Candyfloss (12 page)

I promised
.

11

I WAS SO
looking forward to Susan coming on Saturday. Then on Friday Rhiannon ruined everything.

She’d been hanging around with Margot and Judy a lot of the time. They often looked in my direction and whispered and giggled.

‘What’s the joke?’ I asked.

‘You’re the joke,’ said Margot ‘Like – your socks!’

Dad had tried hard with my new white socks. He was worried my birthday-present dress and shoes were far too big, so he’d bought extra small children’s socks. They were so extra small they were Tiger-size. It took me ages to prise them over my toes, and the heel came uncomfortably under my instep. The top of the sock kept getting sucked under my shoes each time I took a step, so every few seconds I had to bend down to pull them up. I’d have been much better off in my old navy socks but I didn’t want to hurt Dad’s feelings.

He’d mastered the ironing now, but our laundering system was a bit of a problem. We didn’t have a tumble dryer so Dad hung all my clothes on a rail in the kitchen.

‘Yuck! Chip fat!’ said Margot, pretending to sniff me and then holding her nose.

Judy held her nose too. Rhiannon didn’t, but she smirked and spluttered.

I knew my clothes
did
smell of café cooking. I didn’t know what to do about it. I tried sprinkling my school blouses with a little leftover bottle of Mum’s special perfume, but that made them hold their noses even more. They wafted their hands in the air and went ‘Pooh’ and ‘Phew’.

I felt like twisting their noses right off their faces.

I also wanted to cry because the perfume made me miss Mum so much. I ran away, and this time Rhiannon came after me.

‘For goodness’ sake, don’t be such a baby, Floss. They’re just
teasing
,’ she said.

‘I’m tired of being teased. I can’t stick Margot and Judy,’ I said.

‘Oh don’t be daft. They’re good fun, so long as you don’t take them seriously. Margot’s soooo cool. Do you know, she’s got a diamond stud in her belly button! I wish my mum would let me get my tummy pierced.’

‘I bet she’s just stuck it on,’ I said. ‘And it won’t be a
real
diamond.’

‘Well, so what? It still looks great. And she’s got, like,
such
a flat tummy too. I wish
my
tummy didn’t stick out so. Still, I’m going to stay on this special diet and get super slim, you wait and see.’

‘You’re super slim now, you know you are. Anyway, dieting’s stupid at our age.’

‘You’re just saying that because you’re still so skinny. But you carry on eating all those chips and fry-ups at your dad’s café and you’ll be, like, ginormous.’ Rhiannon waved her arms in the air to demonstrate.

‘No I won’t,’ I said – though I knew my dad was a
little
bit ginormous.

‘Still, my mum’s got this special Healthy Eating recipe book. She’ll give it to your dad when he comes round to collect you on Saturday,’ said Rhiannon.

I blinked at her. ‘Collect me from where?’ I said.

Rhiannon sighed impatiently. ‘From my place, stupid.’

‘But you haven’t asked me round to your house on Saturday,’ I said, my heart thumping.

‘Well, I’m asking you now,’ said Rhiannon. ‘Mum says you’ve to come for lunch and tea
and
bring a bag of all your clothes and she’ll put them in the washing machine and iron them for you. Don’t look
like
that, Floss. There’s no need to feel embarrassed. Mum doesn’t mind, really.’

‘I – I can’t come, not this Saturday,’ I stammered.

‘Why can’t you come? It’s all fixed,’ said Rhiannon.

‘I’ve got to help my dad in the café,’ I fibbed.

‘You’re not supposed to work in the café. That’s child labour. He can’t make you.’

‘He doesn’t
make
me do anything. I want to help.’

‘Well, you’ll have to help some other time, because my mum’s specially cancelled her new highlights appointment at the hairdresser’s just so she can be at home to look after you. Like I said, it’s all fixed.’

I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t possibly tell Rhiannon the truth. She’d never forgive me if she knew I’d invited Susan home.

I mulled it over miserably during the next lesson. I couldn’t concentrate during history, and when Mrs Horsefield suddenly asked me a question I didn’t have a clue what she was on about. She called me up to her desk when the bell went.

