Cathy Hopkins - [Mates, Dates 01] by Dates Mates, Inflatable Bras (Html)

realise we shouldn’t have gone without you that time. I really
like you, Lucy. I want to be friends with Izzie
and
you. If you’ll let
me.’
    ‘But what about your
brother? I thought you told him to stay away from me because you didn’t like
me.’
    ‘NoOO. Only to protect
you, Lucy. Not because I don’t
like
you. You don’t know my brother. He
thinks he’s Casanova. A different girl every week. Once the challenge is over,
he dumps them. We’ve only been in London a few months and already he’s left a
trail of broken hearts. I didn’t want him to hurt you. That’s all, honest.’
    ‘Really?’
    ‘Yeah. I really
do
like you, Lucy and want to be friends.’
    Tears filled my eyes
again. ‘I’m so sorry,’ I said. ‘I don’t seem to be able to stop crying. Just
lately, I’ve felt I don’t fit anywhere.’
    ‘My mum says it’s our
hormones running riot,’ said Izzie.
    ‘I went through a
time,’ said Nesta, ‘where we lived before. I was the only dark-skinned kid in
our school. I
really
felt I didn’t fit…’
    ‘So how did you handle
it?’
    ‘Decided I’d be proud
I was different even if some days I didn’t feel it. I toughed it out. I know
sometimes that’s all people see and they think I’m stuck up. But here in
London, it’s all been so different. Meeting you and Izzie. I feel I’ve got
really good friends for once. And your mum and dad. You’re so lucky…’
    ‘But yours are so
glamorous…’ I began.
    ‘Yeah, they’re OK, but
they’re never there. Always working. That’s why I love coming back to yours.
It’s so comfy and your brothers are great. I feel at home here. Everyone’s made
me feel so welcome.’
    ‘Except me,’ I said. I
was beginning to see I’d misjudged her. She’d been trying to be my friend all
along and I hadn’t let her near.
    Nesta grinned. ‘I was
hoping I’d win you round in the end. I don’t give up easily.’
    Suddenly Izzie spotted
the clothes spilling out of the wastepaper bin. ‘What are these?’ she said,
pulling them out.
    ‘Actually those are
some presents I had for you, but…’
    ‘Wow,’ said Nesta,
seeing the red sequin top. ‘Where have you been hiding these? Why haven’t you
ever worn them?’
    ‘Do you really like
them?’ I asked, getting out from under my duvet.
    ‘They’re fantastic,’
said Izzie, holding the clothes up and examining them. ‘Where did you get them
from?’
    ‘I made them.’
    ‘You’re kidding,’ said
Nesta. ‘They look really expensive. Like designer stuff.’
    ‘Actually,’ I said. ‘I
made that red one for you. And the black one’s for you, Izzie.’
    In a second they had
stripped off and put their presents on.
    ‘Ohmigod,’ said Nesta,
admiring her reflection in the mirror. ‘This is absolutely brilliant. I can’t
believe it. It’s perfect.’
    It did look good, the
red against her dark skin.
    ‘This is the best
thing I’ve got,’ said Izzie, twirling around in the halter neck. ‘Can we really
have them? I just love it - and the ostrich feather trim. Mucho sexy.’
    I was glowing with
pleasure. ‘I was going to chuck it all out. After today…’
    ‘NoOOO, you mustn’t,’
said Iz, seizing the blue dress I’d made for myself. ‘God, this fabric is
amazing. All the little pearls. Put it on.’
    I put on the dress and
both of them oo-ed and ah-ed. It did look good as long as I didn’t look above
my neck.
    ‘It fits like a
glove,’ said Izzie, then laughed. ‘See,
something
fits!’
    ‘Might look better if
I had boobs,’ I said, thinking back to the lingerie department.
    ‘Don’t be mad,’ said
Nesta. ‘They’ll grow soon enough. And if they don’t, you can always have
silicone.’
    ‘Silicone! I’m
fourteen
!’
    ‘Well what I mean is,
at least you can do something about having no chest. Bras, uplifts. Not like my
feet.’ She pulled off her trainers. ‘Look. Massive. Horrible. I can never get
shoes to fit.’
    I couldn’t believe it.
Nesta wasn’t perfect