Girls in Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

peculiar than funny ha-ha. But they’re used to me being a bit weird. They’ll still
like
me, even though they’ll think I’m nuttier than ever.
    I’ll tell them on the way to the bus stop. Then it’ll be over and everything will go back to normal. Except Nadine really
has
got a boyfriend. This Liam. Unless . . . could
she
have made him up too? Nadine and I used to play all these pretend games together. She was always great at making things up, that’s why I always wanted her for my friend. Oh, what a hoot if Nadine’s been fibbing too! I really wouldn’t put it past her!
    But when we come out of school at the end of lessons and Magda is asking me more about Dan and I’m all set to say my piece, though my throat’s dry with nerves and I feel incredibly silly, Nadine suddenly stops dead and gasps.
    “Nadine?”
    We stare at her. She’s blushing. I can’t get used to seeing Nadine’s snowy skin shine salmon pink.
    “Nadine, what’s up?” I say.
    Magda is quicker than me. She’s seen what Nadine is staring at. Not what.
Who
. “Wow!” says Magda. “Is he Liam?”
    Nadine swallows. “Yes! Oh, God, what am I going to do? I’m in my school
uniform
.”
    “Well, he knows you go to school.”
    “But I look such a berk in uniform. I can’t let him see me like this!” Nadine dodges behind me, ducking right down. “Walk backward into school, Ellie!” she hisses.
    “Don’t be so nuts, Nadine,” says Magda. “Look, he’s seen you anyway.”
    “How do you know?” Nadine mutters, still hiding behind me.
    “Because he’s waving like crazy over in our direction. And he’s not waving at me. Worse luck. He’s really gorgeous,” says Magda.
    He is. He’s tall and he’s got dark hair and very dark eyes and he looks hip in his skimpy black top and black jeans. He’s the sort of guy who seems totally out of our class. Like my blond dreamboat. But Liam isn’t pretend. He’s real and he’s still waving at Nadine.
    She steps sideways round me, pink and pretty. It’s as if she’s a whole new person whom I hardly know. She waves back, an odd little waggle of her fingers, her elbow tucked into her side. Then she runs over to the wall where he’s waiting.
    “I can’t believe it,” Magda mutters. “He’s so yummy. What does he see in Nadine?”
    “Magda! Don’t be such a bitch,” I say primly—but she’s only saying out loud what I’m thinking.
    I feel as if I’ve been in a race with Nadine and I always thought I’d win, but now she’s forged ahead and left me behind.
    “Come on, Ellie, let’s go and say hello,” says Magda.
    “No! We can’t butt in.”
    “Of course we can,” says Magda, shoving me sharply in their direction. She runs one hand through her hair, fluffing it up, and undoes the top button of her school blouse. “Hey, Nadine,” she calls, wiggling across the playground toward them.
    I stand foolishly, not sure whether to follow. I edge toward them as if I’m playing Grandmother’s Footsteps. Nadine is sitting on the wall beside Liam. Magda is standing in front of them, one hand on her hip. She’s chatting away like crazy but it doesn’t look as if Liam is paying her much attention. Nadine isn’t saying much. She’s looking down, hiding behind her hair.
    “Oh, and this is my other friend, Ellie,” she mumbles when I get near.
    What’s wrong with her voice? She sounds all wet and whispery.
    “Hello,” I say awkwardly.
    Liam gives me a curt nod and turns back to Nadine. “You look cute in the uniform,” he says.
    “I look
awful,
” Nadine protests. “What are you doing here anyway?”
    “I finished early at college so I thought I’d see if I could spot you amongst all your little schoolgirly chums. So come on. Let’s go for a walk or something.”
    “OK,” says Nadine, swinging her legs over the wall.
    Liam raises his eyebrows and she giggles stupidly.
    “Bye, then, Nadine. Bye, Liam,” says Magda. She waves. He doesn’t bother to