Read Mates, Dates and Cosmic Kisses for Free Online Page B

see how he’d respond.
    I couldn’t believe it. He blanked me.
    I carried on walking, feeling numb. He’d blanked me. Oh God. I couldn’t wait to get home to my bedroom where I could hide.
    As I turned the corner into our road, I heard footsteps running behind me.
    I hurried my own pace. It was dark, and by now I was desperate to get home. I leaped as a hand grabbed my shoulder.
    I swung round, ready to kick as hard as I could.
    It was Mark.
    ‘Hey,’ he said. ‘Don’t I know you from somewhere?’
    From somewhere? I thought. He doesn’t even know who I am, the creep.
    ‘The Lock, last Saturday,’ I said.
    ‘Sorry about back then on the road,’ he said. ‘I didn’t want to let on I knew you as all my mates would start asking questions and, well, you know how it can be . .
.’
    I didn’t, but I was beginning to soften. He was even better-looking than I remembered, even though he was splattered in mud and his hair was all over the place. Gorgeous eyes with silky
long lashes.
    He grinned sheepishly. ‘I was supposed to phone you, wasn’t I? About the fair.’
    ‘Were you?’ I said. ‘I don’t remember.’
    ‘Yeah. You gave me your card. Pretty turquoise one with silver writing.’
    So he did remember.
    He dived in his sports bag and pulled out a wallet.
    ‘See? I’ve got it here.’
    ‘Got a pen?’ I said, trying to stay as cool as possible.
    ‘No.’
    ‘No matter, I’ve got one,’ I said, quickly rooting round in my bag. I took my card back from him and scribbled my new number on it. ‘One of the numbers has changed. I got
a new mobile since I made those cards.’
    ‘Oh, right,’ he said, taking the card and putting it back in his wallet. ‘Anyway, did you go? To Ally Pally?’
    ‘No,’ I lied. I wasn’t about to let on I’d spent the day looking for him. ‘Did you go?’ I asked.
    ‘Nah,’ he said. ‘My sister said she’d do the stall with Mum for me. She loves all that kind of thing.’ He shifted awkwardly then smiled widely. ‘Look. Sorry I
didn’t call. This week’s been mad. How about I give you a call next week and we go out sometime?’
    My heart leaped. He was interested. I shrugged, not wanting to appear too easy. ‘Yeah, maybe,’ I said.
    At that moment, his mates appeared at the end of the road, ‘Oi, Mark, you coming or what?’ one of them yelled.
    ‘Look, Izzie Foster, got to go. I’ll call you. Promise.’ And with that he ran off.
    I felt stunned. He even remembered my name. So my horoscope was right after all. Venus was well aspected, even if it took its time to get going. And Nesta was right too. When you give up, things
do start happening.

 
    Song for Africa
by Izzie Foster
    Cracked lips, parched land,
    Dusty promises of help at hand.
    Hungry children on Christmas cards
    Won’t help a world that’s growing too fast.
    I just wish it would rain on Africa.
    But storm clouds gathering won’t bring relief,
    Just darker days with no hope of peace in Africa.
    I just wish it would rain on Africa.
    Wash out the pain of Africa.
    Guns and bombs, tears and mud,
    Luxury limos race through blood.
    But bound by debt to hopelessness
    Can we ever clean this mess?
    I just wish it would rain on Africa.
    Wash out the pain of Africa.

 
    Chapter 6
Love Spells
    Cool. I am the queen of it. I consulted my horoscope and it said the week would get off to a slow start but things would start moving again on
Friday. And Venus was in a good place for a romantic weekend. Fab. Sounded like Mark would phone at the end of the week and I’d see him on Saturday or Sunday.
    The week at school flew by and it was such a relief not to be in a flap about waiting for the phone. He’d promised he’d ring, and as Nesta said, you have to give them time.
    However, by Friday the same old feelings were beginning to creep back.
    ‘So what exactly did he say?’ asked Lucy.
    ‘That he’d call next week.’
    ‘Well that could be any day till Sunday,’ said Nesta. ‘Chill.’
    It was