Faking Sweet (3 page)

‘That's so low.'

‘Yep.' Calypso nodded stiffly. ‘She's lower than low, Holly. Jess Flynn is evil.'

‘Jess Flynn is evil,' I agreed.

 

‘Jess Flynn, you're evil!'

But it was someone else saying those words. I realised I was still sitting on the ledge at St Clemmie's, and the racket was coming from down below. From the noisy ‘it' girls. They were shrieking and laughing.

‘You're sooooo bad, Jess,' Saskia was screeching. ‘Evil!'

‘I'm not!' Jess squealed. ‘I'm just … just honest!'

Whatever Miss Honesty 2006 was saying sure was cracking everyone up.

‘If Scott finds out what you said,' Isabelle sang, ‘you're in biiiiig trouble.'

So what was Jess saying that precious Scott couldn't hear? Maybe she was planning another kidnapping of someone else's boyfriend? I wouldn't put it past her. Then I thought: that could be good. Perhaps Scott would end up getting a dose of his own medicine after all.

That's what I didn't get. Calypso had designed this intricate plan to pay Jess back for the shoplifting, yet she didn't want to do anything to get Scott for hooking up with Jess behind Calypso's back. I think it was because she was still in love with him. She would never admit to it though.

I wanted Scott to fall flat on his cute little face. He was just as bad as Jess. It takes two tongues, which sounds disgusting I know, but that's what Miranda ‘the skank' said when I caught her sandwiched against Joe, his hands under her pink lacy top, exploring every bump on her body … well, the important bumps, which happened to be the ones I was lacking in. I tried to push the image out of my head, yet it was that pink lacy top that led to everything.

The very, very first time Calypso asked me over was two days after I found out I was going to St Clementine's. We'd been friendly for a couple of weeks, mostly since she'd found out about my boyfriend cheating on me. Calypso was so kind. I couldn't believe it. She took me under her wing and comforted me. Finally I had a proper friend who'd actually asked me over to their place, and now I was moving to Sydney. My life was a disaster.

We were in Calypso's bedroom when I saw the picture of Calypso with Scott and Jess. At that stage I didn't even know who they were or what had happened. All I saw was that the pretty blonde girl in the photo was wearing the exact same pink lacy top Miranda was wearing the day I caught her trying to eat Joe's face.

‘Oh my God.' My knees gave way onto Calypso's bed. ‘That girl.'

‘Jess Flynn!' Calypso jumped. ‘Do you know her?'

‘No.' I put my hands over my face. ‘But she's wearing the very same top Miranda was wearing the night she cheated with Joe.'

‘Oh,' Calypso replied. ‘Oh?'

‘Wow,' I gasped. ‘It's just spun me out a bit,' I whispered. ‘I'll be fine. Sorry, sorry I'm being stupid. You must be so sick of me banging on about Joe and Miranda. It must be so boring for you.'

Calypso watched me; a smile spreading across her face, which now I know wasn't a happy smile. I think it was more a look of the world being lifted off her shoulders. She got down on her knees and took my hands.

‘Hol,' she said softly. ‘It's not boring. Not boring at all. You see I, I …' She bit her lip. I realised she was trying not to cry.

‘Calypso?'

‘Hol, I understand exactly what you're going through because … because, I've been through it too.' She put her head on my knees. ‘I've been to hell and back, Holly.'

That afternoon Calypso told me everything: the story of Scott and her, and how in love they were; the shoplifting at Jeans General that Jess didn't own up to; and how Jess then turned all the ‘it' girls against her.

But that wasn't the worst bit. One Saturday afternoon when Calypso was meant to meet Scott at his place, she walked in to find Scott and Jess together. There was her boyfriend with her best friend rolling around on the floor of his parents' bedroom.

‘I still don't understand why Scott did it,' Calypso whispered. ‘He told me he loved me. He told me I was the only one.'

All I could do was shake my head. I had never heard anything so terrible in my life. All the blubbering I'd done over Joe and me. I'd been so caught up in myself, never once asking Calypso how her life was going. I felt ashamed.

‘Maybe Jess just got too, you know … hot with him and he couldn't say no? I think that's what Miranda did to Joe.'

‘Jess was so jealous. Apparently she'd had a thing about Scott for ages. I reckon he was almost too scared to say no to her. You know how girls like Jess get when they don't get their own way.' Calypso was starting to peel away each nail. ‘Jess was so unpredictable. Nasty. Psycho. Yep, Scott was scared of her. I could tell.'

