Page 31 of Ask Another Day

Holly:

Hey

Seb:

All ready for the party tomorrow?

Holly:

Think so

Holly face palmed. Why couldn’t she think of something better to say than think so? But as she racked her brain for a way to keep their conversation going, Seb did it for her.

Seb:

Got time to meet me at the beach?

Always. I’d love to. You had me at Hey Stranger. The perfect replies screamed at her, but her fingers typed out;

Holly:

Sure

Seb:

See you in 15?

Taking Danny to the cinema later, but am free this morning.

Holly:

OK

Oh, she was hopeless, she told herself as she smacked her forehead repeatedly with the palm of her hand.

‘Something bad happened?’ her mum’s concerned voice asked from the doorway, making her jump and nearly drop her phone.

‘Mum!’

‘What?’

‘You nearly gave me a heart attack.’

Her mum laughed. ‘Come on then, who had your attention so much you didn’t hear your clodhopper of a mother approach?’ She wasn’t wrong. No one would ever describe Sandra Loxley as being light on her feet.

‘Seb just messaged.’

‘Oh, I see,’ she said absently, but the glint in her eyes betrayed her otherwise nonchalant reply.

‘He wants to see me before he takes Danny to the cinema.’

‘You’d better get going then. Good job you’ve put actual clothes on today instead of those tracksuit bottoms you keep insisting on wearing.’

Holly rolled her eyes. She knew her mum never understood her love for Juicy Couture tracksuits. But they were so comfy, and the vibrant colours always made her smile, which in turn helped to get each day she wore them off to a better start.

‘It doesn’t matter what I’m wearing, Mum.’

‘Of course it does.’