Free Pick 'n' Mix by Jean Ure Page A

remember, she has had so many of them). Suddenly, the air was ripped apart by this bloodcurdling screech and what sounded like a herd of buffalo thundering down the stairs. Dad said, “What in heaven’s name is going on?” and we all rushed out into the hall.
    The thundering was Rags tearing down the stairs, with Melia, clutching a bath towel round herself, thumping after him.
    â€œRags stole my knickers!” shrieked Melia.
    They were dangling from his mouth. As he reached the hall he rolled an eye at us and galloped off, shaking the knickers from side to side. Melia galloped in hot pursuit. Down the hall, up the hall, back up the stairs, back down the stairs, still clutching at her bath towel.
    In the midst of all the noise and confusion, Tom appeared on the landing. He didn’t seem to notice anything peculiar going on. Very solemnly he informed us that he had put his wires back in – “It is functioning again” – before walking past Melia, in her bath towel, walking past Rags, with his knickers, and stomping off in silence to the kitchen.
    For some reason, this cracked Mum up; and once Mum had cracked up, we all cracked up. I was giggling at Rags, who’d managed to get his head through one of the knicker legs and was now wearing them on top of his head like a bonnet. I guess that was what the boyfriend was laughing at too. He cried, “Go, Rags!” and made a snatch at the knickers as Rags wheeled past. Mum seemed to have been more amused by Tom. I don’t know what Dad was amused by, Tom or Rags or both, but he was definitely laughing. Even Melia was laughing. Great squeals came bursting out of her, making her shake so much she almost lost control of her bath towel. Mum rushed and caught at it just in time.
    The only one who didn’t laugh was Angel. She stood by the front door, stiff with outrage, her lips all pursed and puckered like she was sucking on a lemon. She was embarrassed, I suppose, because of her boyfriend being there, though I really don’t know what she had to be embarrassed about. They weren’t her knickers. And Melia was covered in a towel. Well, more or less. The boyfriend wasn’t embarrassed, but Angel likes to stand on her dignity. Plus she has no sense of humour.
    I did find it difficult, though, after that, to go on feeling cross with Melia. She couldn’t help being the way she was. She didn’t mean to upset people, breaking things and knocking things over; it just happened. I suddenly felt generous. I decided to make a REALLY BIG sacrifice.
    â€œHey, Melia!” I said, as we went to bed that night.
    She looked at me uncertainly, pulling up the duvet and stuffing a corner of it into her mouth.
    â€œIt’s OK,” I said. “I’m not mad at you! I was going to ask you something.”
    Melia went on munching at the duvet, her eyes big and apprehensive. She obviously didn’t trust me. She thought I was some kind of horrible bully!
    â€œI was wondering,” I said, “whether you’d like Rags to sleep with you? Just for tonight! Just this once.”
    That got her going. She sprang up immediately, her face engulfed in a great beam.
    â€œFrankie, Frankie, thank you, thank you!” Before I knew what she was doing she’d hurled herself at me and locked both arms round my neck. And then she hesitated, and in doubtful tones whispered, “Frankie, I didn’t really break the mug, did I?”
    I told her not to worry about it. “These things happen. Rags, you go and sleep with Melia! Just for tonight. ”
    I don’t know how long he stayed with her, but when I woke up in the morning he was cuddled up next to me, as usual. He knew whose dog he was!

Chapter Seven
    The next day, at break, while Skye was having an extra music lesson to make up for the one she’d missed, me and Jem sat in the downstairs cloakroom, huddled together over one of the hot water pipes. We are not