Gosh no said Marcie My mom would freak go get it You never know who you might see on the way home Ellis was always experimenting with lip gloss and eye shadow and always on the lookout for free samples She would come to school drenched in perfume having spent the weekend in the perfume department of the nearest store pink it’d look great on you out She says there’s plenty of time to put all that junk as she calls it on my face Anyway I’d rather keep my money for important things I’m going to buy some new headphones this weekend at least they will last longer than your makeup will The girls turned to see Scott Gregson across from them He was the best looking guy in their grade and everyone had their eye on him If you’re going home I’ll walk with you You should try some Marcie Look it’s a pale Hey Ellis someone shouted from behind them 12
Don’t you just wish you had her confidence Ellis smiled See what the junk on your face does for you girls she muttered Sure Scott I was just saying goodbye to the girls See you tomorrow everybody And off she went pink lips glistening dark curls bouncing backpack slung casually over her arm sighed Olivia Yes and her hair and her teeth and her eyes replied Natasha Never mind Make the best of what you’ve got is what my mom always says Now let’s see what could you make out of the three of us And as the three started to make their way home they laughed together picking out the parts of each other that they thought were the best Okay Natasha said Olivia you give me your tiny waist Marcie can give me her small perfectly shaped feet and I can probably get away with using my own hands if I paint my fingernails and with 13
Oh and Natasha Olivia began next time you the help of a wig there we have it the perfect girl And so the conversation carried on until the girls were almost home write me a note in class you really don’t have to write my full name on it I know who I am Natasha looked at Olivia I didn’t write your full name Olivia In fact I didn’t even write your first name both jacket pockets for the note You wrote Olivia Goulden meet you outside the library at four Darn I can’t find the note oh look here it is They had now reached Marcie’s house and Olivia had emptied the contents of her backpack onto the pavement outside She showed the hastily scrawled note to Natasha and sure enough Olivia’s name was written above what Natasha remembered writing Yes you did Olivia laughed as she fished in 14
Olivia Goulden Meet you outside the library at four That’s really weird Olivia I don’t remember Bye Marcie called the two girls as she Marcie where have you been the girls heard writing that it doesn’t even look like my handwriting Marcie’s mom shout from an upstairs window Oops gotta go Mom wants me to go to the grocery store with her today See you tomorrow disappeared inside her front door Natasha was still staring at the note Stop trying to be funny Natasha I mean if you passed the note straight to me and I didn’t add my own name to it then who did Olivia protested Anyway look I have to run too I’m babysitting Mrs Winter’s twins tonight and I have to try and get my homework done before I go I’ll see you tomorrow 15
