'Do you reckon I should have a house party like Laura, or hire a hall like
Imogen?' she asked 'Or maybe a sleepover like you had?'
Michaela again took the sensible view, 'you remember what happened at Laura's party? When Tony picked the lock of the drinks cupboard?'
'Oh sure, but there's no lock to pick on our drinks cupboard,' said Josie with an evil grin.
'Josie!' Michaela was about to launch into a long lecture when she saw that Josie was actually laughing.
'God Michaela, we don't even have a drinks cupboard! You know what my parents are like!' Michaela certainly did, Josie's parents were strict Christians and strongly disapproved of alcohol.
'Don't you let your mum hear you blaspheming like that!' laughed Michaela
They chatted about ideas for Josie's party until they got to Josie's house, Michaela was about to say goodbye, when they heard loud voices from inside Josie's drive.
'Please Mrs. Downs, do you know where she is?'
'I told you, she went off to town, why don't you ring her mobile,'
'I don't have a phone, may I please use yours?'
'No, please, you might find her if you walk into town.'
Michaela and Josie walked round the corner to see Laura standing on the doorstep, pleading with Josie's mum. Mrs. Downs was looking very disapprovingly at Laura's red tartan mini skirt and very revealing black top. Michaela and Josie laughed, Laura turned around.
'Here I am Loz,' said Josie, still laughing. Laura gave Josie a playfully evil look; she hated people calling her Loz. 'Mum, can Michaela and Laura come in,'
'Hmm, I suppose so,' replied Mrs. Downs, her lips pursed, still looked at Laura with deep disapproval.
Josie led them up to her bedroom and lost no time in telling Laura all about Mike. Laura took a completely different view to Michaela when she was told Mike was sixteen.
'Wow! Jose! Sixteen! Either you're very lucky or he's very desperate!' 'Laura! God, he is so gorgeous, he must have tons of girls after him!' Josie cried 'Plus he's in a band, and he's going to get us tickets to the theatre concert!'
'Ooh really! Which band is he in?' asked Laura.
'Lucid Nightmare or something like that,' replied Josie. Laura's expression turned suddenly from excited to scared. She swore loudly.
'Do you know who the lead singer of Lucid Nightmare is?'
'No, who?' Josie asked
'Roggie Davis!' Laura cried.
This didn't quite have the effect she'd hoped for.
'Who?'
'You know, that guy from the grammar school who tried it on with about four eleven year olds!' it was Josie's turn to swear.
'I think I heard something about that, did it get reported to the police?' she said.
'I think so, but I don't think they pressed charges,' replied Laura.
'What about the other members? What are they like?' asked Michael.
'Okay I think, I haven't heard much about them,' Laura replied.
'Oh god Josie, you have got to be so careful!' said Michaela. Josie was sitting there, silent, like she was doing some careful thinking. Suddenly the phone rang, jolting Josie out her trance.
'You're right Michaela, I've got to talk to Mike,' she said.
'Josephine! Phone! It's . a boy,' shouted Mrs. Downs from downstairs.
'I've got it up here,' Josie shouted back, and ran out into hall. The upstairs phone sat on a small table by the landing. Laura and Michaela followed Josie out, wondering if it was Mike. It was.
'Hi Mike,' said Josie getting to the phone 'the tickets? Oh brilliant, that's great! I've just got a question to ask, your band is Lucid Nightmare isn't it? Cool, and Roggie Davis is in it right? Well I've heard some, you know, bad stories about him. Yeah, is it true? Okay I see. Well, see you at the concert then.' She paused for a second 'Really? Okay, how about tomorrow night? At the theatre? Yeah cool, see you at seven. Okay see you.'
'What the hell was that?' asked Laura as soon as Josie had put the phone down.
'He asked me out,' she looked stunned 'He asked me if I wanted to go and see a film, that's a date isn't it?'
'Err, yes Jose! You go girl!' shouted Laura and spontaneously hugged her. Michaela suddenly remembered something -
'Josie, do you have Rosie and Mike's phone number?'
'Yeah, Rosie seems quite nice, how old is she?' replied Josie.
'Same age as us I think, I didn't ask.'
'Hang on a sec, who's Rosie?' asked Laura
'Oh yeah, sorry,' said Michaela 'She's Mike's sister, she's really nice,'
Suddenly the phone rang again, Josie grabbed it, shouting -
'I've got it Mum!' she said hello, then squealed. 'It's Imogen,' she mouthed to the other two, she then went on to explain all about Mike and everything else very fast, barely stopping for breath.
