Diary of a Lottery Winner's Daughter Page 12

  On Monday, that boy from before told me I couldn’t go in, so I took my packed lunch and a book and sat in a toilet cubicle for the whole lunchbreak. It was horrible. I did think about asking Mum if I could go to a different school, but then I thought that might be worse because I’d still have to make new friends and I wouldn’t know where anything was and it might not be any better than this one in the end. People would tease me about my height. At least here they’re all used to me, whereas at a new school I’d stand out.

  I’ve started going into the library instead of sitting in the loo. Most people avoid the library because the librarian is so scary. I was a bit scared at first, but then I realised she just doesn’t like people messing around in there and if, like me, they’re interested in the books then she’s perfectly nice and helpful. She’s pointed out some really good books to me. I can even manage to eat my lunch in there if I’m really careful that she doesn’t see me. Sometimes I see Annabel in there doing her homework. I suppose if she gets it done at school she can spend more time with her mum in the evenings.

  I’ve finished all the books she lent me. I ought to take them round to her flat but I haven’t dared yet.

  Last Saturday I found a really good secondhand bookshop near our house. I wonder if Annabel knows about it. Mum always agrees to buy books online for me, so my bookcases are filling up fast. I love waking up in the morning and seeing all my books on the shelves.

  I’ve spent a lot of time wishing. I’ve wished that everything will go back to normal. It hasn’t. I’ve wished Stacy would go away. She hasn’t. I’ve wished Annabel would talk to me. So far she hasn’t, though I think she smiled at me on the bus the other day. I think Gypsy Ginny’s wishes have all run out. The other day I measured myself on the door frame and started screaming because I’d actually grown half an inch! Chelsea came running along the corridor.

  ‘God!’ she said when I told her.’Is that all? I thought you were dying or something.’

  I never knew she cared that much. Then she spoilt it by saying,’ Anyhow, you haven’t grown, you idiot, it’s just because you’ve got a new carpet with underlay and stuff.’

  I’m not going to measure myself again until after Christmas. I’ve told Mum that if I haven’t grown any more by then I want her to take me to the doctor but she thinks I’m being silly. She said that Gran, Grump’s wife who died when I was two, was really small and that it’s just genetic and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

  Thursday 2nd December

  When I got home today I dumped my bag in the hall and was about to go to the kitchen to get a drink and a biscuit when the door from the back passage swung open and Chelsea came storming out. ‘I hate you!’ she shouted over her shoulder and burst into tears.

  I flattened myself against the wall to stop her from knocking me down as she stormed past. The door slammed shut as she made her way up the stairs, then it opened again as Dad came hurling past and I had to flatten myself against the wall again.

  ‘And don’t think that just because you’ve walked off that this is the end of it!’ he yelled at her. Dad was yelling. My dad. Yelling! Something was badly wrong.

  Dad went out the front door, slamming it behind him.

  I heard a loud psst above me. I looked up and saw Spencer peering through the landing rails.

  ‘Up here, quick,’ he whispered dramatically.

  I glanced longingly towards the kitchen.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ he called,’ I’ve got provisions in my room.’ He didn’t wait but disappeared up the attic stairs and I followed. He’d better have biscuits, I thought as I entered his room.

  ‘So what’s the problem?’ I said, sitting on his swivel chair and spinning myself round. He hates it when I do that because it messes up the height but he didn’t say anything about it. He was running his fingers through his fringe which he only does when he’s really upset.

  ‘Chelsea.’

  ‘What’s she done now?’ I said.

  Spencer’s fringe was sticking up. It was very funny and normally I’d have teased him but I could tell there was something very wrong and I was beginning to get worried.

  ‘There’s been the most horrendous row,’ Spencer continued quickly.

  I shrugged. ‘So what’s new?’

  ‘No, I mean like World War Three or something. You’re lucky you missed it. I think it’s been going on all day. Or at least since Mum checked her credit card balance this morning.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ I said, though I could guess what was coming.

  ‘It turns out that Chelsea’s been “borrowing” Mum’s credit card and spending loads of money at that Health Spa shop on the high street.’

