Acting Friends Read Online Free PDF Page B

hissed.
    Beside her, Grace gave a squeal.
    I followed their gaze to the corner of the room. It was him . . . Frankie Clarke. He was sideways to us, talking to someone out of view. I could see only half of Frankie’s face, but it was enough to recognise him. I stared at his snub nose and the curve of his cheek. My chest tightened with excitement.
    ‘Oh, wow,’ Grace breathed. ‘His hair’s longer than I thought.’
    It was true. Frankie’s streaky blond hair was cut differently than in any of the pictures I’d seen before, in artfully messy waves that curled onto his shoulders.
    ‘He’s sooo cute,’ Emmi said.
    I looked around. Most people in the room were adults – but there was also a sprinkling of girls our age and a bit older. How on earth was I going to get Frankie Clarke to look my way?
    And then he turned round and my heart sank down to my shoes as I saw the red-haired girl he was speaking to.
    Shaz.

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    The party music pounded in my ears. I stared at Shaz, unable to believe what I was seeing.
    ‘What’s she doing here?’ I turned on Emmi. ‘You invited her, didn’t you?’
    ‘No,’ Emmi said indignantly. ‘Of course not.’
    I glanced at her. Both Emmi and Grace looked as astonished as I felt. Surely they didn’t know Shaz would be here? They would have said something.
    But then if Shaz wasn’t here through Emmi, why was she here at all? It was surely too big a coincidence. The whole of the past week – and my growing friendship with Emmi – seemed to crumble in front of me. I turned on her, tears pricking at my eyes.
    ‘You know Shaz hates me,’ I said. ‘You must have asked her. Why else would she be here?’ A huge sob welled up inside me. ‘How could you, Emmi?’

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    ‘For God’s sake,’ Emmi snapped. ‘I get you an invite to a party where your favourite movie star is literally two metres across the room and all you can do is accuse me of bringing someone I didn’t even know was going to be here.’ She turned and stormed off.
    I watched her go, my heart racing. Was Emmi telling the truth? Was I wrong? Doubt filled my mind. Emmi had looked genuinely shocked to see Shaz. Maybe she hadn’t invited her, after all.
    I bit my lip, wishing I could take back the things I’d said. ‘I didn’t mean to upset her,’ I mumbled.
    Grace sighed. Across the room Frankie Clarke and Shaz walked out of sight.
    ‘This is a total disaster.’ I turned away from Grace, a tear trickling down my face. I wiped it away as Emmi’s sister Louise appeared.
    ‘You two all right?’ she asked with a smile.
    I nodded, feeling desperately unhappy. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I had no reason to mistrust Emmi. She’d been really nice to me and I’d thrown it back in her face.
    ‘We’re fine,’ Grace said nervously.
    ‘Where’s Emmi?’ Louise asked.
    ‘Er, she went to find the ladies,’ Grace said quickly.
    I bit my lip.
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    wanted to tell you guys that there are some awesome funfair-type stalls in the next room.’
    ‘Fun fair stalls?’ I asked.
    ‘Yeah, the whole film’s set in a funfair.’ As Louise spoke, another older teenage girl with a tumble of red curls and a mischievous smile bounced over.
    ‘Hey, Lou, are these your sister’s friends?’
    ‘Yes.’ Louise introduced us, then turned back to the girl. ‘This is my friend Hayley. You guys must know her sister.’
    Grace and I stared blankly at Hayley. Her eyes twinkled. ‘Yeah, sure you do,’ she said. ‘Her name’s Shannon. She started at Langton last year but she was ill so she’s still in year seven, like you.’
    My mouth fell open. ‘Shaz?’ I said. Now I looked I could see the similarities – both Shaz and Hayley had the same full lips and dark red curls.
    Hayley nodded. ‘Yeah, that’s her. Lou said it would be