Strictly Friends? by Jo Cotterill Read Free Book Online Page B

ready for that!
    Samantha shrugged. ‘Oh well.’
    Megan felt she should try to continue the conversation so that she didn’t seem too rude. ‘Which charity is it?’
    â€˜Childline,’ said Samantha.
    â€˜Oh, right. That’s a good one. I knew a girl who rang Childline once. She said they were really nice.’
    â€˜I didn’t pick it,’ said Samantha.
    â€˜Oh.’ Megan ran out of things to say. It was funny, she thought briefly, how you just clicked with some people, like Mari, whereas with others . . . it was so much harder.
    Danny finished his discussion about the bookshelf with Paul and turned back to Megan. ‘You haven’t got very far,’ he said. ‘Just go up and down a bit.’
    Megan wobbled from one end of the park to the other and then back again. She wasn’t sure she liked the feeling of the board beneath her. It made her slightly sea-sick. But Danny’s expression wasapproving. ‘Good,’ he said. ‘You’re doing really well for a beginner.’
    Despite herself, Megan flushed. ‘Do you think so?’ What
was
it about Danny? Why was she so anxious to have his approval?
    Danny looked her up and down. Megan felt an absurd desire to cover herself up with something, even though she was fully clothed. ‘You’ve got the right build for boarding,’ he said. ‘Or BMXing.’
    â€˜Huh?’
    â€˜Danny is obsessed with wheels,’ said Samantha, but she spoke with a kind of pride. ‘He can drive anything – go-karts, bikes, cars.’
    â€˜
Cars?
’ Megan was astonished.
    Danny smiled, and his eyes lit up with silver. ‘They’re the best,’ he said enthusiastically. ‘Our uncle has a Jeep he lets me drive on his farm. It’s awesome.’
    Megan’s jaw dropped. ‘A real
Jeep
?’
    â€˜Yeah, a real one.’
    Megan stared at him. Danny was full of surprises, she thought. She’d never met anyone like him before. He drove a Jeep? Wasn’t that illegal? And dangerous?
    â€˜I could take you for a drive sometime,’ offered Danny.
    â€˜No you couldn’t,’ said Samantha. ‘Uncle Ed would kill you. He won’t let
me
come in the car with you.’
    â€˜Uncle Ed wouldn’t have to know,’ said Danny carelessly.
    Megan was fascinated. ‘You’d take the car without asking him?’
    He shrugged. ‘Maybe.’
    Megan knew she should be appalled by this, but somehow it just added to her awe. Samantha spoiled the moment by commenting acidly, ‘He’d beat you to dust if you did.’
    Jasmine gave a high giggle and then fell silent in embarrassment.
    There was a pause. ‘So are you finished then?’ asked Samantha.
    Danny frowned. ‘What?’
    Samantha leaned forward to enunciate her words very clearly. ‘Have – you – finished – teaching – your – new – pupil? Because you promised you’d help me put up the decorations at the youth club for tonight.’
    Danny rolled his eyes. ‘We’ve got all day. There’s no hurry, is there?’ Jasmine giggled again and Danny shot her an exasperated look. ‘Yeah, all right, I’m finished.’ He turned to Megan. ‘See you tomorrow,’ he told her. ‘Same time.’
    Megan’s breath caught in her throat. ‘Uh – tomorrow?’
    He nodded, and his eyes seemed to glitter in the light. ‘Yeah – don’t you want another go on the board? I can teach you some tricks.’
    â€˜Yeah, if you’re sure. Thanks!’ Megan was sure her face had flamed bright red, and she knew Jasmine was glaring at her.
    Danny nodded, and he and Samantha set off across the park, arguing about something. Paul trailed after them, not even bothering to say goodbye. Jasmine looked uncertainly from the disappearing group to Megan, and then suddenly pulled her hair back from her face.