  I knew the one he meant. It was at the top of the hill where I used to part company with Annabel every day, before we fell out. I did think that Chelsea was looking different. I assumed she was going to her friends for hair, nail and make-up sessions. I couldn’t help thinking that Chelsea had been behaving really badly ever since Mum won the lot-tery. Not that she was exactly well behaved before, but she’d never have done anything like this.

  ‘Mum went completely spare,’ Spencer said.

  ‘Well, she would, wouldn’t she?’ I said. ‘You know what Mum thinks about stealing. God, why would Chelsea do that? She must have known Mum would find out!’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Spencer. ‘Maybe she thought Mum’s got so much money she wouldn’t notice.’

  ‘Then she’s more stupid than I suspected,’ I told him. ‘If anything, Mum’s even more careful with money now than she used to be. I think she’s worried she’s going to spend it all and have to go back to being hard up again. Surely Chelsea must have noticed that? How could she do something like that to Mum?’

  ‘I reckon that somewhere in her little brain she thinks she’s entitled to it,’ said Spencer.

  For a moment we were both silent while we took in the enormity and stupidity of Chelsea’s crime.

  ‘Anyway, Dad’s grounded her for life and is taking her allowance until she’s paid all the money back. When I escaped upstairs he was saying he was seriously thinking about sending her to one of those Brat Camps in America.’

  ‘Why America?’ I said.’Don’t they have them here?’

  ‘No, I checked on the internet. You have to live in the desert or the mountains for weeks or months, or at least until you’ve realised what a complete idiot you’re being. The idea is that you can’t escape. This country isn’t big enough. You’d only have to walk for a few hours before you found a pub, even if they put the camp in the middle of Exmoor or something. Anyhow, Dad was deadly serious. He said her behaviour was impacting on the whole family and that as the eldest she should be setting an example. I think he’s worried that you and I are going to start copying her.’

  This was a pretty long speech for Spencer. He opened a drawer in his bedside cabinet and handed me a bottle of Coke and a packet of chocolate biscuits. We sat sipping and nibbling and thinking.

  After a bit Spencer said,’ Mum’s gone to the Health Spa shop to give them a rocket about accepting a credit card off a sixteen-year-old. I think Dad’s gone round to see Grumps. Maybe he’s hoping for some advice on being a parent.’

  I finished the last of my Coke. ‘So if everyone’s out, why are we hiding away in your room?’ I said indignantly.

  ‘Chelsea’s still here. I just thought it would be safer up here.’

  ‘Do you think we should go and see if she’s all right?’ I didn’t want to see Chelsea, not after what she’d done, but that didn’t stop me worrying about her.

  Are you serious?’ said Spencer. ‘She’ll only shout at us.

  You can go if you want, but I don’t think she wants to see anyone right now. She’s probably blubbing and won’t let you in anyway.’

  I knew he was right so I went to my room to do my homework. I paused on the landing but Chelsea’s door was firmly shut and it was ominously quiet. She wasn’t playing her music really l
oud like she usually does when she’s upset.

  Dinner was tense. Dad was all for hauling Chelsea out of her room and giving her another telling off but Mum said to leave it. She’d come out when she was hungry. I don’t know what’s going to happen.

  Friday 3rd December

  It’s nearly midnight and the police have just left. Mum’s in tears and Dad is pacing. He never used to pace and I don’t think it’s because there wasn’t enough room in the old house. I’ve never seen Mum cry like this before either and it’s really upsetting.

  It all started this morning. I was having breakfast when Mum asked me to take some up to Chelsea. I noticed that she waited until Dad had left the room before asking me to do it, because he would have said Chelsea could come down to the kitchen if she was hungry. Mum, on the other hand, is basically too kind-hearted. I could see she was fretting so I took the glass of orange juice and the plate of hot buttered toast without protesting.

