Secrets of a Teenage Heiress by Katy Birchall (8)

‘That makes TOTAL sense. Everyone just thought you were really weird.’

I lifted the slices of cucumber from my eyes so I could look at Skylar.

‘Did Ethan say that?’

‘That you were weird? Yeah.’

I slumped into the reclining chair and closed my eyes, putting the cucumber slices back on my eyelids. It had been a few days since the disastrous dinner, and this was the first chance I’d had to explain myself.

I’d had to wait for ages for Audrey to leave, by which point the food had arrived and no one had been sure what to do. Skylar had peered under the tablecloth to find out what was going on but unfortunately, so had everyone else, and I couldn’t tell them all (I mean, I was mainly thinking of Ethan ‘the Jaw’ Duke) the reason I was under there.

And I know I looked pretty stupid anyway, hiding underneath the table, but it was better than all of Skylar Chase’s glamorous friends thinking I was a big baby, being caught by Audrey and sent to my room.

When I saw Audrey’s shoes leaving the restaurant, I decided that it was too risky to hang around there. She was bound to come back. It had been a stupid idea to agree to go to dinner with Skylar. If Audrey had seen me and told Mum, then the punishment would have been stretched out even longer. I was on strike two. As soon as I saw those polished Christian Louboutins clacking in the opposite direction, I crawled out from under the table, told everyone I had to go because of ‘a thing’ and then ran full-pelt towards the door that led to the piano room, before bursting through it and interrupting a cast of singers in the middle of a private performance.

‘So, what did you do?’

‘I picked up a fan from the props table and pretended to be part of the performance.’

‘You did not!’ Skylar screeched with laughter.

‘I did. Why is it that whenever I go through that door, someone is in there?’

‘I can’t believe you hid under the table. You should have just explained the situation and excused yourself.’

‘And look like a complete and utter loser? I bet none of your friends ever get grounded.’

‘None of us ever attacked a prince.’

‘I didn’t attack him, I just hid in his wardrobe. There’s a big difference.’

Skylar giggled before letting out a happy sigh. ‘Isn’t this the dream right now?’

I had to agree that it wasn’t a bad night in. Skylar had put in a request with Audrey that I join her for a pampering evening, after she’d spent almost all week running around fashion shows in high heels in between her gigs. Apparently, London Fashion Week was no joke.

Skylar’s PA had pretty much set up our own private spa in her room, complete with beauticians ready to give us manicures, pedicures, face masks and head massages. I’d been given a dressing gown and some kind of disgusting healthy green smoothie as soon as I’d walked through the door. I’d ditched the smoothie, but gladly hopped up on to the big reclining leather chair in my fluffy white gown.

I’m not sure if either the beauticians or Skylar had been expecting me to bring Fritz, but he was being particularly needy that afternoon, so I didn’t have the heart to leave him alone in his basket. I made sure he came prepared for a pampering session, popping him in his own personal dressing gown, which he’d been given by the owner of a Covent Garden spa. The gown even had his name in gold stitching along the back and was perfect for cold winter evenings.

Skylar and her team had gone crazy when I arrived with him under my arm and they all fussed him so much that it got to his head – he ran into Skylar’s bedroom and attempted to jump up on her bed, no doubt thinking he had been upgraded and that this was now his room. Unfortunately, his little legs couldn’t quite scale the bed and he was left scrambling on the side of the sheets until Skylar picked him up and let him settle down on her lap for a nap. But not before we got a brilliant Instagram snap of him with his front paws in the foot massager.

‘Do you do this kind of thing often?’ I asked, picking a maroon nail polish from the selection Danielle, the beautician, was holding.

‘Sadly not,’ Skylar replied, stroking Fritz’s head absentmindedly. ‘I don’t have the time. But, trust me, it’s essential during Fashion Week. No end of cameras, no end of new shoes. My feet are so blistered, they’re falling off.’

‘I’m so jealous.’

‘Of the blisters?’

‘Yes, I’m jealous of the blisters,’ I said sarcastically, as she sipped her smoothie. ‘No, of you going to Fashion Week. It must be amazing to see it all.’

‘You’ve never been? I’m surprised.’

‘Why?’ I asked, watching my nails being filed down to perfect curves.

‘Because you’re Flick Royale,’ she said, as though I was being stupid. ‘I’m sure designers would love to have you watching their shows. You should just go.’

‘Have you met my mum?’ I sighed. ‘She’s so strict. One time, an actress staying here invited me and Fritz to a premiere of her latest film and Mum wouldn’t let us go.’

‘Why not?’

‘It was the same night as Mum’s birthday party.’

‘Ah, well, that seems kind of fair.’ Skylar laughed.

‘Yeah, except she held this super boring dinner party with all these old people and I was stuck in between two men talking about the state of the economy.’ I rolled my eyes at the horrific memory. ‘That’s why sometime soon I want to get a vlog going. At the moment, I never get to do anything cool.’

