Free Fizzypop by Jean Ure Page A

“What?”
    I couldn’t mouth back at her as Skye had meanly sat up very stiff and straight and blocked my view. She was doing it on purpose! In a huff cos I hadn’t let her into the secret.
    The minute the bell rang for break we headed for our private corner.
    â€œShe’s been driving me mad,” said Skye. “She’s discovered something and she won’t say what!”
    â€œI told you,” I said, “we had to wait for Jem.”
    â€œWell, so now she’s here, so you can tell us!”
    â€œBefore I do—” Skye groaned, and rolled her eyes. “Before I do, ” I said, turning to Jem, “have you ever heard of Mia Jelena?”
    â€œNo,” said Jem. “Who is she?”
    â€œIt’s who she might be,” I said. I folded the paper so that only the photograph could be seen. Jem gazed at it, wonderingly. “Do you recognise it?”
    â€œN-no… I don’t think so.”
    â€œIt looks a bit like you,” said Skye.
    Hah! I knew I hadn’t been imagining it.
    â€œYou don’t think you could have seen it somewhere and that’s what made you do that drawing?” I said. “That drawing of your birth mum?”
    â€œNo.” Jem was very positive. “That came out of my head.”
    â€œIs she the singer?” said Skye, pointing at the photo.
    â€œYes. She’s the Queen of Soul, and she’s coming to the Daycroft Halls on 15 th December. She’s coming back to where she used to live… See?” I flashed the headline at them. “ LOCAL GIRL MAKES GOOD . Shall I read it to you? I’ll read it to you!”
    I read it very slowly and clearly, pausing for effect at all the places where I’d underlined.
    â€œMainly school. I went to Hillcrest —”
    â€œShe came here?” said Jem.
    â€œYes! It’s what she says… I went to Hillcrest. Listen! There’s more.”
    I saw Jem’s eyes widen as I read the bit about Mia leaving home when she was only sixteen. They widened even more as I got to something happened… I got into a bit of trouble. By the time I came to never stopped fizzing and bubbling they were practically sticking out on stalks.
    â€œThere!” I said, when I’d finished. “What d’you reckon?”
    Skye opened her mouth. I rushed in hastily, before she could start being negative. “Don’t try saying it’s just coincidence!”
    â€œI wasn’t going to,” said Skye. “I was going to say… ”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI was going to say wow.” She muttered it a bit shamefacedly.
    Wow is not one of Skye’s expressions. It showed she was impressed, not to say totally gobsmacked. Hah! I turned, triumphantly, to Jem.
    â€œSo what d’you think?” I poked at her. “Oi! What d’you think?”
    Jem seemed to have gone into a trance. She had taken the page from me and was staring, open-mouthed, at the photo.
    â€œThat could be my mum,” she said. Her eyes had gone the size of soup plates. “She could be my mum… and she’s famous!”

Chapter Eight
    â€œShe does look like you,” said Skye.
    â€œThat’s what got me,” I said. “I saw it immediately. That’s why I thought maybe you’d copied your drawing from somewhere.”
    â€œI didn’t,” said Jem. “ I just—” She blushed. “I just looked at a picture of me and made it older.”
    â€œWell,” I said, “that practically proves it… it’s just too much to be a coincidence!”
    I looked at Skye, daring her to deny it. She frowned, but didn’t actually say anything. Jem was eagerly rereading the article, in search of more clues. She pounced, gleefully.
    â€œ I get into trouble for talking too much and not paying attention!”
    She did; all the time.
    â€œAnd I don’t have anything in common with my mum and dad! And