Live and Fabulous! Read Free Page A

me you’re just walking in the front door now, or I am going to burst an artery. Just tell me you’re almost here.”
    â€œMmm ... er wah ... well, I’m at home ... ,” I begin, but talk is futile.
    â€œYou’re still at hoooooooome!? Claude, CLAUDE ... she’s still at home! At home!” shrieks Fleur.
    â€œNo way! Is she okay?” I hear Claude ask in the background.
    â€œI was waiting for ... ,” I begin.
    â€œThe Fusia mobile phone network has been down, like nationally, since six P.M., did you know?” shouts Fleur. “We couldn’t get a signal until now. Everyone’s on Fusia except Liam, who’s on G5 Network. He just turned up, we just borrowed his phone...”
    â€œI’m on Fusia too,” I try to say.
    â€œSo where are you?” shouts Fleur again. “I’ve seen Jimi trying to call you loads of times too. He’s got a Fusia phone, hasn’t he?”
    â€œWhat? Jimi is at Blackwell?!”
    â€œYes, Jimi is at flaming Blackwell. He’s been here for an hour with Naz and Aaron. Everyone’s here.”
    â€œBut ... whatttttt? I’ve been ...”
    â€œHe’s over at the other side of the hall now. I’ll just go and get him ...”
    I can hear Fleur begin to move through what sounds like a pretty hectic crowd.
    â€œBut he was picking me up!” I say, getting all blubbery again.
    â€œHe was what? Picking you up? Tonight?! He was picking you up from the Voyage. So you’re there waiting? I knnnnnnnnnnew it!” Fleur has reached eruption level.
    â€œIs that Jimi?” asks my mother, also sounding rather cross.
    â€œNo, it’s Fleur,” I mouth, keeping extra tight hold of my phone.
    â€œLet me speak to her,” instructs my mother.
    â€œBack off!” I say, swatting her away.
    â€œOh, dear, is this another Jimi Steele misdemeanor?” says Dad, opening a jar of pureed apple and prodding Seth awake with a spoon.
    â€œLeave it, Lawrence,” snaps Mum.
    â€œHoo-hoo! What’s the poor bloke done to you all this time?” chuckles Dad.
    â€œRight, he’s crossed an LBD line this time. There will be repercussions,” snarls Fleur, moving up on her prey. “Oi, Steelo, what do you think you’re doing, standing up my best mate?”
    Fleur sounds very irate. I wouldn’t mess with her.
    â€œEr, what? She’s ... ,” I hear Jimi’s husky voice begin.
    â€œSpeak to her, not me, loser,” shouts Fleur, slinging the phone at him.
    â€œRonnie!” begins Jimi.
    It just feels great to hear his voice. Gggnngn. I’m such a sap.
    â€œWhy aren’t you here, Ron? I was meeting you here after sixish and ...
    â€œOwwwwwww, Fleur, that hurt! Ronnie, your friend just kicked me! Owwwww! My shin!”
    â€œFleur, stop kicking Jimi,” I hear Claude saying rather half-heartedly.
    â€œWe were meeting HERE at the pub,” I say. “We said we’d go together.”
    â€œDid we ... ?”
    â€œYou said you were going across town to look at that secondhand skateboard you saw in the Local Daily Mercury.”
    â€œYeah,” says Jimi, “and you said time would be tight so I’d not have time to pick you up then.”
    â€œNooooooo, you great useless sack of poo! I said time would be tight, but I’d wait for you to pick me up.”
    Why does he never listen?
    â€œOh,” says Jimi.
    â€œOh,” I say.
    â€œSorry, Ronnie,” Jimi says meekly. “I got a bit mixed up ... But hey, just come anyway!”
    â€œI can’t get in after eight P.M.! That’s McGraw rules. No entry after eight P.M.,” I yell.
    â€œDamn. You’re right ... you can’t.”
    â€œRight, time’s up with that phone, Steelo,” I hear Liam Gelding complaining. “Three other people want to make a call ... I can make some money here.”
    â€œRonnie. Gotta go. I’ll call you