  When I knocked on Chelsea’s door there was no reply, but then it was a bit early for Chelsea. She’s always been a late sleeper. I was tempted to just leave the food outside her bedroom door but I was pretty sure Mum hadn’t meant for me to do that so, carefully balancing the plate on top of the glass to free up one hand, I opened the door. I hadn’t been in Chelsea’s room since we looked round the house. The curtains at the big windows were closed so I couldn’t see much. I could make out the bed though. ‘Chelsea, I’ve brought you some breakfast,’ I said as loudly as I dared. I felt as though I was entering the dragon’s lair.

  There was no response so I stepped bravely into the room. I was going to leave the food on the bedside table and maybe give her a bit of a shake if I dared. What I hadn’t counted on was the piles of clothes and magazines all over the floor. You’d have thought I’d be prepared after sharing a room with her for so long, but my feet got tangled up and I lurched forward. The toast disappeared under the bed and the orange juice plummeted to the floor, falling silently onto a layer of clothes. My first instinct was to put the light on and then I braced myself for the onslaught of bad language I was certain would follow.

  Nothing. The bed was empty and the wardrobe door hung open.

  I checked the sofa in the sitting room and the new spa bathroom downstairs before I went to Mum. If I thought she’d looked fretful before, that was nothing to how she looked when I told her. She went white and sank into the nearest chair, then jumped straight back out of it and disappeared out the door calling to Dad. A quick search of the house failed to find Chelsea and Mum and Dad ended up in the kitchen trying to think where she would have gone, or when. We tried her mobile but it went straight to voicemail.

  Nobody had seen her since the row yesterday. I was kicking myself for not checking on her yesterday afternoon, but I didn’t mention how ominously quiet her room had been and how she could have left while Spencer and I were in his room discussing her because Mum looked worried enough as it was.

  ‘She won’t have gone far,’ said Dad optimistically.

  ‘You’d better get off to school, or you’ll be late,’ said Mum. ‘Perhaps you could ask around and see if anyone’s seen her,’ she called as I headed out the door.

  I had to leg it down the hill so I didn’t miss the bus. The last thing I needed was a detention.

  Lunchtime was a nightmare. Because of looking for Chelsea this morning and then leaving in a hurry, I’d forgotten my packed lunch. I grabbed a plate of chips in the canteen and looked around for Chelsea’s friends. I couldn’t see any. They’ll all be in the Sixth Form common room, I thought dismally. I’d just have to brave it and go in there. The thought was terrifying but I didn’t have any choice. I wished I had someone to go with.

  Resentment against Lauren built up in my chest. Where was she when I needed her? She wouldn’t be terrified of going to the Sixth Form common room. She’d see it as a great excuse for ogling all the Sixth Form boys. I was standing staring madly round, trying to see an empty seat but also trying not to see Lauren and Stacy having their lunch together because I thought that might just tip me over the edge and I’d start crying right in the middle of the canteen.

  Then I saw Annabel waving madly. I turned round to see who she was waving at but there was no one behind me. She was definitely waving at me. I went over to her table.

  ‘What’s up?’ she said.

  ‘I thought you weren’t speaking to me.’

  ‘You look really upset. Are you okay?’

  I sat down thankfully next to her and started stuffing chips into my mouth.

  ‘I thought you never came in here,’ I said to Annabel. Not that I wasn’t pleased to see her.

  ‘Sometimes I do, if we’ve run out of bread at home or I just fancy a change. Where’s the fire?’she said, watching my chips disappearing at an alarming rate.

  I explained as briefly as possible about Chelsea disappearing. I didn’t tell her about Chelsea stealing from my mum because that was too embarrassing, but I explained that I was going to have to go and find her friends to see if anyone had seen her.

  ‘Do you want me to come with you?’ asked Annabel. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to go on my own but what if the Sixth Formers started picking on her? I noticed that her glasses were held together with a bit of sticking plaster - she must have broken them - and her hair was especially greasy today. I could just imagine some of those enormous boys yelling,’ She should have gone to Specsavers’ when they saw us coming. I wouldn’t know what to do.