'Ask her if she can come round here,' said Michaela. Josie asked her and she said yes.
'She'll be round in sec,' said Josie, putting the phone down 'C'mon,' she beckoned for them to follow her back into her bedroom.
On her wall, above her bed was a giant poster of Nathan Robinson, the newest pop singer and teen crush.
'Ooh, he's so cute, isn't he,' cooed Josie.
'Hmm, yeah' replied Michaela, yeah, he was good looking, but Michaela couldn't see what everyone else saw in him. In fact, she didn't really like any of the celeb boys all her friends liked.
The three of them chatted for a while, until Josie said - 'Shall I put some music on?
'Yeah, what have you got?' asked Laura.
'Erm,' Josie started looking down her CD rack, 'Candygirl, Party Club, Nathan Robinson and - ooh, how about Little Zee?'
Laura and Michaela exchanged glances.
'Haven't you got anything that isn't pop?' asked Michaela in mock desperation.
'No, I like pop,' replied Josie innocently.
'Try this,' said Laura, pulling her personal CD player and handing the CD to Josie.
'Inside My Mind? Who on earth are they?' said Josie, frowning at the CD in her hands.
'Oh yeah, they're brilliant Jose, put it on!' cried Michaela, just as the doorbell rang downstairs.
'That'll be Imogen,' said Josie 'Come on, let's go.' The three of them ran out of Josie's bedroom and down the stairs, nearly knocking over Josie's twin brother and sister, Samuel and Rebecca.
'Girls, please slow down,' said Mrs. Downs, flattening herself against the wall as the girls raced past. They flung the door open to see Imogen standing there in her Tigger t-shirt and jeans. Josie and Laura grabbed Imogen's hands and hauled her upstairs to Josie's bedroom, Michaela following in fits of laughter.
'So what's this about Josie's new boy?' said Imogen after she had untangled herself from Laura and Josie.
Josie repeated what she had said down the phone, clearer this time.
'Ooh Jose! Sixteen? That is so cool!' Imogen squealed 'Oh, but well, you know. sixteen . you've got to be careful. You know what happened to Leanne.'
'No, what did?' asked Laura.
'Oh, of course, it was before you joined the school,' said Michaela 'You know Leanne Roberts? Well she went out with a seventeen year old, and when he asked her if she wanted to, you know, go all the way, she said no and he nearly raped her.'
'Nearly?'
'Well her older sister walked in just in time, from what I've heard, anyway.' Michaela told her.
'Mike is different,' said Josie 'You saw him Michaela, he doesn't seem like that, does he?'
'No, you're right, he doesn't, but all the same Jose.'
'Yeah, well, anyone got any secrets or gossip?' Josie asked.
'I have a secret,' said Imogen, but the look in her eyes told the other three she wished she hadn't spoken.
'Yeah?' prompted Laura.
'Michaela is going to kill me,' Imogen mumbled.
'I am?' said Michaela, surprised 'Is it something to do with Jamie? Cos I don't mind, I'm not going out with him anymore.'
'Yeah, it is, I . err . like him, a lot,'
'Hey, cool Imy! Go for it I say!' said Laura 'I think you have a good chance.'
'You really think so?'
'Defiantly' said Laura, Josie and Michaela at the same time, then they all fell about laughing.
'Ooh, I forgot to say,' said Josie after they'd recovered themselves, 'Mike said he's got us some tickets for Band Night on Friday.'
'Band Night? I thought you hated Band Night!' said Imogen.
'Mike is in Lucid Nightmare who are playing! I've got to go!'
They carried on talking like this, discussing music mainly; they all had very different tastes. Michaela and Imogen liked rock, Josie liked pop, and Laura liked punk.
After about twenty minutes, Mrs. Downs came in to say that they had all better go home. They all lived pretty close to each other, within walking distance. Imogen and Michaela lived in one direction, and Laura the other.
'You sure you don't mind about Jamie?' said Imogen as they set off.
'I dumped him didn't I? Why should I mind?' replied Michaela.
'I dunno, I was just wondering. Oh, I forgot to ask Laura and Josie, do you want to come to my house on Friday, after school, so we can get ready for band night?' Imogen said.
'Yeah, that would be very cool.' replied Michaela.
