Cassie Read Online Free Page A

massaged her toes and sighed.
    â€˜Okay,’ she said. ‘The favour. It must be a big one.’
    â€˜It is. How did you know?’
    â€˜You’ve washed up the breakfast dishes.’
    Holly sat opposite her mother and put her hands on the table. She took a deep breath.
    â€˜Mum, I’ve been invited to a sleepover.’
    â€˜That’s great, chicken.’
    â€˜Tomorrow night.’
    Ivy Holley stopped rubbing her feet.
    â€˜But that’s when Fern and Cassie are arriving. You can’t go tomorrow, sweetie. Just put it off for a week.’
    â€˜I can’t, Mum.’
    â€˜What do you mean, you can’t? It’s a sleepover, not a one-night-only concert. Just ring your friend and change the date.’
    Holly stood and paced. Her mum didn’t understand the situation. In all likelihood, she’d never understand the situation. But it was important to be reasonable. She would have to explain patiently. Under no circumstances should she tell her mother she doesn’t understand.
    â€˜Mum. You don’t understand. It’s Demi Larson . She’s the one who’s invited me.’
    â€˜And?’
    â€˜And this opportunity will never come again. You get one chance, if you’re very, very lucky. If I don’t go now, I’ll never be invited again. Never. And my whole life will be ruined.’
    Mrs Holley raised an eyebrow, but Holly pressed on.
    â€˜No one turns down an invitation from Demi Larson. No one.’
    â€˜Who is she? A member of the Royal family?’
    â€˜More important than that.’ Holly stopped pacing. She had only one card up her sleeve and it was best to look her mother in the eyes while she played it.
    â€˜Look, I’ll spend all day tomorrow cleaning and tidying. I’ll make sure the place is immaculate. I’ll stay up all night tonight if you want. But I have to go tomorrow, Mum. Please?’
    â€˜I don’t understand this, Holly.’
    Holly stiffened. Her mum only ever called her Holly when she was annoyed. This wasn’t going well.
    â€˜If this Demi person isn’t prepared to be flexible about a sleepover date, then she can’t be much of a friend.’
    â€˜She isn’t. Yet. That’s the point. And she never will be if I don’t go tomorrow.’
    Ivy rubbed her forehead.
    â€˜Look,’ she said finally. ‘It’s not a question of helping out with the cleaning and tidying. That’s not the most important thing. They’re family, Holly. I want you here when they arrive. Is that too much to ask?’
    Tears filled Holly’s eyes and she bunched her hands into fists.
    â€˜Yes,’ she said. ‘Yes it is.’
    There was silence, apart from the faint ticking of the kitchen clock and the muffled sound of Ivy’s foot tapping against the floor. Then she stood.
    â€˜Fine,’ she said. ‘Go off to your sleepover. I’m having a shower.’
    â€˜I’ll work hard on the cleaning, Mum.’
    â€˜Forget it. I don’t want your help, Holly.’
    â€˜Mum! That’s silly.’
    Ivy stopped half-way through the kitchen door. She turned back.
    â€˜Yes,’ she said and her voice was sadder than Holly could ever remember. ‘You’re probably right. But that’s the way I want it.’
    And she left.
    Holly cried. She cried for loss of hope and the ruins that were her life.
    Fern
    Fern Marshall blinked. The road ahead was a straight line that cut the world in two. It was easy to understand why people fell asleep at the wheel on trips like this. She barely had to move the steering wheel from hour to hour. After a while, she felt as though she wasn’t moving at all; that instead it was the landscape itself scrolling past her window. Blinking helped to give her depth of vision, for a time at least.
    An audio tape of one of John Marsden’s Tomorrow series was playing on the car stereo. Cassie loved the series and could