by Maria Grace
‘Do you like my new tracksuit, Emmeline Rose?’ She did a twirl for me and when she turned around, I saw that the tracksuit bottoms had Naughty List written on the bum.
‘It’s gorgeous, Bett!’ I couldn’t help but laugh.
‘And my nice new reindeer hairband that Gladys Friday bought for me?’ She put her hands up to her hair and switched on a button. The antlers came to life with flashing lights.
‘Yes.’ I smiled widely. ‘They’re very festive!’
She admired herself in the mirror. ‘What do you think I look like?’ she asked.
‘You look like…’ I tried to find the right words as she stared at me, waiting for a good response. ‘You look like a Christmas Miracle!’
Bett was delighted. ‘A Christmas Miracle!’ She sighed happily. ‘Thank you, Emmeline Rose. That’s exactly how I feel.’
We walked out of the front door to join the Christmas party in the gym hall. Quinn, Tyler and Little Charlie were standing outside. All three of them looked taken aback when they saw Bett.
‘I’ve got a new tracksuit, Quinn Davies!’ Bett showed off her outfit.
‘I can see,’ replied Quinn. ‘It’s quality, innit?’
Bett smiled and nodded, before something caught her eye over by the gym hall.
‘Who’s that skinny boy?’ Bett squinted to try and get a better look.
‘Oh-My-Donald-Duck!’ Quinn’s eyes widened. ‘It’s Lucas.’
We all rushed over.
‘Alright, Lucas?’ Quinn and Little Charlie said at the same time.
‘Alright, girls?’ He winked at them. ‘Is Karra here, by any chance?’
I went inside to get Karra.
‘You have a visitor.’ I nodded my head towards the door.
Karra’s eyes followed mine, and they narrowed when she saw who was waiting for her.
She went outside to see Lucas, but told us we weren’t allowed to go with her. As soon as she left, we crept behind the door and lined up perfectly by the gap in the corner, so we could see what was going on. Karra must have heard us shuffling, because she turned around to see a set of five heads stacked up, one on top of the other, staring at her through the side of the door.
‘What do you want, Lucas?’ asked Karra.
He moved closer to try and kiss her, but she put her hand up to block her face.
‘Babycakes, you are looking fiiit!’ Lucas wolf whistled at Karra. ‘Why are you rejecting Lucas’s kisses? Give Lucas some sugar, yeah?’ He tried to put his arms around her, but she moved away.
Karra frowned at the boy. ‘I’m not being funny or anything, but what are you doing here? I haven’t seen you for weeks. Sticky Vicky dumped you, has she? Well, if you think I’m going to settle for that skank’s sloppy seconds, you can think again.’
‘WOAH!’ Lucas threw his hands in the air to show how offended he was. ‘First of all, let’s get one thing straight, yeah? Sticky Vicky did not dump Lucas. The girl is high maintenance, and Lucas don’t do high maintenance. I got to concentrate on my music and stuff, haven’t I? I can’t afford to have distractions like that.’
‘So why are you here?’ Karra folded her arms.
‘To see you, innit?Come on, Karra…’ He tried to kiss her again. ‘You know you’ve missed me.’
Ew. This boy was a real muff, wasn’t he?
‘What’s going on?’ Beano saw us hiding. ‘Why are you all lined up like Mission-Frigging-Impossible, spying behind the door, you freaks?’
‘SHHHH!’ I put my index finger to my mouth.
Beano joined us behind the door, just in time to see Karra pulling away from Lucas and telling him to leave her alone.
Lucas stepped forward aggressively. ‘What’s your problem?’ He waved his hands around. ‘You think you’re too good for Lucas, do you?’
Karra looked uncertain.
Lucas started laughing. ‘Oh-my-life! You DO!’ He gave her a stinking look. ‘This is too funny, Karra! Come on, babe. You know you won’t get no better than Lucas. You ain’t exactly Ariana Grande, innit?’
Karra looked down at the floor.
