The referee called for the teams to get ready and they ran onto the field. Charlie and Ellyse were in the starting six, but the coach was soon rotating players off the bench. The Hornets scored first, then Rocky made an amazing run, dodging and weaving around four players to score a touchdown. 1–1. Ellyse and Charlie went back on, and after eight passes back and forth, Charlie hooked around the end Hornets player and scored.

The second half was even tighter. The Hornets weren’t giving in. Both sides scored twice more, then the Hornets evened it up. 4–4. Two minutes from full-time, Ellyse went to pass to Rocky on her left, dummied instead, saw a gap open up and ran through to score the winning point. She was nearly crushed under her teammates’ hugs when the full-time whistle blew.

‘Pez! Pez! Pez!’ her team chanted, making her blush.

I guess Pez is better than Shrimp! she thought, grinning.

At the end of the day, there was a barbecue and the handing out of medals and cups.

Charlie gazed at her shiny medal on its blue ribbon. ‘Wow, this is almost as good as being in Cats.’

‘Almost?’ Ellyse said, raising an eyebrow. ‘No, it’s better!’

Charlie sighed. ‘I do love acting, though. Let’s call it even.’

They all piled back into the bus for the trip home.

‘I’m zonked,’ Charlie said, but Ellyse still felt the thrills of the day zinging through her.

As they drove back over the hills towards Sydney, she remembered all the best bits again – Charlie’s magic passes, Rocky’s run, her winning touchdown, and the medal still hanging around her neck. As tiredness crept over her, there was a loud bang that made her jump, and the bus veered to the side of the road.

‘Don’t worry, kids,’ the driver called. ‘Just a flat tyre. We’ll have it fixed in a jiffy.’

All of the grown-ups climbed out, leaving the kids to sleep or play video games, but Ellyse wanted to get out of the stuffy bus. She stepped down into an eerie light – the moon had just risen and it floated, large and white, near the horizon.

‘Don’t go too far,’ Dad said.

‘I won’t.’ She walked along the road, which was lined with gum trees that melted into darkness. When she came to a side track, she stopped and looked up at the moon. Suddenly, the day’s events fell away and all she could think about was Jazz. What are we going to do? Are we going to lose her as a friend? She wrapped her arms around herself as sadness swept over her. It seemed like such a long time since she’d seen Jazz really laugh. Sometimes she used to laugh so hard she’d snort and then they’d all get the giggles. Where did that Jazz go?

As she looked up at the moon lifting into the sky, a dark shape came towards her, wings spread wide, the tops of them shining in the moonlight. She caught a glimpse of the owl’s huge feathers and eyes, then whoosh! The owl swooped low, almost touching the top of Ellyse’s head, the wind from its wings washing over her.

That was so amazing! It’s like its eyes were looking straight into me. And right then, she knew what to do about Jazz. She’s my best friend – and Charlie’s too. We’re going to grab her and hug her and talk to her and make sure she knows we’re always there for her, no matter what. We’re going to show her we’re her bestest friends ever.

When Ellyse got back onto the bus, she woke Charlie and told her the plan.

‘You’re absolutely right,’ Charlie said. ‘We should do it first thing tomorrow.’

So they did. Ellyse’s mum took them to Jazz’s house, and when Jazz opened the door, they pulled her into a massive group hug.

‘Get your jacket,’ Ellyse said. ‘Mum’s taking us for hot chocolate and marshmallows.’

In the cafe, Mum sat at another table with the paper while the three girls talked and talked, and Jazz cried.

‘It’s been so awful at home,’ she said. ‘I just felt like I couldn’t explain any of it, and that stupid retreat made it worse. Mum and Dad shouted and Dad left early. Now they definitely are getting a divorce.’ She sniffed. ‘Carla and Sheridan think I’m being a wuss.’

‘You can tell us anything,’ Charlie said. ‘That’s what we’re here for.’

Jazz ducked her head. ‘You were right, Ellyse,’ she mumbled. ‘I was shoplifting. I didn’t even care if I got caught. I wanted to teach Mum and Dad a lesson, but nothing helped.’

‘I’m sorry I said it, all the same,’ Ellyse said.

‘It’s okay,’ Jazz said. ‘The funny thing is, now the divorce is official, I feel better. Like they’ve given up, so I can too. Give up worrying, I mean.’

‘But surely you’re not giving up shopping,’ Charlie said with a grin.

‘Totally not!’ Jazz said. ‘Hey, Mod Girl have got some new make-up. I saw it the other day. Let’s go and try it out.’ She laughed and poked Ellyse in the arm. ‘And we’re going to try it out on you.’

Ellyse groaned. ‘Okay.’ She knew Jazz was happily planning to put purple eye-shadow and bright red lipstick on her, but it was totally worth it to hear Jazz laugh again. Yep, friends forever!