‘Oh, please don’t go on my account,’ said Simon, ever polite. My parents, however, didn’t seem to be listening.
‘I’ll come with you. I need some fresh almonds,’ said Mum to Dad’s departing back. ‘Then I can make somehalvafor when Simon next comes.’ She looked at me sternly. ‘I could have made it yesterday if I’d known he was coming. It’s always nicer the next day.’
Great, now I was getting shade from my mum because she’d only had time to make athree-course lunch.
‘So, Simon, tell us more about the singer from Rydell – is her gig tonight?’ Alice probably thought she was being polite, picking up the thread of Simon’s conversation before Watermelongate. She didn’t know about my issues with Jessica, so I smiled tightly.
‘I loved that band,’ said Pete. I rolled my eyes. Pete had never liked Rydell – he’d just lusted over Jessica.
‘Then it’s decided – we’ll go,’ said Alice. She aimed her brightest smile at me. ‘Oh, Zoë, this is going to be so much fun!’
Fun? One long drum solo would have been preferable. But it looked like I was going to have to suck it up and go.