They said goodbye and walked on their separate ways.
Michaela again took the sensible view, 'you remember what happened at Laura's party? When Tony picked the lock of the drinks cupboard?'
'Oh sure, but there's no lock to pick on our drinks cupboard,' said Josie with an evil grin.
'Josie!' Michaela was about to launch into a long lecture when she saw that Josie was actually laughing.
'God Michaela, we don't even have a drinks cupboard! You know what my parents are like!' Michaela certainly did, Josie's parents were strict Christians and strongly disapproved of alcohol.
'Don't you let your mum hear you blaspheming like that!' laughed Michaela
They chatted about ideas for Josie's party until they got to Josie's house, Michaela was about to say goodbye, when they heard loud voices from inside Josie's drive.
'Please Mrs. Downs, do you know where she is?'
'I told you, she went off to town, why don't you ring her mobile,'
'I don't have a phone, may I please use yours?'
'No, please, you might find her if you walk into town.'
Michaela and Josie walked round the corner to see Laura standing on the doorstep, pleading with Josie's mum. Mrs. Downs was looking very disapprovingly at Laura's red tartan mini skirt and very revealing black top. Michaela and Josie laughed, Laura turned around.
'Here I am Loz,' said Josie, still laughing. Laura gave Josie a playfully evil look; she hated people calling her Loz. 'Mum, can Michaela and Laura come in,'
'Hmm, I suppose so,' replied Mrs. Downs, her lips pursed, still looked at Laura with deep disapproval.
Josie led them up to her bedroom and lost no time in telling Laura all about Mike. Laura took a completely different view to Michaela when she was told Mike was sixteen.
'Wow! Jose! Sixteen! Either you're very lucky or he's very desperate!' 'Laura! God, he is so gorgeous, he must have tons of girls after him!' Josie cried 'Plus he's in a band, and he's going to get us tickets to the theatre concert!'
'Ooh really! Which band is he in?' asked Laura.
'Lucid Nightmare or something like that,' replied Josie. Laura's expression turned suddenly from excited to scared. She swore loudly.
'Do you know who the lead singer of Lucid Nightmare is?'
'No, who?' Josie asked
'Roggie Davis!' Laura cried.
This didn't quite have the effect she'd hoped for.
'Who?'
'You know, that guy from the grammar school who tried it on with about four eleven year olds!' it was Josie's turn to swear.
'I think I heard something about that, did it get reported to the police?' she said.
'I think so, but I don't think they pressed charges,' replied Laura.
'What about the other members? What are they like?' asked Michael.
'Okay I think, I haven't heard much about them,' Laura replied.
'Oh god Josie, you have got to be so careful!' said Michaela. Josie was sitting there, silent, like she was doing some careful thinking. Suddenly the phone rang, jolting Josie out her trance.
'You're right Michaela, I've got to talk to Mike,' she said.
'Josephine! Phone! It's . a boy,' shouted Mrs. Downs from downstairs.
'I've got it up here,' Josie shouted back, and ran out into hall. The upstairs phone sat on a small table by the landing. Laura and Michaela followed Josie out, wondering if it was Mike. It was.
'Hi Mike,' said Josie getting to the phone 'the tickets? Oh brilliant, that's great! I've just got a question to ask, your band is Lucid Nightmare isn't it? Cool, and Roggie Davis is in it right? Well I've heard some, you know, bad stories about him. Yeah, is it true? Okay I see. Well, see you at the concert then.' She paused for a second 'Really? Okay, how about tomorrow night? At the theatre? Yeah cool, see you at seven. Okay see you.'
'What the hell was that?' asked Laura as soon as Josie had put the phone down.
'He asked me out,' she looked stunned 'He asked me if I wanted to go and see a film, that's a date isn't it?'
'Err, yes Jose! You go girl!' shouted Laura and spontaneously hugged her. Michaela suddenly remembered something -
'Josie, do you have Rosie and Mike's phone number?'
'Yeah, Rosie seems quite nice, how old is she?' replied Josie.
'Same age as us I think, I didn't ask.'
'Hang on a sec, who's Rosie?' asked Laura
'Oh yeah, sorry,' said Michaela 'She's Mike's sister, she's really nice,'
Suddenly the phone rang again, Josie grabbed it, shouting -
'I've got it Mum!' she said hello, then squealed. 'It's Imogen,' she mouthed to the other two, she then went on to explain all about Mike and everything else very fast, barely stopping for breath.