‘You’re a little Dolly Daydream today, Floss. What’s the matter, dear?’ She was smiling at me sympathetically, not a bit cross.

I hung my head and made one foot do a tiny little pointy dance on the floor.

‘Missing your mum?’ Mrs Horsefield said softly.

‘Mmm,’ I said, because I
was
missing her dreadfully. Sometimes when Dad wasn’t around I went and looked at the ticket in the kitchen drawer. I was determined not to use it – but it was good to know it was there.

‘But you’re getting on well together, you and your dad?’ said Mrs Horsefield.

‘Oh
yes
. Dad’s being lovely. He always is,’ I said.

‘That’s good. Well, you certainly look a lot smarter today,’ said Mrs Horsefield, looking at my newly washed hair, my clean blouse, my pressed skirt, my very small white socks and my spotless shoes.

I made the other shoe do a little dance, trying to pluck up the courage to ask Mrs Horsefield what I should do about seeing Rhiannon on Saturday.

‘Yes?’ Mrs Horsefield prompted.

I swallowed. I couldn’t. I asked her something else instead.

‘Mrs Horsefield, do I smell?’

Mrs Horsefield looked startled. ‘Oh Floss! You’re as clean as clean. You look as if you’ve just jumped out of a bath today.’

‘Yes, but do I
smell
?’

‘Not of anything unpleasant,’ she said evasively.

I sighed deeply.

‘Has someone been saying nasty things?’ said Mrs Horsefield, sounding angry.

‘No. Well. They were just teasing,’ I said quickly.

‘Teasing can be horribly cruel. I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me who it was?’

I shook my head, gazing at my feet.

‘You don’t need to tell me. I’m sure I can guess. Don’t you take any notice of them.’ She paused. ‘Oh well. You’d better run out into the sunshine. I love sunny days like this. I put my washing out on a line and it dries beautifully and smells of fresh air.’

I nodded gratefully and walked to the door.

‘Will you watch out for Susan for me, Floss? I think she’s still a bit lonely. She could really do with a kind girl like you to be her friend.’

‘Yes Mrs Horsefield,’ I said.

I so so so wanted to be Susan’s friend. But I was too scared to be a kind girl.

I ran to the girls’ cloakroom. Susan was standing in a corner, counting the tiles up and the tiles down, muttering each number. Then she saw me and her mouth stretched into a smile.

‘Hi, Floss!’ she said happily. ‘I can’t wait till Saturday.’

I took a deep breath. ‘Oh Susan, I’m ever so sorry, but I can’t make Saturday after all.’

Susan stared at me. It was as if I’d taken the
smelly
floor mop in the corner and shoved it in her face, smearing the smile away.

‘Did Rhiannon find out?’ she said, her voice wobbling a little.

‘No! No, it’s nothing to do with Rhiannon,’ I lied. ‘No, it’s just I’ve got to do stuff with my dad, that’s all. But you can come the Saturday
after
. That will be OK, won’t it?’

‘Yes, probably,’ said Susan, but her voice still sounded funny.

‘We’ll still have chip butties,’ I said.

‘Yes. Great,’ said Susan flatly.

It was as if she knew. I told myself she couldn’t possibly know. I pretended that everything was still perfectly fine. I would go to Rhiannon’s on Saturday. She was my best friend after all. I’d wear my rose-quartz bracelet and play in Rhiannon’s beautiful blue bedroom and maybe I’d teach her how to make a friendship bracelet. Then the
next
Saturday I’d see Susan at my house and we’d play on my swing and eat chip butties and maybe she’d do all the things Rhiannon thought babyish or boring, like playing pretend imaginary games or drawing pictures or making tiny doll’s houses in cardboard boxes.

Rhiannon was busy planning Saturday too.
This
Saturday.

‘My mum’s going to take us shopping at Green
Glades
when you come this Saturday, Floss,’ she said loudly.

‘Ssh!’ I hissed.

Susan sat right in front of us. She was writing her comprehension – but her pen paused in midair.

‘It’s OK. Mrs Horsefield’s over there helping Dumbo Diana,’ Rhiannon said. ‘Anyway, she won’t pick on us. You’re total teacher’s pet now.
Anyway
, Mum’s going to get you some new socks and stuff, seeing as yours are, like, so weeny and weird.’

