh did that. I reckon it’s a bad sign. I’ll have to see.”
Katie raised her eyebrows at Becky. It sounded as though Annabel was actually being sensible about a boy for once, instead of being dazzled by a good-looking face.
Mum was making herself a cup of coffee,
but Katie noticed that she seemed to be a bit jittery. She kept peering round at the kitchen clock, and then leaning over towards the door as though she was listening for something. It wasn’t until Katie looked back to the table and saw that Becky and Annabel were doing pretty much the same thing that she realized what was going on. Mum was waiting for the post too! Katie sighed. With all the drama yesterday evening, she’d almost forgotten about Mum and Max’s dad, but it looked as if something really was going on there, if Mum was expecting a card. Katie couldn’t remember her having one before, not since – well, not since she and Dad had split up.
Somehow all Katie’s appetite for cornflakes had disappeared. She poked dismally at her bowl and started listening too – except she was dreading the arrival of the post.
Annabel suddenly perked up. “What was that? Was that the letterbox?”
There had definitely been a clink, and now they heard the soft fluttery thump of envelopes falling on the mat – lots of envelopes.
“I’ll go,” squeaked Annabel unnecessarily, as she was already halfway out of the door.
“Why’s she getting so excited?” growled Katie. “Dan can’t have sent her a card already, surely!”
“I think she’s got a bet on with Saima, about who gets the most cards,” Becky explained, but Katie wasn’t really listening, she was watching Mum, who was trying hard to look relaxed, but nibbling her thumbnail like Becky did when she was worried. She met Katie’s eyes and looked guilty, then swallowed a massive gulp of coffee, and choked.
Annabel came back into the kitchen, counting envelopes, to find Mum bent double and spluttering, Katie scowling like a really irritable gargoyle, and Becky clearly thinking that she’d missed something somewhere.
“Six for me, three for Becky, two for you, Katie, and one that some idiot’s addressed wrong – it says S Ryan, someone’s got one of our names wrong. Can I count it for me in my bet with Saima, do you think? I mean, it’s bound to be for me really, isn’t it?” She gazed hopefully round at Becky and Katie and encountered the scowl.
“What’s that look for?” she asked, surprised. “It is bound to be for me!”