'Ask her if she can come round here,' said Michaela. Josie asked her and she said yes.
'She'll be round in sec,' said Josie, putting the phone down 'C'mon,' she beckoned for them to follow her back into her bedroom.
On her wall, above her bed was a giant poster of Nathan Robinson, the newest pop singer and teen crush.
'Ooh, he's so cute, isn't he,' cooed Josie.
'Hmm, yeah' replied Michaela, yeah, he was good looking, but Michaela couldn't see what everyone else saw in him. In fact, she didn't really like any of the celeb boys all her friends liked.
The three of them chatted for a while, until Josie said - 'Shall I put some music on?
'Yeah, what have you got?' asked Laura.
'Erm,' Josie started looking down her CD rack, 'Candygirl, Party Club, Nathan Robinson and - ooh, how about Little Zee?'
Laura and Michaela exchanged glances.
'Haven't you got anything that isn't pop?' asked Michaela in mock desperation.
'No, I like pop,' replied Josie innocently.
'Try this,' said Laura, pulling her personal CD player and handing the CD to Josie.
'Inside My Mind? Who on earth are they?' said Josie, frowning at the CD in her hands.
'Oh yeah, they're brilliant Jose, put it on!' cried Michaela, just as the doorbell rang downstairs.
'That'll be Imogen,' said Josie 'Come on, let's go.' The three of them ran out of Josie's bedroom and down the stairs, nearly knocking over Josie's twin brother and sister, Samuel and Rebecca.
'Girls, please slow down,' said Mrs. Downs, flattening herself against the wall as the girls raced past. They flung the door open to see Imogen standing there in her Tigger t-shirt and jeans. Josie and Laura grabbed Imogen's hands and hauled her upstairs to Josie's bedroom, Michaela following in fits of laughter.
'So what's this about Josie's new boy?' said Imogen after she had untangled herself from Laura and Josie.
Josie repeated what she had said down the phone, clearer this time.
'Ooh Jose! Sixteen? That is so cool!' Imogen squealed 'Oh, but well, you know. sixteen . you've got to be careful. You know what happened to Leanne.'
'No, what did?' asked Laura.
'Oh, of course, it was before you joined the school,' said Michaela 'You know Leanne Roberts? Well she went out with a seventeen year old, and when he asked her if she wanted to, you know, go all the way, she said no and he nearly raped her.'
'Nearly?'
'Well her older sister walked in just in time, from what I've heard, anyway.' Michaela told her.
'Mike is different,' said Josie 'You saw him Michaela, he doesn't seem like that, does he?'
'No, you're right, he doesn't, but all the same Jose.'
'Yeah, well, anyone got any secrets or gossip?' Josie asked.
'I have a secret,' said Imogen, but the look in her eyes told the other three she wished she hadn't spoken.
'Yeah?' prompted Laura.
'Michaela is going to kill me,' Imogen mumbled.
'I am?' said Michaela, surprised 'Is it something to do with Jamie? Cos I don't mind, I'm not going out with him anymore.'
'Yeah, it is, I . err . like him, a lot,'
'Hey, cool Imy! Go for it I say!' said Laura 'I think you have a good chance.'
'You really think so?'
'Defiantly' said Laura, Josie and Michaela at the same time, then they all fell about laughing.
'Ooh, I forgot to say,' said Josie after they'd recovered themselves, 'Mike said he's got us some tickets for Band Night on Friday.'
'Band Night? I thought you hated Band Night!' said Imogen.
'Mike is in Lucid Nightmare who are playing! I've got to go!'
They carried on talking like this, discussing music mainly; they all had very different tastes. Michaela and Imogen liked rock, Josie liked pop, and Laura liked punk.
After about twenty minutes, Mrs. Downs came in to say that they had all better go home. They all lived pretty close to each other, within walking distance. Imogen and Michaela lived in one direction, and Laura the other.
'You sure you don't mind about Jamie?' said Imogen as they set off.
'I dumped him didn't I? Why should I mind?' replied Michaela.
'I dunno, I was just wondering. Oh, I forgot to ask Laura and Josie, do you want to come to my house on Friday, after school, so we can get ready for band night?' Imogen said.
'Yeah, that would be very cool.' replied Michaela.
They said goodbye and walked on their separate ways.