The Mag Hags (17 page)

The next afternoon, Maggie, having a practical streak, decided to call a meeting at Mag Hag Central, despite the fact that the very fate of all their hard work nestled in a bunch of wires that housed millions of zeroes and ones, which were now soaked in Berry Berry shake. The girls arrived at Belle's place looking as dejected as a netball team who had lost the grand final. Nobody felt motivated to do any more work on the magazine while the computer was spitting out purple gunk in a desperate fight for survival.

The girls had decided not to tell their parents what had happened until they knew whether the computer would survive or not, as that would have meant discussing the secret teenage business of feuds and fights. However, if the computer was well and truly stuffed, then the parents would need to be told. They would have to speak to the teachers so the girls could still get their English credit. At least they could show their hard work from printouts of the first draft that hung on the pegs, covered with their scribbled corrections.

‘Okay, I officially call this meeting of the Mag Hags to order,' said Maggie.

‘Fat lot of good that will do without a computer,' said Mand, in a sulk. Her black jumper was pulled down to her knuckles, and she stripped little pieces of skin from around her nails.

‘Maybe we should just call it quits, hand in the printouts and get a pass,' said Cat. ‘And forget this whole project ever existed. From the moment Bone said we were doing this stupid magazine, my life has gone completely downhill!'

‘Well at least you don't hang out with the Pus Crew any more,' said Mand, smiling at Cat. ‘We've saved you from a life of toxicity.'

‘Yeah, that's kind of true,' admitted Cat who was coming to terms with the fact that everyone didn't think the Us's were so cool after all. ‘But if I were still friends with those skanks, at least we wouldn't be sitting here without anything to show for the past couple of months.'

‘Look, I know everything seems doom and gloom, but if we just get on with it, we can still do it, even if Belle's computer is ruined,' said Maggie who felt as editor she had a responsibility to keep everyone's spirits up.

‘She's right,' said Belle. ‘I don't know about you girls, but I desperately want to win this competition. I want to show everybody what we've done. How five girls who
had absolutely nothing in common could come together and create something, well, amazing.'

The girls looked at each other and it struck them that what they had created really
was
amazing.

‘Okay, so how are we going to make this work?' asked Mand, rolling back on her chair, realising just how important the mag had become to her.

‘By Sunday we'll know if we've got anything to work from,' said Maggie. ‘Then we've got two weeks to finish this magazine and I, for one, don't mind working day and night.'

‘Me neither,' said Mand.

‘Me neither' said Cat, who had discovered a whole new work ethic doing the magazine. ‘I'll do whatever it takes! It will be worth it just to see the Pus Crew's faces when we win'.

‘You can count on me,' said Wanda, smiling. ‘Belle?'

‘Of course,' replied Belle. ‘After all, we rock, don't we?'

‘Okay, now for some good news.' Maggie dug into her bag and handed each of the girls two A4 sheets of paper. ‘You wanted the lowdown on boys? Well, boy, have my sisters had a colourful history. It was weird, they spoke to me like I was a human, not some space alien for a change.'

For girls' eyes only:

Everything you need to know about boys:

 

Psst! Want to know what goes on in a boy's mind when it comes to relationships?

Well,
The Mag Hag
has managed to convince Baywood's famous Jones sisters to spill the beans, along with their feelings about the male species, so you don't have to get your heart stomped on by some heartless guy in a pair of size tens. Bet, 23, Caro, 22, and Lisa Jones, 19, have fallen in love, fallen out of love, dated, mated, been smitten, dumped, ignored, hounded, chased and everything in between, so when it comes to deciphering boys, they reckon they've got it pretty sussed. Here's what they told us:

 

If he likes you, it's pretty obvious

The thing with boys is that when they are really into a girl, they want to see you. He'll make a special effort to be available, even if he has got a million things on his to-do list. However, if he doesn't return your phone calls, emails, texts, or just can't find time, then it means he's really not into it. Therefore, heed the warning signs, back off and move on, girlfriend! This is particularly true if you're obsessed by a boy you've already dated and are still wishing, hoping and praying that you'll get back together. Stop trying to be ‘friends' in the faint hope that he'll see what he's missing, it will be easier to get over him that way.

 

How do I know if he's into me or is just using me?

That's a tricky one for most girls. But the Jones sisters reckon the clear sign is that he will want to spend time with you, rather than just pursuing you for sex. The kind of boy you're after is one that doesn't talk to you about other girls; he listens to your feelings and actually cares about them. He treats you like an equal, and you feel respect coming from him in spades, especially in front of his mates. Go with your intuition, if you think he's only after sex, he probably is.

 

Don't have sex with him just to keep him

If he's giving you grief because you're not putting out, he's really after just one thing. If you're not ready, and think, ‘I'll have sex otherwise he may leave me', then be prepared; he's the kind of guy who will probably dump you anyway. If it's only about sex, then it's probably a shallow connection and he won't be concerned about your feelings. And won't mind hurting them. For some boys, once the thrill of the chase is over, they'll be looking for the next girl. Don't be a notch on his bedpost.

