Following Flora by Natasha Farrant Read Free Book Online

man, he didn’t want to leave because Australia was so awesome.
    I didn’t reply.
    The atmosphere at home is horrible, and this time it’s all my fault.
    FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29
    â€œThe most logical thing,” Dodi said today, “is to get Zach and Flora together.”
    â€œIn what way is that remotely logical?” I asked.
    We were in our kitchen after school, eating Twig’s latest batch of banana and chocolate chip cookies.
    â€œIt’s what we planned to do all along,” Dodi said. “It makes Zach happy; it makes Flora happy; it makes Zoran h appy, plus no w it lets you off the hook. It’s the perfect solution.”
    â€œBut how?”
    â€œWe finish what we started!” Dodi cried.
    â€œ
How
?”
I repeated, and Dodi admitted she didn’t know.
    â€œThink!” she ordered. We sat there for ages, munching and thinking. We finished the banana and chocolate chip cookies, and moved on to jam and coconut, until we eventually came up with this:
    Stalk Zach.
    Establish his routine.
    Take Flora to a place their paths will cross.
    Run away.
    Which is rubbish, I pointed out to Dodi, for loads of reasons but mainly because even if we do manage to work out where Zach is going to be, Flora is about as likely to follow us there as she is to crush a kitten with her bare hands.
    â€œWe need help,” concluded Dodi. “But who?”
    We stared out at the garden. Twig has finally convinced Dad to help him build a tree house in the garden, but Dad has already given up, so now Twig and Jas were out there together, trying to finish it on their own and yelling at each other.
    â€œThere’s our answer,” Dodi said.
    â€œYou only talk to us when you need something,” Jas said when we told her what we wanted her to do. “It’s rude.”
    â€œYou could pay us,” Twig suggested.
    â€œYou are obsessed with money,” I told him. Twig shrugged and said to blame the parents and their imminent separation. He said it’s a well-known fact families are poorer when they divorce.
    â€œDon’t you want Flora to be happy?” asked Dodi.
    â€œNot particularly,” said Jas, but money did it in the end.
    â€œWhat if he is too embarrassed to talk to her?” Jas asked.
    â€œI would be, after that video,” Twig sniggered.
    â€œEverything will work out just fine,” I said firmly.
    Twig says he has never heard of a plan with so much potential for failure, but it hasn’t stopped him taking my money. Operation Flora is costing me five pounds a head for him and Jas, plus expenses, “in case we have to buy anything while we are out.”
    SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30
    Things started to go wrong from the beginning when Flora refused to take the Babes shopping, claiming excessive fame.
    â€œI can never show my face in public again,” Flora said. “It’s all Blue’s fault. She can take you.”
    â€œI have homework,” I said.
    â€œSurely,” Flora said, “they are old enough to go on their own.”
    â€œI am very, very young,” said Jas. “And Twig is extremely irresponsible.”
    â€œI’ll take you,” said Mum from the sofa where she was lying, and we all jumped because we thought she was asleep.
    â€œYou mustn’t!” I cried. Mum looked startled. “You’re so tired,” I said. “And you don’t look well.”
    â€œI do feel a little sick,” she admitted.
    My heart dropped. Jas and I looked at each other. Mum still hasn’t told us why she went to the doctor and neither of us has had the courage to ask.
    â€œOh for goodness’ sake,” sighed Flora. “Just let me find my biggest hat and sunglasses.”
    Dodi and I followed them at a discreet distance. We stopped just inside the park, out of sight but close enough to the shops to get there within minutes of Twig texting us.
    Later, Twig told me exactly what happened. The plan