The next few weeks are packed with activity. School gives way to the Easter holidays, thank goodness, because I have better things to do than endless assignments and organising Keep your head down Friday outfits. Finally, I can concentrate on checking Jenny’s Vogue interview to go with the photos (it’s great) and discussing launch events with Miss Teen. In fact, if I had to describe my life right now, I would have to admit it feels glamorous. Like somebody else’s life – not the sort of girl who still has the butterfly duvet cover from when she was ten, but the sort of girl who knows people who do photo shoots and design collections. The sort of girl the Belles would really hate, if they knew. Another good reason it’s the holidays.

Crow, meanwhile, is happily designing the perfect ballgown for Jenny, using every spare minute to get the right white satin, the right black velvet and the perfect fit. Her original sketch has been refined into something simple and dramatic: a bit Audrey Hepburn, a bit Grace Kelly, and – to Jenny’s delight – a bit the young Queen Elizabeth, when she looked like a film star herself, before she hit her matching-hat-and-coat phase.

There is one slight complication, which Edie is the first to notice when we get back to school. Jenny will have to miss two AS papers while she’s in New York. Our head has this thing about missing exams. She doesn’t like it. Which is why we leave it until the last possible minute to tell her. Alarmingly, she seems to be on the brink of saying no. Then, three days before Jenny’s due to fly, the head summons her to her office. We meet her in the cafeteria afterwards, to find out the decision.

‘How did it go?’ Edie asks. She’s got a SAT test this afternoon, so her eyes are glassy and her cheeks look drawn with nerves, but she’s doing her best to pay attention.

‘Well, you’ll never guess—’ Jenny says breathily.

‘No,’ Edie interrupts, ‘we won’t. Tell us.’

‘OK. Well, apparently Jackson Ward rang her yesterday and kind of begged,’ Jenny grins. ‘It was great. He said he had to be quick, because Shirley Bassey needed to call him about something and he had to keep the line clear. She loved it! Plus she looked him up afterwards and found out all about his Tonys and Oscars . . .’

‘Oscars?’ I ask.

‘Yup. He has two. For film scores. He’s really good. I keep telling you. Anyway, he explained that the workshop wouldn’t be the same without me. How could she say no? As long as I take my books with me and revise blah blah blah. There’s just one thing, though,’ she adds, fiddling about with Edie’s discarded paper napkin and avoiding our eyes.

‘What?’

‘Could one of you look after Stella while I’m away? Her kittens are due soon and I’d hate nobody to be there when they come. She’ll need help.’

Edie and I look a bit confused. Not because Jenny’s cat is pregnant. That’s been a big topic of conversation recently. But it’s surprising that she’ll need help.

‘What about your mum?’ I ask. ‘Can’t she do it?’

There’s a long pause. Jenny twists the napkin so much it breaks in half. She smoothes the pieces out on the table.

‘She’s not well. I don’t think she’s up to managing kittens on top of . . . stuff.’

‘Oh, poor Gloria!’ Edie, suddenly perks up, looks concerned and reaches out for Jenny’s hand. ‘What’s the matter?’

Jenny shrugs. ‘Just something she’s had for a long time. She’ll be fine. Eventually. But she’s not good right now. Will you go?’

‘Of course!’ Edie says. ‘I’ve always wanted a cat . . .’

Jenny reaches down for her bag, scrabbles around in it and, hesitating slightly, hands over a key with a mini Statue of Liberty attached to the keyring.

‘It’s my spare. Use it to let yourself in.’

Edie takes the key and nods.

Jenny smiles and shudders slightly, as if to shake off that part of the conversation. ‘Anyway,’ she says, turning to me, ‘when shall I pick up the dress?’

‘You can come round tonight, if you like,’ I tell her, picturing the ballgown already neatly boxed up in our front hall and ready to fly to America, where it will be worn with a diamond bracelet that Isabelle’s arranged for Jenny to borrow.

Edie gets up and gives both of us a strained smile. ‘I’d better be going. See you later.’

We watch her head off to prepare for her test, while Jenny plans her ballgown and diamonds. We both know who we’d rather be.