One Night Only (36 page)

“
T
ess
!
Don
’
t
b
e
s
o
rude!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
a
s
sh
e
ushere
d
the twin
s
int
o
thei
r
playroom
.
Poll
y
wa
s
al
l
piou
s
whe
n
it
cam
e
t
o
swearin
g
an
d
stil
l
hadn
’
t
forgive
n
hersel
f
for
sayin
g
‘hell
’
i
n
th
e
children
’
s
hearin
g
whe
n
she’
d
knel
t
on th
e
Lego
.

“
Me
?
Rude
?
”
sai
d
T
es
s
i
n
he
r
bes
t
high-pitche
d
teacher
voice
.
“
I
thin
k
I
hav
e
ever
y
righ
t
t
o
b
e
rude
!
Don
’
t
you remembe
r
th
e
horribl
e
name
s
sh
e
use
d
t
o
cal
l
you
?
O
r
the fac
t
tha
t
sh
e
stol
e
m
y
meda
l
whe
n
I
wo
n
th
e
Cross Countr
y
School
s
Unde
r
T
welv
e
Championship?
”

“No
,
I
wil
l
neve
r
forge
t
that,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“
Y
o
u
have
neve
r
le
t
i
t
go
,
eithe
r
.
Ar
e
yo
u
sur
e
it
’
s
no
t
dow
n
th
e
back o
f
Mum
’
s
sofa?
”

T
es
s
wa
s
o
n
a
roll
.
“O
r
th
e
wa
y
sh
e
terrifie
d
yo
u
into takin
g
a
differen
t
rout
e
hom
e
ever
y
da
y
fo
r
tw
o
whole
years
?
Huh
?
Y
o
u
hav
e
a
ver
y
shor
t
memor
y
an
d
yo
u
are wa
y
to
o
soft!
”

“Di
d
I?
”
aske
d
Ruth
.
“Di
d
I
reall
y
terrif
y
yo
u
that much
,
Polly
?
O
h
God
,
I’
m
–
”

“Don
’
t
sa
y
it!
”
snappe
d
T
ess
.
“Don
’
t
dare!
”
Sh
e
glared a
t
Poll
y
wh
o
wa
s
scratchin
g
he
r
hea
d
an
d
fixin
g
th
e
string o
n
tha
t
stupi
d
apro
n
sh
e
alway
s
wor
e
t
o
mak
e
he
r
look
lik
e
Mothe
r
-fucking-Earth
.

Poll
y
mumble
d
a
response
.
“Em
,
wel
l
.
.
.
”

“Oh
,
jus
t
tel
l
he
r
,
Polly!
”
T
es
s
squealed
,
enjoyin
g
the
look on
Ruth
’
s face
as she
squirmed
at the
ugly truth.
She
wa
s
onl
y
startin
g
.
.
.
“
T
el
l
he
r
ho
w
sh
e
use
d
t
o
mak
e
you
pis
s
th
e
be
d
whe
n
yo
u
wer
e
ol
d
enoug
h
t
o
b
e
a
t
disco
s
and ho
w
yo
u
didn
’
t
kee
p
o
n
Biolog
y
whic
h
yo
u
love
d
because
sh
e
wa
s
takin
g
tha
t
clas
s
to
o
an
d
yo
u
wer
e
to
o
afrai
d
to b
e
i
n
th
e
sam
e
roo
m
a
s
her!
”

“
I
honestl
y
a
m
s
o
sorr
y
,
”
sai
d
Ruth
,
a
quiverin
g
wreck no
w
.

Bu
t
T
es
s
stil
l
ha
d
save
d
th
e
bes
t
t
o
last
.

“O
r
ho
w
abou
t
th
e
fac
t
tha
t
yo
u
couldn
’
t
ea
t
fo
r
five
day
s
an
d
vomite
d
u
p
everythin
g
yo
u
di
d
ea
t
i
n
fea
r
o
f
her horrible
,
evi
l
bullyin
g
afte
r
sh
e
threatene
d
yo
u
fo
r
picking u
p
he
r
schoolba
g
b
y
accident
?
Y
o
u
hav
e
a
cheek
,
Ruth Monaghan
.
Y
o
u
hav
e
a
chee
k
comin
g
bac
k
int
o
ou
r
town an
d
expectin
g
u
s
t
o
forgiv
e
an
d
forget
!
Y
ou’r
e
a
callous, conniving
,
backstabbin
g
bull
y
an
d
I
woul
d
advis
e
yo
u
to
ge
t
ou
t
o
f
her
e
righ
t
no
w
an
d
neve
r
sho
w
you
r
sorr
y
face
again!
”

There
,
sh
e
ha
d
sai
d
it
.
Sh
e
ha
d
sai
d
wha
t
sh
e
was longin
g
t
o
sa
y
fo
r
years
.
I
t
wa
s
out
.
I
t
wa
s
gone
.
Y
ear
s
of pent-u
p
frustratio
n
an
d
lac
k
o
f
closur
e
ha
d
com
e
t
o
an end
.