The Boyfriend Bet Page 4

  “Hi!” I said as though it was perfectly normal to be falling out of the sky. All three of them were just staring at me. “I was...erm...the tree house is a bit rotten and old...” I tried to offer the lamest explanation ever.

  “What were you doing up there in the dark?” Riley’s dad asked. He was talking ever so slowly to me, perhaps he thought I was mentally unstable.

  “And why have you got binoculars?” Jay just had to point out. Riley was looking at me and I couldn’t read his expression, only that he was completely stunned, probably by the revelation that his neighbour was a complete nut.

  “Erm...I was....bird watching, that’s it, bird watching!” I said smugly. I could hear Sarah and Bex giggling.

  “More like bloke watching.” Bex whispered, followed by lots more sniggering. And if that wasn’t embarrassing enough I then had to endure Riley’s dad helping me off the roof, telling me I was lucky I didn’t fall right through and asking me If I was hurt and it was a good job he didn’t call the police like he was going to.

  If I thought life couldn’t get any more embarrassing, it did of course. He took me inside their house. Well I couldn’t climb back up to the tree house and say ‘see you later’ could I? After me stressing that I was fine about a hundred times, he let me go home. Well, actually he insisted on taking me back. Jay just smirked at me the whole time with his eyebrows raised and I didn’t even dare look at Riley.

  Mum looked a bit shocked when she answered the door and after Riley’s dad finally went, I knew I would have some explaining to do. I had just about managed to persuade Mum that me, Sarah and Bex had just innocently gone to get some fresh air when there was another knock at the door. I nervously followed Mum to the door as she opened it.

  “Charley you left these behind.” Jay laughed as he held out those bloody stupid binoculars at me and I had no choice but to take them as Mum stared at me. There was no getting out of this one.

  The bet

  I didn’t get as much stick from Mum as I was expecting. Actually the next day she was acting really strange. I thought she would have given me a massive lecture about spying on next door but she didn’t. When I finally could be bothered to get up and go downstairs, I was surprised to see Mum had made a real effort. I thought she was going to tell us something horrendous, like we had to go out as a family or something. Her hair was not clipped up as usual - it was flowing loosely around her shoulders and let me tell you, it had not just happened to look that good by pure chance, Mum had spent ages doing it! No doubt about that. And she was dressed better than usual: she had her smart jeans on and a floaty blue and silver top, which I might add was a bit revealing.

  “Are we going somewhere nice?” I asked sarcastically.

  “Um...no. I’m fed up with looking all dowdy. Nothing wrong in making a bit of an effort, is there?” Mum raised her eyebrows at me. I was still wearing my pj’s and it was mid morning. “You never know who might pop round, do you?” Mum said in an unusually high pitched voice and then she started to pretend to tidy the abnormally clean lounge. Weird!

  But on the other hand she was totally right, I should go upstairs and make myself look extremely gorgeous, immediately! Well, as gorgeous as I could possibly ever look anyway.

  “OMG! As if he’s trying to make out he’s over me already?” I could hear Ella’s voice filtering out of our bedroom door. Oooh, could I sense a little jealousy? She was probably on the phone to Amie, her best mate.

  “Well, I am so over him, maybe I should show him just how over him I am.....”

  Ha! Ella always loves everybody to be so hung up over her. “Yeah well that new boy in Year Thirteen, he lives next door!” Ella was gloating. Right, that really pissed me off. I saw him first and I really liked him. He actually seemed totally nice and genuine (as well as completely gorgeous) and Ella probably only wanted him to play her stupid mind games with Sam.

  I pushed open the door, interrupting Ella’s giggling. She gave me an evil glare as though I had no right to be here. I felt like screaming at her that this was in fact my bedroom too and could she please refrain from keeping her dirty little mitts away from Riley. I bet she didn’t even know his name!

  “Gotta go... yeah someone’s listening.” Ella emphasised the last word. She chucked her phone down on the bed and then went back to reading her HEAT magazine.

  “Is Sam not chasing after you anymore?” I snapped.

