The Boyfriend Bet Page 9
So, that’s how I ended up with a hair colour that wouldn’t look out of place on Barbie. It’s so blonde! Every time I look in the mirror I let out a ‘woah’ as I am reminded that I have new hair. I’m not sure it’s entirely ‘me’, but I’ll settle for anything that’s going to replace Sarah’s botched up job. I shouldn’t complain too much, as I did get my way with the cut and I’ve now got a full fringe.
I haven’t seen Riley or Sam or anybody much for that matter; being stuck in isolation is one lonely punishment. I did get one comment (a very sarcastic one) from Jay of course. “Nice hair,” he’d said as soon as I’d walked in on Friday morning.
All I muttered in reply was a short sharp “Shut up!” And those were the only words we have spoken. I suppose that got the message through to him that I really was not in the mood for him and that set the tone for the rest of the day.
“Oooh, blondie now, eh?” Was all I got out of Stella when I turned up to dance on Friday night. All through classes that night and Saturday morning I couldn’t stop looking in the mirrors at my hair, even though I was supposed to be teaching the kids their dance from The Jungle Book that they are going to be performing at their dance show in a couple of weeks.
That’s another thing, I’ve got to perform this dance with them. They need to copy me if (or more like when) they get lost with the dance. They have monkey masks, complete with tails and all and I’m just praying the masks cover the entire face because that’s right, I have to wear one! I’m not too worried though because I’m sure I won’t see anyone I know at our dance school mini show, which is just for the younger pupils.
“We are going to make you look so good!” Sarah practically jumped out on me as soon as I’d left dance on Saturday.”
“Great,” I muttered, wondering what on earth they were planning on doing to me this time.
“We’re going to make you look even more gorgeous,” Sarah was buzzing. Was I going to be like her experiment or something? It was almost like letting a five year old loose on your hair, make-up and clothing, not sure if this was entirely a good idea after all.
“Are you saying I don’t look good like this?” I laughed as I wiped my clammy head on the back of my jacket sleeve. It was so hot in the studio and I had to work extra hard after Stella pulled me up on being constantly distracted and lost in the Advanced Girls practise. It was all because my hair was distracting me in the mirrors. God, am I getting as vain as Zoe Ryan...now that would be a tragedy!
“Ummm, the hair looks good though,” Bex smiled. And then Sarah just wouldn’t stop talking all the way back to mine. Anyone would think that she has missed me all week. I suppose with me being in isolation, Sarah had missed her hours of gossip every day.
“Oh, look who is outside! Shame we haven’t given you a makeover yet!” Bex nodded towards my house and I could see Riley, Jay and their dad out the front next to their car. I guessed they had been shopping, as there was a massive box wedged in the back of the car.
“What have you got in there?” Bex signalled towards the car. God, she’s so nosey. I guessed it was some mahoosive T.V. that was going to entirely fill their living room. It’s got to be. I mean three males living together - I can imagine a giant T.V. was at the top of their agenda.
I was right. Riley went on and on to Bex about how wonderful and great their T.V. was. I think I started to switch off as soon as I’d heard the first technical term. I am just not all that interested in that sort of stuff - as long as the damn T.V. works, then that’s enough for me. Who cares how and why it’s supposed to be top of the range and all that blah-blah-blah.
“Wow, that’s amazing,” Sarah gushed at him. “Don’t you think Charley?” Sarah nudged me in the ribs.
Huh?” I woke up from my inner thoughts (I think a quick elbow in the ribs can suddenly make you pay attention) and immediately looked up. I saw Jay smirking in the background, but he quickly looked away when he caught my eye.
“You can come over and check it out if you want, when it’s all set up.” Riley offered the three of us.
“Really?” Sarah’s eyes lit up. I’m not sure if she was more excited at the thought of going over to Riley’s or the bloody T.V.!
“See you later.” Bex called as she started to push me towards my front door.
“Charley?” Riley called after me.
“Yeah?”
