Secret Friends Read Online Free PDF Page A

beach?”
    “Sorry, but I can’t,” said Antonia. “I promised Dad I’d keep away.”
    “It’ll only take a minute. Please, Antonia.” Sophie twisted a brown strand of hair around her finger. “I’ve got to take these paintbrushes back. I found out that it’s stealing to keep things that have fallen from a boat. Mum and Dad would be really upset if they knew what I did. I hardly slept last night thinking about it.”
    “I told you it was stealing yesterday!”
    “I know.” Sophie was embarrassed. “I thought you were wrong.”
    Antonia didn’t want to make Sophie go to the beach alone, but she wished she didn’thave to break her promise to Dad.
    “Oh, all right,” she said. “But we need to be quick. If we’re late for school we’ll have to sign in at the office and then I’ll be in trouble.”
    Antonia’s mum worked in the office at Sandy Bay Primary School. Most of the time it was nice having Mum around, but it also had its disadvantages.
    School bags bumping on their backs, the girls jogged towards the beach. As they grew nearer, the pavement became more crowded and Antonia kept hold of Sophie’s hand so they didn’t get separated by the wave of people heading towards the sand. At the promenade they stopped for Sophie to get the paintbrushes out of her school bag.
    “Wait here,” said Sophie, “I won’t be long.”
    “No.” Antonia made a lightning decision. “I’m coming with you. There are too many people around. If we separate we might lose each other.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yes.”
    Antonia couldn’t risk losing Sophie. That would surely make them late for school. Antonia hated disobeying Dad, but it wasn’t like she was doing anything wrong. She was helping her friend to put something right and Sophie would have done the same for her if the situation had been reversed. Trying not to think about her promise, Antonia forced her way on to the sand.
    Sophie glanced around anxiously. “Shall Ihand them to a policeman or just drop them somewhere?”
    “I can’t see any police,” said Antonia. “It’s too crowded.”
    “Here then,” said Sophie, dropping the paintbrushes as if they had suddenly become too hot to hold.
    “They might get trodden on there.” Antonia stooped and picked them up. “Let’s leave them on top of that litter bin where they can be seen.”
    She squeezed her way over to the bin, picking her way round a lawn mower and a set of golf clubs, and left the paintbrushes on its lid.
    “Right, let’s
go
.”
    “Hang on.” Sophie screwed her eyes up. “Ithink there’s some of our class over there by the lifeguard’s chair.”
    “All the more reason to get going.” Antonia spun Sophie round and pushed her back towards the promenade. “We’re not supposed to be down here, remember?”
    “Ooh! I forgot!” exclaimed Sophie, turning red.
    They squeezed their way across the crowded beach, not daring to look back until they were safely on the promenade. By then the Sandy Bay school children had been swallowed up in the crowd. Antonia was relieved. That had been close, but she didn’t think they’d been spotted.
    “Come on,” she said, breaking into a jog. “I need to find Cai before lessons start. I want toknow how the birds at Sea Watch are doing.”
    Sophie grinned.
    “You and your animals! Come on then, we’ll run.”

Chapter Seven
    T here was no sign of Cai in the school playground. Disappointed, Antonia wandered into the classroom and sat down. She kept her eyes on the door as the classroom slowly began to fill up. Lauren and Becky came in together, talking loudly. Lauren seemed excited. Her eyes swept the room and seeingAntonia, a cruel smile played on her lips. Antonia’s heart dipped as Lauren ambled towards her. What did the big girl want?
    “Your dad’s a bit choosy, isn’t he? He wouldn’t buy stuff from my brother yesterday.”
    Antonia shrugged and picking up a pencil, she began to doodle in her work book.
    “Does your dad know