Free Love Bomb by Jenny McLachlan Page B

girlfriend for Carlo.
    But who is this waiting round the corner …? It’s Nick Plum: painter-decorator, lover of soul music and the bravest man on the planet … oh, and your dad, of course. Now that was love alright, but it’s a whole different story.
    I’m not sure who you’ll fall in love with or when it will happen. Right now you are in love with me and your dad so you’re in safe hands.
    Reading over this letter it all seems to make sense, but at the time, when Rich said he wouldn’t give me any more Curly Wurlies unless I kissed him, and when I saw Carlo and Eleanor holding hands, I felt totally lost. If you feel lost when you fall in love, stay where you are, don’t panic and think. Just likeyou would if you were lost on the London Underground. I’m sure you’ll find your way home.
    Love you always,
    Mumface xxx

    I put the letter on the edge of the sink and try to scoop the rose petals out of the water, but they disintegrate into nothing. My bath’s gone cold so I turn on the hot tap with my toe and sink under the churning water. Thanks for that, Mum: stay where you are, don’t panic and think. Worst advice ever. But then again, what did I expect? I chose The one where I fall in love because I hoped she’d somehow help me understand what’s going on with Toby. But how could she have predicted that I’d fall in love with a supernaturally hot boy who would invite me to Brighton and then throw me out of his garage?
    It looks like I’m going to have to work this one out on my own.

‘Mint, Betty?’ With one hand on the wheel, Toby’s mum turns round and waves a packet of Polos in my direction.
    ‘I’m fine, thanks,’ I say. Really, I’d like her to concentrate on the road. Toby and I were supposed to get the bus to Brighton, but as I was waiting outside Aldi, a blue sports car roared up and Toby stuck his head out of the window and told me to jump in. Now I’m sunk down low in a black leather seat listening to R. Kelly.
    Every now and then, Toby’s mum’s eyes flick up tothe rear-view mirror, checking me out, and I smile and try to look nice and friendly. I don’t think she’s that impressed. From studying her eyes, I can see they are perfectly made-up and each of her lashes is curved and defined. I rummage in my bag to find a way of improving myself and pull out a tin of cocoa butter Vaseline. I take off my black-rimmed specs – I don’t need them, but I think they make me look clever – put them in my bag and then run my fingers through my hair.
    ‘Are you two OK to make your own way home?’ she shouts over the music. I nod and smile a glossy smile. ‘It’s just I’m staying over in Brighton tonight.’ I smile again. Suddenly, Toby turns up the music and, in perfect synchrony, they both start singing, ‘Sex Me’.
    ‘Mum’s a big R. Kelly fan,’ says Toby as the track ends and I see her eyes flick up to the mirror.
    I smile enthusiastically and desperately try to remember the name of an R. Kelly track. ‘I love “Black Panties”!’ I yell, very pleased with myself. Her eyeswiden and then flick back to the road as I’m drowned out by the next track.
    I decide to shut up and look out of the window. I’m feeling a bit guilty sitting here zooming along the fast lane towards Brighton. When Dad asked what I was doing today, I said we were going to go to Brighton, knowing he’d assume that ‘we’ was some combination of Bea, Kat and Bill.
    It’s only since I’ve been in Year Ten that Dad’s let me go to Brighton with my friends and there’s no way he’d let me go with Toby because he doesn’t even know he exists. He knows I’m performing in the Autumn Celebration, but that’s it. Luckily he’s too distracted by his love affair with Poo to notice my world’s been turned upside down.
    I’ve kept a record of this week’s Toby-love in Dennis:

    1.   Monday, he gave me the bigger half of his Snickers.
    2.   Wednesday – rehearsal – he looked at me while I was