“Can I borrow your phone?” Riley smiled one of those dazzling smiles, obviously that’s the smile for getting everything he wants and I didn’t argue, even if I thought it was a bit of a strange request. I could tell Jay was watching us, even if he was trying to watch out of the corner of his eye.
I handed him the phone and I watched as he typed in a phone number, and then pressed dial, then he stood there until his own phone started to ring loudly from his pocket and then he hung up, retrieved his phone and stored my number in it!
“Cheers,” Riley said as he handed me back my phone, “I’ll text you later.”
I could see Jay shaking his head now as he was struggling with one side of the huge box, his dad with the other. And the best part of it was when I looked up at my bedroom window Ella was staring out with her mouth wide open. Ha, that had shocked her.
When we got inside it wasn’t long before I wished that Ella hadn’t seen the flirty number exchange because she looked very determined and that always makes me feel nervous. I suppose ever since we were kids, I have known that when Ella puts her mind to wanting something, she very rarely fails. Actually come to think of it, I can’t remember a time that she hasn’t got her own way in the end.
Ella left our room with a pile of clothes, make-up and hair appliances, all dangling from her arms. I stared at her as she walked to Mum’s room and slammed the door. Don’t think Mum would be too pleased as it looked like Ella was about to make some kind of Barbie wardrobe explosion in there, but Mum had taken Peter out, so it looked like it was going to happen whatever! Anyway I wasn’t going to complain: we’d got rid of Ella, perfect!
I didn’t have too much of a chance to worry about what Ella might be planning, as Sarah and Bex went into full makeover mode. I soon saw where this makeover was going. They seemed to think that I had to look exactly like Ella by the look of things. This did slightly pee me off because I see this as them basically saying I’m not good enough the way I am. They’ve already changed my hair and now they are saying I should ditch my Converse and walk around in six inch heels all day.
“Just practise walking in them, you’ll soon get used to it.” Sarah was trying to reassure me, as I wobbled around my bedroom.
“Doesn’t look very sexy to me,” Bex said flatly as I held my arms out, trying to balance and strut sexily at the same time.
Bang! “Ow!” I yelped as I rubbed my head. I’d just toppled over and hit my head on the corner of my bed. I’m not sure if I could ever get used to walking around in these all day. How would I be able to run away from teachers? My heart sank as I realised the heel was dangling from the sole of the shoe. “Oh my god! They’re Ella’s brand new heels!” I hissed. I didn’t want Ella to hear. “She will kill me!”
We all sort of froze and looked around at each other. I think we were all too aware that Ella was only in the next room. “Give it here.” Bex held out her hand and I passed her the shoe. She removed the chewing gum from her mouth, placed it on the sole and pressed the heel into place. “There you go, sorted!” Bex smiled as if the whole problem was now fixed. I just stared at her, as she placed them back in the bottom of Ella’s wardrobe and smiled. I was horrified because realistically just how long was that gum going to stick? I was equally horrified at the thought of telling Ella I had broken her new heels, so I guess this would have to do.
Right on cue Ella strutted into our room. She was dressed up as if she was going clubbing or to a glam party! She had a tiny little black skirt on and a very low cut top, a full face of make-up and her hair was massive. All that was missing was her shoes, I watched in horror as Ella opened her
wardrobe and retrieved the heels that Bex had just put back in there.
“I’m now going to call round for Riley.” Ella smirked at me.
“He just gave Charley his number,” Sarah butted in as if she was helping me. I shot her a dirty look.
“Really? Keep up Charley! I got his number practically the day after he moved in.” Ella slipped on her shoes as I held my breath. “Watch and learn girls, watch and learn.”
We ran to the window to watch. I was more concerned whether her shoes were still intact. We all crowded around the window as Ella flounced down our garden path and then to Riley’s house. I was stunned that the shoes hadn’t fallen apart yet. Maybe Bex’s idea wasn’t as useless as I’d first thought.
We waited forever (probably more like five minutes) until Ella came out of Riley’s house, with Riley as well! I can’t believe this! It wasn’t long ago that he’d given me his number and practically told us we were going over to his later. He didn’t take much persuading to change his mind. Obviously a short skirt and a low cut top was the way to go. I hated her even more than ever!
