Game Girls Read Online Free PDF

springs into
the kitchen, sniffing like a starved bloodhound.
'All smells delicious. It's been a miserable
journey in the rain, and we need replenishing.
Oh, hang on – birthday gift for the fair
maiden.'
    He hands Alix a parcel. Small. Flat. CD size
and shape.
    She takes it, turning slightly to break the
moment with Tom. 'Thanks – I – wonder –
what – it could – be.'
    Tom laughs loudly.
    Dale and Nathan appear in the doorway.
They are laughing too. Alix thinks about
princesses in history, all the court bent double
because Her Royal Highness said something
amusing. She feels a rush of something.
Confidence? Power? She is Princess for the
night. All the world will bow before her.
    She shreds the last corner of paper from the
CD, waving it round as if there are crowds
lining the streets to see it. 'Thank you, Good
Sir.'
    'The Blades, my fair maiden. Triple box set.
A real favourite at court, I understand. You
haven't got it, have you?'
    Alix slides a look at Courtney, who is still
scouring away at the sink, her back to them all.
She's fairly certain she's not listening. 'No. No.
I've been wanting it, though. It was top of my
list – even ahead of a certain bewitched frog.'
    'Say cheese, please.' She looks round as Dale
holds a mobile up at her. It's one of the newest
multi-media Smartphones. He is taller than
Tom. Golden blond. She usually goes for tall
blond-haired guys.
    She glitters out a smile at him. Eighteen.
Gorgeous. Princess for the day.
    The doorbell rings at the same time as the
land line phone.
    'I'll do the door,' Courtney says.
    Alix wonders if Courtney was listening after
all, and then decides that it doesn't matter. Her
CD had a Cash Converters sticker on it
anyway. It's not as if she broke the bank buying
it.
    She watches as Courtney washes her hands,
drying them carefully on some kitchen towel.
She folds it neatly into squares before wedging
it into the already bulging bin. 'Probably the
first of the college crowd. Prepare for
Invasion.'
    Alix watches Nathan's eyes follow Courtney
as she heads to the hall, and thinks it'll make
things easier if they get together. She'll only
have to choose between two spunk hunks then.
She heads for the front room. It'll be Mum who
has rung, of course. Everyone else always calls
her mobile.
    Beside her, Aaron kneels by the CD player,
starting up the Blades.
    'Hello? Mum?'
    'Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday
to . . . '
    Mum always sings as if she's on stage, to an
audience. Alix can picture her now, the way
she'll be shaping her face. Possibly stretching
out one arm for performance value. If Carlos is
there, watching, she'll be sliding him glances,
and smiling. He'll be transfixed. Drooling. The
creep. 'Hi, Mum.'
    The Blades start up and she drums her nails
on the handset, tapping her fingers with the
beat.
    People start filling the room. Dale appears,
takes another mobile shot, winks and shows it
to her. She smiles down at it, nodding, thinking
she's looking good.
    Tom jostles past him, mouthing, 'It's vodka
and orange.' He hands her a full glass and
stands watching her, knocking back his own
beer and wiping his mouth with the back of his
hand. He has nice hands. Strong-looking. Alix
likes guys with strong-looking hands.
    She tries to focus on what Mum is saying to
her. 'So how are you, darling? Are you having
a good day?'
    'Fantastic, thanks.' She sips the orange
vodka. Dale is lurking with his mobile again. A
gold-haired god. She's going to have to choose
between him and Tom.
    'Aaron said he was coming, and you'd be
having some friends round. That's lovely for
you.'
    'Yes.' She waits for Mum to tell her exactly
when she's flying back to celebrate with her.
She's bound to make it special, even though it'll
all be rushed. A shopping spree – probably
London. A meal out in one of the restaurants
down the cobbled lanes in Long Cove. Then
hurried goodbye hugs before jetting back to
Tuscany for more lavishings with Creepy
Carlos. 'Thanks for the present. The