Diary of a Lottery Winner's Daughter (14 page)

Saturday 13th November

Mum and Dad went out this morning to get some stuff because Dad’s redecorating the spare room.

Chelsea was meant to be looking after us but she disappeared as soon as Mum and Dad had driven away. She knew Spencer and I wouldn’t rat on her. I wonder if she knew how relieved we were that she’d gone out.

We were making our lunch, before Annabel was due to arrive, and I was thinking about something that had happened at the end of school on Friday.

I had been getting my things together when I’d heard Stacy say to Lauren in a very loud voice so that I couldn’t fail to hear,’ Some people think they’re so much better than us. They don’t want to associate with us because
we
live on the Ratcliffe estate.’

I was furious. Whose house did she think she was living in?

Who was it that wasn’t talking to who?

I was about to say something but they turned their backs on me and Stacy said,’ Come on, Lauren, or we’ll be late for choir practice.’

I was still furious about it and I said to Spencer as we ate out toasted sandwiches,’ I’m glad Chelsea dropped that hate campaign against Sophie. I think it’s silly that people don’t like each other because of where they live or how much money they’ve got. I thought for a moment that there was going to be an all out battle earlier this term but it seems to have died down now. I haven’t heard anything about it for ages.’

Spencer looked at me as if I’d gone mad or sprouted another head or something.

‘What?’ I said.

‘What planet have you been living on?’ said Spencer.

‘What?’ I said again only louder this time. ‘What have I missed?’

‘I know you’re stuck in the servants’ quarters but you must have heard the rows that have been going on,’ said Spencer.

‘No,’ I said. I had heard some doors slamming and some raised voices but, once I’m in my room with the door shut and stuck in a good book, the rest of the house might as well not exist. Besides, Chelsea was always slamming doors and shouting.

Spencer was shaking his head and looking at me in disbelief. ‘You’re seriously telling me you don’t know what’s going on?’

WHAT?’I shouted. ‘Tell me!’

‘Okay,’ said Spencer. ‘Basically, Chelsea has stopped going to school. Mum’s doing her nut about it but now Chelsea’s sixteen and in the Sixth Form she doesn’t have to go.’

‘Stopped going to school?’I repeated, moronically.

‘Yeah, you know, as in “Not Going”.’ Spencer said the last two words really slowly like he was explaining to a very dumb person. And I must have looked pretty dumb, sat there with my mouth open.

‘Come on,’ said Spencer. ‘You must have noticed. Or did you think she’d been super-glued to the sofa?’

Now I come to think about it, Chelsea has been either stuck to the sofa or soaking in the new spa bath whenever I’d seen her lately. The trouble is I’ve been so wrapped up in my own problems I haven’t really noticed what anyone else has been doing. That’s the problem with living in such a big house. There’s no way something so major would have escaped me in the old house.

‘Mum’s tried everything,’ said Spencer. ‘She’s even cut Chelsea’s allowance and threatened to take her phone away and the new laptop she got for her birthday because when she’s not watching telly she’s on Facebook. I reckon she thinks that because Mum and Dad won the lottery she’s not going to need a job, so she doesn’t need to go to school. Talk about thick!’

I wanted to agree with him but actually I was quite worried about Chelsea. Was she just going to spend the rest of her life watching television? But what can I do about it? I’m the last person in the world she ever wants to talk to.

Then Annabel arrived and we stopped talking about Chelsea. Annabel and I decided to make some cakes and Spencer thought he’d go and do some homework.

‘Your brother’s nice,’ said Annabel when Spencer had disappeared through the door.

I had to agree with her that, as brothers went, he wasn’t bad at all.

When the cakes were cooking in the oven we went outside to explore the garden. It reminded me of the last time Lauren had been here and hadn’t wanted to do anything and how I’d worried all the time that she was bored. Annabel was so easy-going I don’t think she’d have complained if I’d suggested we cleaned the house.

Sunday 14th November

When I woke up I carried on reading one of the books Annabel had lent me and when I finally made it down to the kitchen Mum was looking slightly harassed.

‘What’s up?’ I asked her.

‘I know it’s only Pam and Gary, and Lauren of course, and they won’t mind if everything’s not perfect but I would like it to be nice. I never had room at the other house to give dinner parties or anything. I know it’s silly to be nervous but I can’t help it.’

While I was helping her to peel the vegetables my stomach was churning. Mum wasn’t the only one who was nervous. Finally, I was going to get Lauren on her own. I’d get the chance to explain to her about how I came to buy Stacy those clothes. She’d have to listen to me this time -there was no one to butt in.

But I wondered if maybe I should ignore her when she turned up, like she’s been ignoring me at school. The trouble is, if Mum noticed she’d be furious and tell me off for being bad-mannered.

I almost told Mum that Lauren and I had fallen out. But then Mum would tell Pam and Pam might tell Lauren off and make her be nice to me and I didn’t want someone to be my friend because their mum told them they had to! I let out a huge sigh.

