Golden Girl (13 page)

‘You’re not missing much, though. It’s raining outside,’ said Charlie. ‘We’ve been hanging out in the VIP shed, playing some music.’

‘We?’ I asked. I knew that Henry didn’t play an instrument.

‘Yeah, the boys in the band,’ said Charlie.

The VIP shed is at the bottom of our garden. Originally, it held sunloungers for the residents but soon after we’d moved to Porchester Park, Dad let Charlie and me do it up as a den. I had
a sudden ache of homesickness. They felt so far away. ‘Is Dave around, Chaz?’ I asked. ‘I miss him so much.’

Charlie disappeared from the screen for a few minutes then reappeared with Dave. He stared at the screen but I wasn’t sure he could see me. Some cats can see images on TVs or computers and
even themselves in the mirror, but some can’t. Gran had a cat that used to watch the wildlife programmes on telly and hop up behind it, as if trying to work out where the animals were.

‘Dave, Day-ave,’ I said.

He might not have been able to see me but he knew my voice. His ears pricked up and he came right up to the computer screen so that I could see right into his nostrils. ‘Dave,’ I
repeated. ‘I miss you. I’ll be home soon.’

Dave pawed the screen. ‘
Meow.
’ He looked quizzically at Charlie as if to say, ‘What have you done with Jess?’

Charlie laughed and set Dave back down on the floor. ‘She’ll be home soon.’

Dave wasn’t having it, though, and hopped back onto Charlie’s knee then stuck his nose in the screen again. ‘So, what else has been happening, Chaz?’ I asked.

‘Flo’s been over,’ Charlie continued, ‘and Tom. He said to say hi and that he misses you, Jess.’

‘Yeah, right.’

‘She doesn’t miss him, do you, Jess?’ Pia intervened.

‘Actually no, I don’t. Not one bit.’

Charlie laughed. ‘Probably do his ego some good not to have a girl falling at his feet.’

‘Falling at whose feet? Hi, Jess,’ said Dad, suddenly appearing behind them. ‘How’s it going? Got boys falling at your feet, have you?’

‘Yes, Dad. Loads of them. It’s great here. We love it.’ I told them all about the City Palace and the guru convention. Charlie and Henry cracked up when I told them about all
the painted, naked men.

‘And are Mrs Lewis and Vanya with you all the time?’ asked Dad.

‘No, Dad. Pia and I have been out partying every night till three, long after the Lewises have gone to bed. No-one minds a bit.’

‘Don’t joke about, Jess,’ said Dad. ‘Not when you’re so far away.’

Pia appeared over my shoulder. ‘We’re never left alone, Mr Hall. Don’t you worry. And anyway, she has me to look after her.’

‘That’s what worries me,’ said Dad.

‘No need, Dad. Vanya or Mrs Lewis are always with us,’ I said.

‘Good. And you’re getting your work done?’

‘Every morning. Mrs Lewis is stricter than you are.’

‘Good. Take lots of pics. Don’t break anyone’s heart. See you Saturday – or is it Sunday?’ said Dad, then he disappeared.

Typical Dad. Not quite getting what was going on at all.

‘I’m off too,’ said Charlie. ‘Meeting Flo.’

Charlie and Dave disappeared but Henry was still sitting there pulling his sad face. I said goodbye and went out onto the balcony to give him and Pia some time alone. It was amazing, being so
far away on the other side of the world but being able to see Dad and Charlie like they were in the same room as us. I wished that they really were. I’d have loved Charlie to have seen all
the things I had and Dad needed a break from being on call twenty-four seven. As I looked over the lake, my stomach rumbled and I realised I was hungry. There wasn’t time to call room service
before we left for the party and I didn’t fancy any of the fruit in the bowl in our room. I remembered the samosa that I’d bought earlier in town. I crept into the room and got my bag
while Pia chatted away to Henry. I tiptoed back onto the balcony, pulled out the samosa and bit into it. Yummy.

After Pia had finished her call, we went through to reception where there was a group of film people who were staying at the hotel waiting for boats to take them over the lake
to the party. Everyone looked like they were dressed up for the Oscars and their various perfumes filled the air. Alisha looked fabulous in a long, figure-hugging red dress with tiny jewels all
over it that sparkled when she moved. She was talking to her mum, who looked elegant in steel grey Armani. Jefferson Lewis stood next to them, wearing a simple tailored black suit with Nehru style
jacket and grey silk scarf to match his wife’s dress. JJ appeared from one of the corridors, immaculate in a cream linen suit.
Real understated style
, I thought, as Pia and I joined
them.

