‘No. He likes it with me. I hate Mr Knight. He’s the meanest man in the world,’ I said, even though I knew that Dave hadn’t really settled here in the past few weeks. But it took time for a cat to adjust. When we first moved to Gran’s after Mum’s death, Dave hadn’t liked it there either, but he’d soon got used to it – and he would get used to it here too, if he was just given the chance.
‘I know it may seem that way, what with this and not being able to use the pool, either.’
Dad mentioning the pool made me suddenly remember that I had a meeting with the school swimming team at lunchtime the next day and that I had left my things in the spa. I got up from my bed.
‘I have to go and get my swimming things, Dad. Don’t worry. I’m not going to swim.’
‘Do you want me to get them for you?’
I shook my head as I went out of the room. I was feeling stubborn. I didn’t want Dad to do anything for me.
I felt numb as I walked down the corridor towards Reception. I had to think of a way to keep Dave. I’d beg. I’d do anything. I stood where I’d been shown so that the camera could scan my iris. I wondered if it could see rage or pain or emotion in the eye. Probably not, I thought, as the door opened to let me through, it’s cold and clinical just like everything and everyone else in this heartless place.
As I got to the spa, Alisha was coming out with wet hair. I decided that I wasn’t going to waste my time smiling at her again, but she looked straight at me. ‘Hey,’ she said.
Maybe I should give her a second chance, I thought, so I turned and smiled.
‘I don’t think you’re supposed to be here,’ she continued. ‘This morning, I heard the woman at the desk saying no staff.’
‘Swimming things,’ I mumbled. ‘Left earlier.’ I pushed past her, got my things then stomped back to the staff house. I ran upstairs to call Pia, then put down the phone. What would she think? Serves me right, maybe? I so regretted having lorded it over her and everyone at school. How great it was going to be living at the new block. How my life was going up a gear and I’d be mixing with new, glamorous people. What a joke. It was completely the opposite. This complex isn’t my home, it’s their home, I thought. I used to be Jess Hall and now who am I? Daughter of staff. Nobody. Not allowed in. Not allowed to swim in case I pollute the perfumed water. Not even allowed my cat, all because some stranger I don’t even know says so. It is soooo not fair.
I lay on my bed and the tears I had been holding back burst through. I began to sob. No Mum. No Gran. No Dave. Nobody. Life was getting worse and worse. Moments later, Dave appeared at the end of the bed. This time he didn’t turn his back. He climbed onto my chest and nuzzled in.
‘You and me, pal,’ I said through my sobs. ‘Hardly two weeks here and already, I hate Number 1, pathetic Porchester poxy Park. We both need to escape as fast as possible.’
8
Breaking the Rules
Charlie stared at the rain out of the bus window as we headed to school the next morning. He hadn’t said much after I’d told him about the incident with Alisha the previous evening and that I wanted to go back and live with Gran.
‘I understand, Jess,’ he said, when he finally turned back to me, ‘I really do. That was hard with Alisha and way harsh about Dave. I know the move has been tough on you but . . . what about me? I can’t leave Dad, not now, and I don’t want to go back to sleeping on the pull-out sofa at Gran’s. I can’t tell you how nice it is to have my own room and space again. I wouldn’t go back to Gran’s anyway, though, because I can see that it means a lot to Dad to have us with him.’
‘Are you kidding? He hardly speaks to us these days, except to say, “Be a good girl, you shouldn’t be here, make yourself scarce.”’
‘Yeah, well, it’s make-or-break time for him. Put yourself in his shoes. He’s got a new job and he has to prove he’s up to it. It’s a lot of responsibility and the people moving in have high standards. Way high. He can’t blow it. I’m sure he’ll make time for us later, when everything’s up and running.’
‘I guess,’ I said. Dad had seemed so stressed the last few weeks, and tired. I suppose I hadn’t been looking at it from his point of view. The situation was new for him too and I hadn’t thought to ask how he felt.
‘Listen, Jess, I’m asking you, for me. We still see Gran on a Sunday. Don’t go back permanently. I don’t want to be on my own.’
Charlie looked so earnest and I realised I hadn’t considered his feelings, either. I turned to look out of the window. ‘I wish Mum was still here,’ I said.
