How to Get the Friends You Want by Jenny Alexander Read Free Book Online

when we were looking for somewhere quiet to practise our Young Voices.
    â€˜I think you’re fine just as you are,’ Toby said.
    His ankle was bandaged up and he had to walk with crutches, but he could go quite fast on them. People yelled ‘Howdy, Hopalong!’ and ‘Nice shorts!’ at him as he swung himself across the playground. He didn’t take any notice.
    We found an empty picnic table and sat down. Toby did his introduction and Jess did her talk. Every time I heard it, it sounded a little more weird. Why couldn’t she have chosen a more normal subject, such as the World of Fashion, for example?
    Toby thought her talk was awesome, but then he was a person who wore shorts to school in the middle of November. If he could get himself some friends like Sasha, Tammy and Abina, maybe that would be good for him too.
    On Saturday I told Becky how being friends with Sasha, Tammy and Abina was making me a better person.
    â€˜They’re good at everything,’ I said. ‘Even their pets are perfect!’
    I told her about Pookie. I said how clever and well-trained he was, and how he didn’t smell at all, like pigs are supposed to.
    â€˜I’ve never seen a pot-bellied pig,’ Becky said. ‘Maybe I could catch a glimpse of him today if you take him out for a walk. I’ve got to go up that way to put a poster in Rick’s Garage.’
    Rick’s Garage was just past Abina’s house on the main road so after lunch Becky decided to tag along with me. As we got near, we saw Sasha and Tammy coming towards us. I slowed down, hoping they would go straight in, but they waited for me at the end of her drive, and Abina came bounding out with her netball to greet them.
    I suddenly saw Becky through their eyes. She was a foot taller than me, her short hair was sticking out all over the place and she was wearing a fake-fur coat she found in a charity shop – shealways gets her clothes in charity shops because of saving the planet.
    I remembered what Primrose said about Becky being too old to be my friend. I hoped they wouldn’t think she was some kind of babysitter or something, like I wasn’t allowed to walk up to Abina’s on my own.
    Sasha, Tammy and Abina said hello. I didn’t introduce Becky. She hesitated a moment and then started on up towards the garage.
    â€˜Who’s your friend?’ said Sasha, as we turned into Abina’s drive.
    â€˜She’s not really my friend,’ I said. ‘We just work together at the kennels.’
    I glanced over my shoulder and found Becky looking back at me. I knew, from the look on her face, that she had overheard what I said. She turned and walked away.
    I didn’t have time to worry about it because we straight away started our netball practice. They said they always did netball first and then went to see Pookie – they had only done it the other way round the week before because it was my first week and they knew I was nuts about animals.
    â€˜Your shooting’s getting better,’ Abina said, and they all agreed.
    â€˜It’ll be so cool when you and Sasha get in the team,’ said Tammy.
    I had never been in the team for anything and I liked the sound of it. I didn’t even mind when we did an extra twenty minutes, even though my legs were shaking from being so tired and my shots were falling further and further short of the hoop.
    We went inside for a drink and a snack. We had to completely finish our biscuits before we went to see Pookie. As soon as he saw us he ran up to the fence, grunting loudly.
    â€˜Sit, Pookie,’ Abina said as she unlatched the gate.
    Pookie rolled over onto his back and let us stroke his fat tummy. He shut his little round eyes, lapping up the attention.
    â€˜Mum says I can put Heavenly Honeybun in the Polgotherick Pet Parade,’ Tammy said suddenly. ‘You should put Pookie in too. The judges would love him!’
    â€˜Are you sure