‘Wow, you look great,’ said JJ when he saw me.

I smiled back at him. It was going to be a top night.

Our boat taxis arrived and our group headed off for the Shiv Niwas hotel. JJ sat next to me on the boat. At one point, he took my hand and squeezed it. He gave a sweeping glance to all the
people on our boat, then shrugged and smiled. I knew what he was saying: once again we were surrounded by a whole pile of people. But we’d made our promise to each other and I knew that as
soon as we could we’d slip away from the party, even if just for a short while.

When we arrived at the hotel, the setting and decoration almost took my breath away. We entered through a tunnel of scented mimosa trees, preceded by dancing girls who cast handfuls of rose
petals in our path.

‘It must have been like this for the royal families back in the days of the raj,’ I whispered to Pia.

‘Maybe,’ she spluttered. I cracked up. One of the rose petals had flown into her mouth. ‘Though I guess you’re not meant to eat the flowers.’

The party was being held around the pool area of the hotel and, by the time we got there, most of the guests had already arrived as many of the production people were staying on site.
Immediately the Lewis family were swept into the crowd, greeting friends and chatting, leaving Pia and me in a corner. The only person I recognised was the movie’s director. I quickly turned
my back in case he remembered me and my ringtone.

Pia didn’t notice him. She was too busy taking in our location – the illuminated pool, the bougainvillea that cascaded down the surrounding honey-coloured walls, the night jasmine,
the pretty table settings. ‘It’s like a fairytale perfumed garden, isn’t it?’ she said as she sniffed the air and continued looking around. ‘And don’t you love
the way the burgundy tablecloths match the door and window frames and everywhere else is cream? Great colour combo.’ She pulled out her camera. ‘Go and stand next to the wall, by that
painting,’ she instructed, then clicked away as I posed in front of a life-size mural of galloping horses. After that, she made me stand next to another mural of a camel, then in front of an
enormous pot that held a full-size palm tree, one of the many positioned around the pool. ‘Haha,’ she said as she clicked. ‘I’ve made it look as if the plant is growing out
of your head.’

‘Very artistic,’ I said.

‘Just one more,’ she called. ‘Over here.’ She led me to an arched, purple doorway. ‘Nice backdrop to your dress, now big smile, hold it . . .’

As I posed and pouted, Pia was joined by a petite blonde lady who was also holding a camera. ‘Are you in the movie?’ she asked and took my picture. ‘I’m doing a piece for
World
magazine.’

‘Oh no,’ I said. ‘Just friends of the family.’

The lady’s face dropped and, without saying anything else, she disappeared off into the crowd.

‘Probably off to find someone actually famous,’ I said as I looked around at the glamorous crowd who all seemed to know each other. ‘I feel like a gatecrasher.’

‘Rubbish,’ said Pia, as she accepted a glass of juice from a passing waiter. ‘We belong here as much as anyone. Don’t forget that we’re guests of the Lewises.
Chill. For all anyone knows, you’re the next big teen star. Talking of which . . .’

I followed her glance over to where Shreya was making her entrance through an archway on our right. The blonde lady was right there with her camera clicking away as Shreya preened and posed. She
looked amazing in a short white cocktail dress, her hair pulled up and back from her face, gold jewellery dripping from her throat and ears.

Pia laughed. ‘Now that’s how it’s done, a real star entrance. We must remember that for going into assembly when we’re back at school.’

‘Yeah right,’ I said. ‘I don’t know how we’d make our black and white uniform look like vintage Hollywood or, in this case, Bollywood chic.’ I watched as
Shreya surveyed the crowd as if she was looking for someone. Bingo. She found him and made a beeline for him: JJ. He spotted her, quickly excused himself from the man he was talking to and headed
rapidly towards me and Pia. When Shreya saw this, a look of irritation crossed her face.

‘Have one of these canapés, they’re yummy,’ said Pia, who appeared oblivious to Shreya’s annoyance on the other side of the pool.

JJ took a canapé then turned to me. ‘Want one, Jess?’

I looked at the tray that was being offered and a feeling of queasiness swelled inside me. ‘Um, no thanks.’

JJ scrutinised my face. ‘You OK? You’re looking a little pale.’

‘I know. All of a sudden I feel a bit weird. Must have been the boat ride,’ I said. ‘I never did have sea legs.’

Pia helped herself to another canapé as Alisha, Prasad and Kunal came over. They looked fabulous. Kunal in a coffee-coloured, embroidered Nehru style top and linen trousers, and Prasad in
a white silk suit with a white T-shirt and white trainers.

