Glitter Gets Everywhere by Yvette Clark

Author:Yvette Clark [Clark, Yvette]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2021-02-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Chutes and Ladders

The universe doesn’t take pity on me—no change there then—and things get worse, not better, when Ava and I run into her mum at the end of the next day. Ava’s mum is wearing workout clothes but looks immaculately made up, her hair blown out in a black sheet of perfection. She can’t possibly have been exercising. When she hugs me, she’s so waiflike I feel as if I should be lumbering around on a basketball court. The loudness of her voice takes me by surprise; it’s such a stark contrast to her delicate appearance.

“You must be Kitty. It’s so wonderful to have you here at the school. Did Ava tell you I used to work in London? Which neighborhood do you live in? We lived in Notting Hill. We just adore London. How are you enjoying school? Ava mentioned that your mom might be interested in joining the PTA. Do you think she would? We’d love to have her. I desperately need some help organizing the Halloween dance. Somehow I am always the one who ends up doing everything.” Ava’s mum sighs and closes her eyes as if she’s doing some yoga breathing exercise. “Let her know my number is in the school directory, and I look forward to hearing from her. Make sure you tell her to call me, okay? Bye, girls!”

I look at Ava’s mum, feeling like a whirlwind just hit me, a whirlwind that never took a breath, even when peppering me with questions. Now I know where Ava gets the machine-gun questioning style.

“Imagine what it’s like living with her,” Ava says, watching her mother disappear down the hallway, students and teachers alike stepping out of her determined path. “My dad says he hopes he loses his hearing when he gets old!”

Now would be a good time to tell Ava the truth, but hearing her mum talk about my mum joining a committee and helping to organize the school dance has made the lie seem much bigger. I scrunch my face up, trying to think of the right words.

“Um, Ava, I need to tell you . . .”

“Maddie!” she shrieks as her best friend appears from the gym. “Got to run, Kitty. See you tomorrow.”

Ava swishes off down the hallway, a mini-me of her mum, and I stand there with my mouth open, the unspoken words stuck in my throat. Now what?

By the end of Friday, I still haven’t told Ava the truth. Her mum cornered me again in the hallway, asking if I’d given my mum her message and why she couldn’t find her contact details in the school directory. I stupidly answered that I didn’t know why her number isn’t there and wandered away, feeling ashamed. I’m so relieved that it’s the weekend tomorrow and I’ll be able to hide in my room for two days. Ava has her cello lesson after school, so I wander to the gates alone, shrugging my heavy backpack over one shoulder as all the other girls do.

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