Free Fizzypop by Jean Ure

find it VERY DIFFICULT to be patient.
    I went up to my room, accompanied by Rags, and read the article yet again, just to make absolutely certain I wasn’t imagining things. But I wasn’t! I sellotaped the torn edges, took a red felt tip pen out of my school bag and began underlining all the important parts.
    Local girl… went to Hillcrest… left home when you were only sixteen… got into a bit of trouble… NEVER STOPPED FIZZING AND BUBBLING. I underlined that bit three times and put a row of exclamation marks at the side. I couldn’t wait for Monday morning to arrive!
    But then, guess what? Monday morning comes at last – and Jem isn’t there. Not at our usual meeting place on the way to school. She’s late. Again!
    â€œI’m not waiting,” said Skye.
    â€œJust a few more minutes,” I begged.
    â€œ No. ” Skye set off without so much as a backward glance. I hovered a moment, then reluctantly went trailing after her.
    â€œDid you see the local paper?” I said.
    â€œNo,” said Skye. “Did you do your maths homework?”
    I dismissed my maths homework with an airy flick of the hand. Last week I’d forgotten to do it and had been put in the dreaded Book with a black mark against my name. So what? Who cared? There were more important things to think about!
    â€œI read this really interesting article,” I said.
    â€œAbout what?”
    â€œAbout this singer? Mia Jelena?”
    â€œNever heard of her.”
    â€œAngel has. She says she’s famous. There’s a picture of her… I’ve brought it in to show you. Well… show Jem, really. She’s the one I’ve brought it for. And the article. You’ll never believe what it says!”
    â€œWhat?”
    I sucked in my breath. “Can’t tell you! I shouldn’t even be talking about it. Not without Jem.”
    We both turned, and looked back the way we had come.
    â€œSeems like you’ll have to wait till break,” said Skye.
    â€œI’ve been waiting all weekend! I was going to call her, but they’d gone away. I nearly called you, only I thought p’raps it wouldn’t be fair. You see, it’s about her birth mum… I think I might have solved the mystery!”
    Well, at least I had her attention. Skye stopped, and frowned. “How?”
    â€œIt’s no good, I can’t tell you! It’s in the article.”
    â€œJust give me a hint.”
    â€œNo, I can’t.” I shook my head. “But it’s more than coincidence. It’s got to be!”
    â€œWhat is?” said Skye. “ What is more than coincidence?”
    â€œWhat it says. I can’t tell you!”
    She nagged at me all the way to school, but I wouldn’t say a word. Like I say, I am very loyal to my friends. Jem would never forgive me if I let Skye into the secret of my amazing discovery without her being there to share it.
    I was just terrified in case Jem wasn’t going to be in school at all that day, cos loyal though I am I wasn’t sure how much longer I could last before my mouth went and opened of its own accord and everything came spilling out. It wasn’t right that Skye kept poking and prying! She shouldn’t have been tempting me like that.
    When I hissed at her about it, under cover of Mrs Gently taking registration, she got all high and mighty and hissed back that I shouldn’t ever have mentioned anything in the first place.
    â€œIf you’d just kept quiet —”
    â€œI thought I could trust you!”
    Fortunately, before a situation could develop, the door had opened a crack and Jem had come sidling in, hoping, no doubt, that Mrs Gently (who is a bit dozy) wouldn’t have noticed her absence. She didn’t! Quite extraordinary. I immediately scribbled a note and pushed Skye out of the way so I could shove it across the desk to Jem.
    Sumthing 2 tell U at break!!!
    Jem mouthed at me.