She nodded. ‘Can’t wait.’
‘What’s tonight?’ I asked without thinking.
‘Ella’s party,’ Grace reminded me.
‘Oh, right. I forgot it was tonight.’
‘I wish you could come,’ Grace said, looking at me sympathetically. ‘Any chance you could sneak out?’
‘That’s a good idea . . . even if it did come from my sister,’ Oliver added with a cheeky smile at Grace, who scowled back at him.
‘I can’t,’ I replied quickly. ‘Sorry.’
‘Oh well.’ Ella smiled sweetly up at Oliver. ‘So, what time do you think you’ll be getting there?’
I’ve come up with a plan
What are you talking about? Aren’t you meant to be at Ella’s?
I’m being fashionably late. Ella told me that was the thing to do
Grace, she probably won’t be too happy about you doing that for her party
Do you want to hear my plan?
What plan?
I cause a distraction at the hotel and you creep out and then I cause another distraction later for you to sneak back in after the party. I know, right? GENIUS
I can’t. Thanks though
You haven’t heard what the distraction is yet
Fine. What’s the distraction?
My dad has a full Storm Trooper costume in his wardrobe, complete with a toy blaster. I can run through reception wearing it, waving the blaster gun around and everyone will be too busy worrying about chasing me to notice you creeping out. Then I come back in the costume a few hours later and yell “YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE RID OF ME, HUH?”, they start chasing me again and that’s when you sneak back in
WHAT? As in the bad guys from those Star Wars films?! Why does your dad have a STORM TROOPER costume?
He wore it to a themed birthday party, years ago. He has worn it every Christmas Day since. It’s a family tradition
That is the weirdest thing I ever heard
So, whaddya say? Want me to go get the blaster?
NO GRACE I DON’T WANT YOU TO GO GET THE BLASTER. Thanks, though. It’s a very nice and slightly disturbing offer
Party would be way more fun if you were there. Let me know if you change your mind!
‘Lord of the Flies,’ Mum read aloud, picking up the book from my desk and stroking the front cover. ‘I didn’t know you were studying this.’
‘Yep, got LOADS to do.’ I’d already put on my tortoiseshell glasses, to help with the studious vibe.
She nodded, scanning her eyes over the notes and books scattered around my laptop.
‘You look busy.’
‘They’re really piling on the homework this year,’ I explained, pointing at my ‘To Do’ list, which I’d quickly scribbled earlier. ‘I don’t know how I’m going to finish this essay – it’s due tomorrow. I’ll be stuck here working on it all night.’
