Bright Lights by Linda Chapman

Author:Linda Chapman
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780141925837
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2008-10-21T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

I was still awake when Jessica came in.

‘Night, Dad,’ I heard her mutter as she climbed the stairs.

I got out of bed and tiptoed round Ally and Harriet. Had Jess had a good time at the party?

Creeping out of my door, I stopped in shock. Jessica's face was damp with tears.

‘Jess?’ I said quickly. ‘What's the matter?’

‘Nothing,’ she said abruptly.

‘Yeah – it looks like it!’

She opened her bedroom door.

I followed her. ‘What's happened? What's wrong?’

For a moment I thought she was going to tell me to mind my own business, but then she sat down on her bed and rubbed a hand over her eyes. ‘It's Zak. He… he acted like I didn't exist. Just because he was in the band, all these girls hung round him and he hardly even looked at me.’

I frowned. ‘So? You're not going out with him.’

‘I know, but…’ Jessica broke off. ‘Oh, what's the point. You won't understand.’

I felt hurt. ‘I will.’

Jessica hesitated. ‘It's just… well, I thought we were friends, Soph, that I meant something to him, and then tonight, when these other girls were there, he was really different. He even kissed some of them.’ She laughed bitterly. ‘Three of them in fact.’

‘What did you do?’ I said, my eyes widening.

‘I ignored him,’ she said, shrugging. ‘Arrogant moron.’

I frowned. Zak sounded like he had been awful, but then I couldn't help thinking that Jessica was being unreasonable. After all, she wasn't going out with Zak, was she? Why shouldn't he kiss other girls? However, something told me that wasn't what Jessica wanted to hear.

‘He's horrid,’ I declared.

Jessica swallowed. ‘You're right.’ She took a deep breath. ‘And from now on, he can jump off a tall building for all I care. I don't want anything more to do with him. I'm going to stick with Dan.’

I felt like hugging her. ‘Dan's much nicer anyway,’ I told her.

Jessica's forehead furrowed. ‘You haven't even met Zak.’

I shrugged. ‘It doesn't matter. I still know Dan's much nicer.’

‘You know something –’ Jessica managed a weak smile – ‘I think you're right.’

*

‘So what shall we do today?’ I asked Ally and Harriet the next morning.

To my surprise, they exchanged glances over the box of Frosties. ‘Well, actually,’ Ally said, rather awkwardly, ‘there's a demonstration on at the stables. It's all about Western riding and me and Harriet said we'd go.

I stared. They were going to spend the day without me!

‘You could come too, Sophie,’ Harriet said quickly.

I tried to hide the hurt I was feeling. ‘Yeah, and spend the rest of the day sneezing,’ I said, making my voice sound light and jokey. ‘You know what my hay fever's like.’

My jokiness didn't fool Harriet. ‘Maybe I won't go,’ she said quickly.

‘You've got to, Harriet!’ Ally protested. ‘We've got tickets and we said we'd help put the bales of straw out for everyone to sit on!’

‘But –’

‘It's OK,’ I interrupted Harriet. ‘You go. I've got lines to learn anyway.’

‘Well, if you're sure,’ she said, looking at me anxiously.

I summoned all my acting powers and smiled.

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