Free Secrets by Nick Sharratt Page A

proudly.
    â€˜Patsy’s won all sorts of trophies and medals and stuff too, and Loretta used to dance and all, before she had Britney. And Willie’s brilliant at disco dancing. I’m the only one who’s got two left feet,’ said Treasure.
    â€˜I’m useless at dancing. I hate school discos, I never know what to do,’ I said.
    I hate the clothes you’re supposed to wear too. Moya Upton clothes.
    I
loved
it that Treasure and all her family liked my school uniform. Mum always winces whenever she sees it. Maybe it’s just the way I look in it.
    I know just what Mum would say about Treasure’s grandma in her cowboy clothes. Still
I
think she looked lovely, and she smelled lovely too, all powdery and perfume. She kissed everyone goodbye, even me.
    â€˜You come round any time you fancy, India, my lovie,’ she said. ‘And you’re welcome to stay as long as you like, but I think you’d better phone home first, just to let your mum know where you are.’
    She offered me her mobile. It had its own little white and gold cover to match her outfit. I said truthfully that my mum wouldn’t be home herself. Still, it looked like it was time for me to go. And I had to find out what on earth had happened to Wanda.
    She was home – and in tears. She leapt at me the minute I let myself in the front door.
    â€˜Where have you
been
, India? I didn’t know what to do. I’ve driven round and round looking for you. I’ve phoned your dad. He’s on his way back from work.’
    â€˜You didn’t phone Mum, did you?’
    â€˜Not yet. I was wondering if I ought to have phoned the
police
. I was sure you’d gone missing.’
    â€˜
You
were the one who went missing,’ I insisted, staring her straight in the eyes. She’d been crying so much her eyes were pink, like a white rabbit. Did she care about me that much?
    â€˜What do you mean?’ she said, flustered.
    â€˜You weren’t there when I came out of school. I waited and waited.’
    â€˜I was there the usual time. Well, I might have been a
minute
late. The traffic was really bad.’
    â€˜A minute! Do you think I’m daft, Wanda? I’ve got a watch. I waited
fifteen
minutes.’
    â€˜Don’t tell your father that, please!’ Wanda begged.
    She didn’t really mind about me one bit. She was just scared she was going to get into trouble and maybe lose her job.
    â€˜It’s true though, isn’t it?’ I said.
    â€˜Maybe I was five minutes late – but I’m sure it couldn’t have been more than that. I fell asleep. I wasn’t even on my bed, I was sitting at the kitchen table and I just nodded off. Mrs Winslow just
left
me there. Can you imagine anyone so mean? She just doesn’t like me. No-one likes me.’
    Wanda started crying again. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for her. I put my arms round her.
    â€˜Don’t cry, Wanda. It’s OK. Look,
I
like you.’
    â€˜Your mother hates me. She said the most terrible things to me last night. She says I’m totally useless—’
    â€˜She thinks I’m useless too, she thinks everyone is. Never mind her. Look, my dad likes you.’
    â€˜Does he? Does he
really
? What has he said?’
    Wanda was suddenly peering eagerly at me out of her long dark hair, tears still rolling down her cheeks. I felt hurt. She didn’t seem to care one way or the other when I said
I
liked her.
    I took my arms away. ‘Oh, I don’t know. I’m not sure he’s actually
said
anything – but of course he likes you.’ She looked so pathetically pleased I couldn’t help adding spitefully, ‘He’s liked
all
our au pairs.’
    That made her droop again.
    â€˜But maybe I won’t tell him you were at
least
fifteen minutes late,’ I said.
    Wanda looked hopeful.
    â€˜I promise I won’t do it to you again, India. I was just so
tired
.