Sugar Secrets…& Lies Read online

  Kerry shook herself and remembered the power of speech.

  “Hi Ollie!” she said as casually as she could. “Where did Maya go?”

  “She’s just gone to phone around and see where everyone’s got to,” answered Ollie, turning Kerry’s insides to mush with his wonky grin. “I don’t know why she’s so worked up about it – it’s not like you can miss the start of a fair or anything.”

  “Well, you know what Maya’s like. Being late is an arrestable offence to her.” Seel Kerry tried to persuade herself. We’re just being matey as usual. Just mates. Nothing else. But she could feel Sonja’s eyes boring into the side of her head.

  “Ollie, what do you think – didn’t Kerry suit her glasses?”

  Oh no – she’s off, thought Kerry.

  “Ah, right… I knew something was different, but I just didn’t realise what it was,” answered Ollie, gazing long and hard at Kerry’s face.

  This scrutiny was too much – she felt the heat of a blush spread across her skin.

  “So what’s the deal – have you swapped to contacts?”

  “Yes,” answered Sonja, before Kerry could get a word in, “but there was nothing wrong with her in specs, was there?”

  “Um, no…”

  “I mean, she was still really pretty wearing her specs, wasn’t she?”

  Kerry felt powerless. Once Sonja was on a roll it was like trying to stop a bulldozer.

  “Yes, of course she was, uh, pretty…” Ollie shuffled in his seat, his mind probably racing, thought Kerry, to work out where Sonja was going with this.

  “Of course, that’s not to say she’s not pretty now, is it?”

  Right, that was it! Kerry knew there wasn’t anything particularly pretty about her just now. One bloodshot, stinging eye and a face flushed bright pink with embarrassment weren’t exactly giving her cover girl looks. She had to say something – anything – to stop Sonja in mid-flow.

  “I’m sorry me and Maya left you sitting all alone with Sonja, Ollie. She’s been rambling on ever since she called for me. Has she been driving you crazy?”

  “Absolutely,” Ollie grinned. “In fact, I don’t know how I can stand to spend a whole afternoon in her company.”

  Kerry grinned back – this felt comfy again, just the way it normally was. Having a laugh, taking turns to tease each other. Just like mates do.

  “Hey, you two could go on ahead to the fair on your own, if you want,” said Sonja, all innocence. “Maya and me can wait for the others!”

  “We don’t have to wait,” interrupted Maya, stuffing her phone card back into its correct slot in her wallet. “I just spoke to Matt on his mobile – he’s driving round to Joe’s. They’re going to meet us at the park, and Cat’s just crossing the road now – see?”

  “God, I didn’t realise that Cat was definitely coming,” grumbled Sonja. “She was moaning about it being just for kids when we suggested it before.”

  “Oh, give it a rest,” said Maya, ever ready to keep the peace. “It’s a beautiful day, so let’s just all go and have a laugh, OK?”

  “She’s probably scared she’ll break a nail on the dodgems or get candyfloss in her new hairdo…” Sonja muttered darkly, as her cousin hurried into the café, dramatically pushing her formerly blonde, now deeply mulberry-coloured, hair back from her face and breathlessly launching into a speech.

  “Am I late? I didn’t realise the time. I practically had to run all the way—”

  “What – did your nail varnish take for ever to dry?” growled Sonja.

  Cat stuck her tongue out at Sonja, while the others groaned. Sometimes the running banter between Cat and Sonja was boringly predictable.

  “Just shut up and pay the nice lady, Sonja,” said Ollie, nodding over to Anna who was coming out of the kitchen, precariously balancing four plates piled high with greasy fry-ups. “And get a move on. We’ve got that bet on about who can win the tackiest soft toy, remember!”

  As Kerry stood up to go, she tripped over Maya’s rucksack on the floor. Steadying herself on the table, she sent the salt and pepper pots spinning again.

  “Kerry can’t see a thing since she’s taken her lenses out. She might need to hold on to you going along the road, Ollie.”

  Ollie laughed, then leant over to grab his jacket – giving Kerry the opportunity to shoot a look at Sonja.

  “Stop it!” she mouthed silently at her friend.

  Sonja just gave her a wicked Cheshire cat grin in reply.