  “Still bitter about Sam? Get over it Charley!” Ella flicked her hair over her shoulder, refusing to look at me. “And for your information I dumped him.”

  I wanted to just throttle her there and then. She was just so casual about the whole thing, like she had stolen some shoes from me and not my boyfriend. There was no way I could let her take Riley away from me as well. Ok, so he’s not mine yet but I sure as hell am not letting Ella have him.

  “So, trying to get your claws into someone else already?” I said. I could kick myself. I was being way too obvious. I hadn’t spoken this much to her for ages.

  “Yeah actually, that boy next door.” Ella smiled at me. It was totally obvious that she knew I liked him and she was smiling in that I-don’t-give-a-shit way.

  “I saw him first, don’t even go there!” I snapped. You would think that maybe she had one moral bone in her body and would let me have him, after feeling ever so slightly guilty for what she had previously done to her sister. No, she clearly hadn’t.

  “Charley, do you really think you even stand a chance? He’s like eighteen, if not he will be soon and not to mention he’s well fit.” Ella said as she had sat up to gloat at me now. “Haven’t you got to go dance with some little kids or something?”

  “Whatever,” I muttered. There was absolutely no point in arguing with Ella, not if I didn’t want to feel insecure and totally crap. Ella has the power to make anyone feel inadequate or just damn right awful. She actually has a really harsh mouth on her.

  “Ok, Charley bring it on, you think you can get him do you? Why don’t we make a little bet out of it, you know to add to the fun?” Ella was now propped up on her elbows staring at me and her eyes were sparkling with the idea of it.

  “How much?” I narrowed my eyes.

  “Not money Charley. Say I win and I bag him as my new boyfriend, then you have to dye your hair pink.” Ella grinned.

  “I hate pink,” I muttered. Ella’s side of the room had always been painted this gross pale, sugary pink colour. She loves pink and all her stuff has to be this vile shade, I think this has always helped my hatred of the damn colour.

  “Well yeah.” Ella said as though I was so dumb, “That’s the point!”

  “Well what about if I win?”

  “Well in the unlikely event of that happening, you had better think of something now before we agree. No going back then.” Ella was grinning one of her evil smiles. She was such a bitch, she thought she had this in the bag.

  “You go to school for one month with no make-up, no fake tan, no hair extensions, no heels and the uniform I pick for you.” I said, I was trying to think of all the things she cared about most and I’m afraid, yes she is that shallow.

  “Whatever Charley, because there is no way you are going to win.”

  “Let’s get the rules clear. It’s not over until one of us is officially Riley’s girlfriend.” I said ignoring her last comment.

  “What do you mean officially?” Ella was looking more intrigued.

  “Nothing else counts, you’ve got to be his actual girlfriend. Just ‘seeing’ him doesn’t count, kissing or however far you want to take it, it doesn’t count until you’re a proper couple.” I smiled. I knew what Ella was like.

  “Very clever Charley,” Ella smiled back but she didn’t look as cocky as before. “But I still don’t think you stand a chance.” She did a pathetic spitting sound into her hand and held it out. Well if that’s how she wanted to shake on it, I spat as much saliva into my hand and quickly shook hers.

  “That’s disgusting Charley!” Ell
a shrieked as I stood there grinning at her, watching her make a very quick dash to the bathroom to wash her hands.

  There are only twelve months between me and Ella - I was sixteen in September, two days after Ella turned seventeen. Ella always loves to remind me that I must of course have been a mistake because no normal person would have two children that close and of course tells me I’m to blame for why our dad ran off shortly after I was born. She’s always had the upper hand over me. Ella always wins, well I’m not going to let her win this time. I retrieved my phone from my pocket and rang Sarah.

  “Hi Charley, have you pulled him yet?” Sarah answered. I mean honestly, who the hell answers the phone like that? Sarah is what my mum would say ‘a penny short of a pound’, but then again I guess that’s why she hangs around with me.

  “Erm... yeah, he totally went for the crazed stalker look. I think the binoculars just did it for him.”

