Free The Illustrated Mum by Jacqueline Wilson Page B

from her doorway about stiletto heels marking the stair covering.
    Star stood staring into space, gnawing at a hangnail on her thumb. I fidgeted about the room, wonderingwhether to get started on the chicken and salad. I wasn't hungry but it would be something to do.
    “Back before twelve,” Star muttered. “Like she's stupid Cinderella. In search of putrid Prince Charming.”
    “What if she
does
meet Micky, Star?”
    “Oh right,” said Star, heavily sarcastic. “Whoops. Watch out for that flying pig.”
    “Wouldn't you like to meet him, though? What would you say?”
    “I'd say “What sort of a father are you, walking out on Marigold and driving her crazy?'” Star paused.
    “She
is
mad.”
    “She's not
mad
mad. I mean, she doesn't look loopy and she doesn't hear voices or think she's Pocahontas or Princess Diana. She's just good at making things up.”
    “She's good at spending heaps of money that we haven't got. She's good at getting drunk. She's good at getting completely nutty ideas into her head. She's good at getting you to think she's Ms. Perfect MumsieWumsie.”
    “Yes, but she still likes you best. Even now, when you're mean to her. She loves us both equally but you're the special one because you're Micky's child. I wish he was my dad too. She won't ever talk about mine. It's like she can't even be bothered to remember him. She hasn't even commemorated him with a tattoo.”
    “Well, you can make up for it. Here.” Star picked up a pink felt-tip and wrote quickly on my forehead.
    “Get off!” I looked in the mirror. I had a “D” and most of an “A” glowing on my skin. “Oh, you pig, Star! What if it doesn't wash off? Miss Hill will go bananas tomorrow.”
    “Come here. All you need is a bit of spit.” Star sucked her finger and then rubbed hard at my forehead. “Is Miss Hill still picking on you?”
    “I hate her. And I hate Yvonne and Kayleigh. I hate the whole class. Except for Owly … Oliver. He's OK.”
    “So this Oliver's your boyfriend, right?”
    “No!”
    “I've got a boyfriend.”
    “What?”
    “It's this boy I met when we were all hanging out at McDonald's. Mark. He's sixteen.”
    “Sixteen! But that's way too old for you.”
    “Rubbish. He's great, Dol. Ever so good-looking, with dark hair and amazing eyes, and he's got all these great designer sports clothes. All the other girls are crazy about him but I'm the one he said hi to.”
    “So you haven't actually been
out
with him?”
    “Well, we've met up at McDonald's and we've been down to the recreation center.”
    “But with all the others.”
    “He's kissed me.”
    “Really? You're kidding me, aren't you?”
    “No, really. He did it when we were messingaround by the swings and most of his mates were over on the grass kicking a ball about.”
    “So what was it like?”
    Star paused. “I don't know. It was like a kiss.”
    “Yes, but what did it
feel
like?”
    “Slobbery!” said Star, and we both laughed.
    “So was it him you were supposed to be meeting tonight?”
    “Yep. And some of the others. Janice Taylor will be there too. She's in the year above me at school and she's ever so pretty. She's mad about Mark too. I'm scared she'll get all matey with him if I'm not around.”
    Star nibbled harder at her thumb, tearing the hang-nail until it bled.
    “Stop
eating
yourself. OK. You go and see Mark tonight.”
    “But you're scared on your own.”
    “I'll be all right.”
    “Oh, great!”
Star gave me a big grin and then ran to our room to get ready. “You're sure, Dol?” she called as she changed out of her school uniform.
    “Sure I'm sure,” I said. “So long as you're not gone for ages.”
    “I'll be back by ten. Promise. And you can eat all my chicken salad if you want.”
    I was already wishing I hadn't suggested it. I sat very still, twining my fingers together, wondering what I wasgoing to do. No one to talk to. No television. I could draw, I could look at pictures, I could dress up, I could