‘Is that why he stayed with Jess?' I had always fantasised that's how Miranda got her claws into Joe, when really I knew it was the two watermelons on her chest that clinched the deal. ‘Calypso? Do you think that's why, 'cause he was scared of her?'

‘Hmmm?' She looked up at me. ‘I don't want to talk about it any more, Hol. That's the most I've spoken about it to anyone, you know. It makes me too sad. Okay?'

I knew what that sadness was like. It was a pain like your heart had dropped to the bottom of your feet, and every time you lifted your foot you squashed it just a little bit more.

‘At least I can trust you, Holly. I mean, I think I can. It's hard after someone does that to you. You end up not knowing who your friends really are. I can trust you can't I, Hol? With me, honesty is everything.'

‘Yes! Yes. You can trust me.'

‘You're my best friend.'

‘Really?'

‘Yep.'

That day my heart felt like it was going to explode. I wanted to give Calypso the biggest hug. But the way she was looking made me decide to leave it for another time.

‘Holly?' Calypso was staring right at me.

‘Yeah?'

‘Would you do something for me when you're in Sydney?'

‘Anything.'

‘It's … a big ask.'

‘I don't care.'

‘Are you sure?'

‘Hey, we're besties,' I reminded her. ‘Besties will do anything for each other.'

‘Yeah,' she answered.

Together we smiled.

 

Now up on the ledge outside the Science lab I found myself smiling. It was a special day that one. Being in Sydney for second term was worth it, even if it meant not hanging out with Calypso for a bit. My mission here was far more important. Calypso called it ‘carrying out her revenge'. I called it ‘helping her recovery'. For Calypso had been to hell and back, there was no doubt about that.

Another reason I was pleased, a private reason, was that it gave me a chance to make up for my selfish crapping on about Joe. At last I could do something for her. To be honest, the whole idea of carrying out this plan was scary. I wasn't sure I could do it. But if I did, then I knew it would cement our friendship forever. Even if I had to move schools again and again it would be bearable, because somewhere in the world would be my soul mate Calypso.

Beep beep. Another text from Calypso.

Step 3. This arvo. Go girl.

I giggled. Getting all these texts was fun. It was our secret game.

Down below the ‘it' girls were gathering their tanned limbs off the lawn. I looked over at Jess and saw she was gazing up at something in my direction, and smiling. I turned around, expecting to see someone standing at the window, probably one of the ‘it' girls about to push me off the ledge. My grip tightened, but there was no one behind me, and when I turned back Jess gave me a little wave, smiling her perfect white smile.

‘Holly? Holly Holly ho ho?' Mum was shaking me out of a dream where I was climbing onto the back of a gigantic fish that Joe was riding like a horse.

‘Who's Miss Popular this morning? Calypso's on the phone for you.'

‘Huh?' I sat up. Joe and the fish disappeared.

‘Calypso's on the phone, darling.'

‘Calypso is on the phone?'

Mum gave me the handset.

‘Mum?'

‘Yes?'

‘Do you mind?'

‘Oh. Okay.' I waited for Mum to tiptoe out.

‘Calypso?'

‘Hi, Hol.'

‘Oh my God, Calypso, what are you doing ringing me on the home phone?'

‘I'm charging my mobile,' she replied. ‘We've, or rather you've, got a big day today.'

‘Oh? Oh yeah, yeah, the mall.' I looked at my watch. It was only five past seven. ‘You're up early.'

‘Don't tell me you could sleep!' she bellowed down the receiver. ‘I'm so pumped about today, Hol. Aren't you?'

‘Fully,' I told her, reaching over for my pocket mirror. ‘I know exactly what I've got to do.'

‘Good. Tell me everything she does.'

My zits were still bad. ‘And you'll tell me what to do? Yeah?'

‘Every step.' I could hear Calypso's breath through the phone. ‘I'm wondering whether she'll nick anything. I'm not sure whether she still does, but I'm dying to know.'

‘And if she does?'

‘Just watch her, Hol. Watch how she does it, where she puts it. Remember the observation instructions.'

‘Observation instructions,' I repeated. One pimple was a perfect pus pie, but I was not going to squeeze it. ‘Ouch!' It even hurt to touch.

‘What are you doing? Holly? Listen, please. You cannot operate without the instructions.'

‘Oh it's just … don't worry.' I dropped the mirror on my bed. My forehead inspection would have to wait. ‘No way is Jess going to get away with anything. Just watch me.'

