Chapter 21
My face was flushed when I reached the shed and it wasn’t just from running. I shot past Dad, ignored Mum and flung myself straight onto my bed. My chest was heaving and I nearly felt like throwing up. It wasn’t fair. I hadn’t meant to upset Tessa. They had no right to get so mad at me about it. It was just a game. And everyone knows that when you go for truth in Truth and Dare you have to take whatever questions come to you. Anyway, it wasn’t as if Tessa thought she was perfect looking. She asked me to help her with her makeup all the time, and only a few weeks ago when we were looking through a magazine we found a section on dressing for your figure shape and she herself had pointed out the tips to minimise her chest, so it wasn’t as if she didn’t know she was big.
But I still couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d done something terrible. Especially when I thought about the look on James’s face.
Why were his eyes so blue? Why did I care what he thought? And why did he look so disappointed in me so often?
I made a growl of frustration and slammed the doona with my fist. If only these people weren’t my friends. If only I was back in Sydney with people who understood me. Samantha would never get offended by a question like that. In fact, she’d probably be the one asking it about me. Country people could never take a joke. And now I’d either have to apologise or go to Pony Camp with everybody mad at me.
I rolled my eyes—a full roll—around and around. I am so sick of this place, I thought. I just have to get out of here.
An actual escape was impossible, but when my eyes finally came to rest on my laptop I decided a virtual escape would have to do. At least for now, anyway. I flipped it open, connected the internet and checked my email.
There, in my inbox, was my saviour. It was an email from Samantha. And it solved two problems in one.
Coco! Really important! Saff is having a party this weekend. Really big deal, heaps of boys, lots of cool people. Ti and everyone will be there. Even better: it’s at her house in Vaucluse right on the harbour. She says that you’ll be finished at your ‘school’ (she looked up the term dates on the school website) so she reckons there’s no reason you can’t come. Told me to invite you.
Seriously Coco, you have to make it. This is a big one. They’re starting to ask why you aren’t back yet. You’ve got to make an appearance, or maybe they won’t have you back next year.
Sam
PS. Darcy is going to be there. And believe me, he’s heaps better looking in real life. He said last time he wants to see you—he doesn’t believe you’re real.
My heart jumped. First with excitement, second with relief and third with fear. And then it did an extra little hop, skip and jump for another reason altogether: Darcy.
This would be the answer to my problems. I could skip Pony Camp altogether, avoid having to apologise to Tessa, get to catch up with my Sydney friends, re-cement my place in the group and meet my dream boy Darcy all in one night. One look at him and James’ blue eyes would be out of my head for ever. And then by the time I got back, the fight would have blown over and we could all have a happy summer holiday before I left to go back to Sydney in the new school year.
Yes, this was definitely a plan that could work.
My stomach was nervous though. Would the girls still like me? Would I be able to keep the story going about the school? Would I still fit in like I had before? And, most importantly, would Darcy like me?
The shed door slammed and I heard Charlie’s boots stomp across the floor.
“Coco? Are you here? Are you okay?” She sounded concerned.
“I’m on my bed,” I said. I didn’t want to say any more.
“I know you didn’t mean it about Tessa,” she said. She sat down next to me. “But she is really upset. You’d probably better apologise, especially before Pony Camp.”
I rolled away from her. “Maybe I did mean it. Anyway, I’m not going to go to Pony Camp.” I pointed to the screen of the laptop. “I’ve been invited to a party. It sounds like more fun.”
Charlie read through the email. As soon as she saw Samantha’s name she rolled her eyes. “Pfft. That girl? Seriously, why would you want to go to a party with her when you can go to Pony Camp? You don’t want to miss out on the social occasion of the year, do you? You’re always wanting friends. This is the place to make them.”
“This is the social occasion of the year!” I pointed to my computer screen, angry. “These are my friends. Those other people—Tessa, James and all the other horse-loving bumpkins—are just fill-ins for me. I’m not planning to stay here, you know. Mum promised I could go back to Sydney and I’m going to. I can go to Pony Camp any time. Anyway, I wouldn’t even like anyone who goes there.”
“How do you know you don’t like them? You haven’t even met them.” Charlie sounded shocked.
“I already know, okay? Anyway, it’s compared to the other people. I like Sydney people better. I just do. It’s how I am. I’ve fitted in here because I’ve had to and because there’s been no one else, but you know I’m not meant to be here. I’m a different person to you.” I sat up and shook out my hair.
Charlie sat up next to me and imitated my hair shake, but in a mean way. “Yeah, you’re different because you’re a snob. You’re just someone who thinks she’s better than everyone else.”
“That’s not true.” I was hurt. “I don’t think I’m better than everybody else.”
“Well how come even before today you still hardly talked to Tessa?”
“I talked to her.” I shrugged.
“Yeah, but only ever to tell her she’s wearing the wrong thing. You’re basically mean, Coco. You think you’re helping her but you’re actually only hurting her feelings. And she’s been really upset, especially since that guy did all that gross stuff to her on that ride you guys went on.”
“What?”
“Didn’t you even know? That’s how much you even care about her. That guy Dee, the good looking, creepy one took her into the bush and tried to kiss her and touch her and all kinds of stuff.”
“Eeewww.” I put my hands over my ears. “He can’t have.”
“Why not?” said Charlie.
“Well, he looked so nice,” I said.
“Well, he’s not. He said some really horrible things to her and she felt so bad, like it was her fault. If James hadn’t managed to get her to tell him, he might have got away with it,” she said. “Or done something worse. Anyway, that’s so typical of you. As soon as someone’s pretty or good looking or wears good clothes you think they’re perfect. But if someone looks like, I don’t know... normal or a bit funny or even ugly, you don’t even treat them like a person.”
“I do too,” I said. “It’s just when they won’t even try, I can’t help it. I just don’t like people who look like...”
“... like Tessa?” said Charlie. Her voice was getting louder. “She is who she is. She wears the wrong shirts for her shape. But it’s not a crime. It’s not...” she searched for the word, “... evil. You treat her like she’s done something actually wrong. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to apologise for you to her. You’re lucky she still even talks to you. I don’t know what your problem is.”
“Whatever,” I said. I made a face at her. “Anyway, it’s not my fault she’s shy and takes things personally. I can’t help it if she doesn’t want to hear the truth.”
“You can talk.” She sounded huffy.
“What does that mean?” Now I was angry. My voice was loud.
“You’re the one who doesn’t want to hear the real truth.”
“Oh, and what’s the real truth, Miss Smartypants?” I was trying to stop from yelling. I didn’t want Mum to hear us.
“Basically you’re rude, you’re up yourself and you think you’re better than everyone. Tessa puts up with you because of me and Josh. And James doesn’t have any time for you.”
I went cold. How da
re Charlie talk to me about James. He was none of her business.
“Forget Pony Camp. There’s no way I’m going, even if Mum won’t let me go to the party. I’d prefer to stay here.” I turned away from her and stalked stiffly through the kitchen and right out of the shed. If I could have slammed the door, I would have. I went straight down to Cupcake who was standing by the fence, eating grass. Her life was so simple. No parties, no dream crushes and no twin sisters to tell her things she didn’t want to hear.
“I don’t care if it’s true,” I told her. “I’m not going. I’m going to Sydney and I’m going to see all my actual friends again. The people I like and who like me.”
Cupcake nibbled my hand and I gave her a carrot and a scratch. She nuzzled into me and her big eyes said, ‘I get it. Poor, poor Coco.’
“What would I do without you, sweet horse?” I whispered. “You’re my best friend.”