Sleepover Girls on Safari Read Free

she interrupted brightly. “We’ve been e-mailing each other for over a year now.” Emma went into peals of fake laughter. “But you knew that already, silly me! I’m always telling you about Kirstin, aren’t I?”
    “You are?” said Kenny.
    Emma Hughes suddenly looked at her watch. “Heavens!” she said in an artificialvoice. “Is that the time! We’re going to be SO late for my grandmother’s party.” She flashed us a strangely pleading smile. “See you later, guys!”
    Before we could say “Huh?” Emma dragged her bewildered e-pal up the road and out of sight.
    Frankie stared after them with a puzzled expression. “Did you hear that, or did I imagine it?”
    “What?” we chorused.
    Frankie gulped noisily. “I thought she said, ‘See you later, guys’.”
    Kenny looked thoughtful. “She did say that, actually.”
    “Is it a crime?” I said timidly.
    Frankie looked outraged. “It is, actually, Felicity Proudlove. A crime against Nature. Emma made it sound like we were friends with her!”
    Kenny shuddered. “That is creepy.”
    “She was weird at dinner time too,” said Lyndz.
    “Maybe she really has got nits or ants in her pants or whatever?” Rosie suggested.
    “Bats in her belfry more like,” Kenz sniggered.
    Frankie shook her head. “Emma’s up to something. But she won’t get away with it. I’m going to be watching her very closely.”
    “Listen to Frankie the super spy!” Lyndz giggled.
    I was feeling slightly hurt. Why did Frankie have to draw attention to my name like that? It’s not my fault my new stepdad is called Andy Proudlove. Mind you, my real dad’s name is even worse. It’s Sidebotham, would you believe. When it comes to names, my family has the worst luck.
    “Mum will be worrying,” I sighed. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
    I waved to my mates and went speeding down the street. I was still waiting at the pelican crossing when I heard Rosie call my name. She caught me up breathlessly. “Have you got a sec? I need to talk to you.”
    I had an awful feeling like going down too fast in a lift. Rosie can be really touchy sometimes. Obviously I’d upset her and that’s why she’d been acting so strangely. I decided to get in first.
    “I don’t know what I’ve done, Rosie, but I’m so SO sorry. I’ll make it up to you, I promise. And what’s more I’ll never ever do it again, erm, whatever it was.”
    Rosie looked confused. “What? No, Fliss, you haven’t done anything. But I’m really worried about something and I need to talk to someone.”
    A warm glow started up inside me. Rosie trusted me. “You can tell me anything, dummy,” I said. “I’m your mate.”
    I stood at the crossing for ten minutes, listening to Rosie.
    When I finally walked up my front path and put the key in the door, I barely heard my brother and sister’s wails. I trudged upstairs to my bedroom, shut the door, and collapsed miserably on to my bed.
    We’d been looking forward to this trip for ever: since Kenny’s sister Molly went to the same safari park. We’d daydreamed about what animals we’d see and what outfits we’d wear. We’d planned in detail the wonderful sleepover feast we’d have afterwards.
    Now our dreams had ended up in the dustbin of disappointments.
    I knew the awful truth behind Rosie’s headaches.
    She couldn’t afford to come. Her dad was supposed to send the money but he’d forgotten and now he’d gone away on business. Rosie’s mum was sorry, but she didn’t have any cash to spare.
    I was so upset, I felt as if my insides had been put into an ice-cream maker and churned into a great big, multicoloured mess.
    What was I going to do? I didn’t have enough money to pay for Rosie. I couldn’t even ask anyone for help. She had totally sworn me to secrecy.
    That meant Rosie was relying on me to come up with a plan to save the big Sleepover Safari. I really hoped I wouldn’t let her down.

Morning came and I still hadn’t come up with a