Nesta sighed. ‘Nah. I’m going through a particularly barren time with boys lately. I don’t want one just for the sake of it. It’s too boring. To tell you the truth, I’ve been enjoying being single. As Tony said, no complications. I’d rather hang out with you guys for the moment.’
Lucy mocked fainting. ‘Are you ill, Nesta?’
Nesta punched her. ‘No, I’m not. I just don’t want to waste my time and I don’t want to compromise. No, next time I date a boy, it’s going to be the real thing or nothing at all.’
TJ, Lucy and I all exchanged doubtful looks.
‘I give her a week,’ said TJ.
‘O ye of little faith,’ said Nesta. ‘There is more to life than boys, you know.’
‘Now I know she’s ill,’ I said. ‘Don’t worry love, we’ll take care of you. You’ll be as right as rain in no time.’
‘Hey how’s the diet going, Iz?’ asked Lucy.
‘It’s not a diet, it’s a healthy eating plan,’ I replied. ‘Didn’t you hear my comments for TJ’s article? Dieting makes you fat.’
‘Ooo, get her,’ said Lucy, laughing.
‘But actually I’ve lost three pounds already.’
I’d been back to the club and weighed in and at first I was disappointed that I hadn’t lost more but then Shirley had shown us this great lump of fat. It was enormous, like a huge blob of butter.
‘That’s just two pounds,’ she’d said.
It didn’t seem so bad after that. Somehow though, my weight didn’t feel like such a big issue any more. Since Teen Talk last Saturday, loads of people had come up to me from school and even a few boys in the street who had seen the show. All of them had complimented me on my performance and no one had said I’d looked like a great fairy elephant.
I was feeling a lot better about things. I know that having the perfect body is not what it’s all about and I know that no one’s ever happy; if not with their legs, it’s their turn or their hair or their bum. You can’t let it ruin your life. Not that that is going to stop me going to my “Weight Winners class. I want to continue because I want to get back into my old clothes, but now I feel that I’m doing it for me – to feel good, not to fit in with what I think some boy wants. And the plan does seem to work, even though it sometimes feels like I’m eating a lot. Already, my clothes feel looser and the outfit from Cyberdog looks fantastic. I’m looking forward to going out partying in it and not feeling like I have to hide myself away at home, my life on hold, waiting until I’m skinny. I’ve learned some valuable stuff about food – mainly that I don’t have to starve myself to lose weight. Learning to eat the right foods is the way, whereas starvation is just a waste of time.
Just as I was getting ready to leave TJ’s, my phone rang.
‘Hi, Izzie, it’s Gabriel. I’m at the studio. Can you come over?’
‘Sure,’ I said. ‘I’m with the girls. Shall we all come?’
‘Yeah, sure. I’ve got something to show you.’
‘What?’
‘Aha, you’ll see.’
He wouldn’t tell me any more than that, so we set off, wondering what he wanted.
When we arrived at the studio, we waited in the reception area while the girl behind the desk let him know that we were there. He came out a few minutes later. He was carrying a large envelope.
‘So what’s the big mystery?’ I asked.
Gabriel grinned and beckoned us to sit on one of the sofas by a coffee table where he produced a wad of letters from the envelope. ‘Thought you might like to see some of these,’ he said.
I sat next to him on the sofa and TJ, Nesta and Lucy crowded round to look.
‘Ohmigod,’ said Nesta. ‘They’re fan letters.’
Gabriel grinned again. ‘They’ve been filtering in all week. Looks like you’re a hit, Izzie Foster.’
TJ, Lucy and Nesta all took a small pile each, sat down and we began to read.
‘Dear Iz,’ read Lucy, ‘I think you are the most beautiful girl in the world and what a voice . . .’
‘Dear Ms Foster,’ read Nesta, ‘I wonder if you would do me the honour of accompanying me on a date. I enclose a picture . . .’ She had a quick look at the enclosed photo. ‘Eeew, I don’t think so.’
I took the photo from her. The man in it was old enough to be my father, no – my stepfather, as Angus is older than Dad.
‘Dear Izzie,’ read TJ. ‘I love you, will you marry me?’
It was amazing. Letter after letter. My first fan mail. I would treasure it forever.
‘Dear Iz,’ read Nesta. ‘Oh . . . no, you don’t want to read this one. A bit rude, but I think the gist of it is that he fancies you.’
Gabriel took the letter off her. ‘You always get the odd nutter in there but wow, Izzie. How do these make you feel?’
I beamed out at them all. ‘Pretty darned blooming amazing,’ I said.
‘I think that means good,’ said Lucy. ‘And we don’t ever, ever want to hear again that you think you are a great fat ugly lump.’
‘You won’t,’ I said. ‘I promise.’
And I meant it.
Also available by Cathy Hopkins
The MATES, DATES series
1. Mates, Dates and Inflatable Bras
2. Mates, Dates and Cosmic Kisses
3. Mates, Dates and Portobello Princesses
4. Mates, Dates and Sleepover Secrets
5. Mates, Dates and Sole Survivors
6. Mates, Dates and Mad Mistakes
7. Mates, Dates and Pulling Power
8. Mates, Dates and Tempting Trouble
9. Mates, Dates and Great Escapes
10. Mates, Dates and Chocolate Cheats
11. Mates, Dates and Diamond Destiny
12. Mates, Dates and Sizzling Summers
Companion Books:
Mates, Dates Guide to Life
Mates, Dates and You
Mates, Dates Journal
The TRUTH, DARE, KISS OR PROMISE series
1. White Lies and Barefaced Truths
2. Pop Princess
3. Teen Queens and Has–Beens
4. Starstruck
5. Double Dare
6. Midsummer Meltdown
7. Love Lottery
8. All Mates Together
The CINNAMON GIRL series
1. This Way to Paradise
2. Starting Over
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