Ella linked her arm into Riley’s and she tottered out onto the street. She gave a very quick but smug glance up at us - we all stood silently watching her. Mrs Jones, one of our crazy neighbours, was walking her yappy little Yorkshire terrier. She actually looked up and waved at us! Cringe! Now Riley had noticed that we were indeed watching the pair of them and there was nothing else for it but for me to wave back.
“Bloody hell, that dog is wearing more than Ella.” Bex muttered whilst stifling a laugh, as she pointed at the pink padded coat Tinkerbell (the dog) was wearing.
“Well, obviously Ella’s approach works, doesn’t it?” I sighed. I was about to move, as I couldn’t bear to see anymore when Ella took a step away to avoid the very yappy and persistent Tinkerbell and the next thing I knew, Ella had toppled over into the road! Her bum was in the air and her red knickers were on display to absolutely anyone that might decide to walk past right now. As hilarious as the moment was, it lasted much longer than just a ‘moment’. Ella seemed to have her ‘good’ shoe wedged in the drain in the road and the other shoe (the gum shoe) was no longer stuck together with gum and was the obvious reason for her embarrassing fall.
Mrs Jones looked horrified as Tinkerbell continued to jump and bark at Ella as she desperately tried to free her shoe from the drain and yes, we could all still see her pants! A passing car slowed and through constant beeping of the horn the car full of boys started shouting all sorts of comments and gestures!
“Oh my god, that’s Jake Watson from Year Thirteen!” Sarah shrieked and pointed. She was right - the driver of the car that had now practically come to a stop was being driven by Jake (who is very popular at our school). I recognised the passengers as well: a couple of his mates from Year Thirteen and I think the other two are in Year Twelve.
Ella was now trying to straighten up and was pulling down at her skirt, desperately trying to make it longer. “Bet she wished she didn’t have a micro skirt on now.” Bex commentated in a dead pan voice which made it all the more entertaining.
“Nice pants!” I could hear the boy in the front passenger seat now calling out. After a bit more leering the car screeched off and we could still hear the laughter when they stopped at the end of the street.
Ella finally figured out that she only had to take her foot from her shoe to avoid exposing her knickers to the world. She looked red with embarrassment when she realised how stupid she must have looked. She crouched down, this time carefully (no pants on show) and wriggled her shoe free from the drain. Her face changed when she picked up the other shoe and realised that not only was the heel broken but it was dangling from the shoe only attached by a piece of stretched chewing gum. Now instead of looking red with embarrassment, she looked flushed with pure rage.
“Her face is the colour of her knickers!” Bex joked.
“I’m not laughing.” I whispered. “She knows we messed with her shoe.” I pointed shakily in her direction.
Ella threw her good shoe on the floor, stamped her foot like a child having a tantrum and then looked right up at me. “CHARLEY!!!!!” She screamed as she threw the shoe at the window as hard as she could. I instinctively ducked even though it would of course hit the glass and not me.
“You are so dead!” Ella’s threat echoed around the street.
“So is she by the looks of it,” Bex was still looking at the window. I looked up and my heart sank as I saw the fresh crack that had appeared in our bedroom window. This was going to be bad. I had not only Ella on the warpath (I would have to watch my back every minute of the day), but now Mum as well.
A new threat
I have successfully managed to keep Ella at bay. I’ve been carefully watching her every move. All week she has been tearing her hair out because Riley has shown little interest in her. He has been too busy ‘preparing’ for his school trip, apparently. Ella tried her best to get onto the Year Thirteen Geography trip but even she couldn’t manage that one. Mr Huntley (Head of Geography) kindly informed her that she wasn’t in Year Thirteen and no, it actually wouldn’t be a valuable learning experience for her, as she wasn’t even taking Geography. On the plus side he did congratulate her on her ‘performance’ and said her drama classes were coming along nicely. And I know all of this because I was standing just around the corner from Mr Huntley’s office, listening carefully with Bex, praying that Mr Huntley would not give in to Ella’s very experienced reasoning why it would be beneficial for her to go on a trip that basically has nothing to do with her.