Sky looked at me curiously. ‘What about tomorrow night?’

‘What about it?’ I said, lying back so that Danielle could start sponging my face mask off.

‘I’ll be at the fashion shows. Come with me. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind adding you to their list.’

‘Stop tempting me with such an amazing invite!’ I moaned, though my heart soared at the thought. ‘I can’t leave the hotel.’

‘You’ve never snuck out before?’

I let Danielle finish washing my face before I turned to Skylar. ‘You’re a terrible influence.’

‘You bring it out in me.’ She smiled mischievously. ‘It’s like having a little sister to lead astray.’

‘I can’t.’

‘All right then.’ She sighed. ‘It’s a shame that it’s happening this week and not next week when you’re free. Never mind, you can go next year.’

I groaned. Next year was so far away! And how often does the world’s biggest pop star invite you to go with her to Fashion Week? NEVER. It was all so unfair, but there was no chance I would get away with it – there would be photos all over the Internet as soon as I stepped anywhere with Skylar. But this was a chance of a lifetime. It was surely worth it. What was the worst Mum could do?

‘OK.’

Skylar looked at me blankly. ‘OK, what?’

‘OK, I’ll come to Fashion Week with you tomorrow.’

A smile spread across her face. ‘Really?’

‘Yes. But it will have to be after I’m back from school, so just an evening show. And I’ll have to make Mum think I’m upstairs doing my homework so she doesn’t check on me.’

‘Yes! Tomorrow night is Lewis Blume’s show, and I have him on speed dial so I’ll call and get you on the guest list. This is so exciting!’ she cried, wriggling her pedicured toes and disturbing grumpy Fritz. He was not one to pander to celebrities. ‘Although, how are you going to sneak out the hotel without being seen?’

I nestled snugly back into my chair and admired my shiny new nails.

‘Leave that to me.’

Since meeting Skylar, school seemed duller than ever.

I kept getting told off in lessons for not paying attention. Most of the time I was daydreaming about appearing on Ethan’s vlog and how jealous Ella and Grace would be when they found out. I had eventually told the girls that Skylar and I had spoken once or twice, which made me even more popular at school than I already was. I was constantly surrounded by people on the way to lessons and at break times. I happily told them that Skylar was very nice but I hadn’t given anyone any more details yet, despite Grace questioning me every second of the day. I wasn’t sure why, maybe because I was secretly terrified that it was all some kind of humiliating joke and Skylar was going to turn around and be like, ‘You thought we were friends? Ew!’

It could happen.

All I told them was that I’d bumped into her in reception a few times and she seemed nice, which was enough for Grace and some of the other girls to scamper after me at every chance they got and ask whether or not I’d be seeing Skylar again, how long she was staying for, if she was going to the Christmas Ball, whether or not I’d be allowed to go to one of her gigs and take some friends with me and if so, who I would be taking.

‘Do you think she’d mind if you asked her for some autographs?’ Grace asked eagerly at the end of maths, as I gathered my books off the desk.

‘She’s really busy with Fashion Week. She doesn’t have the time.’

‘Oh, right.’ Grace nodded, looking disappointed. ‘Maybe after Fashion Week then.’

‘Maybe. She’s got a jam-packed schedule. Anyway, why don’t you get Ella and we can go to lunch?’

‘OK!’ she said, before rushing off to stand outside Ella’s classroom and wait for her.

I got to my locker, relieved to have some peace, and saw Oliver standing next to it.

‘Hey.’ He smiled as I approached. ‘I thought my sister might be with you. I picked up one of her books by accident this morning, and she must have taken mine.’

He held up a plain black notepad and then opened it to show me a page covered in cutouts of Ethan Duke’s face with red hearts scribbled around them.

‘This page was a bit of a giveaway.’

‘Right.’ I laughed. ‘You want me to give it to her?’

‘I’m surprised she’s left your side for a second. You’re all she talks about these days. Well –’ he hesitated, passing me the notepad – ‘you, Ethan Duke and Skylar Chase.’

I saw him glance over my shoulder and turned to see Ella swanning towards us, with Grace one step behind.

‘Hey, Oliver,’ Ella said, fluttering her thick, mascara-covered eyelashes.

‘Hey. Excited about tonight?’

She nodded. ‘Can’t wait.’

‘What’s tonight?’ I asked without thinking.

‘Ella’s party,’ Grace reminded me.

‘Oh, right. I forgot it was tonight.’

‘I wish you could come,’ Grace said, looking at me sympathetically. ‘Any chance you could sneak out?’

‘That’s a good idea . . . even if it did come from my sister,’ Oliver added with a cheeky smile at Grace, who scowled back at him.

‘I can’t,’ I replied quickly. ‘Sorry.’

‘Oh well.’ Ella smiled sweetly up at Oliver. ‘So, what time do you think you’ll be getting there?’