Free Never a Perfect Moment by Cathy Cole

insists on ruining my life.
    â€œSome of those girls were getting really flirty with me at the party, don’t you think?” Eve looked pleased with herself as Paulo pulled away from the hotel. She lowered her voice. “Nan in particular. Of course I’m not ready for any of that just yet, but it’s good to know that I haven’t lost my touch just because the scenery has changed.”
    Eve chattered on about the wedding as they drove. The dresses, the music, the brides. Polly let it flow over her like water.
    At the front door, Polly’s phone buzzed. She took her phone out of her pocket.
    Next Friday? No interruptions this time xx
    Polly stared at the message. Maybe Eve was right. Pushing Ollie away seemed to be making him keener.
    Her fingers automatically started typing a reply.
    Yes! I promise that—
    Eve plucked the phone from Polly’s hands before she could finish typing and slipped it into her own handbag.
    â€œDon’t answer him yet,” she said. “Let him stew.”
    Polly opened the front door slowly, letting Eve into the house first. These games felt all wrong. They weren’t her at all.
    Halfway up the stairs, Eve swung round and clapped her hands. “You know something? All the music and dancing tonight has given me the most fabulous idea. Why don’t we all go away for the weekend?”
    â€œAll of us?” said Polly. “The boys too?”
    Eve pulled a face. “No way , they would only make trouble. Girls only. With all the awful business with Ryan and the papers, we could really use a break from dreary old Heartside. What about camping at the Funky Fox? It’s on next weekend. I’m sure I can get us tickets.”
    Polly felt excited. She’d always wanted to check out the Funky Fox. Great bands always headlined the festival, which came to the hills just outside Heartside every year, and she’d heard the vintage clothes stalls were second to none .
    â€œThe Funky Fox sold out months ago!” Polly protested.
    Eve waved the problem aside like an irritating fly. “You can always get tickets if you have the money. Leave it to me. We’ll camp out, and have a fire, and eat marshmallows, and dance until we drop. We can go there straight after school on Friday and stay until Sunday night. What do you think?”
    Polly wavered. Going to the Funky Fox with the girls on Friday meant that she would have to turn down Ollie’s date. Her stomach lurched with disappointment.
    â€œDon’t give me that moon face, Polly,” Eve said. “You need time to chill out and forget about boys. Just us and the music. Don’t you think it would be great?”
    Polly pictured the music, and the atmosphere, and the great views up on Hilltop Farm where the Funky Fox took place. She hadn’t been camping in years. It would be fun, she knew. And her friends needed a break. She should be there for them.
    Ollie would have to wait.

THIRTEEN
    The next morning Polly lay on her bed, listening to the water run as Eve took her shower. She’d been in there for a good forty minutes now, and Polly was desperate to wash her hair.
    She whiled away the wait by thinking of Ollie. His wide shoulders, his heartbreaking smile. The locket she still wore around her neck. She hadn’t taken it off since Ollie had given it to her. It was like a talisman. Proof that everything would work out fine. Somehow.
    She just had to break the news to Ollie about Friday. Swinging her legs off the bed, Polly padded over to Eve’s bag and started hunting for her phone. Tissues, lipsticks, a pink leather diary, a purse containing about four credit cards. Polly couldn’t help but whistle as she stared at the gold one. What must it be like, she wondered, not having to worry about money for a single minute?
    No phone. Eve had hidden it well. Polly sat down on the bed again. If Eve took much longer, she would have to take a wash downstairs in the kitchen