The Real Rebecca by Anna Carey Read Free Book Online

thing’ – so I decided to write a book they would really like, about their world.’
    Oh my God, that’s what it’s all about! Punishment for mocking those evil Irish dancing children! The unfairness!
    Mum kept waffling on. ‘It’s been a long time since I was a teenager,’ (everyone laughed again as if this was a joke, when of course it is simply THE TRUTH) ‘but I can remember what it was like, and of course I have Rachel and Rebecca around to remind me all the time. Their antics inspired me to write this book, although I had a little helpfrom teen magazines. I think the girls wondered what I was doing with some of them!’
    Yeah, I did. I can’t believe I was worried about her having a mid-life crisis when she was really just getting ready to embarrass me in front of the world. I can’t believe I actually CRIED the other night because I thought there was something wrong with her. I am never going to be nice to her again.
    ‘But I really enjoyed writing the book,’ she said. ‘And I’m already working on the sequel. So, well, I hope you enjoy it!’
    And everyone clapped. The fools. Soon they all started moving around chatting and eating canapés, but Rachel and I were still pretty much frozen to the spot.
    ‘I can’t believe it,’ said Rachel. ‘I can’t believe I never guessed.’
    ‘I can’t believe she’s been spying on us and planning to write a book without telling us!’ I said.
    ‘Yeah,’ said Rachel. ‘Bex, I think this is worse than the porn thing.’
    Just then, my dad came up to us, beaming from ear to ear.
    ‘Hi girls!’ he said, as if his wife hadn’t just DESTROYED OUR LIVES. ‘What do you think?’
    ‘You knew?’ shrieked Rachel.
    Dad looked confused. ‘Of course I knew,’ he said. ‘What’s wrong? Aren’t you excited? I thought you’d be excited!’
    ‘Of course we’re not excited!’ I said. ‘Is this what you were talking about when you said Mum had a surprise and that I’d like it?
    ‘Um, yes,’ said Dad.
    ‘Well I don’t!’ I cried.
    ‘But why?’ said Dad. He looked very confused, but then, he often does. It’s what happens when you lock yourself away and teach history for twenty years.
    ‘Because she’s written a book and she’s just told the world it’s about us,’ said Rachel. ‘I mean, it’s bad enough having that awful teacher going on about how we must love Mum’s books every time I bump into her in the corridor, even though she isn’t even my English teacher …’ (Ha! I knew Mrs Harrington wouldn’t leave Rachel alone.) ‘but now Mum’s actually officially said that she’s written about us. How do you expect us to behappy about that? It’s humiliating!’
    ‘It’s worse for me,’ I said. ‘She’s just said that this girl in the book is fourteen. So everyone will think it’s about me.’
    ‘Well, I was fourteen once too,’ said Rachel. ‘So that doesn’t help much.’
    ‘Girls!’ said Dad. ‘You’re being very silly. I’m sorry you’re upset, but I really don’t see what the problem is. Your mum’s very excited about this book and she’s already working on the sequel. Last week you were convinced she had writer’s block! You were crying, Bex!’
    ‘I’d PREFER writer’s block to an awful book about a girl in stupid hideous boots who everyone will think is me!’
    ‘Oh God,’ said Rachel. ‘Everyone we know is going to read it if they think it’s about us. It’s going to be so embarrassing .’
    And then our enemy, aka our mother, came over. She had a sort of stupid smile on her face.
    ‘Well, girls,’ she said. ‘How did you like my surprise?’
    ‘If by “how did you like my surprise?”, you mean, ‘How do you like being embarrassed in front of the whole world?’ Well, the answer is “not at all”!’ shouted Rachel, and can I just say how nice it was to see Rachel being all snotty toMum in front of me. Normally if she gets annoyed by Mum when I’m in the room, she tries to be all grown up and