Pick 'n' Mix Read Free

as your servant.”
    I was safe for the moment, but I knew it couldn’t last. Sooner or later I was going to be moved into Angel’s room and Angel was going to be moved into mine, and then the baldness would be revealed in all its horror. And the hole in the carpet. It was fraying fast, all round the edge, and was ballooning out where Rags had tugged.
    There was only one thing to do. I raced back downstairs and into the kitchen.
    â€œMum?”
    Where was she? I had to get to her before she rang Mrs Duffy.
    â€œMum!” I ran, panting, up the hall.
    â€œWhat is it?” said Mum, coming out of the front room. “Is the house on fire?”
    I said, “No, but I’ve been thinking… maybe it’s not fair on Angel, me moving into her room. You know how she hates people touching her things.”
    â€œWell, that’s all right,” said Mum. “Don’t touch them.”
    â€œBut she hates me even just looking at them. Just breathing on them. It might give her a nervous breakdown!”
    â€œShe’ll get over it,” said Mum.
    â€œBut it could be fatal!”
    â€œI doubt it.”
    I was really surprised at Mum. Who would have thought she could be so heartless?
    I said, “ Mu-u-um! ”
    â€œIt’s no big deal,” said Mum. “So she’s sacrificing her bedroom for four weeks. It won’t do her any harm. I’m more concerned about you; Emilia can be quite clingy. I just hope you’re not biting off more than you can chew.”
    â€œ I’m not,” I said. “It’s Angel I’m worried about.”
    â€œThat’s very sweet of you,” said Mum, “but really quite unnecessary. In any case, it’s too late now, I’ve already rung Mrs Duffy. Emilia’s coming on Tuesday.”
    I said, “Oh.”
    â€œWe’ll do the move tomorrow evening.”
    â€œOK.” I trailed to the door, then suddenly turned back. “Maybe Emilia could sleep in my room, with me?”
    â€œDon’t be silly,” said Mum. “We couldn’t get a second bed in your room.”
    â€œI could always sleep downstairs,” I said. Emilia by herself probably wouldn’t even notice a hole in the carpet. “I could sleep on the sofa!”
    â€œNow you’re just being ridiculous,” said Mum.
    â€œBut, M—”
    â€œYou’re both sleeping in Angel’s room! That’s it, it’s all sorted.”
    â€œB—”
    â€œ Frankie!”
    I was doomed.

Chapter Two
    â€œSo then Mum said how would we feel if she came to live with us for a bit, and I said I wouldn’t mind, except if it meant sharing a bedroom with Angel, cos you know what she’s like.”
    Jemma said, “Yuck, yes!”
    Skye nodded, wisely. “Wouldn’t work.”
    â€œWell, this is it,” I said. “I mean, imagine. ”
    It was Monday afternoon and we were walking back from school. Skye and Jem are my best mates. I’d been bursting all day to tell them about what had happened to my carpet and the terrible trouble I was going to be in, but what with one thing and another this was the first chance I’d had.
    â€œAnyway,” I said, “I got this bright idea? I said if Angel moved into my room, me and her could share Angel’s room—”
    â€œYou and this girl?”
    â€œEmilia. Yes! But—”
    â€œWhat’s she like?”
    â€œOh –” I waved a hand. “She’s all right.” Emilia wasn’t what I wanted to talk about. What I wanted to talk about was this fearsome thing that was hanging over me. The hole in my carpet… “I don’t actually know her very well. The thing is—”
    â€œSuppose you don’t get on?” said Jem.
    â€œWe’ll get on! It’s only for a few weeks.” I’m not like Angel, I don’t get all fussed and bothered about stuff. Angel is always on about