‘It’s not like you’ve got the brains to make up for it either!’ He smirked. ‘And to top it all off, you’re a fridge! Why do you think I had to keep going back to Sticky Vicky all the time?’
We all gasped in shock from behind the door. Did he really just say those things?
‘OMG,’ whispered Quinn. ‘That’s like … totes inappropes.’
What a pig. I didn’t know what Karra had ever seen in that boy. No wonder she was always so on edge when she was going out with him. He probably made her feel like crap! I couldn’t just stand there and watch him speak to my friend like that.
I walked outside.
‘Oi.’ I stood next to Karra and gave Lucas the evil eye.
He looked me up and down. ‘You didn’t tell me you had such hot friends, Karra.’ He winked.
‘Excuse me,’ I said. ‘Please don’t speak about me like that. I don’t appreciate it.’
‘Ooooo!’ Lucas mocked me. ‘Feisty, much? Lucas luuurrrves me some feisty laydeees!’
He swung his hips from side to side and fist-pumped the air at the same time.
‘Come on, Karra,’ he pleaded with her. ‘Lucas been working on my personal growth.’ He bit his lip in a way that he thought was seductive. ‘Maybe you can bring your feisty friend out with us, and the two of you together can help me ‘grow’ as a man … ifyou know what I mean.’
He looked down to his trousers and moved his eyebrows up and down.
If I wasn’t so mortified, I would have laughed. Who was this kid? And what planet was he from?
I scowled at him and poked my finger into his chest to tell him off. ‘Now, you listen to me, you son of a motherless GOAT!’
He staggered back.
‘Firstly…’ I prodded his jacket as I scolded him. ‘I don’t know why you’ve come here, but Karra clearly isn’t interested in you. Probably because she’s realised what a complete and utter cock you are!’
He gawked at me.
‘Secondly…’ I continued my rant. ‘Stop referring to yourself in the third person, because it’s really annoying and just plain stupid!’
Karra started giggling and Lucas looked puzzled because he didn’t have a clue what I meant.
‘And thirdly…’ I narrowed my eyes at him. ‘An erection does not … I repeat, NOT count as personal growth!’
We heard sniggering from behind the gym-hall door.
Karra laughed out loud and put her arm around my shoulder.
‘What she chattin’ about?’ Lucas raised an eyebrow to Karra. ‘Is she drunk or what?’
‘No,’ replied Karra. ‘She’s just too smart for the likes of you. And while we’re at it, so am I.’
‘You’re what?’ asked Lucas.
‘Way too smart for boys like you,’ said Karra.
Just then, Beano came out of the gym hall and put his arms around Karra’s waist.
Karra looked surprised, but Beano winked at her on the sly, so she went along with it.
‘Oh-my-life,’ said Beano. ‘You are lushness personified. Oooft! You’re mint! I want to smash the pasty off you!’
Lucas blinked in shock.
‘Ariana Grande ain’t got nothing on you!’ Beano nuzzled Karra’s neck and she looked a bit embarrassed.
Lucas’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
‘Oh, yes…’ said Beano. ‘I’m going to train that Va-dragon like a pro!’
‘OK, Beano!’ I cringed. ‘I think we get the picture.’
‘Too far?’ asked Beano.
I nodded.
‘Sorry,’ he said to Karra. ‘I would never disrespect you. You’re far too good for that.’ He tried to redeem himself. ‘It won’t happen again.’
Karra chuckled at his backward attempt of sticking up for her.
Lucas nodded towards Beano. ‘Who’s this?’
‘My name’s Beano.’ He tilted his hat to greet Lu
cas. ‘I’m Karra’s boyfriend. Who are you?’
‘He’s…’ Karra looked at Lucas for the last time. ‘He’s nobody.’
Lucas looked thoroughly put in his place.
Beano took her hand. ‘Come on, Karra. Let’s go back into the party.’
Lucas walked away, looking rejected and embarrassed. He would never be able to make Karra feel bad about herself again.
Inside, the girls were squealing at the drama that had just unfolded right before their eyes. Even if it was from behind a door.
Beano and Karra let go of each other’s hand.
