Suzy P and the Trouble with Three Read Online Free PDF Page A

details.”
    “Calling Italy? How much is that going to cost?” Dad asks.
    “I won’t be long,” Mum soothes, when we all know full well that once she gets on the phone she won’t be off again for at least an hour. “It’ll be lovely to spend time with Isabella. You’re all to be nice to her. Especially you, Suzy.”
    “Hey! Why wouldn’t I be nice?” I ask.
    “Just making sure, because she’ll be staying in your room,” Mum says, ignoring my splutters of indignation. “I’m sure you’ll get on brilliantly. Caro and I used to have such fun together…” Her eyes glaze over as she’s transported to some distant time.
    “Why does she have to stay in my room?” I ask.
    “Because you’re about the same age and you’ll be the best of friends by the time she goes home,” Mum says.
    “Do I get any say in this?”
    “Nope,” Mum says, getting up to mix the pancake batter. “Now, finish your breakfast. Anybody else want pancakes?”
    As Harry and Dad shout that they do, I fold my arms and sit back in a huff.
    Fan-flaming-tastic. Now I’m stuck sharing my room with some random for weeks.
    It’s my room! My space! My summer!
    I don’t even
know
this girl.
    Thanks for nothing, Mum.

CHAPTER FOUR
    Later that morning, I’m sitting with my mates in Millie’s room, listening to The Drifting’s new album. Danny’s spinning around on Millie’s desk chair, Jamie’s flicking Millie’s fairy lights on and off and Murphy, Millie’s ginormous dog, is chewing on a slipper.
    Millie’s attempting to see how many jelly babies she can get into her mouth at once, and I’m helping her keep count.
    Yeah, we’re bored.
    Completely and utterly out-of-our-skulls bored.
    It’s crazy, we always look forward to the holidays so much, then they get here and we can’t think of anything to do.
    Happens every. Single. Time.
    There is no summertime magic, just summertime tragic.
    “Anyone fancy getting the bus into town and going to Tastee Burga?” Jamie asks.
    “I’m up for that,” Danny says, at the exact moment Millie and I groan.
    “No. No more Tastee Burga,” Millie says firmly, through her mouthful of sweets.
    “Why not?” Jamie asks.
    “Because I’m fed up of that place,” Millie says. “It’s grim. There are loads of other things we could do. We could go to the park and play frisbee, or have a picnic, or take Murphy for a walk…”
    “Yeah, if it was anything like a summer out there,” Jamie says, peeing rather effectively on her chirpy bonfire. “But it’s freezing. And raining.”
    “Yes, but it shouldn’t be,” Millie protests. “It’s summer. Where’s the
sun
?”
    From downstairs, there’s a sound of shouting, then a loud crash. Millie freezes.
    “What’s that?” Danny asks.
    “Nothing,” says Millie. Her good mood has evaporated in a flash and now her face is tense. “It’s probably Sophie.”
    “It sounds like your parents,” Jamie says, listening at the door. “Wow. It
is
your parents. And they’re really going for it.”
    Millie laughs awkwardly. “God, they’re so embarrassing.Jamie, stop earwigging, would you?” She turns up the volume on her stereo, drowning out the sounds of the yells from downstairs.
    Jamie attempts to speak, but nobody can hear him over the music.
    “You what?” Danny bellows.
    “Maybe we should go out,” Jamie shouts. “Bojangles for hot chocolate?”
    My friends look at each other and shrug their agreement.
    “Let’s go,” I say.
    Millie turns off the stereo, and all of a sudden it’s quiet. No music. No shouting. No crashes. She smiles with relief.
    As we file down the stairs, I can see Millie’s dad out in the garden, hacking angrily at the soggy hedge. I’m kind of surprised to see him – he’s always at work these days. Then, as we pass the kitchen, we see Millie’s mum, Clare, sitting at the table, hands clasped around a mug of tea, staring at the fridge.
    “We’re going out, okay?” Millie says.
    Clare doesn’t answer.