Next day, Alice and I walked down to the shop to buy some broccoli for Mum. We were talking about all the cool things we were going to do in France. Then, as we turned the last corner, Alice grabbed my arm.
‘Stop,’ she hissed.
I did as she told me.
‘What is it?’ I asked in a scared voice. ‘Is it that horrible dog that snapped at Jamie last week?’
‘No,’ said Alice. ‘It’s worse. I just saw Louise and Grace going in to the shop.’
‘And the problem is?’
‘I don’t want to meet Grace. I’m a bit embarrassed about first saying I’d go on holidays with her, and then changing my mind.’
That kind of made sense. And now that I thought about it, I wasn’t sure I wanted to meet Grace either. After all, she had invited Alice to go with her to Lanzarote even though I was friends with her first.
We stood on the footpath trying to make up our minds.
‘We could just go home and tell your mum there was no broccoli in the shop,’ suggested Alice.
I nearly always do what Alice suggests, but this time I wasn’t so sure that she was right. Suddenly I made a decision. I shook my head.
‘No, that’s stupid. They’re our friends. We should go and talk to them.’
Alice looked surprised for a second. Then she said, ‘You’re right. That was a stupid thing to suggest. Let’s go and meet them.’
When we got to the door of the shop, Grace and Louise were on the way out. They looked surprised to see us. We all said ‘hi’ and then we stood looking at each other. Alice looked embarrassed, Grace looked embarrassed, Louise looked puzzled, and I didn’t know what to say.
Eventually Louise spoke.
‘Grace and I are going to my house. I’m going to show her my bridesmaid’s dress. Do you want to come?’
Alice and I looked at each other. Then I made the decision for both of us.
‘We’d love to,’ I said. ‘I just have to buy something for Mum, and drop it home, so she won’t call the search and rescue teams. Then we’ll go over to your place. OK?’
‘OK,’ said Louise, and then she and Grace set off for home.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, Alice and I arrived at Louise’s place. Louise let us in.
‘Alice, will you help me get some drinks?’ she said. ‘Meg, why don’t you go up to my room? Grace is there.’
I didn’t have much choice, so I did what I was told, and went upstairs. Grace was sitting on Louise’s bed. She went kind of red when she saw me. I could feel my face going red too.
‘Hi,’ she said.
‘Hi,’ I said back.
Then no-one said anything for ages. Grace fiddled with an old doll of Louise’s, and I played with the necklace Alice had given me for my birthday. I wished Louise and Alice would hurry up, and bring the drinks.
Suddenly Grace spoke.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t invite you to come to Lanzarote with me.’
‘That’s OK,’ I said, even though it wasn’t.
‘I wanted to ask you,’ said Grace. ‘I wanted to ask both you and Alice, but Dad said there was only room for one extra, because my brother is bringing two friends. And then I couldn’t decide which one of you to ask. So Mum said I should choose Alice, because she’d had such a hard year with her parents splitting up and everything.’
So Alice had been right about that.
‘I’m really sorry,’ repeated Grace.
‘That’s OK,’ I said, and this time I meant it. ‘Alice is a bit embarrassed too,’ I said. ‘Because she’s coming with me, and not you.’
Grace smiled. ‘It doesn’t matter. I’ve invited Saffron, a girl from my riding school. She’s really nice, so I know we’ll have a great time. And next summer, my brother is going to Irish college, so Mum says I can bring three friends to Lanzarote. I hope you and Alice and Louise will all be able to come.’
Just then Louise came in carrying a tray of cold drinks. Alice was following her, holding a huge bowl of crisps. Alice put the crisps down on the table, then she went and hugged Grace.
‘I’m sorry I won’t be going to Lanzarote with you,’ she said. ‘I hope you have a great time.’
Grace smiled at her.
‘That’s OK,’ she said. ‘And I hope you and Megan have a great time in France.’
‘What about me?’ wailed Louise. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’
I grinned.
‘But you’re going to be a bridesmaid. I’ve always wanted to be a bridesmaid.’
‘Oh yes,’ said Louise. ‘I nearly forgot, with all this talk of holidays. Will I get my dress and show you?’
The rest of us nodded happily.
‘It’s in my mum’s bedroom,’ said Louise. ‘Will I put it on?’
We all nodded again, and Louise went out of the room.
‘Louise seems very happy,’ said Grace.
‘Yes,’ agreed Alice. ‘Her dress must be gorgeous.’
A minute later, Louise was back.
‘What do you think?’ she asked, as she twirled around.
Grace, Alice and I looked, and looked. Then we looked some more.
‘Isn’t this the coolest dress you’ve ever seen?’ asked Louise.
Those weren’t exactly the words I’d have chosen. I’d have said something like that is the most gross, disgusting, revolting, horrible piece of clothing I’ve ever seen in my whole life. (And trust me, with a mother like mine, I’ve had plenty of chances to see gross clothes.) The dress was bright, bright pink and shiny. It came almost down to the ground, and it had huge, puffy sleeves. On the neck, there was a ribbon almost the size of Louise’s head. Poor Louise, how was she supposed to go out in public looking like that?
‘Well,’ said Louise. ‘What do you all think?’
‘Er, it’s a very pretty colour,’ said Grace.
Alice reached out and touched the dress.
‘The material is lovely and soft,’ she said.
‘It’s … it’s … well … it’s perfect for a summer wedding,’ I muttered, repeating something I’d heard my mum say once.
Louise turned away from us all, and put her head down. I sighed. She knew the dress was gross, and we hadn’t lied very successfully. I racked my brain, trying to think of something suitable to say, when Louise suddenly turned around again.
‘You’re all big, fat liars,’ she said, laughing loudly. That was true, but why did Louise seem to find it so funny?
‘You should see your faces,’ said Louise. ‘I wish I’d had a camera. Thanks for trying to be kind though.’
‘What’s going on?’ asked Alice.
Louise laughed again.
‘My cousin brought this dress over last week, and said it was the one she’d chosen for me to wear as her bridesmaid. She made me try it on right away. And I was so totally embarrassed. I thought I’d die. I thought I’d have to invent some deadly disease, just so I wouldn’t have to wear it. But it was only a joke. This is just an old dress that used to belong to my cousin’s mother.’
We all laughed than. It had been a good trick to play.
Louise ran to the door.
‘I’ll try on the real one now,’ she said.
Minutes later she was back.
‘Now what do you think?’ she asked.
‘Er …’ said Alice.
‘Em …’ said Grace.
‘Well …’ I said.
Louise looked like she was going to cry.
‘Don’t you like it?’ she asked.
We all laughed.
‘Just getting you back,’ said Grace.
‘It’s totally beautiful,’ I said, and I meant it.
So Louise did a few twirls in her totally beautiful bridesmaid’s dress, then she changed again, and we hung out for the rest of the day.