‘You do know that was just pretend, yeah?’ Beano said to Karra.
‘Yeah, like I’d ever really get it on with you.’ Karra pulled her most disgusted face.
‘I don’t want you coming on to me all the time now – making things all uncomfortable and stuff.’ Beano grinned at her.
‘Don’t worry,’ Karra replied sarcastically. ‘I’ll try my best to resist you.’
They smiled awkwardly at each other.
‘Cheers, Beano.’ Karra hugged him. ‘What you did, out there … it was really nice of you.’
‘You’re my friend,’ he replied. ‘I’ll always support
you.’
‘I know,’ said Karra. ‘And Lucas’s face was classic! Did you see how annoyed he looked when he thought you were my boyfriend?’
‘Yeah, well, he deserved it.’ Beano coughed nervously. ‘If I was your boyfriend, I would never treat you the way he did. You should treat a lady with respect.’
Karra blushed. ‘You think I’m a lady?’
‘Yeah, of course you are.’ His face went bright red. ‘I think you’re an epic lady.’
‘Cheers,’ said Karra.
‘You’re welcome,’ replied Beano. ‘Now, come on. Let’s get smashed on them cocktails!’
THIRTY-SIX
It was a gloomy day. Everything felt slightly ominous. I tried to breathe, but I was puffed out. My dad was walking in front of me, and he was walking too fast for me to catch up. The faster I tried to walk, the slower and heavier my legs felt.
I called out to him, but he couldn’t hear me.
Hurry up, Em, my subconscious told me off. You’re going to miss him if you don’t get a move on.
He started walking up a hill. I struggled to run after him. Everything was in slow-motion. My brain was telling my legs to run, but my body wasn’t responding.
At the bottom of the hill, there was a little park with a wonderful white rose bush by the gate. It was the same rose bush that had grown in our garden for years.
We stood at the top and bottom of the hill. The rain was drizzling and just the thought of having to walk up that hill to see him made my legs ache.
I looked at Dad and everything felt so … familiar. And yet something seemed out of place.
I tried to work it out, but my mind was fuzzy.
Think, Em, think.
I searched around me to see what the time was. Usually, I had a good instinct for the time when there were no clocks in sight. But here, I couldn’t even tell whether it was day or night. I knew that it was New Year’s Eve, but that was the only solid fact I was certain of.
The air seemed different somehow. I felt so connected to it. There was no separation between me and … anything. What a strange feeling.
Something cold hit my face. I looked up and saw tiny snowflakes starting to fall around me.
It was snowing! Yessss!
Within seconds, the entire place was covered in a blanket of pure white snow that seemed to be studded with diamonds. The beauty of it took my breath away. And then out of nowhere, something amazing happened.
The sun came out, and the whole place lit up. It was so bright that it hurt my eyes at first, but then it settled a bit, so I could see properly.
Dad was here – with his arms around me. I stood there for ages, enjoying the familiar, comforting, clean smell of the washing powder on his jumper. Something in my head told me to cherish this moment. I couldn’t remember why it was so important, but I instinctively squeezed my dad tight; that wonderful hug that I’d missed so much.
I looked at him closely. ‘There’s something different about you,’ I said.
He laughed. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m not sure,’ I replied. ‘But there’s a glow about you.’
‘That’s because I’m healthy again,’ he said.
I studied his face and thought how perfect his skin looked. It almost sparkled. And his eyes … I’d never seen them so healthy and alive.
He turned to look at the rose bush by the gate. It was coated with shimmering snowflakes that were tinged with a pink blush by the sun. One of the beautiful white roses loosened from the bush and floated through the air to my dad.
He handed the stunning rose to me. ‘Will you give this to your mother, please? Tell her it’s a special gift from me. She’ll understand.’
‘Of course I will.’
I smelt the rose. It was intoxicating and wonderful. I wished that I could have one for myself.
He must have read my mind, because he cast his eyes back to the rose bush and another three white roses came floating over to him.