  “Really? That’s amazing!”

  “No Sarah! I’m being sarcastic.” I muttered. “But are you still up for doing my hair? Bring one of those highlighting kits you were going on about and bring Bex.”

  “Yeah ok, see you soon!” Sarah shrieked, wow she was always so enthusiastic. I wondered if it was really such a good idea but then Bex was coming too and Bex wouldn’t let her completely trash my hair, I hoped.

  Makeover magic (or not)!

  While I was waiting I stretched out on the carpet in the lounge. I was doing all the usual stretches we do at dance for warm up. I’d just managed to warm up into the splits when Ella walked in and gave me a dirty look.

  “Wow that’s impressive Charley. Well, to the five year olds you help teach anyway.” She laughed as she walked through to the kitchen. I really do hate her. Ella thinks she’s too grown up for dancing now. I never ever want to quit, I would dance for a living if I could. Ella came back through with a cereal bar and wandered back up the stairs. Good, I didn’t want her hanging around when Sarah and Bex eventually got here.

  It felt like an eternity before they finally did arrive. “It took ages to find the right stuff for your hair!” Bex must have read my mind. We made our way to the kitchen, and Sarah took forever reading the instructions and pulling different stuff out of the box.

  “Just make me look like her on the box!” I sat down and started brushing my hair out.

  “I’m now popping to the shops. Are you not planning on going out today?” Mum popped her head in the kitchen and then raised her eyebrows at the highlighting kit. “You should be careful with home bleaching, why don’t you wait till Yvonne comes over?”

  Yvonne is the mobile hairdresser that comes over and cut and colours Mum’s hair and occasionally trims mine if I’m home. “Because I want it done now, how hard can it be? Sarah knows what she’s doing.” I snapped, stupid Mum always poking her nose in. Mum shrugged and then thankfully left us to it.

  Sarah looked unsure as she held out a highlighting cap (a very thin plastic looking one I might add) and this weird plastic thing with a hook on the end. Was it too late to go back on it now? Apparently so!

  Sarah had one side of the plastic cap and Bex the other and they stretched it over my head and then Sarah started prodding at my head with the plastic hook contraption.

  “Ow, ow, ow.” I kept repeating in a dead pan voice. “Not too much!” I shrieked, I swear she was just pulling my entire head of hair through the cap.

  “It’s ok I’m doing every other hole in the cap.” Sarah explained. Oh that was ok then, she sounded confident. Then I sat there while she mixed the bleach up and plastered it onto the cap and then I had to have a rather attractive plastic bag tied over the top of that.

  “How long does it take?” I asked.

  “It says wait until it is as pale as required and then rinse off, but a maximum of 45 minutes.” Sarah screwed up her face as she read the instructions from the box.

  That was ok then, what could possibly go wrong? So we sat and waited. It had only been on 20 minutes when Sarah started getting all edgy. “What’s up? I thought you’d done this before?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I have to Briony but we left it on too long and it kind of snapped off.” Sarah admitted at this most inappropriate moment. Briony is her younger sister and unlike mine she isn’t a complete bitch. “You know, I think it looks done.” Sarah whined.

  “Are you sure, she needs it to go blonde.” Bex looked quite horrified at Sarah’s apparent ‘freak out’.

  “Oh my god, I swear it’s going stretchy already. We need to wash it off!” Sarah was panicking big style which made me kind of freak out as well. Stretchy? Was my hair going to break off at any second and leave me half bald? I should have never listened to them. Being a boring, mousy colour was totally better than being half bald!

  “Quick! Wash it off!” I yelled. I didn’t even bother making it to the bathroom upstairs. I stuck my head in the sink and turned the mixer tap on full speed and just plonked my entire head underneath. Oh my god, it was freezing.

  I scrubbed and scrubbed at my hair and ordered Sarah to run upstairs and find my shampoo. Phew, there was no hair in the sink. I patted my head after I’d finally convinced myself that I’d washed off all the bleach. There was still hair attached to my head, it didn’t stretch or worse still break, when I pulled it. Phew!

