Page 17 of Seven Letters

‘Well, he’d bloody well want to if he’s just agreed to spend the rest of his life with her,’ Mia said, the alcohol making her sound angrier than she’d intended.

‘Will you say it to him?’ Sarah asked.

‘No way. He’ll take it better from you. He prefers you.’

‘No, he doesn’t. Don’t be silly.’

‘Yes, he does, and we both know it, but it’s OK because I know Mum preferred me.’

‘You cow,’ Sarah said, laughing.

Mia grinned. ‘I love you the most.’

Sarah leant down and kissed her sister’s cheek. ‘Ditto.’

‘Thank God we have each other,’ Mia said. ‘The only sane ones left.’

Sarah pulled her to her feet. ‘I’ll talk to Dad tomorrow, quietly and alone. For now, we have to pretend we’re happy.’

‘Do we really?’

‘Yes, Mia. Now behave.’

‘I’ll be good.’

‘Smile and say nothing.’

‘How’s this?’ Mia turned to her sister, a fake smile plastered across her face.

‘That’s really scary. OK, forget the smile. Just keep quiet.’

‘But Olivia said my smile transforms my face.’ Mia bared her teeth again.

The two sisters arrived back at the table, laughing.

Olivia beamed at them. ‘Didn’t I tell you, Charlie? They’re delighted with the news.’

‘Thrilled.’ Mia threw her arms in the air.

‘Over the moon.’ Sarah giggled.

‘My lovely girls,’ Charlie said fondly. ‘Best sisters in the world.’

7

Riley poured vodka into the plastic cup and topped it off with a splash of Coke. Taking a deep breath, she knocked it back. It burned her throat and made her want to throw up, but she needed it.

She glanced up from under her fringe and watched him flirting. How could he do this to her? He’d said she was special. He’d said she was the only person he wanted to be with. He’d said … he’d said so many things. They were together. They were a couple. Riley and Zach, Zach and Riley. She’d loved it. She’d loved being part of a pair. It had been the best five months of her life.

Until last week, when she’d made that joke about the stupid high jump. It was no big deal, but he’d looked all hurt and then he’d stopped answering her calls and then he’d sent that text:I think we need to take a break. A text! A break? Because of a stupid comment?

Zach was the one good thing in her life. He made her feel ten feet tall. He made her feel beautiful, which no one had ever done before. She knew she wasn’t, but when Zach said it, she kind of believed him. Stupid of her, because he obviously hadn’t meant it. He’d been avoiding her, and now he was humiliating her in front of everyone. Riley needed to numb the pain quickly.

It was crazy that he was acting like he was into Zoë. She was so not his type. He’d always slagged off ‘those girls’ with their fake tan, bleached hair and dresses barely covering their arses. Zach always said they looked like cheap Barbie dolls.He said he liked Riley because she was different. Well, it didn’t look that way now. Riley crunched the plastic cup between her fingers as Zach twirled Zoë’s long hair around his finger and laughed at some stupid remark she’d just made.

‘Hey.’ Shocko sidled up beside her at the kitchen counter. ‘What’s up?’

‘I’ll tell you what’s up,’ Riley hissed. ‘Zach is a dickhead, that’s what.’

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