Free Leave it to Eva by Judi Curtin Page A

own?’ asked Ruby looking worried.
    ‘Oh dear,’ said Jenny. ‘Is that a problem? I can’t go with you – I’ve got to work this morning.’
    I beamed at her. ‘No problem at all. We’ll beperfectly fine, won’t we, Ruby? Bye, Jenny. See you later.’
    Then I grabbed Ruby’s arm and pulled her onto a big red number 127 bus that had just pulled up beside us.
    I felt like a real Londoner as we went upstairs and sat in the front seats. It was a lovely sunny day, and everything seemed new and fresh and exciting.
    Ruby was like a child on her first ever trip outside her own house. She kept saying, ‘OMG, Eva, look over there.’ And then before I had time to turn my head, she’d point in the opposite direction and say, ‘No, look there instead.’
    I tried to be all calm and sophisticated, but in the end I couldn’t resist her enthusiasm, and started to stare and point too.
    Ruby was excited by the black taxis and the tall buildings and the other red buses, and when she saw two policewomen on horses I thought she was going to faint away from theexcitement of it all.
    ‘It’s like being on the telly!’ she said in the end, as she sat back with a happy sigh.

    Soon we got to Whitehaven Road, and we climbed down from the bus and looked around.
    ‘I wonder where the school is,’ said Ruby. ‘Jenny said it’s near the bus stop.’
    I grabbed her arm, and pointed, unable to speak. I was staring at an absolutely huge red-bricked building with turrets and pointy windows and flags fluttering from the roof.
    ‘OMG,’ said Ruby. ‘It couldn’t be. Could it?’
    Then I pointed at a brass sign set into the wall –
Whitehaven School
. ‘If this isn’t the right place,’ I said, ‘then it’s a very elaborate hoax.’
    ‘But it’s like Hogwarts!’ she said.
    ‘No it’s not. It’s way cooler than Hogwarts. You are so totally lucky, Ruby. Imagine! This could be your school for the next few years.’
    She shrugged. ‘I’m not going to get worked up about it. There are loads of people coming for these assessments, and there are only a few scholarship places. I’d probably have a better chance of winning
X-Factor
.’
    ‘I hope not,’ I said. ‘I’ve heard you sing, and no offence, Ruby, but I don’t think you’ll be winning
X-Factor
any time soon.’
    ‘Thanks a bunch,’ she said, pretending to be hurt. ‘Anyway, I’d better go inside and register. Have you decided what you’re going to do for the day?’
    ‘Sure,’ I said. ‘I’m going to go to the library.’
    ‘The library? I don’t understand.’
    ‘You know, it’s a big building full of books, and signs telling you to be quiet.’
    Ruby punched me lightly on the arm. ‘I know what a library is,’ she said. ‘I’m just wondering why you want to visit one on your holidays in London.’
    ‘Libraries are very educational,’ I said primly.‘Now you’d better go or you’ll be late. See you back here at four?’
    Ruby nodded, then we had a quick hug and she ran in for her interview.

    ‘So how did it go?’ I asked Ruby when we met outside the school later.
    ‘It was good – I think.’
    ‘You think?’
    Suddenly her face broke into a huge smile. ‘Actually it went really, really well,’ she said. ‘The interviewers were tough, and they asked heaps of hard questions, but I think they were happy with my answers. I think they really “got” me.’
    Ruby is usually cautious and sometimes even a bit pessimistic, so seeing her so happy and positive was amazing.
    I gave her a big hug. ‘So I can come and stay with you as soon as you’ve settled in to your incredible new life?’
    ‘Don’t go booking your flights just yet,’ she said, as she hugged me back. ‘I’ve still got fitness tests and swimming trials to go.’
    But I wasn’t listening. I was already planning heaps of wonderful long weekends in London.

    That evening, we were all invited over to Andrea’s place for pasta. The food was delicious, and his three