Hot & Cold (9 page)

When Emma woke up the next morning she was still feeling a little sleepy. It was another school morning, but at least this one started with a very cute and fluffy puppy licking her face.

There were two good things about the puppy. The first thing was obvious—Emma finally had one, and Pip was the cutest puppy she could have dreamed of. The second thing was her mum. Emma remembered the discussion the night before when she returned home.

‘What's that under your arm, Em?'

‘Um, a puppy.'

‘A real puppy? A hair-shedding puppy? A weeing-on-the-floor puppy? A puppy we haven't talked about getting?' asked Mum sternly.

‘Um yes, all of those things.'

‘Well I'm sorry Em, but it will just have to go back where it came from.'

‘Er ... I really don't think it can,' Emma started nervously.

‘Can you please give me one good reason why not?'

Emma couldn't. She wasn't allowed to reveal that she was a
SHINE
agent, not even to her mum. And seeing as she couldn't even convince her mum she was sick yesterday, how was she going to explain this one?

And then suddenly Mum smiled, looked around as if to check that no one else was listening and whispered, ‘I think I understand, Em. Come with me for a minute.'

Not another talk!
Emma groaned, and then wondered why they were opening Mum's wardrobe.

‘Emma, I'm going to show you something.' Mum pressed a button inside the wardrobe door and a panel at the back slid aside to reveal a small room—a small secret room with a laptop and photos on the wall. There were photos of Mum up trees, on mountains, underwater and with baby animals—lion cubs, tiny snakes, koalas and more. And there were certificates, lots of certificates, all of them with a small familiar logo in the corner—the
SHINE
logo.

‘You're part of
SHINE
too,' Emma gasped.

‘Well I used to be. Agent SJ retired some time ago.' Mum winked. ‘So I know about the baby animal thing and I think I understand what might have happened. But Emma, this is our secret. A1 gave me clearance to tell you because she thought I might be useful for your BEST network. No one else must ever know, not even the boys.'

‘Mum, that's so cool,' said Emma, giving her mum a hug.
A secret between the girls of the family!

‘But Em,' said Mum seriously, ‘no more pets—not even cute ones like your puppy friend here! And now, off to bed or you will be too tired for school.'

School ... Nema.
Emma had forgotten all about her.

Emma knew she would have to talk to Nema this time. Rather than getting all hot under the collar, she felt calm, cool even. She jumped out of the car, waved her mum goodbye and almost skipped through the school gates. Then, as she approached the classroom, she heard a familiar voice talking loudly, and meanly, to another girl.

‘As if, Alisha. Of course you can't play with us, you don't know the dance moves!'

It was Nema.
Who else?

‘Hi Emma, where did you disappear to yesterday? We were making plans for the party. At least, the girls who are coming were,' said Nema, with a sideways glance at Alisha.

Emma took a deep breath. ‘Hi Alisha, what a great hair band! Hi Nema, I had a really bad cold but
I'm fine now. But Nema,' said Emma, taking a big breath before saying in a loud voice, ‘I don't think I'll be able to come to your party.'

Just then the school bus pulled up at the gate and a group of girls, including Elle and Hannah, skipped down the stairs, laughing and chatting happily. Elle raced up to her friend and gave her a big hug.

‘Hey Em, feeling any warmer? What's happening?'

‘Nothing for you to worry about, Elle,' snapped Nema and then she turned back to Emma. ‘What do you mean you're not coming? That's ridiculous, it's going to be the best of party of the year.' Nema fixed Emma with an icy stare—but this time it wasn't going to work. Emma didn't have the Portachill anymore but now she knew how to deal with mean people like Nema.

‘No I'm not coming Nema, but not because I've got a cold. I'm not coming because I think you have been horrible to Elle and I don't want to be your friend if that's how you treat people.' Emma turned to look at Elle, who was smiling back at her.

‘Well,' said Nema, sounding a bit shaky, slightly flustered even. ‘Who cares? Actually...' and her voice started to sound stronger and harder again, ‘I was only asking you because my mum said I had to.' Then Nema turned to Hannah with a sickly sweet smile. ‘Han, why don't you come instead—you were on my B-list.'

Everyone gasped.
B-list?

‘No thanks Nema,' said Hannah calmly. ‘I've got other plans.' And the three girls turned and walked away with big smiles on their faces.

‘Thanks Em,' said Elle. ‘You were great the way you stood up to her.'

‘We all were,' said Emma. ‘And now let's plan our own party!'

The next Saturday, Elle and Hannah came over to Emma's house for a sleepover. They had decided to have their own movie party but it was slightly less
stylish than Nema's—pyjamas instead of dresses, Ugg boots instead of party shoes and crazy hair styles instead of make-overs. It was cosy rather than cool, which was actually much cooler. The three girls lay on the floor with beanbags, doonas and pillows. Pip was nestled in amongst them and they were stocked up with plenty of popcorn, marshmallows and hot chocolate.

‘So, which movie?' asked Emma.

Elle sorted through the pile. ‘What about this one—
The Ice Princess?'

‘Why not?' laughed Emma. ‘It might be cool. And after all, we know how to handle them now!'

With,
she smiled to herself,
a little help from EJ12.