Million Dollar Mates

by Cathy Hopkins

  The rules for the apartment block weren’t my rules. My rules were relevant to my life and were the ones decreed by Mr Bennie, the swimming coach. Practise, practise.

  Which were more important? Mr Knight’s or Mr Bennie’s?

  If I followed Mr Knight’s rules, I would let the swimming team down.

  If I followed Mr Bennie’s, I would let Dad down. But then he had said I was grounded and couldn’t leave the apartment block. The spa was in the apartment block, wasn’t it? No-one would be there at this time of night. Henry had left almost half an hour ago and I’d heard Charlie clomp his way up the stairs. So . . . I stuck my head into his room. He was lying on his bed, eyes shut, with his headphones on. He didn’t even open his eyes.

  I went back to my room, got my swimming things, then crept downstairs, out of the house, and into the corridor that led to Reception. I stood before the iris scanner – and open sesame – the door let me in. At Reception, I could see Sita on the telephone. She waved me over.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ she asked.

  ‘Dad asked me to collect a letter that Poppy left on her desk in the spa,’ I said. It wasn’t a complete lie. He had asked me to do something similar just a week ago. Sita didn’t need to know details of times or dates.

  The phone rang and Sita picked it up and nodded at me as if to say, Off you go. Didier was standing outside the front door and glanced over. I wondered if he was going to ask where I was going, but he just lifted his chin, which in chin speak is ‘hi’, then turned back to look outside.

  I crossed Reception and went down the stairs, through the doors and into the spa area. All was quiet, as I’d expected. Nightlights on either side of the stairs and corridor softly lit the way to the pool area. Nobody was around. I checked my watch. Ten-thirty. I’d be able to do about thirty lengths and then be back in bed before Dad even noticed that I was missing. I got changed and minutes later I was in the water. It was the perfect temperature. Heaven.

  I’d swum only about ten lengths when I heard voices. My heart thudded in my chest. Hells bells, who was it? I swam to the side, jumped out and ran to hide behind a large basket that was used during the day for wet towels. From my vantage point there, I willed the ripples I’d made in the pool to disappear as I saw Alisha and a boy of about seventeen step into the area. Jerome Lewis. I recognised him from his photo in the paper. Alisha looked at the water. I knew she could tell someone had been swimming because she looked around, shrugged and said something to Jerome. I waited for them to disappear into the changing room so I could make a run for it.

  Oh no, I thought, just as I was about to make my move, I’ve left my stuff in there. What shall I do? Run anyway while they’re in there? They might not know the clothes are mine. Why would they? They might assume one of the other residents has left them. But I can’t run away because I can’t cross Reception in my cossie . . .

  The decision was taken out of my hands, because Jerome and Alisha reappeared moments later. They were wearing robes that they took off and hung up by the door. I shrank down, trying to make myself invisible, and to calm my breathing in case they heard me. I watched as they approached the pool. Jerome Lewis was a one hundred per cent hunky mcdunky. Tall and handsome with a well fit body. He dived in at the deep end and began to swim. He had an excellent style and smoothly cut his way through the water. Alisha soon joined him and swam too although Jerome looked like the stronger swimmer. I stayed in my place in agony because I was kneeling on my feet and they tingled with pins and needles. I didn’t dare move, in case one of them saw me.

  Stupid, stupid girl. I told myself. What possessed me to come down here? And now it’s getting late. What if Dad comes back? I’ll be grounded for another week, month, year – the rest of eternity, probably. Oh God, my life is sooooo miserable and now I am trapped.

  After what seemed an interminable length of time, Jerome got out.

  ‘Going for a shower,’ he called to his sister. ‘You gonna be long?’

  ‘Two minutes,’ said Alisha, and she looked directly at the towel basket. ‘But I’m going to shower upstairs. You never know who’s been using these public ones.’

  ‘When did you become Miss Prissy Pants?’ asked Jerome, then disappeared into the changing area.

  ‘I’ll wait for you,’ Alisha called after him.

  She knows I’m here, I thought and indeed, moments later, she got out of the pool, went over to the pile of clean, white towels, picked one out and dried herself off a little. When she’d finished, she sauntered towards the towel basket and dropped the wet towel in.

  ‘I know you’re there,’ she said.

