Zodiac Girls: Brat Princess Read Free

can always
do home schooling. Loads of people do, although I’ve
heard it said that home schoolers sometimes lack social
skills on account of not having mixed with other
people. I wouldn’t like that to happen to me. Last thing
I’d want is to be thought of as lacking social skills or
being difficult. I can be firm and strong-minded, but
never difficult. Not me.
    “And thanks for asking what I want for Christmas
dinner,” I said to Mum.
    “Oh, didn’t I? Oh. I meant to. Are you sure I
didn’t? Hmm. Oh…” Mummy blustered on, obviously
embarrassed by the fact that she’d forgotten to ask. I
decided to put her out of her misery.
    “Well, actually you needn’t include me in any of the
Christmas meals as I won’t be having any.”
    She looked shocked. “Whatever do you mean,
Leonora?”
    “Diet. I am on one from now on. I shan’t be eating
again for at least a month.”
    Shirla came out behind her and overheard me. She
was carrying my plate of chips. “Ah. So you won’t be
wanting these, then?” She dipped a big juicy one in sour
cream and popped it into her mouth. I felt my mouth
water as I watched her lick her lips. I do so like eating.
It is one of my few pleasures in life. So sad that I will
have to suffer and deny myself just so that I can look
good in my jeans. Never was there a truer sentence
than: you have to suffer to be beautiful. But… maybe
I could start tomorrow. No. That would be awkward
being in Paris and in such a swanky hotel. Shame to
miss out. Best time to start properly is when I get back.
Or in the New Year. Yeah. That’s always a brilliant time
to start with diets. Resolutions and all that.
    “Er… Well. I ought to maybe just force something
down before I go,” I said. “And Mason did go to all that
trouble of making them, Shirla.” (Never let it be said
that I don’t appreciate what people do for me. I do.)
    Shirla turned to go back inside. “No problem
dahlin. Me likes the chips, too. Um, uh, they’s good.”
    I made myself take a deep breath. “Shirla, give me
that plate RIGHT now,” I commanded. “And you’d
better go and pack a case. I’ve decided that I want you
to come with me to Europe.”
    Shirla stopped and looked questioningly at Mummy.
    “But Henry is going with you. It’s all been
arranged,” said Mummy.
    “I don’t care,” I said. “I want Shirla. It’s only for two
days.”
    Shirla shook her head. “I’s not going to Europe. Oh
no, sugar. I’s got things to do, Mrs Hedley-Dent. My
little Mariah. She in the nativity play tomorrow night.
She being a camel. I can’t miss that, not for all the pea
in China.”
    “Tea, Shirla,” I said. “It’s tea in China and anyway,
there wasn’t a camel in the nativity. There was a
donkey though.”
    Shirla laughed. “Her costume got four legs that’s all
I know. And she sure look like a camel and I ain’t
missing her not for you, not for nobody. It’s bad
enough she didn’t get the part she wanted, which was
the Christmas angel, so I ain’t missing it. No, siree.”
    Typical , I thought. As usual, everyone is thinking about
themselves .
    Mummy had her frightened-rabbit look on. “Yes, it’s
all been arranged,” she said.
    At that moment, there was a sound around the front
of the villa and Mummy ran out to see who it was.
    I turned to Shirla. “You will come with me,” I said.
“I can make you.”
    Shirla laughed, raised an eyebrow, did a perfect
withering look and shook a finger at me. “Just you try,
sugar. Just you try. This is ma granddaughter’s first
nativity play. I ain’t missing that.”
    “Well that is your problem, Shirla. Don’t make it
mine. And by the way… I lent you a hundred dollars
last week. I’m sure Mummy wouldn’t like it if she
knew about that! The staff borrowing money?”
    “I ain’t forgotten,” said Shirla. She reached into the
pocket of her apron and produced ten ten-dollar notes.
    “Er… I don’t think