Boys Beware (23 page)

Well.
I just could hardly believe it. Ali, of all people! And Gus. It seems he is into girls, after all; he’s just shy. I guess me and Tash were a bit too much for him. A bit too high-powered. But he and Ali, it’s like they were made for each other. It turns out they had been dating for weeks – and Ali had never said a word! It did sort of explain a few of the things which had puzzled us, like Ali buying new clothes and getting all dressed up the night we went to the pizza restaurant, and Auntie Jay hauling Tash out of the car so that Ali could go with Gus. Cos Auntie Jay knew what was going on. She’d known for ages. Me and Tash were the only ones who didn’t.

Looking back on it, I have to admit that we really didn’t know very much about anything.
We
didn’t know, for instance, that Auntie Jay and Gus’s dad were an item. Ali did! She even knew that they were thinking of getting married, but because she had been sworn to secrecy she couldn’t tell us.

She did tell us what she and Gus were doing on the roof. She had to, cos both Auntie Jay and Gus’s dad demanded an explanation. Not that it is particularly dangerous on the roof, as it’s totally flat and there is a parapet; but as Auntie Jay sternly informed them (when we had woken them up and got them back down), “We’ve all been having heart attacks, wondering where you were!”

Apparently they’d spent the evening looking at star stuff on the computer, and then, as soon as it was dark, they’d sneaked up to the roof to peer at the night sky through Ali’s telescope. Excitedly, Gus said, “We wanted to see Scorpius. July’s one of the months! It’s only in July, August and September that you can actually see the whole constellation.”

Can you believe it? He is as bad as Ali! Tash said, “Another astrology freak!”

Together, they both snarled, “
Astronomy!”

Well, whatever. They are obviously soul mates.

We are so glad for Ali! We like to think we may have helped a
little,
giving her all that advice about clothes, and hair, etc. But mainly, it has to be said, it was the astronomy that did it. Right from the day of our party, when Gus picked up the picture of the red midget, or the red dwarf, whatever it was, they have been having these long, earnest conversations about black holes and nebulas and the Milky Way. And then when Ali got her telescope … well! That was it. Star-gazers united! Saturday wasn’t the first time they had been up on the roof, spooning together beneath the night sky, kissing and cuddling as they scanned the galaxy for heavenly bodies. Ali just giggles when we tease her about it. Mum says to lay off, but I don’t think Ali really minds.

She and Gus are so cute together! It’s really sweet to see them, sitting on the sofa holding hands. And what is specially nice is that me and Tash aren’t in the
least
bit jealous. We wondered if we might be, seeing as Gus is practically a heavenly body in himself. He is still the most gorgeous guy that we have ever set eyes on (in real life, that is. I don’t count movie stars). But we have discussed it, at some length, and are in total agreement: it is only fair that Ali should have him. After all, she is older than we are. She is also (according to Tash)
nicer
than we are. I don’t quite know what she means by that! But we are both really, really happy for her.

We have been back at home now for almost a fortnight. We did enjoy managing on our own, but I must say it is a huge relief not having to bother any more about feeding ourselves and doing the shopping and washing sheets. Next week we break up. Yippee! Peace and quiet for a whole two months! During which time we are hoping that Miss Selby will go away and have a sex change, or turn into a garden gnome, or something.

It is no longer a secret about Auntie Jay and Mr O’Shaugnessy. They are getting married in September! That will be fun, and something to look forward to. Another thing is our birthday, mine and Tash’s, in August. We are going to have the best party ever! Dad has promised that he will hire a hall and get a DJ and we
can ask as many of our friends as we like. He says it is our reward for being “mature and responsible” while he and Mum were away. We are going to invite absolutely everyone we can think of, even silly little babies like Daisy Markham, and this time there really are going to be BOYS GALORE. Boys by the bucket full!

At least, there are if we can find any. We have already started looking …

Lemonade Sky
Love and Kisses
Fortune Cookie
Star Crazy Me!
Over the Moon
Boys Beware
Sugar and Spice
Is Anybody There?
Secret Meeting
Passion Flower
Shrinking Violet
Boys on the Brain
Skinny Melon and Me
Becky Bananas, This is Your Life!
Fruit and Nutcase
The Secret Life of Sally Tomato
Family Fan Club
Ice Lolly

Special three-in-one editions

The Tutti-Frutti Collection
The Flower Power Collection
The Friends Forever Collection

And for younger readers

Dazzling Danny
Daisy May
Monster in the Mirror

HarperCollins
Children’s Books
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First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins
Children’s Books
2005

Text © Jean Ure 2005

Illustrations © Karen Donnelly 2005

Cover illustrations by Nicola Slater

The author and illustrator assert the moral right to be identified as the author and illustrator of the work.

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Source ISBN: 9780007161386
Ebook Edition © JUNE 2013 ISBN: 9780007439966

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