Diary of a Lottery Winner's Daughter (12 page)

Sunday 7th November

I’ve been trying to get hold of Lauren all day. It’s been driving me completely mad. Her mobile is still switched off and there was no answer on her landline all morning. Then her mum picked up the phone in the afternoon and said Lauren was out. I’m sure Pam didn’t sound as friendly as she usually is. Maybe it’s because she found out that I wasn’t here yesterday when Lauren came to drop my homework off. Or maybe it’s just my paranoid imagination working overtime. If I didn’t get to talk to Lauren soon I was going to go mental. Was she avoiding me?

I tried again at eight this evening, thinking she must be back by then, what with school tomorrow; but her dad said she wasn’t. I’ll just have to sort it out with her tomorrow.

Monday 8th November

I wasn’t feeling too good this morning, but I pretended I was completely better because I wanted to go to school and tell Lauren what had happened.

I said hello to Annabel at the bus stop and she asked me how I was, which was nice of her, but I didn’t sit with her on the bus. When we got off, I walked to school with her because I thought it would be rude not to. I was hoping Lauren wouldn’t see us arriving together but Annabelle said goodbye when we got to the gates, which was a relief. I was worried she was going to hang around and Lauren would tease me about my ‘new friend’. As it turned out I needn’t have worried.

Eventually Karly and Tiffany arrived but they said they hadn’t seen Lauren and Stacy. I didn’t like the way they said ‘Lauren and Stacy’ like they were saying Laurel and Hardy or Ant and Dec. I told myself to stop being paranoid, but when the bell went and there was still no sign of them I began to wonder if they’d slipped in without my noticing and I’d find them whispering and giggling in the form room. But they weren’t in there either. It wasn’t until Mr Lawson was taking the register that they turned up, breathless and giggling.

‘You’re late,’ said Mr Lawson. ‘Lunchtime detention -room twenty-six, the pair of you.’

Lauren looked mortified. She’s never had detention for being late before. I mean, she only lives round the corner and we were never late when
we
came together. Avon Comp has a zero tolerance policy on being late which means an instant detention.

‘What happened?’ I whispered across to her.

‘I couldn’t find my shoes, could I, Lauren?’ Stacy butted in.

I wanted to tell her to shut up and go away but that would have made
me
look like the horrible one. So instead I tried to steer the conversation around to next weekend because Mum’s invited Pam, Gary and Lauren over for Sunday lunch. I was just telling Lauren what I had planned for us to do but Stacy kept pulling funny faces and, when I mentioned how we could explore the garden, Stacy started yawning in a really fake way.

And it was like that for the rest of the day. Every time I asked Lauren something or tried to talk to her, Stacy would butt in. I was desperate to get Lauren on her own so I could tell her about the nightmare shopping trip but it was impossible. Lauren seemed to be avoiding looking at me. In science, when Lauren asked to go to the loo, I was so desperate to talk to her alone I put my hand up and asked to go as well. Of course, the teacher said I’d have to wait until Lauren got back and Stacy gave me a really sly grin. I was so frustrated I could feel tears forming and had to bend over the experiment to hide them, which nearly made me throw up because we were dissecting a heart.

At lunchtime Lauren and Stacy went off to detention together so I had lunch with Karly and Tiffany. That was a complete nightmare as well, because all they wanted to talk about was what it was like to have your mum win the lottery. I wanted to say,’ It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,’ thinking about how it was causing all these problems, but I knew that would sound ungrateful and I couldn’t be bothered to explain. I just said it was great which sounded really lame, and they wanted to know if I was going to go on the school skiing trip now. Do I look like someone who can ski? What is wrong with everyone? Why do they think I’ve morphed into a completely different person all of a sudden?

Because I wanted to change the subject, I asked them what they thought of Stacy.

‘She great,’ said Karly. ‘She said her mum’s a hairdresser and she’s going to get her to cut my hair next week. She said she’s got loads of make-up I can try out as well.’

Probably all nicked from Boots, I couldn’t help thinking. I wondered what they’d say if I told them about the shoplifting. I was seriously considering it when Tiffany said,’ Stacy told me she thinks I could be a model. She knows some people in London and she’s going to send them some photos of me.’

At this point I gave up. Karly and Tiffany were both under the Stacy spell, but then she wasn’t trying to come between them.

By home time I still hadn’t managed to speak to Lauren and I was feeling totally fed up. It didn’t help that it was raining.

When I got off the bus at the mini-mart and was faced with the hill to climb, I felt really miserable. I was rooting about in the bottom of my bag, looking for my umbrella, when Annabel tapped me on the shoulder.

‘Charlotte, could you do me a really big favour?’ she asked.

That was the last thing I needed, I thought as I put the umbrella up.

‘I really need to go into the shop. Do you think you could hold my bag for me? I won’t be long.’ She passed me her bag, even though I hadn’t said a word, and disappeared into the shop.

I stood on the pavement for what seemed like an hour. I thought she’d only gone in for a Kit Kat or something, but when she finally came out she was lugging two carrier bags stuffed full of food. No wonder she’s overweight.

‘Sorry,’ she said,’ there was a really long queue. That no bag rule is so annoying. If it wasn’t for you, I’d have had to go home and then come back again to get the shopping.’

I didn’t have the heart to give her bag back so we dragged ourselves up the hill; I was carrying her bag as well as mine and trying to hold the umbrella over both of us.

When we got to the top we stopped outside the Health Spa shop. Annabel put her carrier bags down, put her hood up and I handed her bag back.

‘Have you got much further to go?’ I asked, wondering if I ought to offer to help her as far as her house.

‘No, I’m just round the corner,’ she said. ‘See you tomorrow.’

