Music and Lies (George and Finn Book 1) Read Online Free

said Becky sharply.
    ‘Aw, no need for that. Plenty of room for all three of us in here.’ He was watching me not Becky.
    ‘I’d rather, er, camp,’ I said quickly. ‘I don’t want to be in your way.’
    ‘You wouldn’t be in the way …’ began Dex, but Becky leaned over to open the door and pushed me out.
    ‘You get the tent,’ she said abruptly. ‘And I’ll carry your rucksack. I’ll show you where the camping area is, okay?’
    I gathered up the rest of my things. Dex was beginning to freak me out. Being alone in a cold tent was definitely better than being in the van with him, even if Becky was there too. Suddenly he was standing beside me, with a hand on my shoulder, hot and heavy. ‘You tell everyone you’re here with Dex Barker and you’ll have no trouble.’
    I nodded and moved away.
    What kind of trouble did he expect?
     
    There was already a group of five or six tents down at one end of the clearing. ‘Those’ll be other helpers,’ said Becky. ‘Seems quite a few have arrived already. There are always some with nothing better to do.’ Which made me wonder what she and Dex normally did between festivals. Not hang out at her mum’s house, that was for sure. It seemed they’d only called in because they knew Dad and Janice were away. I guessed the bathroom facilities were quite an attraction, not to mention all that food and alcohol. ‘Come on, let’s find you a pitch.’
    I followed her cautiously, looking around. One of the tents was big enough to stand up in, but most were like the one Becky had found for me, basically an igloo shape with room for a couple of sleeping bags inside and not much else. I was glad there was only one of me.
    Becky showed me the basics of what to do and then hurried away.
    I carried on, laboriously pegging out the ropes, until a boy with shoulder-length dark hair came to stand and watch me. He was making me nervous so I stopped.
    ‘I hope I haven’t put it up in the wrong place …’
    ‘Doesn’t bother me. Although you’ll have to pull those guy ropes tighter if you don’t want to be soaked the first time it rains.’
    ‘Oh.’ I pulled out the pegs and started again. He didn’t offer to help, just watched me from eyes that seemed too pale for all that dark hair. I’d thought he was about thirteen, but his voice was deep and he had a shadow of a moustache. He was probably about my age, but small, like me.
    ‘I’m George,’ I said. I thought I might as well make an effort. There weren’t many people around yet so it would be good to get to know someone.
    ‘Cami,’ he said, not taking his hands out of the pockets of his jeans. His jeans were filthy. In fact, most of him was. Maybe I would be like that in a couple of days’ time? There didn’t seem to be much here in the way of washing facilities.
    ‘Hi Cami. Have you been here long?’
    ‘Long enough. My brother’s in charge.’ He shook the straight dark hair from his eyes. ‘You know the festival doesn’t start till next week?’
    ‘I’m here to help,’ I said. It was so amazing to be able to say that!
    ‘Who are you with?’
    Why did he think I had to be ‘with’ someone? Couldn’t I pass for an adult? Be here on my own? ‘Dex and Becky. Becky’s my sister.’
    ‘Has Dex arrived?’ The boy brightened. ‘About bloody time.’ He studied me in a way that my mum would have said was rude. ‘You don’t look like Beck.’
    He probably meant I wasn’t as stunning. And my hair was red, and I had freckles. Although you couldn’t see those, now I was able to use as much make-up as I wanted. With mascara on my pale eyelashes I might not be pretty but I had hoped I looked okay. ‘She’s my step-sister,’ I admitted.
    Cami sat down on a log and pulled something from his pocket. He wasn’t watching me any more, thank goodness. I went back to pegging out the tent ropes. I wished he would offer to help but didn’t like to ask.
    When I next looked at him I realised he was rolling a