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a hundred times before we even thought about getting up the courage to actually talk to him. I felt breathless, not just because he was gorgeous and I had a crush on him, but because everything was moving so fast.
    When I finally came back in, Saffron and Tiger were still texting Darcy, giggling every so often.
    “He says he wants to meet you, but he’s going overseas for six weeks the day after tomorrow, so he can’t do it before that. But when he gets back, it’s for sure.” Saffron smiled at me. “He really thinks you’re cute.”
    I breathed a secret sigh of relief. There would be time to get used to the whole idea.
    Of course, I didn’t realise then that  I  wouldn’t be around in six weeks. How could I have even guessed that the very next day, everything was going to go completely and utterly crazy?
     
     
     

Chapter  5
     
     
    I made sure I sang to Charlie again when I got home. She and Josh (yes, he’s myannoying older brothe r) gave me the usual amount of teasing but she said she’d missed me and I said the same to her, so we were okay with each other. I tried to be generous to Josh, given that I was now popular and sophisticated, and ignored him with great dignity for about half an hour but he made one too many cracks about my new hairstyle so I had to hit him and then I ended up cleaning the toilet, which is Mum’s usual punishment for fighting, despite the fact that it was my birthday.
    I went off to bed cranky and tired from the day spa (who knew relaxing could be so exhausting?) but everything’s better after a good night’s sleep and the next day we were ready to celebrate properly. The usual stuff happened; Charlie and I gave each other presents (lipstick for me from Charlie, yoga pants for Charlie from me), we had pancakes for breakfast, we fielded about five phone calls from aunts and grandmas and then we got to choose what we’d do for the day, which of course was to go to the beach. I sat on the sand and sunbaked while Charlie headed out on her surfboard with Dad and Josh. In the afternoon we listened to music and chilled out while Dad said he had to go out and sign some papers or something, and then we were ready for the big event—dinner and cake!
    Mum put up the decorations like she does every time we have a family celebration. She made some bunting out of red and orange material a few years ago and it comes out for every birthday or special occasion. Mum likes to celebrate stuff. When we were little she bought red plates especially for the birthday person. She also brings them out if one of us wins a prize or a trophy for something. Charlie has eaten off a lot of red plates over the years.
    “What are we having to eat?” asked Charlie. “Is it roast?” Roast lamb is her favourite food, followed by chocolate pudding and ice cream. I like it too, but I’m more of a Thai food kind of girl. I like to think it’s a little bit more exotic.
    “Don’t worry,” said Mum, poking her head around the kitchen door, “I’ve done favourites for everyone.” She was fussing around in the kitchen putting food on plates. “Josh, come in here and help me bring out the food please.”
    Josh snorted and groaned and unfolded himself from the table where he was already sitting down. “It’s so unfair—I have to be the only slave when it’s their birthday. At least when it’s my birthday there are two of them to help each other.”
    “But you love us so much,” said Charlie. “You can’t wait to do the washing up on our birthday. Go on, admit it. You’ve been hanging out for this all year.”
    “You, I love,” said Josh, pointing at Charlie on his way to the kitchen. “Her, I’m not so sure about.” He nodded his head towards me.
    “What?” I yelped. I actually felt hurt. “What’s wrong with me? You can’t just love her and not me. That’s not fair. Anyway, we’re twins. You have to love us both.”
    “Yeah, well I would, except you look stupid,” said Josh, coming