  “Looks like you were over worried, no problem at all!” I giggled as I tugged on my hair. I felt so relieved until I saw Bex strange expression and Sarah had a very worried face on her. “What?” I said, making a run for the mirror in the hall.

  “What have you done to me?” I shouted so very loudly, as well as shouting out much worse things. I think I’d just about used every swear word under the sun until I couldn’t think of anything else to yell at Sarah. I instantly regretted it, as the whole street would have probably heard, which of course meant next door would have most certainly got an insight into the not so nice side of me.

  “Maybe it won’t look so bad when you actually comb it out.” Sarah said in a timid voice. She was standing behind me, looking a little sheepish. My hair was so patchy, the ‘highlights’ were the worst shade of orange you could ever imagine, and I had all these random orange spots all over the top of my head.

  “I think the bleach seeped through the holes I missed out.” Sarah suggested a totally bloody obvious answer to the horrendous monstrosity attached to my head.

  “Do you think?” I snapped.

  “I told you, you needed to leave it longer. You totally freaked out Sarah.” Bex was now offering her insight but she hadn’t done much in stopping the situation.

  “What the hell am I going to do?”

  “We could bleach all of your hair?” Bex suggested.

  “Great, but I’ve got to help out at dancing at 1.” I was yanking a brush through my hair now. “We won’t have time before I go.”

  “Well let me dry it, it might blend in better when it’s dry.” Sarah was trying to talk me round. Maybe she was right. Yes, hair did always look much lighter when it was dry, didn’t it?

  I took a few deep breaths and sat back down in the kitchen. However much I tried to kid myself, I would be an idiot to think that a hairdryer and a pair of straighteners was going to solve my ridiculous hair problem but we all have to live in hope, don’t we?

  It did look very different from when it was wet. It was a more vibrant shade of orange. Wonderful. And the orange spots, well, that really set the whole look off. I scraped it up. I preferred it up for dancing anyway, but no, it still looked bad, just splodges of orange, and the ponytail looked like some kind of deranged firework, sticking up on top of my head.

  “Well, I’m going to have to go to dancing like this aren’t I?” I checked the kitchen clock. It was already half 12.

  “How old are the kids, 5 or 6? They aren’t going to notice, are they?” Sarah tried miserably to reassure me.

  “True, I’ll just have to rush there and back and then hopefully come up with a solution later on.” I sighed as I slipped my train
ers on and grabbed my bag. “You two coming?” They nodded and followed me to the door.

  Just at the worst time ever, Ella came waltzing down the stairs. She stared at me for a couple of seconds and then just put her head back and roared with laughter. The worst part of it was, just to rub salt in the wounds, she looked stunning. The whole time I had been ruining my hair she had been upstairs getting ready. God knows where she was going but she had clipped all of her extensions in, so her hair was even longer - nearly to her waist. She had the skinniest skinny jeans the world has ever seen and a pair of six inch heels that had made her legs look extremely long. What a cow.

  “Off somewhere nice?” Bex muttered in her usual sarcastic way.

  “As a matter of fact, I knocked on Riley’s door earlier and offered to show him around town. He’s new you know.” Ella smiled at me. I did a death stare at her. Seriously, if looks could kill she would have been dead a long time ago.

  “Let’s go.” I muttered. I desperately hoped Riley was going to bail out on Ella’s offer to ‘show him around town’, and how the hell was Ella going to walk anywhere in those monster heels? I pulled open the front door. I just wanted to go. I was in such a mad hurry that I almost knocked Riley over! He had his hand out and was about to ring the doorbell.

  “Sorry!”

  “Hi...erm...interesting hair.” Riley was staring at my head, and I was going a nice shade of red. What a lovely combination with the orange hair. Ella was laughing her stupid pathetic, fake, girly laugh.

  So not only was I wearing my dance stuff, I had orange hair and no make-up on and a face that was getting redder by the second. I might as well die now.

  “Ella’s going to show me round.” Riley said as I squeezed past him. I wanted to escape as fast as I could. “Do you wanna come?”