Free Star Reporter by Tamsyn Murray Page A

along. I am determined to get it right on my own, though.
    Kelly had another MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE for me after the meeting. At first, I thought she knew I’d lied to Mr Bearman but it turns out she needs to know if it’s true that Rachel Muamba got caught smoking by Mrs Pitt-Rivers. She said it’s for an article about the dangers of smoking and anything I report back will be completely confidential. I don’t know how she expects me to find out – Rachel isn’t in my year and I hardly even know her. Her brother is a roadie for WOLF BRETHREN so I suppose I could ask Liam, but the thought of owing him ANOTHER favour makes my teeth hurt. And just like Hannah, I wasn’t at all sure Rachel would want anyone to know the truth.
    But I didn’t say any of that. Instead, I just nodded. That was when she asked if I’d heard any rumours about Mr Ramirez. I swear I nearly swallowed my tongue.
    â€œMr who?” I repeated thickly, partly because I was trying not to choke and partly to buy my stunned brain some thinking time.
    â€œMr Ramirez, the Spanish teacher,” she said, watching me like Rolo watches next-door’s cat. “I heard he’s been getting up close and personal with someone’s mum.”
    I wish I could say I came up with something clever to throw her off the scent but my mind had turned to mush. “Oh?” I replied, looking as innocent as I could under the weight of my crushing secret. “Whose parent?”
    Her eyes bored into me. “Someone in your year. Do you know anything about that?”
    It occurred to me to wonder why she needed to know but I didn’t trust myself to ask and Shenice would kill me if I gave the game away. I looked Kelly straight in the eye. “No,” I lied.
    Kelly stared at me for a few more seconds, then smiled as though we were the best of friends again. “Well, keep your ears open, yeah?” she asked. “I can’t use a journalist who doesn’t bring me stories, now can I? And I’d hate to leave you off the guest list for my party.”
    I walked away, shivering. I am beginning to wonder if there is a side to Kelly that no one else sees. Maybe she’s not quite as nice as everyone thinks.



Chapter Twelve
    E-PETITION Number of signatures: 988
    School was kind of weird today. The playground was buzzing with whispered conversations but I didn’t think anything of it until I noticed people stop talking to stare at me when we were walking past. By the time we’d reached registration, Molly and Shenice had noticed it too and it wasn’t only my year group – it felt like kids I didn’t even know were talking about me and at break, one boy shouted “Nice hair!” and practically peed his pants with laughter, which was strange because I only had it tied back in a ponytail. Maybe this is what it’s like to be famous. I might ask Liam if this kind of thing happens to him.
    I don’t know whether it is the guilt of knowing that we can’t afford the money Mum and Dad gave me to get a dress, or whether Windsor really is the TOWN THAT FASHION FORGOT, but I couldn’t find a single thing to buy when I dragged Molly and Shen shopping after school.
    Dejected, we trudged into the Shake Shack and ordered a TUTTI FRUTTI SUPREME to share.
    â€œWhat am I going to do?” I wailed. “The ball is in three days. At this rate, I’ll be going in my school uniform.”
    Molly slurped on her straw. “You know, if you really can’t find anything, I might have a dress you can borrow.”
    I eyed her suspiciously. Molly was known to have an unquenchable obsession with all things pink and frilly. “Why aren’t you wearing it?”
    â€œI’ve already worn it, to my auntie’s wedding,” she explained. “I was their bridesmaid at Easter, wasn’t I?”
    â€œErm…” I began, trying to remember which auntie had got married. At