  There was no pretending. She came around and looked right at me. I got up but almost fell over because my feet were numb. I limped out as blood rushed back into my toes, causing them to tingle even more.

  ‘I thought you weren’t supposed to be here,’ she continued, without looking at me.

  I stooped over and touched a mock cap like I’d done when I’d been in a play at school years ago and was playing a poor farmer. ‘Oh sorry, ma’am, I beg pardon,’ I said. ‘I know poor peasants like me unt allowed to mix with you proper ladies like. It won’t ’appen again. Oo ar.’

  Alisha looked at me with surprise. My reaction clearly wasn’t what she’d expected and, for a brief moment, she actually looked like she was going to laugh.

  I didn’t hang around to find out, though, and made as swift an exit as I could considering my tingling feet. I wasn’t going to go and get my clothes and risk bumping into Jerome in case he was as sour as his sister. I walked over to the clean towels and wrapped one around myself, trying not to show her how intimidated I was. I let myself out of the pool-room and into the spa area. Poppy was back from wherever she’d been and was sitting at her desk. She looked up.

  ‘Jess?’

  ‘Oh God, Poppy, sorry. Won’t do it again. Sorry, sorry, please don’t tell Dad.’

  Poppy shrugged a shoulder. ‘Have you been swimming?’

  I nodded.

  ‘Do what you like. I won’t tell your dad. In fact, I don’t think I’m going to be around much longer.’

  I noticed she had no make-up on and looked tired. ‘Why? What’s happened?’

  She jerked her chin towards the pool-room. ‘I didn’t sign up for a twenty-four-hour-a-day service. This new lot of residents have only been here a week and already I can’t keep up with their demands. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like when all the apartments are full. I was asleep just now. Asleep! I was worn out running around after all of them and then I get woken up because someone wants to use the pool. Honestly, it’s almost eleven o’clock! If they want to use the pool, let them. Why do I have to be here? To pick up their used towels and make sure the lights are on? It’s been the same every night this week. Don’t these people sleep? I mean, I don’t mind hard work but . . . no, not this. It’s not for me, being somebody’s slave.’

  ‘So what will you do?’

  Poppy shrugged. ‘Oh, I don’t know. Ask me in the morning. Sorry. Just letting off steam. I know someone has to be here. Health and safety rules and all that. Anyway, you’d better beat it before the Lewises come out.’

  ‘You won’t tell Dad, will you?’

  Poppy shook her head. ‘And don’t you tell him I’ve been moaning either, will you? Just, I need my beauty sleep and I’m tired.’

  ‘Your secret’s safe with me. Hey, you haven’t got a robe behind there, have you? So I can cross Reception? Oh – and an envelope?’

  Poppy leant down, pulled out a white robe and handed it to me.

  ‘Oh, and Poppy, I’m really sorry to ask but I left my stuff in the changing room. I can’t go back and get it because her Royal High-and-Mightiness and her brother are in there, I—’

  Poppy nodded wearily. ‘I’ll get your stuff. I’ll take it with me when I leave and you can pop into my house and get it.’

  ‘You’re a star.’

  ‘Aren’t I just?’

 
I slipped the robe on and then raced back up through Reception where I waved to Sita and Didier, who were deep in conversation.

  ‘Got it,’ I said and I held up the envelope so they could see. Neither of them seemed to notice that I was in different clothes, thank God.

  Five minutes later, I was back at the house. Luckily Dad wasn’t home yet and the light was off in Charlie’s room, so he must have gone to sleep.

  Phewee, lucky escape, I thought as I crept back into bed.

  12

  Chaperone?

  ‘Will you do it again?’ asked Pia as we got off the bus and headed towards Porchester Park.

  I shook my head. ‘No way, José. I’m back in Dad’s good books. Can you imagine if he found out?’

  Pia linked her arm through mine. ‘You’d be a prisoner forever and no-one would ever see you again. I’m so glad he’s letting you come to the fundraiser.’

  It was Friday evening and we were heading back to my house to get ready for the event this evening at school. I had wanted to get changed at Pia’s, but she’d insisted that we go back to mine. I know why. She’s hoping to bump into Henry again. It’s true love. I know, because since she met him on the day of Dave’s poo disaster, she’s written his name in a heart over and over in the margin of her journal. I think he likes her too because every time I see him, he asks about her. Love was definitely in the air, plus, tonight at the fundraiser, I was hoping I’d get the chance to take things with Tom past smiling in the corridor stage and into major flirt mode.