Ella left the house very early on Monday morning and I uncharacteristically followed her because I don’t trust her and I had a feeling I knew why she was going. She wanted one last peek of Riley before he got on the school coach, one last flirty exchange, a reminder that she was still very much around (unfortunately). Well, I could play that game too. I was starting to worry because I had seen little of him over the last week as well, he didn’t even text me like I expected him too, especially after he’d sneakily got my number the week before. Whatever game he was playing, it was working because there in the cold stood Ella (and me), watching everybody board the coach.
Ella saw me and narrowed her eyes. She was about to say something nasty - when she spotted Riley. She put up her hand to wave.
“Riley, Riley! Wait up.” We both whipped our heads around to see Amelia Hargreaves half running over to Riley, struggling with a massive bag on her back. Ella lowered her hand quickly in embarrassment.
“Don’t worry babe, I was going to save you a seat,” Riley smiled effortlessly. Ella’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. I even took a step closer to get a better look. I was almost standing next to Ella, not that she noticed because she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Amelia.
“It’s going to be so much fun.” Amelia squealed, as she squeezed past Riley and started to climb the steps of the coach. Riley followed closely behind, a little too close if you ask me.
Riley must have been fully aware that we were gawping at him because he turned around and yelled, “Bye girls!”
“Argh! That bloody Amelia Hargreaves.” Ella muttered and she looked mad.
Amelia Hargreaves is in Year Thirteen. She’s very clever I think, not the normal type that Ella has to compete with. What I mean is Ella is the sort of girl most boys would choose over Amelia Hargreaves (if they go for the bimbo look that is). Amelia is tall and extremely thin, she is borderline geeky but too pretty for Riley to care, which I’m sure annoyed Ella greatly.
All in all, I don’t think it was a very good day for Ella. I saw her later on with her mates and she looked absolutely miserable, not her overly confident and sure of herself attitude we have all grown used to. She was just as moody at home, “No Mum, I’ve already told you, I am not hungry!” She snapped after Mum had suggested for the fourth time that she really should have something to eat.
I knew exactly what Ella was up to because I’d overhea
rd her on the phone earlier. She was whinging on about Amelia Hargreaves, “What has she got that I haven’t got?” I heard when I’d gone up to our room. I had to stifle a giggle as I hid just the other side of the door. Ella does shamelessly think a lot of herself. Although by the sounds of it she was starting to feel a little insecure. Good, let her experience how us mere mortals feel, ha!
“She’s just so skinny though...” I heard Ella say as though it was a good thing. “...I wonder if he thinks I’m fat?” I had to run downstairs when I heard the last bit because I couldn’t contain my laughter any longer. So, after hearing all of that and witnessing her snappy refusal of food, I can only assume that she has put herself on some crazy diet.
“Eat something please.” Mum tried to reason with her, “You’ll waste away, won’t she?” Mum stupidly prompted me to back her up.
“No chance of that,” I muttered much to Mum’s horror. This was an outrageous lie on my part as Ella is not fat by any means (actually I am very jealous of her figure) but I’m not going to tell her that am I!
Mum glared at me, as Ella pushed her plate away in a grump. I retaliated by scoffing my food down like a pig, right in front of Ella’s very disgusted face. I even chewed with my mouth open until I got the result I wanted and Ella stomped off upstairs!
Ella remained on her starvation diet for the rest of the week. Seriously, there was no logic to it - she was just being a complete idiot. I’m surprised she hadn’t already lost a stone with worry because she was constantly stressing about what Riley might and might not be doing on the school trip with Amelia Hargreaves.
I must admit with Riley being away, it had made this week very boring. There was no excitement when I left the house – that I might ‘accidently’ bump into him, only the disappointment of bumping into Jay (and believe me this was totally accidental). I had embarrassingly almost fallen out of the gate because I was late for dance one night and Jay just happened to be on his way to football practise. He’d just smirked as usual and I’d just scowled.