‘Me too,’ said Charlie, in a quiet voice. ‘Every day. That’s why it’s important we stick together. You can’t run out on me now.’
I felt tears threatening. It all felt so unfair. Why did Mum have to die and leave us? An image of Charlie’s face on the day of her funeral flashed into my head. He’d looked so pale, so shell-shocked. He’d been dressed in a smart jacket that Dad had got him, a shirt and tie too, not his style at all. Everything about that day had seemed wrong. Charlie shouldn’t have been dressed like that. Mum shouldn’t have died. Going to her funeral was not something I’d expected to happen. Ever. Mum had always been there. Solid and dependable. Getting me up in the morning. Nagging me to bed at night. Putting food in the fridge, soap, toothpaste and loo paper in the bathroom. A million small things I’d taken for granted until she wasn’t there. But the funeral had happened. A wet day not unlike today. Unreal but final. I’d felt so confused, having thoughts that were all wrong, thoughts I could never tell anyone, not even Pia or Charlie, because I was ashamed of them and they meant that I was the worst person in the world. Part of me couldn’t take it in and imagined I’d wake up and it would all have been a bad dream, a nightmare, and Mum’s face would reappear around my door the next day and say, ‘Phew, glad that weird episode is over, now let’s get on with the rest of our lives.’ But she never did. She didn’t come back. She was gone forever and slowly all trace of her loving care disappeared: the little treats in the biscuit tin for Chaz and me that only she knew to buy; our favourite breakfast cereal – Shreddies for Chaz, Alpen for me; my favourite Fruits of the Forest shampoo; fizzy drinks, crisps and a DVD on a Friday night. Little things that added up to having a real-life mum watching out for us. All gone.
I thought about Charlie on his own. How could I have thought about going back to Gran’s and leaving him, even for a moment? No. I couldn’t do it to him.
‘All the tears and sadness in the world can’t bring her back,’ he said as if picking up on my thoughts. ‘She’s gone. We’re still here. We have to adapt, adjust and be positive. It’s a new chapter and we have to help each other.’
‘I won’t leave you,’ I said.
He didn’t say anything for a while. ‘Nor me you,’ he said at last. ‘Us against the world, eh? At least we have our mates and a life outside Porchester Park where we can be ourselves.’
Outside the school gates, a small crowd of pupils were gathered.
Sophie James pointed as me and Charlie got off the bus.
‘There they are!’ she said, and everyone turned to look at us.
‘What’s going on?’ asked Charlie.
‘No idea,’ I said and looked behind us to see if they meant someone else.
‘Hey, can I take a photo for the school mag?’ asked Chrissie Alberg as we reached the gates.
‘A photo? Of me? Why?’ I asked.
Chrissie pulled out a paper and showed me a page. A-LISTERS MOVE INTO KNIGHTSBRIDGE APARTMENT BLOCK, said the headline, and there was a photo of the Lewis family with a smaller shot underneath of the entrance at Number 1, Porchester Park.
‘That’s where you live, isn’t it?’ asked Sarah Marcuson from the Sixth Form.
‘Yeah,’ said Charlie. ‘So what?’
‘What’s it like living with stars?’ asked a wide-eyed girl from Year Eight.
Charlie glanced at me. He had a twinkle in his eye. ‘Words can never describe it,’ he said.
‘Living the dream,’ I said. ‘We’re living the dream.’ What I didn’t add was that it was a bad dream.
‘I am so jealous,’ said the wide-eyed girl.
Meg and Flo arrived, linked arms with me, and pulled me away.
‘And we’re the private bodyguards,’ Flo called over her shoulder. ‘Mess with us and you’re . . . um . . . messy.’
I laughed.
‘Mates stick together,’ said Meg. ‘We have to look after you now that you’re in with the in-crowd.’ She did a spontaneous kung fu move. ‘I could karate-chop them out the way.’
‘Yeah right,’ I said. Meg might do karate after school but she was still tiny and not exactly bodyguard material.
‘And are you OK, Charlie?’ asked Flo, with a coy glance in his direction. She’d fancied him since junior school although he was totally oblivious to the fact.
‘Oh, tippety-top, aren’t we, Jess?’ replied Charlie.
‘If you say so,’ I said.
