Best of Friends Read Online Free PDF Page A

“New hairstyle,” she remarked flatly.
    “Is it OK?” Abby ran an anxious hand through her hair.
    “Yes,” relented Jess. “It’s great. Mum, I wish I could colour mine again.” Jess’s first home-bleaching experiment with Steph had gone terribly wrong. It had cost ten times as much to have the straw-like tinge toned down.
    “They’d kill you in school,” her mother pointed out happily, thrilled that Jess seemed to be in a good mood with her. After a rash of pink-toned hair, the principal had banned all hair dyeing except for the fifth and sixth years.
    “Subtle streaks,” begged Jess. “I’d go to the hairdresser this time. Nobody would know. Mr. Davies only notices punk black and bright pink. A few blonde highlights would get past him. Lots of people have blonde hair.”
    “We’ll talk about it,” said Abby, who’d have promised anything to keep the peace.
    “That’s what you always say,” Jess pointed out.
    “Yeah, I’m your horrible mother, I know.” Abby began shoving the shopping into cupboards and Jess quickly reached back and put the remote control onto the worktop behind her. Her mother was pretty good about TV watching. Lots of her friends’ parents nagged like hell now they were in fourth year and studying for their Junior Cert. But Mum did disapprove of working while the TV was on, and the price for tomorrow night’s party at Michelle’s was to finish her homework by Saturday afternoon.
    “I got fresh pasta and I can make you garlic mushroom tagliatelle for dinner,” Abby said, deep in the fridge.
    Jess’s face brightened. “Great,” she said. She’d been a vegetarian for over two years now and was always trying to convince her mother to become one as well. Didn’t people realise that animals had rights too?
    “Your father and I have to go out, I’m afraid,” continued Abby. She didn’t see her daughter’s face fall. “It’s a work thing. Beech’s tenth anniversary. Probably cheese and bad wine,” Abby laughed. Beech, the production company who made her television show, were notorious for not spending money on luxuries. “We have to go, but if I cook the mushrooms now—”
    “I’m not hungry,” Jess said in a monotone.
    Her mother emerged from the fridge anxiously. “You must have something. ”
    “I’ll phone for pizza if I’m hungry.”
    “If you’re lonely, I’m sure Jennifer wouldn’t mind staying until we get home,” Abby ventured. Jennifer was the twenty-two-year-old college student who lived four houses down and who was keen to babysit to earn extra cash.
    “I don’t want Jennifer! I’m not a kid, Mum. I thought we agreed. If Sally Richardson thinks I’m old enough and reliable enough to babysit for her, why don’t you think I’m old enough to be on my own?” Jess was furious.
    It was Abby’s turn to look unhappy. She didn’t like Jess phoning for pizza delivery when she was alone in the house. You read such dreadful things in the papers. Just because they had an alarm and Jess had been warned not to open the door to strangers, didn’t mean bad things couldn’t happen. What if the pizza delivery person was a rapist or murderer? Abby’s mind raced over the frightening possibilities. Jess had refused to be babysat once she’d hit fourteen, and agreeing to that extra independence had seemed such a huge step to Abby. Now, she’d started babysitting for Sally’s little boys. No late nights or long hours, just the odd hour here or there, but it still struck Abby as scary that her baby was now the babysitter.
    “You know I don’t like you ordering stuff when we’re not here.”
    Jess sat sullenly and Abby knew she was in a no-win situation. “Could Steph’s dad bring her round tonight?” she asked, knowing even as she said it that Steph couldn’t come, otherwise Jess would have suggested it herself. It had been easier to organise Jess’s social life when the family lived a few houses away from her best friend.
    “She’s busy,”