  We walked past the main entrance and I waved at Didier, who waved back.

  ‘Do you always have to use the side entrance now?’ asked Pia, as we made our way there.

  ‘Until I make my first billion,’ I said, ‘and then I’ll waltz through the front with the rest of them, looking down my nose at Princess Snotola Bogeyface, Alisha Lewis.’

  Pia tightened her grip on my arm. ‘Ohmigod, there they are,’ she said.

  I looked over and saw that a black limo had pulled up outside the main entrance. Stuart, one of the valets, appeared out of nowhere and opened the door. Mrs Lewis, Alisha and Jerome got out. I spotted Dad hovering by the door as if he wanted to talk to them, while Mrs Lewis looked straight at me and Pia.

  ‘She’s looking at us,’ said Pia. ‘What do we do?’

  ‘We act normal,’ I said, but part of me was panicking because Mrs Lewis said something to Alisha, they both looked at me and then went over to talk to Dad.

  I am dead, I thought. Alisha’s sneaked on me to her mum and now probably wants to make a complaint about me being in the pool last night.

  I tugged on Pia’s arm. ‘Come on, let’s go,’ I said and we set off again for the side entrance, but Didier came running after us.

  ‘Hey, Jess, your dad wants you,’ he said. I turned back to see that everyone was looking at me: Dad, Mrs Lewis, Alisha and Jerome.

  ‘My life is over,’ I said.

  Pia had frozen. ‘What shall I do?’

  ‘Come with me,’ I said. ‘I need you.’

  Feeling like a prisoner walking towards his executioner, I made my way towards them. Goodbye to the fundraiser, goodbye to my love life, I thought.

  ‘Jess, Pia, I’d like you to meet the Lewis family,’ said Dad. ‘This is Mrs Lewis and her children, Alisha and Jerome.’

  Alisha muttered something and looked away.

  Mrs Lewis put her hand out and shook mine and then Pia’s hand. ‘Pleased to meet you, girls.’

  Jerome smiled at us. Up close, he was even more gorgeous, with deep brown eyes and astonishingly white teeth. ‘Hey, Pia, Jess. Good to meet you and hey, no-one calls me Jerome. Please call me JJ.’

  ‘Why JJ?’ I asked.

  ‘Jerome Junior,’ he replied. ‘JJ.’

  ‘Alisha?’ said Mrs Lewis, turning to her daughter.

  ‘Later,’ she said and flounced off towards the lift.

  A look of irritation crossed Mrs Lewis’s face. ‘You’ll have to excuse Alisha. She, er . . .’ She looked at Dad and shrugged her shoulders. ‘Teenagers, huh?’

  Dad gave me a pointed look. ‘Indeed, you never know what they’re going to do next.’

  Oh God, he does know I was in the pool, I thought as I smiled back weakly.

  Mrs Lewis sighed. ‘Tell me about it.’

  ‘You both go to school near here?’ asked JJ.

  Pia nodded. She’d done her frozen act and now seemed to have lost the power of speech. I wasn’t sure what to do or say, either. Apologise about last night? Say I wouldn’t do it again? But so far, no-one had said anything about it so I decided to stay schtum. JJ must be so impressed by our brilliant conversation, I thought.

  ‘They both attend West Bailey High,’ said Dad, who seemed amused by our silence. ‘It’s a good school only a bus ride away.’

  ‘How about you?’ I finally managed to blurt.

  ‘We’re home-schooled when we travel,’ JJ replied, then flashed an award-winning smile. ‘Which is why it’s so nice to meet people like you.’

  Pia let out a high-pitched nervous laugh.

  ‘Ditto,’ I said.

  ‘Well, I hope we’ll see some more of you around the place,’ said Mrs Lewis. ‘Lovely to meet you.’

  ‘And you,’ I said. It felt like meeting the Queen and I wondered if I ought to curtsey.

  She smiled, then went off with JJ.

  ‘She’s nice,’ said Pia. ‘And so beautiful. She looks like Halle Berry. Did you see her skin? It’s flawless.’

  ‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘Shame her charm hasn’t rubbed off on you know who.’

  Dad indicated Reception. ‘You may as well go through this way,’ he said, ‘seeing as you’re here.’