‘Please ssh!’ I whispered.

‘It’s OK. We all know it’s not
your
fault. Mum’s going to do it very tactfully. She’s going to pretend
I
need new stuff and then she’s going to say, “Oh look, why don’t I get a jumbo pack or whatever, and then they’ll do for both of you.” She’s got it all sussed. We’re probably going to do shoe shopping too. I told her you just have those crazy silver high heels to wear at home and she says you’ll ruin your feet.’

Susan hadn’t restarted her comprehension. She was too busy comprehending the situation.

‘We’re going to this fabulous new restaurant for lunch. I’m going to have a mango smoothie, yum, and then you get to choose all these different salads – it’s, like, soooo delicious. Mum says she owes it to
your
mum to help you eat healthily, seeing as
you
have to live on those chip butties most of the time.’

Susan’s head bent low when Rhiannon said chip butties. Her hair fell forward. The nape of her neck looked white and forlorn.

I wanted to reach right forward and pat her on the shoulder, maybe put my arm round her. I stayed stuck beside Rhiannon. She went on and on and on about seeing me on Saturday.

There was still a tiny little bit of me that somehow hoped Susan couldn’t
quite
hear.

The bell went for the end of lessons. Susan stood up, starting to pack her bag. Rhiannon jumped up, barging past her, scattering her books on the floor. She didn’t try to pick them up or even say sorry.

‘See you tomorrow, Floss,’ she bellowed, right in Susan’s face.

Susan dodged down, gathered her books and hurried out of the classroom. She clicked her fingers as she went, counting under her breath.

‘That Swotty Potty doesn’t half give me the creeps,’ said Rhiannon. ‘She’s totally nuts, isn’t she, Floss?’

I stared after Susan until my eyes blurred.

‘
Floss?
’ said Rhiannon. ‘What’s up
now
? Don’t you go all wimpy and weepy on me tomorrow – it’s got to be a fun day, right?’

It didn’t feel like it was going to be a fun day
at
all. I told Dad about the change of plan. He raised his eyebrows when I said I was going to Rhiannon’s.

‘I’ll deliver you there and I’ll pick you up whenever you want, but
please
don’t make me come and talk to that wretched woman!’ said Dad. ‘So what about your new little friend Susan? Is she going to Rhiannon’s too?’

I sighed at the impossibility of ever being able to explain to Dad the complications of the situation. I didn’t really want him to know all the ins and outs anyway. He probably wouldn’t say anything, let alone tell me off, but I’d feel bad anyway. I was feeling very very very bad as it was.

I hung my pink birthday T-shirt and special jeans over my swing seat as we didn’t have a washing line in the back yard. I hoped the cool night air would make them smell fresh and beautiful the next morning.

When I woke up I heard pattering on my window. It was raining hard.

‘Oh no!’ I threw my mac over my nightie, stuck my feet in my wellies and rushed out to the back yard.

My clothes were sodden. My jeans had fallen right off the seat and were all muddy on the ground. My T-shirt had curled itself round and round like
a
Swiss roll, as if some little night creature had used it as a duvet.

‘Lucky?’ I called hopefully, momentarily distracted from the Wet Clothes Disaster.

I had
so
wanted her to stay with us. When she turned up in the middle of the night I’d fed her a whole tin of tuna and given her a saucer of milk to lap. She’d mewed at me gratefully. She’d even given me a little lick of appreciation. I’d squatted beside her and stroked her from her neat little head to the tip of her tail, and she’d wriggled happily and started purring. I thought she was making it as plain as could be that she wanted to live with me. But when I tried to pick her up gently and carry her indoors she cried and struggled, scratching me. I had to let her go. She flew away from me, back behind the wheelie bins.

I’d tried to wheel one out of the way so I could get at her, but she mewed at me indignantly and crammed herself into the furthest corner behind the biggest bin.

‘Don’t fuss her, Floss.’ said Dad. ‘It looks like she wants to stay outside.’

‘But it’s all dark and smelly by the bins. She’d be so much happier indoors. She could share my bedroom. I could make it so safe and cosy for her,’ I said.