He handed one of them to me. ‘This one is for you, Em. Keep it with you, in your heart. Trust in yourself and know that Nana Rose and I are always taking care of you.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, inhaling the scent of the white petals.
He handed me another one. ‘This one is for my little angel, Freya. As the roses grow, so will her strength. I hope to see her a lot more as she gets older.’
‘She’ll love it,’ I said.
I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, but for some reason, I didn’t care. Everything he was saying made total sense, even if I didn’t understand any of it.
He handed me a final white rose. ‘And this one is for Grandma Coalman,’ he said. ‘Please tell her that I will always be grateful for all that she did for me, and that she really is a wonderfulmother.’
I nodded and took the rose carefully from him. I held all four roses in my hands.
He looked over to the white rose bush and said, ‘I’ve been growing them special. I know that it’s taken a little while, but now they’re ready for you all.’
I smiled.
He waved his hand towards the rose bush, like a magician. White petals moved gently from the branches and danced through the crisp air, taking on a life of their own. They floated all around us, mingling happily with the snowflakes in the bright blue sky. They waltzed together in harmony, and I laughed at the dazzling show. I held out my arms to catch some in my hands, and I looked down at my feet, fascinated by the carpet of white petals and snow on the ground.
When I looked back up, Dad was gone.
And then I woke up.
THIRTY-SEVEN
It was New Year’s Day and I was sitting in the back of Mel’s car.
I started thinking about the night before.
The dream.
It had felt so vivid, so real. I could have sworn that it was more than just a dream, but how could that be?
I was probably reading too much into it. I was really hyper when I went to bed the night before, so maybe my sleeping pattern had been messed up.
Perhaps it was common for strange dreams to occur on New Year’s Eve.
Should I speak to Mum about it? She would be able to interpret the dream. She was clever like that. But was she strong enough? Would it upset her? I wasn’t sure. Maybe it was best to just forget the whole thing.
‘So, what are you all doing for New Year’s Day?’ Mel interrupted my thoughts.
‘We’re going to that new Italian place that’s just opened in The Bay,’ I answered.
‘That’ll be nice.’ Mel smiled and then beeped her horn at the car in front because it had stopped suddenly at the bottom of the hill.
I stared out of the window, lost in a world of my own.
A single snowflake landed on
the window, right by my nose.
‘Mel!’ I got excited. ‘Look! It’s snowing!’
She beeped again at the car in front.
I opened the window and stuck my hand out in the cold air to feel the slushy white snowflakes fall onto my hand. I couln’t believe it was snowing. Just like my dream!
I looked across to the park at the bottom of the hill.
The park looked different, somehow.
BEEP! BEEP!
‘COME ON! I HAVEN’T GOT ALL DAY!’ Mel shouted at the car.
I studied the park, trying to figure out what was different about it. Why did I feel like there was something missing?
The man in front stuck his middle finger up. Mel looked outraged and returned the gesture furiously.
‘MEN!’ she shouted. ‘They think they’re so much better than us, don’t they?’
I nodded to keep her happy.
‘They’re all the same,’ she said. ‘You’d swear their poop smelt of roses, the way they carry on.’
Roses!
That was it! There were no roses in the park!
The rose bush was missing.
I looked around, but I couldn’t see it anywhere.
How could it just not be there?
‘Thank you very much, you idiot!’ Mel waved at the man in front, pulling faces at him as she drove away.
I looked through the back window of the car, staring at the place where the lovely white rose bush used to be.
It was just … gone.
Mel dropped me off at Mum’s house.
I was still thinking about the white rose bush as I walked in to find Grandma Coalman decorating a cake.
‘That looks delish, Gram!’ I ran my finger through the buttercream.
‘Get lost!’ She smacked my hand. ‘This is a work of art! I got the recipe off the interweb.’
‘You’re getting really good at doing things online, aren’t you?’
‘That’s because my friends help me,’ she replied.
‘What friends?’ I looked suspiciously at her. ‘Have you been chatting to strangers on the internet? That can be dangerous, Gram!’
‘Yes, but these people are my friends. They help me with everything!’