 

Don't do stuff just because your friends are doing it

You should listen to good friends, as they hopefully will have your best interests at heart. Be careful though, there is a lot of peer group pressure out there! Girls can brag about
what they get up to, but sometimes they want you to be just like them, especially if they've got regrets around what they are doing because it helps justify their own behaviour. Never do anything just because your friends are doing it. Listen to your own heart and ask, ‘Will this experience benefit me or hurt me?', then make your decision.

 

Keep it to yourself

Sex is always going to be gossip fodder. Keep your private life private. Only tell a select few friends that you trust with your innermost secrets, and ask the same of him.

 

Don't give away your virginity easily

All the girls agreed that having intercourse is such a big decision and one you carry with you your entire life. So try and make it a positive one. Make sure you're emotionally ready. Honestly, there is no rush, because once you've given away your virginity, you can't get a refund.

So make it special.

 

If you're going to do it, then be safe

The girls had numerous stories of friends that weren't safe and ended up with unwanted pregnancies and sexual diseases. So if you do make that decision, make sure you play safe: always use condoms, no matter what he tells you. Remember there's more at risk than just your reputation.

‘God, I wished I knew that before … you know, the whole Nate thing,' said Cat when she had finished reading the story.

‘Great job!' said Mand. ‘It's fantastic.'

‘Okay,' said Belle, ‘let's work out how we're going to illustrate it. What about a picture of a really hot guy?'

‘That excludes just about every male at Baywood High. It's like we've got a permanent hot-guy drought in this town,' said Mand, laughing. ‘What were the guys like at your old school, Belle?'

‘It was all girls,' said Belle. ‘Not a guy in sight, never mind a hot one.'

‘Why did you leave that posh boarding school to come to Baywood High anyway?' asked Cat, who was never shy of asking difficult questions, as the Tyler interview had proved.

‘Leave?' said Belle. ‘I was kicked out!'

‘Freakin' hell, Belle,' said Mand. ‘I never had you pegged for being the rebellious type. What did you do?'

‘Well, there was quite a list – smoking, drinking, general obnoxiousness, sneaking out at night, but the clincher was when I set fire to a bin during mother and daughter day. My counsellor said I was acting out.'

‘What's acting out?' said Wanda. ‘Sounds like you were in a play or something.'

‘It means when something is bothering you and, instead of dealing with it, you know, you do something
stupid, like set fire to a bin or something, call the fire brigade from the phone box across the road from the school and leave your prints all over the phone,' said Belle with a self-effacing smile. ‘If it wasn't for my dad, I could have had a criminal record.'

‘Really?' said Cat. ‘Wow, I've always seen you as such a good girl!'

‘Essentially I am,' said Belle. ‘My counsellor reckoned I was just missing my mum.'

‘When did she die?' asked Mand tentatively. ‘If that's not too much of a personal question?'

‘No, that's okay. I kind of feel that I know you well enough to tell you now. I was nine. My mum had breast cancer, she was only thirty-nine. I don't remember too much about it, but the funeral was horrendous, everybody crying but me. I remember thinking, why is this happening to me, but kind of not feeling anything at all. Like I was numb.'

‘I'm so sorry, Belle,' said Mand, showing her soft and compassionate side for once. ‘It must have been really tough.'

‘I don't want to bring you all down.' Belle was suddenly embarrassed at sharing so much. ‘It's just that this magazine has helped me to feel like I'm starting to wake up again. Like I have a purpose, I'm not just existing, I'm actually living.'

Cat reached over and placed a hand on Belle's arm.
‘Babes, you're not bringing us down,' said Cat, and the other girls nodded in agreement. ‘You're just being honest about who you are. It kind of makes us understand you more.'

‘What?' said Belle. ‘Why I was such a cold, stuck-up cow?'

‘Well, kind of,' said Mand. ‘Actually, er, you were a little frosty.'

‘It's called self-protection.' Belle leaned her elbows on the table, putting her head in her hands. ‘And just when I start to feel that life is actually worth living, along comes Reanne to ruin everything.'

‘Look, me and Debs have been asking about Reanne at Out for Kicks,' said Cat. ‘We don't have anything concrete but we'll get something on her, trust me. We'll find a way to stop her, I promise.'

‘I'd like to believe you but sometimes it feels like I have no control over my life,' said Belle. ‘Like stuff happens to you and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it.'

The girls all nodded in agreement. They might not have lost their mum at a young age, or have an evil stepmother to contend with, but they all knew exactly what it was like to feel powerless. Like when you're swimming in the calm sea and suddenly a wave comes out of nowhere and picks you up, tumbles you until you lose your bearings, go completely arse over tit, and find sand in every orifice in your body. Life can be like that – smooth one moment, rought the next.