‘Goodness,’ said Mum,’ whatever’s wrong?’

I couldn’t tell her about Lauren and Stacy so I ended up telling her about Annabel and her mum and the wheelchair and Annabel doing the shopping and cooking. Mum hadn’t met Annabel yesterday when she came round because she’d been out with Dad picking new wallpaper for Morticia’s boudoir. I was sort of glad because I didn’t want to rub it in that I not only lived in a big, nice house but that I also had a fully functioning mum and a dad and a brother and sister. Which was silly really because there are thousands of people who do, just as there are thousands of people who don’t.

Chelsea’s not around today, even though Mum made it clear that lunch was a family affair and everyone was expected to be here. No one knows where she’s gone but she is going to be in so much trouble when she gets back.

When Lauren was due I went up to Mum and Dad’s bedroom to peek out the window at them when they arrived. I’d already told Mum to tell Lauren I was in my bedroom. I thought it would be easier than greeting them at the door because I didn’t know how Lauren was going to behave towards me. But when their car drew up in the drive, only Pam and Gary got out. I couldn’t believe it. Lauren hadn’t even come. All my nervous excitement drained away and left me with a horrible empty feeling.

I went back to my bedroom and curled up on the bean-bag. Ignoring all my new books I picked up the first
Harry Potter. I’m
going to read all of them again. It’s nice to lose myself in something familiar that gives me a warm feeling, when nothing else feels right.

Spencer came to get me when it was time for lunch. He saw what I was reading and smiled. Spencer used to love
Harry Potter
as well and a couple of years ago we used to play it all the time. We had an invisibility cloak (an old net curtain) and wands (chopsticks from the takeaway) and a real broomstick Grumps said he’d found in his shed but I think he went out and bought it especially for us. Of course Spencer’s too old for those games now, which is a pity because it would be great to play them in this house. I’ve still got all the things hidden under my bed and sometimes I get out the wand and pretend to cast spells. Though actually I haven’t done that since my wishes started to come true. I haven’t dared.

When I sat down at the table Pam looked really shocked.

‘Charlotte! What are you doing here? I thought you were at that choir thing with Lauren. If I’d known you were going to be here I would have insisted Lauren came, choir or no choir.’

So Lauren hadn’t told her mum about us falling out.

‘I’m not in the choir, I’m tone deaf - can’t sing a note in tune,’ I explained, trying to sound cheerful.

‘Well, that’s very strange,’ said Pam.’I’m certain Lauren said she was going with you. Gary, didn’t Lauren say she was going with Charlotte?’

‘She certainly said she was meeting her best friend there,’ said Gary, helping himself to another roast potato. His hand stopped halfway back to his plate and a sort of stillness descended on everyone round the table as the meaning of that sank in. I was staring at my plateful of food and wishing I wasn’t there. And then everyone started talking at the same time. ‘This is a lovely meal.’ ‘Could you pass the carrots, please?’ ‘Where did you buy the beef?’

Fatally, I looked up and caught Spencer’s eye and then we were giggling uncontrollably. Mum didn’t tell us off because I think everyone was relieved that the awkward moment had passed. Now I was laughing like a demented person. It was like all the anxiety and embarrassment and uncertainty of the last couple of weeks was bubbling out of me and I couldn’t control it. I think Mum was about to say something and even Spencer looked a bit alarmed, but luckily at that moment Chelsea turned up. I knew she’d timed it so she arrived back when Mum’s friends were here. That way there was less chance she’d get a rollicking off Mum.

When Spencer and I were clearing the table and taking everything back to the kitchen, I thought how much better I felt now that it was out in the open. It’s official: Lauren and I are no longer best friends.

I decided it was time I stopped pretending it wasn’t true, and got on with my life. That thought started me giggling again because I sounded like some sort of agony aunt.

‘What is wrong with you?’ said Spencer.

‘Nothing, I’m fine,’ I said, and I meant it. I did feel fine. ‘By the way,’ I continued,’
I’ve
found a new friend, so how about
you
let up on the studying a bit?’

‘Okay,’ said Spencer,’ maybe a bit. I might meet Alec down the Games Workshop next Saturday.’

We gave each other a high five, which started me giggling again because it was such a cheesy thing to do but it seemed right somehow.

‘The trouble with living in such a big house is that there’s about five miles between the dining room and the kitchen,’ said Spencer, holding the door open for me. ‘In the old house all we had to do was lean over a bit and we could put the dirty plates in the sink without even getting up from the table!’

This was a bit of an exaggeration but I knew what he meant. No wonder people used to have servants. Chelsea was supposed to be helping us but had inevitably disappeared again. Dad and Gary were trying to decide the best place to put the Wi-Fi and Mum and Pam had lit a fire in the sitting room and put their feet up.

I’ve stayed out of Mum’s way this evening because I don’t want her questioning me about Lauren. I might be feeling better, but that doesn’t mean I want to talk about it.