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First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Children’s Books 2016
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Copyright © Jean Ure 2016
Cover design © HarperCollinsPublishers 2016
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Jean Ure asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
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Source ISBN: 9780007553969
Ebook Edition © January 2016 ISBN: 9780007554027
Version: 2016-01-29
Contents
I was there the day it all started: the day Maya fell off her bike straight into the arms of Jake Harper.
Well, not actually straight into his arms. But practically right in front of him.
It was the start of the summer term and we were on our way back from school, cycling up Layhams Hill, two abreast cos there wasn’t that much traffic around. We were busy talking – as usual! – when Maya suddenly gave this great wobble, lurched into the kerb and slid with a startled squawk over the handlebars.
I have to admit it looked pretty dramatic, but I wasn’t particularly alarmed. Maya was always coming off her bike. Unlike me, who is quite chunky and solid, Maya is a tiny little creature, almost elfin, but she’s the one who is forever tripping over her own feet or shutting her fingers in the door. Still, we were both wearing helmets so I reckoned she couldn’t have done that much damage.
I skidded to a halt and turned back to look at her. “You OK?”
I was sure that she was. She’d already started to pick herself up, so obviously nothing was broken and I couldn’t see any blood. But then a car pulled in on the other side of the road, the driver’s door was flung open and Jake came rushing across.
“Do you need any help?”
Honestly, it was like some kind of magic spell. Some kind of automatic reaction. Before I knew it, Maya had sunk back on to the pavement and burst into heart-rending sobs. I felt so embarrassed! I mean, it was just so obvious.
“Are you OK?” Jake had squatted down beside her and put an arm round her shoulders. “That looked painful!”
Oh, please, I thought, don’t encourage her!
“Have you done any damage?”
Maya, weeping piteously, held out one of her hands. She’d grazed it on the pavement, but it was hardly gushing blood.
I shook my head. Un-be-liev-able! Shameless, in fact. Talk about a drama queen.
“Best have that looked at,” said Jake. “You could have got some dirt in it. Let’s get you into the car and I’ll give you a lift home.”
With the help of Jake’s supporting arm, Maya tottered feebly to her feet.
“Can you manage to walk?”
She sniffed, heroically. “I’ll try.”
“Well, take it slowly. Mattie, do you want to grab her bike?”
I thought, Oh, if I must.
“We can put yours in, too, if you like. I might as well give you both a lift. You’re just round the corner from each other, aren’t you?”
I was about to say, rather ungraciously, that I didn’t need a lift, we were only five minutes away, but then I thought, who in their right mind would turn down a ride in a car with the great Jake Harper? Just about the coolest boy in the school!
I wheeled both bikes across the road, pulling a face behind Maya’s back as I did so. She was really playing things for all they were worth!
“Easy does it,” said Jake, helping her into the car. Needless to say, she got the front seat. I had to sit crammed into the back, against the bikes, with my legs all curled up and handlebars digging into me.
“OK?” said Jake.
I said, “Fine!” I didn’t want him thinking I was as big a wimp as Maya. A little bit of discomfort was nothing