Just inside the gates, I spotted Tom Robertson with Josh and Roy. They were watching us with interest. I stared straight at Tom and he didn’t look away. He held my gaze and raised an eyebrow, as if to acknowledge a connection. I felt my stomach do a double flip. I didn’t let on. I was going to show him that I could be Queen of Cool as well as Queen of the Zombies. I looked away like I was really bored. Oh so casual, like, whatever, Tom Robertson. Let them believe that everything’s hunkydory, I thought. Charlie and I know the truth, but why shatter everyone else’s illusions?
‘Hi, Charlie,’ said Tom as we went past. Then he looked at me. ‘See you’ve got your jacket on the right way around this time.’
Charlie nodded back at Tom, then leant over and whispered, ‘Yesterday a nobody, today a somebody.’
Yeah. If only they knew, I thought, as we walked into school while Sophie’s camera flashed and the rest of the crowd followed us as if we were the celebrities and they were paparazzi. I didn’t want to be a somebody. Not this way – by association with people who had a low opinion of me. It felt fake. I wanted to be able to walk into school and go through the day as I always had done. One of the gang. Just me. Invisible most of the time. As I passed Tom, I could feel that he was still watching me, but I didn’t even glance at him.
Later, in class, Mrs Rushton took the register. She peered over her glasses when she got to my name.
‘And Jess Hall,’ she said. ‘I believe you’ve moved up to the big time and are living with celebrities.’
‘Not really, Miss,’ I said. ‘Same ol’.’
Mrs Rushton regarded me for a moment. ‘Well, just so that you don’t let it go to your head, you can start the reading today. Turn to page fourteen of The Lord of the Flies and stand up so everyone can hear.’
So much for wanting to be invisible. I hated reading out loud. Sometimes being a nobody had its benefits.
After school, I went to the local baths to get my swimming practice in. I couldn’t help but compare things there to the luxury pool back at Porchester Park. The floors had bits of hair and dust in the corners and needed cleaning after a day open to the public. The showers were cold and the pool was full – so I couldn’t swim without being careful that I didn’t bash into someone – and the smell was more chlorine than Jo Malone. Those few days had been so good in the apartments’ pool and part of me wished I hadn’t been there, so I couldn’t compare it now. I didn’t have a choice, though. If I was going to win my race at the championship in December I had to practise every day, no matter what the conditions.
When I got home from swimming, Dave was waiting by the door. I picked him up and he nuzzled my nose and purred loudly. I carried him into the kitchen and put some food out in a bowl for him.
As I watched him eat, I went to get the phone to call Gran. I’d promised Dad that I would ask her about Dave going back to her. I dialled her number then put down the phone. It didn’t feel right. Never mind leaving Charlie, I couldn’t leave Dave on his own at Gran’s. He would miss me and he’d seemed more settled in the last few days. Charlie’s words from earlier that morning echoed in my head. ‘It’s important we stick together.’ Surely that meant Dave too? It would be cruel to abandon him. He was part of our family as well.
A few minutes later, the phone rang. I picked it up to hear Gran at the other end.
‘Was that you, Jess?’ she asked. ‘I heard the phone ring then it cut off.’
‘Oh. Yes. Me. Just checking in.’
‘How are things there? I’ll be over at the weekend. I thought you and I could start to plan the garden. What do you think?’
‘Sounds great.’
‘And how’s it going?’
‘Oh, we’re living the dream Gran, living the dream.’
‘Dream? What dream? What are you talking about?’
‘I . . . oh, nothing. It’s just a way of saying, yeah, everything’s cool.’ Part of me longed to tell her what I really felt but I knew she’d worry and be on Dad’s case. I owed it to Charlie to give the new situation a bit longer.
As we chatted on, a plan began to form in my mind. After I hung up, I made a decision.
‘Dave,’ I said. ‘It’s me, you and Charlie against the world.’
Dave meowed, as if in agreement. As Dave continued with his supper, I whizzed around the house collecting his belongings: his felt cat house, the old cardi he liked to sleep on, Charlie’s sock (well chewed) that he liked to play with, his toy mouse. I put them all in a carrier bag, then collected his food bowls, the sachets of cat food and crunchies from the cupboard. I found the torch that Gran had given me, unlocked the back door and took Dave’s things down to the summerhouse. Once I’d cleared a bit of space, I went back to collect Dave before Sheila arrived to do our supper and before Dad or Charlie appeared.