  I didn’t need telling twice. Was I in the clear? No-one had said anything about the pool.

  ‘And have a good time tonight, Jess,’ he called after me. ‘Don’t be late back.’

  I turned, stood to attention and saluted him. From the area where the residents’ lifts were situated, I saw JJ watching and laughing. Behind him, Alisha was also watching, but the expression on her face was sulky.

  ‘He loves me,’ I said to Pia as we pressed the exit button to the staff area and went through.

  ‘Yeah right,’ said Pia. ‘Dream on, girl. That boy oozed natural charm. I reckon he’s like that with everyone. And, anyway, what about Tom?’

  ‘Options, Pia,’ I said. ‘A girl has to have options and anyway, I can dream, can’t I?’

  An hour later, we were blow-dried, perfumed, made-up and dressed. Dad dropped in to see us before we went to catch the bus and he wasn’t at all pleased to see me wearing make-up.

  ‘You don’t need it,’ he said as he took in Pia’s and my appearance. ‘And you’re both going to freeze in those outfits.’

  Pia was wearing a wraparound green dress with a crocheted top that she had bought in the sale at TopShop during the holidays. She looked amazing. I’d tried on a million outfits and nothing looked right. My strapless flowery dress looked OK, but it was well into autumn now and I still looked like I was dressed for the summer. In the end, I settled for skinny black jeans and a red-and-black striped top that I’d had for ages. I really needed some new clothes. I’d been meaning to ask Dad all week, but it had never been the right time. I had to pick my moment.

  ‘We’re going to take jackets and scarves, Dad,’ I said. ‘We’re not totally brain dead.’

  Pia did a stupid face. ‘’Ot totally – ug still goh haf a bran.’

  Dad sat on the end of my bed. He appeared distracted. ‘No. Of course not. I . . . er . . . wanted to talk to you about something. Mrs Lewis asked to have a word with me before . . .’

  My stomach sank. Here it comes, I thought. What a waste of dressing-up time.

  ‘Before you say anything, I’m sorry and I won’t do it again,’ I said. ‘I promise.’

  Dad looked puzzled. ‘Do what?’

  Could it be that he doesn’t know about last night? I wondered. ‘I . . . Oh. Whatever
it is I’ve done now.’

  Dad laughed. Over his shoulder, Pia shrugged and made a face as if to say, I don’t know what’s going on either.

  I decided to brave it out. ‘Yes. That’s my policy from now on, Dad. Apologise before I’ve done anything. Saves time and makes life a lot easier, don’t you think?’

  Dad chuckled then looked at me suspiciously. ‘Maybe not such a bad philosophy but . . . you’re not thinking of doing anything untoward, are you?’

  ‘God no,’ I said. I joined my hands in prayer and put on my best angelic look. ‘Good as gold, that’s me. Sister Mary Bernadetta Consuela Emmanuella bejesus bego-rah.’ I broke into the nun’s song from The Sound of Music. ‘Climb every mountain . . .’

  Dad regarded me for a few moments. ‘You’re a very strange girl, Jess Hall.’

  I shut up.

  ‘Anyway,’ said Dad, ‘before you go, I have a favour to ask of you.’

  ‘Shoot,’ I said.

  ‘Mrs Lewis was pleased to have introduced you to Alisha and Jerome earlier on—’

  ‘JJ, Dad,’ I reminded him. ‘Remember he said we were to call him JJ.’

  ‘OK – then remember JJ said he and his sister were home-schooled? Well, Mrs Lewis had a chat with me and said it concerns her that they’re not getting to see the real London and asked if you might consider—’

  ‘Showing JJ round? See, he was pleased to meet us, Pia. I told you!’

  ‘No, not Jerome – I mean JJ – Alisha. Mrs Lewis is worried about having separated Alisha from her friends and wondered if you would show her a few places, maybe go shopping with her. Just be company for her.’

  ‘Alisha? No way.’ I pulled an ‘I’m going to be sick’ face.

  Dad looked cross. ‘Why? What’s the problem? I’d have thought most girls your age would be delighted to have someone like her around.’

  ‘Someone like her? A somebody, you mean?’

  ‘Now come on, Jess. Where’s that kind heart of yours? Yes, she’s the daughter of a famous actor but she’s also someone new to our city who probably needs a friend or two.’