  “What’s up with you two?” said Cat, immediately sensing something that she wasn’t in on.

  “Nothing!” answered Sonja brightly. “Ollie’s just going to have to be Kerry’s guide dog for the afternoon, that’s all.”

  Cat stared quizzically at Sonja, then swung her gaze round to Kerry, narrowing her eyes as she tried to figure out what was going on.

  Uh-oh, thought Kerry.

  She had the funniest feeling that Sonja’s behaviour wasn’t going to improve…

  CHAPTER 3

  CAT’S RADAR REVS UP

  “No!”

  “Yes!”

  “I’m not doing it, Sonja!”

  “Why not? It’s a brilliant idea!”

  Sonja’s brilliant idea involved a cosy ride for two on the Ghost Train, featuring Kerry and Ollie, and presumably some fear-fuelled hugging.

  “Look,” Sonja continued undaunted, “it’s simple! The three of us queue up – but at the last minute, I say I’m chickening out and that you two should just go on without me!”

  “Sonja, for a start I do not want to be paired off with Ollie, right? And secondly, who would ever believe you being chicken about anything?”

  “Jeez, you’re no fun, Kerry!” said Sonja, waving at Ollie who was walking towards them, carrying a cardboard tray of Cokes and hotdogs. “I knew I should have just gone ahead and done it without telling you.”

  “Without telling her what?” asked Ollie, sticking the makeshift tray down on the wooden bench, in between the two girls.

  Kerry felt prickles of cold sweat on her back. What was Sonja going to say now? Why did she have to keep this up when she could see how close Ollie was? It was as if she wanted him to hear.

  I’ll kill her when I get her on her own, thought Kerry, the muscles in her neck knotting with tension. That’s if I don’t die of embarrassment first…

  “I wanted to have a go on the stall where you shoot at ducks, but she doesn’t approve,” lied Sonja smoothly nodding her head in Kerry’s direction. “You know how she’s got a thing about guns and cruelty to animals – even if they are only plastic. Isn’t that right, Kerry?”

  Kerry nodded numbly. Sonja wasn’t one for lying, but when she did, it always worked, blending in seamlessly with the truth.

  “Did I put enough mustard on that for you, Son?” asked Ollie, licking a trickle of tomato sauce from his hand, and crouching down in front of the girls. He was so close that if Kerry just stretched out her hand, she could flick that flop of fringe out of his eyes for him…

  “No, but I’ll forgive you,” shrugged Sonja, pulling her long blonde hair away from her face and taking a bite of her hotdog. “So, how about the Ghost Train after this?”

  “Sure, but shouldn’t we wait for the others? They’ll be back from the Big Dipper soon.” Ollie rose up slightly on his haunches and looked over in the direction in which Joe, Maya, Matt and Catrina had gone five minutes before. But the milling crowds hid the entrance to the Big Dipper from view.

  “Nah, the queue for that was miles long,” said Sonja, through a mouthful of food. “Let’s go – just the three of us!”

  “OK. Are you up for it, Kerry?”

  “Huh?”

  Kerry had been so lost in thought – imagining her fingers running through Ollie’s hair, feeling the softness of it brushing her cheek – that she felt momentarily exposed. As if Ollie could read her thoughts as easily as if they were displayed in a glass case. As if the words “I love you” were beaming from her eyes di
rectly at him… This was too weird.

  For a second, in blind panic, she forgot to breathe. And in that same second, she felt the gulp of Coke she’d just swigged back hover – miraculously – half-way down her throat.

  “Kerry! Are you OK?” asked Ollie, a microsecond before Kerry’s silent splutterings exploded into a full-blown, Coke-spraying choke.

  A dull thump caught her in the middle of her back, followed by vigorous rubbing.

  “Is that better?” came Maya’s voice from behind her.

  “Uh-huh,” Kerry muttered in reply, too breathless to answer properly, and too mortified to raise her head. What must Ollie make of her? Just this klutz of a mate of his, being even clumsier and goofier than usual.

  Not potential girlfriend material, not in a million years, thought Kerry.

  “I don’t know! You didn’t want to come on the Big Dipper ‘cause you thought it looked too dangerous, but it seems a lot safer than choking to death on a stupid fizzy drink,” drawled Cat.