I watched her walk away and wondered why she had so much shopping in the first place. I still don’t know much about her. I’m sure she’s an only child who lives in a big posh house with her mum and dad who are probably quite old and protective or they wouldn’t let her out looking like she does with her long white socks, knee-length skirt and sensible shoes. Mind you, at that moment, I was almost envious of her sensible shoes because my little pumps were soaked through. I couldn’t wait to get home and dry off.

I thought I might go straight upstairs and get into my pyjamas, but when I let myself in there was a commotion going on in the passage to the kitchen so I went to investigate. Mum, Dad and Spencer were all admiring the new bathroom which the builders had finally finished today. I squeezed through to get a look.

So much for not ruining the authenticity of the house. The new bathroom was seriously modern and it wasn’t just a shower room either. There was a corner jacuzzi bath, two sinks as well as a shower and a loo. I noticed there were speakers set into the ceiling. That was it - I had to try the new bath out. I could see Mum was dying to get in there too, but she let me have a go first because I was cold and wet and she was worried I’d get ill again.

I lay in the bath thinking that, if this was what it was like to be a millionaire, then maybe it wasn’t all so bad. The bubbles were bubbling around me and it was like they were literally washing all my cares away. I’d ring Lauren later and put her straight about Stacy. In fact, if it wasn’t for Stacy, everything would be perfect. I lay back and said loudly,’ I wish Stacy didn’t exist.’ Then I felt bad. What if Stacy got run over or something because I’d wished she didn’t exist? I know I can’t stand her but I’d feel terrible if something like that happened and it was all my fault.

A loud knocking on the door brought me to my senses. It was Chelsea demanding that I let her in so she could see the new bathroom. I told her to go away. I might not have big breasts yet or anything else much to speak of, but I wasn’t going to have people traipsing through the bathroom while I was in the bath.

I rang Lauren on my mobile when I was all tucked up in my new fluffy dressing gown and sitting on my bed with Missy.

‘Hello, Charlotte,’ she said, when she finally answered the phone. ‘What do you want?’

She definitely sounded frosty but then I had stood her up on Saturday, as far as she knew.

I decided to get straight to the point.

‘Listen, you know Stacy?’ I began.

‘What about Stacy?’ said Lauren.

I wasn’t going to be put off by her unfriendly tone. ‘Well, yesterday we went shopping but —’ I was about to explain about the text from Lauren’s phone and how I thought I was meeting her in town, not Stacy. But I didn’t get any further.

‘I know all about your shopping trip. Stacy told me and I know what you’re trying to do.’

‘What do you mean?’ I asked.

‘You knew I was coming round and you arranged to meet Stacy and then tried to buy her friendship by buying her all those clothes. You are so pathetic.’

I was speechless but Lauren didn’t notice. I could hear giggling in the background. Stacy.

‘Did she tell you about the shoplifting?’ I shouted down the phone.

‘What?’ said Lauren.

‘Did she tell you that she was going to pinch the clothes from the shop and I had to buy them to stop her getting us into trouble? And did she say how she took your phone and used it to make me think I was meeting
you
in town in the first place?’ I knew I wasn’t explaining things very well but I was under a lot of pressure here. There was a muffled conversation at the other end but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Then Lauren came back on the line.

‘Stacy said you’d try something like this. Of course she didn’t have my phone. It was under my bed all the time. She just found it for me. As for that shoplifting thing, you’ve always had a vivid imagination but I can’t believe you expect me to believe that!’

‘But it’s the truth!’ I was shouting with frustration. ‘Can’t you see what she’s doing?’

‘You know what? You’ve changed, Charlotte Johnson, and if that’s what having money does to people then I’m glad we haven’t got any.’ And she hung up on me.

I’ve been sitting on my bed stroking Missy, who’s been purring and rubbing her silky head against my arm. At least there’s someone who likes me.

I can’t believe Lauren believed all those lies Stacy had told her. And what did she mean
I’ve changed?
I haven’t changed. It’s so unfair. She thinks I’ve changed because of the money but I know I haven’t, which means
she’s
changed towards me because of the money. I think she’s jealous and Stacy knows that so she’s encouraging her to think it’s all about the money when it isn’t.

I hate Stacy, but if she thinks she can get rid of me that easily, she’s got another thing coming.

I went to see Spencer because he’s always good in a crisis but, when I knocked and opened his bedroom door, it looked like Spencer was having a crisis of his own. He was sitting on his bed surrounded by open books and he looked about as miserable as I felt.

‘What’s up?’ we both said at the same time. Normally that would have had us both in hysterics but today it hardly raised a smile.

‘Homework?’ I asked, pointing to the books.

‘Sort of,’ said Spencer.

I looked around his bedroom. It’s pretty basic, just a bed, a desk, a wardrobe and a chest of drawers. He had plans to build scenery for his War Hammer collection and have it all out on display. I guess he hasn’t had time because of all his homework.

‘Alec has signed up for the War Hammer club at school,’ I told him. I didn’t mention how lonely Alec had looked.

Spencer took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. He looked worn out.

‘Do you still go to the Games Workshop with him on Saturdays?’ I asked.

‘I haven’t been for ages. I haven’t had time,’ said Spencer.

‘I don’t think they should give you so much homework if it means you can’t have a life,’ I told him. ‘Friends are important as well.’

I wished I hadn’t said that because it reminded me of Lauren and how she didn’t seem to want to be my friend any more.

I will not cry, I told myself, clamping my teeth together and staring at the carpet.

‘Hey, what’s the matter?’ said Spencer, pushing his books and problems aside for me. ‘Come on, it can’t be that bad.’

So I told him about how Stacy had moved into our old house and was now taking over my best friend and there wasn’t anything I could do because we were stuck on this hill away from the estate and everyone liked Stacy anyhow.