Following Flora by Natasha Farrant Read Free Book Online Page A

continued going wrong when instead of heading straight to the bookshop, like she was supposed to, Flora dived into a clothes shop then bumped into Tamsin, who suggested they go for coffee. Jas dragged her away but when they finally got to the record shop, Zach wasn’t there.
    â€œHe left early,” Twig texted.
    â€œWell where the ****** **** is he then?” I said to Dodi.
    â€œOver there,” she replied.
    Right in front of us, across the lawn on the basketball courts. Shooting hoops and looking moody, all on his own.
    After that, things moved very fast.
    I texted Twig back to tell him where we were.
    Jas announced that vinyl records were a waste of time, especially since we don’t have a record player, and that she wanted to go to the park.
    Flora, who was enjoying herself, said tough.
    Jas ran away.
    Flora ran after her.
    Twig, after a quick text to me, followed.
    â€œThey will be here in about two minutes,” I informed Dodi.
    â€œWhich will be too late!” she hissed. “He’s leaving!”
    It was true. Zach had tucked his basketball under his arm and was lolloping—I swear, he lollops—away from us across the court.
    Dodi grabbed my hand.
    â€œCome on!” she cried, and started running.
    So there we were. Flora, Jas, and Twig running down the main street. Dodi and me tearing after Zach. Zach, unaware of any of us, lolloping.
    â€œHow are we going to stop him?” I panted.
    â€œLeave it to me,” she gasped.
    We drew level with Zach. Dodi threw herself at his feet.
    â€œI’m sorry!” she cried “We weren’t laughing at you! We never thought so many people would watch the video!”
    Zach just stared at her.
    â€œForgive us!” Dodi begged.
    â€œDodi.” I nodded toward the park entrance. Jas and Twig were streaking across the lawn toward us, trailing.
    â€œWe have to go!” Dodi shouted. And then me and Dodi ran away, except we were laughing so much we had to run with our legs crossed so as not to pee.
    Zach just carried on staring. He stared as we vanished down the path and dived into a bush, and he stared some more as Jas and Twig shot past and followed us, and then he stared and stared and stared as Flora, red and breathless and still wearing her hat and sunglasses, erupted onto the court, screeched to a halt, and stared back.
    The four of us huddled together in the bushes and watched.
    â€œThis plan was catastrophic,” I said.
    â€œI did warn you,” said Twig.
    â€œThey’re talking!” cried Jas.
    She was right. We were too far away to hear what they were saying, but they were
definitely
talking. Flora and Zach, face-to-face on the basketball court. He shuffled his feet, tossing his ball from one hand to the other. She tucked her hair behind her ear. He pointed down the path to where we were hiding. Flora turned as if to go. Zach put his hand out, like he was asking her to stay. And she did.
    â€œBingo,” whispered Dodi.
    â€œTime to go home,” I agreed.
    We crept out of the bushes and went the long way around the park so as not to disturb them.
    It was almost dark by the time Flora got home. She didn’t mention the fact that Twig and Jas had run away, and nobody asked her where she’d been. But tonight I heard her humming Zach’s song to herself in the bathroom, and I think that tomorrow she may start talking to me again.
    Â 
    SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 (VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING)
    Tomorrow, or rather today, started almost before yesterday ended, and Flora is already talking to me. I was asleep about five minutes when something landed on the end of my bed, and when I opened my eyes that something was her.
    â€œAre you awake?” she whispered.
    â€œNo,” I mumbled.
    â€œSo I met Zach.”
    Flora giggled, and stretched out at the end of my bed with her feet dangling over one side and her head hanging down over the other.
    Before today, I never really thought much about