  Peering up through her watery eyes, Kerry – who was still bent over and being rubbed maternally on the back by Maya – could make out Cat’s clompy, high-heeled shoes sinking gently in the soft, grassy earth. She felt like reaching over and pushing the sarky cow on to her fat backside.

  Kerry often felt as though Cat was patronising her, and most of the time she shrugged it off. But today, what with the hassle of her lenses, the shock of realising how she felt about Ollie, and now this stupid, idiotic choking fit, she had zero tolerance for any of Catrina’s catty comments.

  “You two are back quick. Where’s Matt and Joe?” she heard Sonja ask.

  “The queue was too long. Me and Catrina couldn’t be bothered to wait. The boys are still there,” Maya laughed, “mainly, we reckon, ’cause there’re two very pretty French girls in the queue ahead of them.”

  “Yeah, it’s a pity they missed your trick, though, Kerry. Y’know – spraying Coke out of your nose like that,” added Cat. “Do you think you could do it again when they come back?”

  Without answering, and without looking at anyone, Kerry rose to her feet, her damp jeans sticking to her legs.

  “I’m just going to get cleaned up,” she muttered, before heading off in the direction of the park toilets. She’d liked to have taken Cat with her and rammed her head down the nearest loo.

  “Kerry!” Ollie’s voice trailed after her.

  Heart pounding, she turned around.

  “Hurry back!” He grinned his lopsided grin at her. “You’ve got to hold my hand on the Ghost Train, remember!”

  She may have looked a little soft focus round the edges, but Kerry instantly spotted Sonja – still sitting on the bench behind Ollie – give her a big thumbs-up sign.

  And maybe her eyes were playing tricks, but she could have sworn that Cat was giving her a dirty look.

  In the refuge of the deeply unpleasant, graffiti-decorated public loos, Kerry sat in the cubicle and sighed.

  She could imagine the others now, all talking about her, wondering what had got into her. Kerry was always the smiler; the one who’d find something nice to say about everyone – the kindest of them all. They wouldn’t know what to make of her coming over all huffy and storming off.

  She’d only done that once or twice before; like when Sonja started hanging out with Ollie’s twin sister, Natasha, and began neglecting her. She and Sonja had made it up, of course, but it had been a miserable, confusing time for Kerry.

  She felt almost as miserable and confused now. Her heart was aching, and her pulse was racing so fast her head pounded. What exactly did she feel for Ollie? And if it was love, how could it ever work? Two people in a crowd going out together only caused hassle – look at when Catrina and Matt had tried it! That had been a disaster.

  Then, without meaning to, Kerry shut her eyes tightly and tried again to imagine what it would be like to have Ollie pull her gently towards him and kiss her softly… but then opened them wide as a thought hit her. He’d never given the slightest hint that he liked her any more than as a mate, so what was the point?

  What a mess, she sighed, and got up to leave. It’s just a stupid crush – I probably won’t feel the same way tomorrow. He’s my friend, and I don’t want to spoil that.

  Then, just as she’d calmed herself down, a rush of excitement fluttered across her chest. What had Ollie meant about her holding his hand on the Ghost Train?

  Get a grip, Kerry, she told herself. He meant it as joke, right?

  Right, she sighed again.

  Opening the door, she nearly walked straight into Cat and her not inconsiderable bosom.

  “Kerry, you’ve been ages! Are you OK?” Cat asked, with what looked suspiciously like a fake expression of concern. “Ollie couldn’t wait any longer – he begged me to go with him on the Ghost Train. It was such a laugh!”

  “That’s nice,” said Kerry drily. “Don’t use the loo on the left – the flush doesn’t work.”

  And with those words of wisdom, Kerry stepped past Cat, secure in the knowledge that Ollie really, truly, sadly didn’t have a romantic thought in his head about her.

  Kerry found Ollie and Sonja sitting alone on the bench, deep in discussion. A worrying sign, she decided.

  “Hi, Kez!” said Sonja brightly. Too brightly. “I was just letting Ollie in on what we were discussing earlier this afternoon. Do you remember?”

  Ah, thought Kerry, so the torture isn’t over yet…

  “Er, no,” she answered, stalling. She didn’t dare look in Ollie’s direction.