‘She won't nick anything if she's with the girls,' Calypso continued. ‘They still reckon she's Little Miss Pure and Perfect. She'll probably just smile and nod and tell everyone how fantastic their fat bums look in pants two sizes too small for them. Yep.' Calypso started to laugh. ‘That's what she'll do, stupid cow.'

‘Gee, Jess has …' The words slipped from my mouth. ‘… the best teeth.'

‘They're fake,' Calypso snapped.

‘Fake?'

‘Yep, fake. Just like the rest of her, Hol.'

‘What? You mean there are other bits?'

‘Her teeth have been capped and bleached,' Calypso told me. ‘Not one of them is real. That's what you get when your daddy's the top orthodontist on Sydney's North Shore.'

‘My mum was looking for an orthodontist,' I said. Or was it a podiatrist?

‘Don't let your mum go near him,' Calypso spat in a single breath. ‘No! No, don't. He's the most expensive orthodontist around and …' Her voice dropped to a whisper, ‘my sister went to him and he ruined her teeth
and
charged five times as much as anyone else.'

‘Really?'

‘Really.'

‘Is that why your sister has braces?'

‘They had to be done by another orthodontist when we got to Melbourne.'

‘That's so slack.'

‘I know,' Calypso replied. ‘We were really good about it though. Mum and Dad could've sued the pants off him. It would've ruined him!'

‘Sounds like the whole Flynn family's given you trouble.'

‘You said it, Hol. That's just another reason why Jess Flynn deserves to fall!'

‘With a thud!' I added, grinning like an idiot, 'cause I was going to be the one to do it.

‘Say it for me, Hol.'

‘Jess Flynn is evil. Jess Flynn deserves to fall.' I recited our mantra, the smile now stretching across my cheeks. ‘Jess Flynn is a liar. Jess Flynn deserves to fall. And who is going to bring her down? Who is going to make her fall? I, Holly Hankinson, am going to bring her down because I am Calypso's best friend and she is mine and together we will make Jess fall.'

On the other end of the phone Calypso was shrieking with laughter.

My chant grew louder. ‘Jess Flynn is EVIL. JESS FLYNN DESERVES TO FALL.'

Then together, we shouted ‘JESS FLYNN IS A LIAR!
JESS FLYNN WILL FALL
!'

 

At 3.45 pm, Jess, Isabelle and Saskia walked through the automatic doors of West Plaza. Fourteen steps behind them was me. Calypso had calculated that I needed to be eight steps behind in order for them not to notice my presence. Either I was short-legged or slow-paced because I could not keep up with them. When they got off the bus I nearly lost them, and had to jog two blocks to catch up.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. If I counted the steps it helped with keeping up and calming my nerves. I had the worst case of butterflies. If I'd had time, a trip to the loo would've been good but I couldn't risk losing them.

It was like this was the day I'd been waiting to happen, and now it was happening and I wished it wasn't. And this wasn't even the big one. This was only pathetic Step number 3 – observation. If I felt like chucking and running away now, how was I going to pull off the big Step 5 at Lipstix?

The mobile beeped in my pocket, like an alarm warning me to get it together or else.

Where r u?

Going up escalators.

I typed back while trying to keep my eyes on the three swinging ponytails ahead.

Walking past Music City and into Myer.

The underwear sale was popular. There were young girls with their mums, teenagers in large packs, and grandmas lined up at the counter holding undies that at least three of me could fit into.

‘Yuck,' I heard Jess whine, as the swinging ponytails headed towards the two-tiered rack of g-strings.

‘For the gym,' Saskia explained. ‘Undie lines on tights are not a good look, Jess.'

‘I don't care.'

‘So I noticed.'

Jess folded her arms and looked the other way.

From behind a bargain bin marked 42DD, I watched Saskia and Isabelle as their hands swiftly flicked through the assortment of g-strings.

‘She's still pissed off,' I heard Saskia say, with a quick check over her shoulder. They obviously didn't want Jess to know what they were saying. I edged a little towards them.

‘Don't worry about it,' Isabelle muttered, inspecting a triangle of pink and black spots. ‘She'll get over it.'

‘All I said was, “We all want a Scott in our life”. So what? We do!' Saskia sighed louder than she spoke. ‘I mean, you must admit she was acting like a brat about him not getting her the phone. They cost about $400, you know!'

‘She's hung up about his father having all the money.'

‘Well, her father shouldn't have stuffed up.'

It seemed Jess's dad had been busy ruining more of Sydney's teeth.

