Withering Tights - By Louise Rennison Page 0,52

me, like I was the owlets’ dad and she was the owlets’ mum.

Ruby said, “It’s really exciting, isn’t it?”

I said, “It will be if Connie the killer mum is there.”

Oh, I was so tired.

I tried to keep my end up though, and be cheerful and nice, and join in.

About half an hour later, after a gallon of ginger beer and two tons of crisps we were just coming away from the pub when the Hinchcliff boys swaggered up.

All three of them.

Ruben, Cain and Seth.

It was like a stand-off at the O.K. Corral.

And I was Trigger.

Why, oh, why hadn’t I taken the horse costume off? I tried to tuck the dangly legs out of sight, but I still had a horse’s body and tights on.

The boys just looked at us.

Then Ruben said, “Cor.”

Jo and Vaisey and Honey were looking at them like mesmerised sheep.

And they were the wolves.

Ruby said, “Don’t take any notice of ’em, it only meks ’em worse.”

But I could tell the others were a bit fascinated.

The lads were sort of circling us. Seth and Ruben were dark, like Cain.

Then Seth pinched Honey’s bottom. And she said, “Owch that weally hurt.”

Seth said getting really close to her, “Did it WEALLY hurt, love?”

Then Flossie pinched Seth’s bottom and he leaped about a mile in the air.

He said, “Bloody hell, you’re a strong dragon!”

Ruby said, “Clear off, you lot, otherwise I’m going to tell my dad about that chicken you stole.”

Seth said, “You would an’ all, you—”

But they began to slope off, making kissing noises. As Cain passed me he looked right into my eyes for a minute, just breathing and looking at me. From his dark eyes. And his dark-red mouth. From under his black hair. I felt like I was being drawn into a vortex of blackness. What did he want with me?

Then he said, “Look at state of you.”

CHAPTER 15

He’s like a wild animal

A winking, snogging, wild animal

As we walked along Honey said, “They’re vewy thexy in a no good way.”

I looked back to see Cain looking back at me. Then he did a clicking sound and one of the village girls, I think she’s called Beverley, came out of the shadows. She got hold of Cain’s arm.

Cain shouted out, “Night-night girls, don’t do nowt I wouldn’t do.” And he laughed.

Ruby said, “That Beverley has been forbidden ever to see Cain since the last time.”

Honey said, “What happened?”

Ruby said, “Well, she was right keen on Cain and he, you know…”

We all went “What???”

Ruby said, “Well, he snogged her and that, and then she was all keen, and he gave her a ring and so she started telling folk they were engaged.”

Vaisey said, “What happened then?”

Ruby said, “Beverley turned up at one of The Jones’s gigs and Cain were with someone else.”

Jo said, “What, she just turned up? He didn’t say anything? What did she do?”

Ruby said, “She went down to the river and she threw herself in it.”

We all went, “Oh my God.”

Vaisey said, “Did she drown?”

And we all looked at her. Then she realised and went a bit red. She said, “What did happen?”

Ruby said, “Well, the river was only a few inches deep, so she sat down in it and ruined her frock, and that were abaht it. But she went to bed and wept for weeks, and that. Her dad were livid and started a family row with the Hinchcliffs, and she’s not to speak to Cain again.”

Cain is a bounder and a cad.

When we reached the Dobbins’ house, Jo, Flossie, Vaisey and Honey decided to try and, accidentally on purpose, find the boys. They were going to have a look round to see if they were playing snooker in the village hall or having a game of football.

I said, “My legs are tired after all that trotting. I think I will hit the hay.”

Flossie gave my head a little squeeze.

“That was very nearly a joke.”

Ruby said to me, “What? What about the eggs?”

I said, “Maybe tomorrow.”

She said, “Huh. I’ll come with you lot, then.”

Vaisey said kindly, “It’s a bit late, Rubes, and I don’t want your dad on my case.”

So Ruby went grumbling off home to play with Matilda and her new squeaky bone. That Matilda is scared of

As they left, Jo had one last go at persuading me.

“Ben or – Charlie might be there.”

I was too fed up. I said, “No. I would love to, but I think I have pulled a fetlock.”

I went in back to the Dobbins’ house. They were still