Free Star Crazy Me by Jean Ure Page A

I did have a voice! I could become a star!
    I strode back across the paved area, past the flowering shrubs and the benches full of old people,with my guitar slung over my shoulder, feeling that even if I wasn’t yet a star, I was a professional. I’d made money! I’d made at least twelve pounds.
    I decided that before catching the bus home I’d go into Marks & Spencer and see if I could find something nice for Mum. Something in the food department. She hardly ever buys stuff from M&S cos she says it’s too expensive, but she really does like it; and for some reason I suddenly had this great feeling of fondness for her and wanted to make her happy. I dunno! Maybe it was guilt. Anyway, I bought a big fruit tart covered in cherries and grapes, and tiny little bits of orange and melon. I thought she’d enjoy that. She couldn’t say that fruit tart was fattening. I mean, fruit … it’s supposed to be good for you.
    While I was waiting for Mum to come in I had a text message. It was from Josh, telling me that he was off to Malta to visit his grandparents. He often does that during school holidays. If it was anyone but Josh I would be dead jealous, but he never brags, like somepeople do. Like when Marigold went to New York one time. God, we never heard the end of it! Normally he’d have called me and we’d have chatted, but after the way I’d yelled at him I felt grateful to hear from him at all.
    I texted back, Have fun Carmen xxx . I was just so relieved that I hadn’t turned him against me. Unlike Indy. I had a horrible feeling Indy might never want to speak to me again, after the way I’d treated her. Suppose she became best friends with Connie and I got squeezed out? I couldn’t bear it! I knew I ought to call her and apologise. I just couldn’t quite get brave enough. If only she’d had a mobile, or was on email! It would have been so much easier.
    In the end I decided I would wait until half term was over. If Indy hadn’t called me by then, I would definitely call her. And definitely apologise. Definitely .
    Mum came home at six o’clock. Her eyes lit up when she saw the table all ready and laid. “Oh, how lovely! You’ve done it again. You’re spoiling me!”
    â€œI just took stuff out the fridge,” I said.
    â€œYes, yes, that’s fine! What’s this?” She nodded at the fruit tart. “Where did that come from?”
    I said, “Marks & Spencer.”
    â€œBut who bought it? You bought it?”
    â€œI thought you’d like it,” I said. “It’s fruit.”
    â€œIt looks scrummy! But what were you doing in Marks & Spencer?”
    â€œI went down there after school,” I said. “I wanted to look in HMV.” More lies. Now that I’d started, I didn’t seem able to stop. “I thought you’d like something special for your tea… as a treat.”
    It did make me feel a bit bad when Mum gave me this big hug and said how it was a lovely thought and she really appreciated it. Mum doesn’t give hugs all that often. Nan and me were always kissing and cuddling, but Mum is quite an enclosed sort of person.
    â€œWell, it’s my turn next,” she said. “I’ll pop out in my lunch break tomorrow and get us something really wicked… how about a raspberry pavlova?”
    I said, “Wow!” She knows how I hanker after raspberry pavlovas. “All that cream and meringue?”
    Mum giggled. “I know, it’s shocking! Very unhealthy. But once won’t hurt you… and I think you deserve it.”
    Needless to say, that made me feel worse than ever. But I still wasn’t going back to school!

CHAPTER SIX
    Next day was Saturday, which meant I was now officially on half term. Mum had to work, same as usual, so I thought I might as well take my guitar and go into town and do a bit more singing. After yesterday, I had got quite a taste for