‘I don't know why Scott puts up with her.'

Saskia was on a roll. I concentrated on every word she was saying, or rather
spitting
. Calypso was going to love this!

‘One day, Scott's going to wake up to himself and see that Jess treats him like a piece of dirt.'

‘Mmm.' About six coat hangers of g-strings hung off Isabelle's arm. ‘Scotty told me he owes her.'

‘Still?'

‘Yep,' Isabelle nodded, ‘still.'

‘When's he going to get over Calypso?'

Calypso! For the first time I heard her name uttered by an ‘it' girl. I stepped out from behind the 42DDs and edged towards the other side of the g-string rack.

‘He's not ever going to get over her.'

‘But why not?' Saskia asked.

‘Scott's still sensitive about the whole Calypso thing. You know what a softie he is.'

Softie? I was just about to spew.

‘Anyway,' Isabelle said and took one last g-string off the rack, ‘I'm done here. Let's check out the bras.'

‘Hey, where is Jess?'

Jess! I'd completely forgotten about her.

‘I'd say she's gone,' Isabelle shrugged. ‘She wasn't in a shopping mood.'

Gone. Jess Flynn had left the building before I could make one observation, let alone navigate the whole list. This was a potential disaster.

Being careful not to knock over the ten thousand females swarming the lingerie floor in a shopping frenzy, I scurried to the escalator and leapt on.

Beep beep. It was Calypso wanting a Jess update.

What's happening? What's she doing?

What was I going to tell her? That I'd lost Jess? Even though the info I'd intercepted from the others was good, I wasn't sure it'd be good enough in Calypso's mind to act as a trade off.

Idiot! I should've kept my mind on the job. But the Scott stuff was special. Surely Calypso'd want to hear that he's not over her, and that it looks like he's getting fed up with Jess? I mean, I would.

Beep. Another message was coming through.

Holly? What is going on??

I'd have to fess up. I'd start with a positive. That's what Dad does when he's about to close down a business, and when he's about to tell us we're moving again. Actually come to think of it, Dad starts with two positives. ‘Isn't Hobart a great city? You've all settled in so well.' Then the clanger. ‘But unfortunately we have to leave.'

That's what I'd do. Two good bits, then slip in the fact that I lost Jess.

Good news C. I got good goss. Bad news I think

I chewed on my lip considering a third positive, when directly across from me, laughing and chatting with a group of boys, was Jess Flynn! I quickly changed my message.

Good news C, I got juicy goss. Bad news …

Jess wasn't in the shop for long, I thought. In fact even Isabelle said she wasn't in a shopping mood. Maybe she heard Saskia say she was pissed off so she left, and even if she didn't it's not like she could've got up to anything in those five or so minutes. I'll just say she didn't go shopping. It won't make any difference.

Bad news, Jess didn't go shopping.

Sent.

I watched the envelope spiral in and out of the screen, while I sighed long and slow. I'd found myself a second chance.

Immediately, Calypso responded.

So WHERE is she?

Talking to boys.

What colour are their ties?

Did she think I had binoculars in my pocket? I squinted and typed back.

Black and green.

Calypso replied:

Get home ASAP and email me.

R u mad?

Disappointed.

That was all she said.

I slumped onto one of the benches, feeling depressed and, worse than that, guilty. Not only had I flunked observation Step 3, I'd lied to Calypso about Jess not going shopping, and that was worse. Calypso had said herself: ‘With me, honesty is everything.' Plus besties should NEVER EVER lie to each other. You're a loser, Holly. A loser with a forehead that looks like pizza topping. You don't deserve a best friend.

Over and over I read my words before pressing ‘send'. It was a pretty good email. I'd come straight out with the truth, so that had to cancel out the lie before. I got to explain that Jess had hardly been in the shop anyway, so I didn't know how Calypso could be mad with me. I couldn't help that Jess wasn't in a shopping mood.

Then following up with more good news: being in the same English class as Jess, and best of all Isabelle's line, ‘Scott will never get over her'. That had to be a winner.

I would give anything to hear that Joe had never gotten over me. In a funny way it'd almost make the Miranda thing liveable. Surely that knowledge would be enough revenge for Calypso? It would be for me. I could almost feel my heart crack inside my chest.

Gradually a different pain took over. It wasn't really a bad pain, but I wouldn't call it a good one either. It felt like a hand was inside me pressing down and making me sad 'cause Joe didn't feel that way about me. But now Calypso knew for sure that no matter what, Scott and her had been real. For her I felt happy.