On the other side of the pool, I noticed Jefferson Lewis chatting to Shreya. A few seconds later, Shreya moved on to talk to someone else then spotted Kunal with us. She beckoned him over to
her. I watched as they bent their heads close together then glanced over at me like they were talking about me.
Probably having a laugh about my ringtone ruining the filming
, I thought. I
turned my back to show I didn’t care what they were saying when Mr Lewis called JJ to join him. JJ went over, then appeared to have an argument with his dad. I saw his jaw clench as Jefferson
said something to him. JJ folded his arms as if trying to shut his father out. He glanced over at me, then Shreya drifted back to join them. She was all smiles.
What is going on over there?
I wondered as my stomach churned again. ‘Um, Pia. I’ve just got to go and sit down for a while.’

Kunal appeared at my side. ‘Please allow me to escort you,’ he said and he took my arm and steered me towards a bench in a quiet alcove.

‘Sorry,’ I said as I sat down. ‘I don’t normally – God, I feel weird.’

He took my hand. ‘No need to apologise. Can I get you some water?’

I nodded. ‘Please.’

On the other side of the pool, I could see that JJ was still with Shreya. He didn’t look happy. She did, though. Kunal returned and handed me a glass of iced water. He touched my cheek
gently and said, ‘You have a temperature,’ just as JJ glanced over at us. A flash of annoyance crossed JJ’s face.

‘Would you excuse me a moment?’ I said to Kunal. I crossed the room, only to see JJ disappear into the crowd to his right. I went in the direction I’d seen him go but
couldn’t find him. I went a bit further then heard his voice. He was behind one of the enormous palm plants, talking into his phone. ‘So, do you get the picture? It’s just not
working with Jess,’ he said. ‘I need you out here now to take her off my hands.’

My heart sank.
Oh no. Take me off his hands? Who’s he talking to? And what does he mean, it’s not working with me?

I was about to step out and confront him but hesitated. He might think I was snooping. Listening in on anyone’s phone calls, especially a boyfriend’s, is so not cool.

Suddenly Kunal appeared behind me. ‘How are you feeling?’ he asked.

‘I . . .’ Another wave of nausea swelled inside of me. Pinpoints of light flashing off the swimming pool hurt my eyes. Floor tiles with concentric circles at the bottom of the pool
in the same burgundy as the tablecloths started to spin. ‘Not great.’ I had a metallic taste at the back of my mouth. ‘I think I need to . . .’ I clapped my hand over my
mouth.

‘Over there,’ said Kunal and pointed to a sign that had a painting of an Indian goddess on it. I rushed through the door as fast as I could. Pia came running in after me.

I made it to the loo just in time.

‘Whoa!’ Pia exclaimed as I puked my guts out.

Moments later, Mrs Lewis burst in, followed by Alisha. I sank to the floor then slid down to lie on the cool marble floor, all dignity forgotten.

‘We need to get her back to the hotel,’ I heard Mrs Lewis say.

‘Can’t move,’ I groaned. The thought of a boat ride across the lake made my stomach swell again. I knelt up, groaned and crawled to the loo and puked again.

‘Oh dear. Alisha, find the manager. Tell him we need a room here,’ said Mrs Lewis. ‘She can’t travel in this condition.’

‘Mff,’ I agreed. I was in real pain. All I wanted to do was lie down in a dark room. My stomach ached, my head was splitting and my mind was whirling with a blur of images. JJ,
Shreya, Kunal. I was aware of someone helping me to my feet, then being walked to a room where I collapsed into a cool bed. I sensed that Pia and Alisha were in the room as I drifted off into a
deep sleep. At one point, I opened my eyes to see that a bald Indian doctor had appeared by the bed. He was talking to Mrs Lewis.

‘An unfortunate case of Rajasthan rumbles,’ he said. ‘Sister of Delhi belly and the Jaipur jitters. In plain English, food poisoning.’

‘Have you anything she can take?’ asked Mrs Lewis.

‘I have just the thing,’ said the doctor.

It hurt too much to listen or to keep my eyes open, so I closed them again. I felt Pia take my hand.

‘Come on, Jess. You have to swallow this tablet,’ she said and she lifted my head to drink water and take a pill. ‘It will make you feel better.’

I swallowed the bitter-tasting tablet then sank back into the pillows. I felt so weak that even lifting my head had worn me out. ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ said Pia. ‘You
just sleep now.’