from where we’re sitting to the door, steadying himself on the chair backs as he goes. This is working even better than I thought. I didn’t figure he’d play the hero. Surely Lori will see him now.
“Quiet,” Jamie’s booms. “Everyone sit down and we’ll sort it out. I’m sure Suzy was mistaken.”
I glance at Lori who’s now standing near the front of the stage. A look of horror is on her face. I think we can safely assume she’s seen George. She gestures with her hand for Jamie to come over. I have no idea what she says but he doesn’t look happy and she walks back to her place with her head bowed and shoulders slouched.
***
“Thank you, thank you thank you.” Lori says. “I owe you big time.”
We’re sitting at a table in the corner of Starbucks while George and Guy are at the counter. The meeting pretty much ended after the rat sighting. Thank goodness. George hasn’t said anything about it. At least, not to me.
“No worries. But I don’t get it. Why did you go up there? You didn’t even say you were planning to.”
“Somehow Jamie found out about me and George at the concert. And he spoke to me about it earlier this evening before the meeting started. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about at break but I couldn’t find you.”
“Oh, no. I’m so sorry. I was with George. But it’s not like you did anything with George. So why did Jamie say you had to confess stuff? And, more importantly, who told him?”
Lori shakes her head. “That’s what I’ve been worrying about. You don’t think Rachel would, do you?”
“Nah. Why would she do that?”
“She’s got a thing for Jamie and she thinks I have too. Which I haven’t.” Hmm, that’s debatable. “So if Jamie knows about George he won’t like me so much.” She pauses a moment, and rubs her nose with her finger. “I’m probably way off base here. But what other reason is there?”
“No idea. Anyway, main thing is you didn’t totally embarrass yourself—though my guess is you’ll have to think of something to tell George. What about saying that Jamie asked you to come up on stage to encourage some of the newer members? So they don’t feel so embarrassed. But that you don’t really have anything to confess.”
“Hey, that’s a good idea. I don’t know how you manage to come up with these ideas all the time.” Years of practice.
“Neither. Anyway, going back to Rachel, why don’t you ask her at school and see what she says?” Suddenly, I start to giggle. “I have to say I’m really impressed at how effective the rat-trick was. I’ve never had such a good response before.”
Lori’s eyes widen. “You mean you’ve done that before?”
Shit. What am I on?
“Not really. At Maddie’s tenth birthday party I tried it. But no-one took any notice.”
Chapter Eighteen
“Hi, is that you Lori?”
“Yes. Who is it?’
Yay! My pathetic, sick voice must be working if she doesn’t recognize me. I do a loud disgusting sniff and then cough. It sounds like I’ve been on forty cigarettes a day for a hundred years.
“It’s Suzy,” I say making my voice come from the back of my throat so it sounds all hoarse.
“I didn’t recognize you. Are you okay? You sound dreadful.” The concern in her voice makes me feel really guilty. I hate having to lie like this but what else can I do?
“I feel like crap.” Sniff, sniff, cough. “There’s no way I’m going to make the picnic. Mom says I’ve got to stay in bed.” I reckon playing the Mom-card is especially crafty, as Lori always listens to what her Mom says. A little too much if you ask me, but that’s another story. And she is the youngest so she’s bound to be spoilt and wrapped up in cotton-wool a bit. Hey, I’m the youngest. Why didn’t I get that treatment?
“Oh no. Poor you. Guy will be so disappointed.”
He will? That’s news to me. I texted him earlier to say I couldn’t make it because I was sick and got a very terse text back saying: ‘ok c u monday.’
What’s a girl to make of that? It’s not as if we haven’t been seeing each other or anything. As well as our evenings out—of which there have been several—I see him most lunchtimes at school, unless he’s got a practice or I have a meeting.
If I have a meeting. It still makes me laugh when I think