Page 22 of A Secret Cornish Wish
Unlike the last time we were here, Rob insists on walking me right to my door.
‘I had a great time tonight,’ he says as we pause on my doorstep. ‘Thank you.’
‘I had a great time too,’ I reply, hoping desperately that Mum or Dad don’t appear and open the door. ‘I . . . I’m glad you saw that fish thing too. I wasn’t sure if I might have imagined it before.’
‘Yeah, that was odd. Like I said before, maybe we can do some investigating and try to find out what it could be?’
I nod. ‘The library might have some books? We could take a look one night after school.’ As I’m saying this, I’m actually cringing inside.What are you babbling about, Frankie? You’ve just been on a date with the boy of your dreams and you’re talking about going to visit a library with him!
‘Good idea,’ Rob says to my relief. ‘Let’s do that.’ He glances at the lounge window just behind me. ‘I think your dad might be keeping an eye on us,’ he whispers.
I turn around and see the top of my dad’s head swiftly disappearing behind the patterned curtains.
‘Sorry,’ I whisper back. ‘I think he’s gone now.’
‘It’s fine. My parents would probably be doing the same thing if this were my house. They’re usually a bit busy at night with the pub, though, to worry too much what I’m up to. Right then, I guess I’ll see you at school tomorrow?’ Rob begins to back away.
‘Yes.’
He takes another quick glance at the window, then, before I know what’s happening, he leans forward and kisses my cheek.
Then looking almost as surprised as I am, he turns and heads quickly down the path, pausing only at the bottom to turn back briefly and lift his hand to wave goodbye.
But I’m in so much shock, I can’t even lift mine to respond, let alone notice the flushed look on Rob’s face that so closely matches my own current expression.
Rob Matthews kissed me . . . OK, it was only a peck on my cheek, but, still. He actually kissed me . . .
Seven
‘You all look amazing!’ Suzy says as she surveys the costumes for our performance. ‘I knew it would work.’
My fear that we would end up in bikini tops made of shells and long fish tails covered in scales was completely inaccurate. Instead, Suzy has created outfits that aren’t too revealing at all, but at the same time manage to make us look very mermaid-like.
It’s Saturday night and Claire, Mandy and I are all wearing swimming costumes in different shades of blue and green. Attached to these are layers of matching sea-green chiffon fashioned into long skirts that taper in at the ankle. Our tail fins are attached to our flip-flops, so when we sit on our papier mâché rock they look exactly like the tail fins of a fish as we swish them to and fro, but we can still walk.
Around our necks we have long necklaces made of shells, which Suzy tells us she collected off the beaches around St Felix, so we must put them back when we’re finished, or it will mess with the ecosystem. And on our heads, each of us has pinned one side of our long hair up with a comb covered in fake shells, which Suzy says she found really cheaply in one of the many beach gift shops.
Eddie and Rob are wearing colourful Hawaiian shirts and matching long shorts with the Fat Willy’s Surf Shack insignia. Suzy’s brother works part time at the shack in St Felix and managed to source them from some old stock kept out the back of the shop. Suzy also managed to obtain a broken surfboard at the same time to complete our ‘set’.
‘You’ve done so well, Suz,’ I tell her as I admire our outfits. ‘Considering your budget was the little bit of money we could all scrape together, I think you should take up costume design when you leave school.’
‘Thank you, Frankie, it’s lovely of you to say, but I don’t think so. I want to make a difference to the world when I get a job. I don’t want to sew for a living.’
‘I’m sure there’s more to costume design than just sewing,’ Eddie says. ‘But Frankie’s right – you really have done an incredible job. I can’t thank you enough.’
‘I’m just pleased I got to be a part of this, but I didn’t have to sing. I can’t bear the thought of getting up on that stage in front of everyone and making a fool of myself. But I’m sure you guys won’t,’ she adds quickly when she realises what she’s said. ‘I’ve seen you rehearsing, remember – you will all be wonderful!’
‘We’ll know in about an hour, won’t we?’ Mandy looks at her watch. ‘We’re due on around seven.’
‘I can’t wait to see you all together up on the stage,’ Suzy says. ‘I’ll be cheering you on from the audience. But right now, I have to go and find Miss Johnston. I said I’d help with seeing people to their seats. The hall looks amazing, by the way – wait until you all see it. Frankie, your backdrop is thepièce de résistance; it sets everything off beautifully!’ She hugs us all before she goes. ‘Break a fin!’ she calls as she leaves us in the drama studio that is being used as a temporary dressing room for all the acts.
‘So now what?’ I ask as we watch Suzy go. ‘Do we just wait?’
‘Nah, I’ve found somewhere we can secretly watch everyone else,’ Mandy says, beckoning us over into a huddle. ‘I want to see what the competition is like.’
‘Is that allowed?’ Claire asks, looking worried. ‘Miss Kelly said we were to wait here until we’re called.’
‘Sod that,’ Mandy says. ‘I ain’t staying here cooped up with all these losers. Have you seen Jenny Meadows? She keeps giving me daggers.’