  “You know – about us all being disasters with romance.”

  “Mmm,” Kerry murmured, sitting down on the grass in front of them, and hoping the earth might just do her a favour by opening right up and swallowing her right down.

  “And Ollie said that just because none of us were going out with anyone, didn’t mean no one was in love. Isn’t that interesting!” said Sonja, in her best teasing tone. “Now, what’s that all about, Ollie?”

  Kerry glanced at Ollie and saw him wriggle in his seat, a grin playing at his lips. Did he look a little uncomfortable and shy? Or was he just playing up to Sonja – giving as good as she gave? Kerry couldn’t tell.

  “Like I say – who’s to say none of us are in love with someone? It could happen.” Ollie dragged his hand through his hair, unintentionally ruffling it till it stood up in peaks.

  He definitely looks uncomfortable, thought Kerry, and he definitely looks adorable…

  “Oh, come on – don’t be shy with your Auntie,” Sonja taunted him playfully. “Are you trying to say that you’re in love with someone?”

  “Well…”

  The pause lasted an eternity.

  “…yeah.”

  As Kerry stared at him, her tummy gave several giant-sized lurches worthy of a ride on the Big Dipper. Sonja, meanwhile, didn’t bat an eyelid.

  “Well, you can’t stop there, babe,” said Sonja, with an award-winning show of calm. “Who’s the lucky girl, then?”

  CHAPTER 4

  OLLIE LOVES…?

  “Hey – you really goofed there, mate!”

  Ollie spun round as quickly as Kerry and Sonja, all three looking guilty, embarrassed and, in the girls’ case, disappointed. A heartfelt confession had seemed to be a second away, but now Matt had marched right in to save his friend from revealing all.

  Except he hadn’t.

  “Ollie, you should have been with me and Joe – wow, those girls in the queue for the Big Dipper weren’t half coming on to us, eh, Joe?”

  Joe Gladwin shuffled from side to side, and smiled awkwardly, raising his eyebrows at Matt’s boast.

  Right at that moment, Sonja realised that Matt and Joe hadn’t heard any of what Ollie had been saying, and that neither of the boys had registered the expressions on their faces. Matt was too busy showing off and Joe was too bemused at having had the attentions of two pretty girls directed at him. Via Matt, of course.

  “They were probably staring at
you ‘cause they’ve never seen anyone wear so much hair gel,” snarled Cat, strolling up to rejoin the others.

  “Well, at least I don’t dye my hair so many colours that my own mother doesn’t recognise me half the time,” Matt bit back.

  “Well, at least my mo—”

  “Hey!” Kerry interrupted. “Where’s Maya? We’d better find her!”

  “Yeah, where is Maya?” said Ollie with mock concern, swiftly taking up Kerry’s lead.

  Sonja gave a silent sigh of relief. Thank God for Kerry and her clumsy efforts at peacemaking. After a brief and deeply unsuccessful romance, Matt and Catrina were officially – for the sake of their friends – on ‘good terms’, but unofficially ripped into each other at any given opportunity.

  Matt and Catrina quit staring daggers at each other and started gazing around for the missing Maya. Thankfully, the tension that flared up so easily between them, Sonja noted, was just as fast to simmer down.

  Most of the time their mutual tongue-lashing could be filed under just-taking-the-mick, but every now and then it went just that little bit too far – like now. Mothers were a pretty taboo subject for both of them. Cat’s seemed to have had a maternal bypass around the time of her birth and these days acted more like a disinterested flatmate than a parent. And Matt’s mum had created herself a whole new family, leaving her old one – which included Matt – way behind.

  “She went off to that hoop-chucking stall,” said Sonja, nodding in its direction. “She wanted to try and win one of those dinosaurs for Ravi.”

  “Come on, then – let’s catch up with her,” said Ollie, already on his feet and waving at his friends to follow him.

  Like the Pied Piper, he led his little troupe through the ambling crowds, with Joe falling into step right behind, shuffling along, hands stuffed deep in his pockets. Catrina barged deliberately past Matt (and, without a thought, past Joe) ending up at the front with Ollie. Matt, striding tall and casually handsome as ever, was next, with Kerry and Sonja, arm in arm, in the rear.