Viva Alice! Read Online Free Page A

together, and everyone was splashing and laughing, even Gavin.
    ‘Welcome to Lanzarote,’ said Lorna.
    I wiped the water from my face. ‘Omigod,’ I said. ‘I totally love this place. Omigod.’
    * * *
    ‘Come on,’ said Grace when we’d dried off a bit. ‘I want to show you our room. We’ve got the best one, right at the top of the house.’
    We followed her into a cool marble hall, and up two flights of polished wooden stairs.
    ‘Ta-da,’ said Grace as she flung the bedroom door open.
    ‘Wow!’ said Alice and I together.
    It was the most amazing room I’d ever been in. It was like something out of a movie. Every surface was white and shiny. There were three beds, all covered with snowy white sheets. The huge windows were open and floaty white curtains fluttered in the breeze.
    ‘There’s even a balcony,’ said Alice, stepping through the doorway. ‘If Romeo shows up, I’m totally ready.’
    I followed her onto the balcony and leaned on the railings. Far away, over the trees, I could seethe sea sparkling in the sunshine. The balcony was huge and there was a big swinging couch at one end. I threw myself onto the couch, and closed my eyes. I thought that maybe I’d be very happy to spend the entire holiday lying there, swaying gently in the breeze.
    Alice had gone back inside though, and a second later I heard a loud screech.
    ‘OMG, Megan. Come here. Quickly.’
    I jumped up and ran inside, afraid that something terrible had happened.
    ‘What is it, Alice?’ I asked. ‘What’s wrong?’
    ‘OMG,’ she said again. ‘Have you ever seen a bathroom as big as this?’
    * * *
    When Alice and I had finished admiring everything, the three of us unpacked. Then we lay on the beds and looked at the ceiling fan circling slowly over our heads.
    ‘No offence, Grace,’ said Alice after a while.‘But your brother isn’t the happiest guy I’ve ever met in my life.’
    Grace sighed. ‘He’s not always like that,’ she said. ‘Usually he’s great fun, but his girlfriend broke up with him and he’s kind of gone to pieces.’
    ‘The poor boy,’ I said. ‘That’s so sad.’
    Grace rolled her eyes. ‘It’s been nearly two weeks,’ she said. ‘He should be over it by now, and anyway, he had a lucky escape. His girlfriend, Leah, was a total witch.’
    I laughed. ‘Why?’
    ‘Well she always called me “kiddo”, for one thing, like she was all grown up, and I was just a baby. And she called him “Gavvy”, which is just pathetic. And when she was around, Gavin was different – like everything he did had to please her. She made him cut his hair, and she tried to scare away his friends.’
    ‘That’s evil,’ said Alice. ‘Everyone needs friends.’
    ‘I agree,’ said Grace. ‘But I haven’t got to theworst part yet. You see, it’s not the first time Leah’s broken up with Gavin. She’s done it at least three times before. Each time, just as he’s starting to get over it, she bounces back into his life and messes him up all over again.’
    ‘Ouch,’ I said. ‘She sounds kind of mean all right. Pity he’s so sad though.’
    Grace sighed. ‘He’s a mess. I bet he’s in his room right now, listening to sad songs, and looking at pictures of Leah on Facebook. That girl is so totally mean. Every time they break up, she posts pictures of herself hanging out with other guys and having a great time at parties. Gav can’t help looking at the pictures and then he gets really upset.’
    Alice sat up suddenly. Her eyes were all bright and sparkly. ‘That’s not healthy,’ she said. ‘We’ve got to fix him. We’ve got to help him to get over the witch lady.’
    ‘Gavin’s nineteen,’ said Grace. ‘He’s grown-up. He doesn’t need us to help him.’
    I smiled to myself. Grace doesn’t knowmy best friend as well as I do. Alice had that dangerous look in her eyes, and she was on a mission. Nothing was going to stop her now.

Chapter Seven
    N ext morning, after a totally delicious and