Dave purred loudly when I stepped into the garden, probably thinking he was to be allowed out at last.
‘Not just yet,’ I said, as I opened the summerhouse door and put him down inside. ‘Our secret. You have to stay in here and be a good boy.’ I turned around and faced the apartment block. ‘So there, Mr Stinky Knight with your rules about what I can and can’t do. I stay stuff them and stuff you. Why should you tell me what to do when you don’t even know me? Well, I have news for you, pal, and it’s that I’m keeping my cat!’
Before I could change my mind, I closed the summerhouse door. At least I would be able to go and visit Dave every day. Dad would see that Dave and his things had gone but he’d never know the truth, and Dave and I wouldn’t be separated after all.
Sorted.
9
Cat-astrophe
‘Wowza,’ said Pia when she saw my newly-painted bedroom. ‘It looks great.’
It was late Sunday morning and she’d come over to help me with some finishing touches. We’d chosen the paint colours together on Friday night from some cards with colour samples on that Dad had sent out for earlier in the week. Aunt Maddie had also come over to join us for an hour. I’d expected her to suggest that I paint my room green to go with her new interest in life but, strangely, she had been total sweetness and light and not done her prison warder act at all. She was actually quite civil for a change.
Dad had also been bending over backwards to be nice the last few days and said that he would make it up to me after I told him that Dave was now back at Gran’s. I didn’t like lying to him but felt I had no choice. I couldn’t let Dave go, but he didn’t like it in the summerhouse, I could tell. It already smelt of cat because I couldn’t always get down there to change his litter tray after school, not since Sheila had started coming earlier. She was usually in the kitchen doing mine and Charlie’s supper when I got back these days.
Today, my plan was to let Dave into the house so that he could roam about while Dad was out. Charlie, who didn’t know about Dave, had already gone off to practise with his band mates.
Dad pop
ped his head around the door. ‘Hi, Pia. Looks nice, doesn’t it?’
Pia nodded. ‘The painters were fast.’
He came in and inspected the walls. ‘Yes. And they did a good job.’ He’d asked some of the handymen on his staff to come in on Saturday and between the four of them, they’d bought the paint and got the job done by the evening. I’d slept on the sofa downstairs while the room dried and this morning, it was ready to move back in to. The room was a pale turquoise on three walls and a deep lavender on the fourth. I’d seen the colours in a magazine and it looked bright and colourful, loads better than the bland white it had been before.
Dad saw that I had a photo of Dave already out in pride of place next to my bed. ‘I really am sorry about Puss,’ he said, and he genuinely did look sad.
‘I . . . oh, yeah, it’s so not fair,’ I mumbled. I wasn’t sure how to play it: whether to act sulky like I’d obeyed him and Dave was at Gran’s or whether to pretend to be OK, as if I was trying to be positive.
‘Not my rules,’ said Dad. ‘I’d have let him stay. You do know that, don’t you?’
Pia had gone bright red. ‘You could get her a stuffed cat,’ she said in a high, nervous voice.
Dad and I looked at her as if she was mad. She was mad – as if a stuffed toy could take the place of a living breathing cat.
As soon as Dad had gone, I waited five minutes then nodded to Pia.
‘Right, let’s go and get Dave. It’s Sheila’s day off and she’s left us some pizza to warm up. Charlie won’t be back until this evening and Dad will be gone most of the day.’
‘What about your gran?’ asked Pia. ‘I thought she was coming over.’
‘At four,’ I said and checked my watch. ‘It’s eleven now so we have loads of time. I’ll go and get him.’
I raced downstairs and out to the summerhouse where Dave almost leapt into my arms. He struggled to escape as I carried him across the garden but I couldn’t risk letting him down in case he jumped up onto the fence and took off. ‘You can run around in the house,’ I said to him, as Pia held the kitchen door open for us. I plonked him down and we quickly shut the door. Dave meowed as if to say, free at last, then took off on a major sniffathon, his nose hoovering up every smell.
Million Dollar Mates Page 7