Free The Keeper by Rosanne Hawke Page B

There’s a twinkle in her eye. Why have I always thought she was a mouse? ‘So I got it off my chest. Can we start again? C’mon, let’s do something.’
    â€˜How’s the writing?’
    Mei’s cheeks start to colour. I don’t see why. I didn’t say anything rude.
    â€˜I’m trying to write a novel but I’m not getting very far.’
    â€˜You should write about people you know.’ She’s annoyed but I still don’t know why.
    â€˜You’re very knowledgeable for someone who doesn’t—’ She stops but not soon enough.
    Jumping dolphins! She’s picking on me. Not Mei? ‘Yeah? Someone who doesn’t what?’
    â€˜Look, let’s not get into each other’s faces, right?’
    â€˜I shouldn’t have come.’ Don’t have to be clever to work that out, at least.
    â€˜You don’t have to be like this.’ Her tone changes. ‘What’s bothering you anyway?’ It’s her old tone, reassuring. Good old Mei. It suddenly strikes me she’s a bit like Dev – can win me round any time. If anyone else at school starts arguing with me when I’m like this, I can’t resist the challenge of winning. Mei’s got that ‘I-want-to-understand’ gleam in her black eyes.
    Lost, I sigh. ‘It’s Gran. Well, Zoe, I think.’
    â€˜Zoe? Your – boarder?’
    â€˜Yeah. They won’t let me see Dev. And now I think he’s gone.’
    â€˜It might be for the best, don’t you think?’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜You don’t know much about him, do you?’
    â€˜I don’t have to. Look, Mei. He’s a good bloke. The best. But no one will believe me. Not even you. Do you?’
    Mei chews her lip; glances at me from the side. Surely Mei will understand. ‘It’s just weird, that’s all. Him coming. Even with the ad.’
    â€˜Look. There’s things you don’t know. If you knew everything you’d like him too—’
    â€˜Try me.’
    I hesitate. There’s no way I can do that. Dev’s my mate. ‘I can’t. It’s private, but I know he’s okay.’
    Mei doesn’t look convinced and it’s tough spending time with someone who doesn’t approve of what you’re doing. However hard Mei tries to smile and join in on my enthusiasm for Dev, the zing just isn’t there. It’s not long before I remember something else I have to do.

Mei
    I spent the day with Joel today. Well, part of it. It nearly turned out a disaster. He was in such a mood in the beginning, but fortunately it’s not too hard to get him out of it. Except when he’s really down. It’s funny, ever since that Dev’s been around, Joel’s hardly ever been really down. Before, he could never go two days without getting depressed over something.
    Today he was fine after we got over the preliminaries. I was so annoyed that he hadn’t come by before. I think because I like him so much little things bother me more. If my friend Danielle decided not to come near me for days I wouldn’t even notice.
    I’m so scared that Joel will catch on that I like him. When he does it’ll ruin everything. Mum reckons boys like him are too young to think of girls yet. Well, I wish he’d hurry and grow up then. It’s just not fair. The weird thing is no one else seems to like him – out of the girls, that is. All they see is the way he loses it in class.
    I asked Mum about Dev Eagle tonight. I told her everything. Joel will never understand but I had to decide which was more important: what he thinks of me, or trying to live with myself if something happened to him. I think Joel’s in big trouble yet I can’t explain why.
    Everyone’s talking about that Zoe too. Mrs Houser told Mum that if Zoe was just a boarder she’d put her hand in a rock pool with a blue-ringed octopus. Mrs Houser does go on a