someone else to go with you. Take loads of photos, tell everyone I was asking for them and enjoy yourself. Sorry, Rosie.
34
Cecelia Ahern
from:
Rosie
to:
Alex
subject:
Re: My fault
It’s not your fault. I’m disappointed but let’s be realistic, it’s not the end of the world. Make sure you get your money back for that flight, the eejits.
And anyway I’m gonna see you in a little over a month and we’ll be seeing each other EVERY DAY! We’ll have a brilliant time. I better go searching for a man now . . .
from:
Alex
to:
Rosie
subject:
Manhunt
Any luck finding a man?
from:
Rosie
to:
Alex
subject:
Man found
What a stupid question!! Of course I found a man. I’m insulted you even needed to ask . . .
from:
Alex
to:
Rosie
subject:
Mystery man
Then who is it?
from:
Rosie
to:
Alex
subject:
Secret man
That would be absolutely none of your business . . .
love, rosie
35
from:
Alex
to:
Rosie
subject:
Invisible man
HA! You didn’t find a date!! I knew it!
from:
Rosie
to:
Alex
subject:
Big strong man
Yes I did.
from:
Alex
to:
Rosie
subject:
No man
No you didn’t.
from:
Rosie
to:
Alex
subject:
Yes, man!
Yes I did.
from:
Alex
to:
Rosie
subject:
What man?
THEN WHO IS IT????
36
Cecelia Ahern
from:
Rosie
to:
Alex
subject:
Almost a man
Brian
from:
Alex
to:
Rosie
subject:
Brian?
BRIAN????
BRIAN THE WHINE????
from:
Rosie
to:
Alex
subject:
Re: Brian?
Maybe . . .
from:
Alex
to:
Rosie
subject:
HA HA!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha you’re going to the debs with Brian the Whine?!!! I can’t believe it! Talk about scraping the barrel! Brian, who spilled pizza down James’s sleeping bag at my 10th birthday party? Brian who caused mass hysteria in my house and ruined my birthday? Brian who lifted your skirt when you were six, in front of everyone in the school yard to reveal your knickers? The Brian you were stuck sitting beside for all of second class, who ate fish sandwiches every day for lunch and picked his nose while you ate yours? The Brian who followed us home from school every day singing, “Rosie and Alex up a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G?” and made you cry and ignore me for a week? The Brian who spilled his beer all down your new top love, rosie
37
at my going-away party? The Brian you absolutely can’t stand and was the one person you hated all throughout school? And now you’re going to the last school dance ever, with Brian ?
from:
Rosie
to:
Alex
subject:
No the other Brian
Yes Alex, that Brian. Now may I ask that you please stop e-mailing me as my darling mother is currently tying knots in my head trying to make me look half decent? She has also been reading your e-mails and wants you to know that Brian the Whine won’t be lifting up my skirt tonight.
from:
Alex
to:
Rosie
subject:
Brian
Well it won’t be for lack of trying. Have fun! May I suggest that you wear your beer goggles tonight. Brian, you see, is a bit of a whine. And I don’t think you’ll find his conversation very interesting . . . hee hee from:
Rosie
to:
Alex
subject:
Beer goggles
The beer goggles will be well and truly on! You know as well as I do that I can’t go to the debs alone. Brian was the only person I could get last minute thanks to you. All I have to do is stand in with him for the photos so that Mum and Dad can have lovely memories of their daughter going to the debs all dressed up with a man in a tuxedo. The tables seat ten so I won’t even have to talk to him at dinner so there’s really no problem. Anyway he may have traumatized me as a child but he’s not that bad!
You’re enjoying this aren’t you Alex?
38
Cecelia Ahern
from:
Alex
to:
Rosie
subject:
Re: Beer goggles
Not really. I’d love to be there instead. Don’t do anything with Brian that I wouldn’t do . . .
from:
Rosie
to:
Alex
subject:
Re: Beer goggles
Well that doesn’t rule out much. Hair’s done now, have to get the rest of me ready. I’ll
Alice Clayton, Nina Bocci