Peppermint Kiss by Kelly McKain Read Free Book Online Page A

examples of flyers, leaflets and promos that everyone had brought in and put in the middle of the table. We talked about how some of them had offers on, like getting two people in somewhere for the price of one, or details of a special event to go to, or a web page you could visit for news or to see a video. That way you kept hold of the flyer and didn’t just chuck it away and forget about it. It was really cool, actually – I didn’t know you could do this kind of stuff at school.
    I was hoping Marco would ask me to the cafe again after the bell went. But even though I stood right next to him for ages, getting the stuff out of my locker as slowly as possible, he didn’t. I guess I should have realized he’d lose interest pretty quickly – Summer and Ben had both made it clear to me what he was like.
    And yet…when he’d pulled me out of the rain, there’d been an
extra-special
spark between us, I just knew it. And when we’d talked this morning, really talked, and he’d held my hand…there was a strong connection between us then, not just to do with his gorgeousness. But, urgh, did that mean I’d passed onto the
friend
list?
    I was thinking about all this as I wandered home from school (on my own, as by the time I got to the gate, Grace had gone). I turned a corner into the quiet side street that leads out to our parade of shops on the main road, and saw a girl up ahead sitting on the pavement surrounded by stuff.
Loony alert
, I thought, and I was about to cross the road to avoid her when I realized it was Saff. She was sitting on our checked blanket amongst a pile of our wellies, with a few CDs, some sweets and a box of tissues in front of her, staring into space and looking like she was having some kind of crazy person’s picnic.
    â€œSaff, what—” I began.
    â€œThat’s it, there really is nothing left now,” she said, and burst into tears.
    Suddenly I realized – the car had been parked here. We hadn’t left it right near the flat in case the bailiffs traced it and found out where we were. I felt a wave of shock ripple through me – I could hardly believe this was all happening. But I bit my lip and swallowed it down. I had to be strong for Saff.
    â€œDon’t worry about it, it was just a car,” I said.
    Saff threw a welly into the road in frustration. “But it
wasn’t
just a car, that’s the point!” she wailed. “It was for me to learn to drive in, which was my passport back up to London, and my singing lessons, and my chance of being famous, of fulfilling my dream!”
    Okay, so I could see why she was upset, but there was no point in me wallowing in misery with her. I sighed. “But Saff, all that’s gone anyway. We don’t have the money to put petrol in it, let alone for you to learn to drive or take singing lessons. It looks like you’re going to have to make it to fame and fortune on your own.”
    Saff let out a loud sob. “What, without the right styling or any proper voice training? That’s impossible!”
    â€œOf course it’s not,” I insisted. “You can achieve anything if you try hard enough.”
    She grimaced. “Yeah, right.”
    â€œ
Yes.
And think what a great story this will make when you’re rich and famous. They love this kind of stuff on
The X Factor
. Imagine… Sapphire Green – abandoned by her father and penniless, the singing starlet had to flee her home and start a whole new life, overcoming hardship and beating the odds to achieve her dream.”
    Saff was silent for a while, then she said, “Maybe. I’d rather have the car back though, and a new wardrobe and shoes…” She sighed wistfully, imagining it all. “But I guess that really is gone now, so I don’t have any choice.”
    â€œNo, you don’t,” I said. “But luckily for you you’d look good in a bin bag.” I