  I groaned inwardly. No, the Sixth Formers were far more likely to make fun of me because of my size. They’d probably point out it was the Sixth Form block not the Year 6 block or something equally stupid.

  I put the last chip in my mouth to give myself time to decide but Annabel had already decided for me.

  ‘Come on,’ she said, grabbing her bag,’ let’s go and get it over with.’

  In the end it wasn’t the ordeal I thought it was going to be. Lower School pupils aren’t meant to go into the Sixth Form block unless they’ve got a really good excuse and we had, so I ignored the stares and concentrated on finding Chelsea’s friends. Some of the girls from the estate recognised me and said hi, but none of them had seen Chelsea.

  ‘We thought she’d left,’ said Cerys. I didn’t know how much to let on. I didn’t want wild rumours going round the school that Chelsea had run away. Not that they were wild. Still, Ididn’t want everyone talking about it and asking me questions, so I said lamely,’ I was just wondering if you’d seen her at all, you know, around the estate or anything.’But no one had.

  Then I spotted Josh. I knew I had to go and ask him, but he was playing pool with a particularly huge and scary-looking boy. It doesn’t matter, I thought, I’ve got this far;I can’t give up now. Then Josh looked up and saw me. He appeared puzzled, sort of frowning at me, then he smiled and came sauntering over. He had the most gorgeous smile and I could see what Chelsea saw in him.

  ‘Aren’t you Chelsea’s little sister?’ he said to me. I cringed at the ‘little’ but let it pass.

  ‘Yes,’ I said. I was about to follow up with,’ Have you seen her at all?’ when he said,

  ‘Listen, I haven’t seen her for ages. Could you do me a favour and give her this?’

  He borrowed a pen and some paper off a girl sitting nearby, then scribbled something on it and handed it to me.

  ‘I lost my phone with her number on it. Is she okay? I haven’t seen her around.’

  ‘Yeah,’ I mumbled noncommittally. ‘I’ll give her this.’

  On the way out I saw Sophie and Amber. Chelsea would hardly have gone running to them so I walked straight past.

  As Annabel and I made our way across the playing field there was an awkward silence. I was about to apologise to her for the clothes when she got in first.

  ‘Look, I’m really sorry I got so mad when you brought those clothes round.’

  ‘No, it was my fault. I should be saying sorry. It was a stupid thing to do.’

&
nbsp; ‘No, I definitely overreacted. I know you were just trying to be nice. The thing is, I’ve been thinking about it and you could be right. It might not be the end of the world if I made a bit more of an effort. You know, ditched the long socks or something.’

  I couldn’t help smiling.’So what happened to “I like the way I am”?’ I asked.

  ‘Well, I do like the way I am, it’s just that maybe I don’t like the way I look.’

  Now I felt guilty. I bet she’d never thought about it until I’d said what I did.

  ‘No one likes the way they look,’ I told her,’ and I think you look fine. Very, you know . . . you.’

  Annabel laughed. ‘Okay,’ she said,’ point taken. But what about the socks? Do you think I should go for tights?’

  Now it was my turn to laugh. ‘I am the last person you should be getting fashion tips from, believe me.’Then I had a great idea. ‘Oooh, I know. I’ll introduce you to my neighbour, Belinda. She’ll know exactly what to do!’

  ‘Okay, but don’t expect miracles. I don’t want a full makeover or anything. But you know . . . it’s just there’s this boy,’ she said, blushing,’ and I think I like him.’

  I don’t know how I know, but I’m positive she was thinking about Spencer.

  ‘Thanks for helping me,’ I said as we entered the main school building.

  ‘That’s okay,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry we didn’t find anyone who’s seen Chelsea. Your mum must be going spare.’

  That reminded me and I sent a quick text to Mum. No 1s seen Chels is she home yet?

  I got a reply straight back, which meant Mum must have been practically sitting on the phone. Not yet but I’m sure she’ll be back soon. I knew Mum wasn’t sure at all but was just trying to put my mind at rest.

  Annabel and I went into the form room together for afternoon registration and I had to sit in my usual place at the same table as Lauren and Stacy.