The next week was the last week of school. Alexandria got off the train on

Monday, and waved to her best friend Jackie. Jackie waved back, brushing her long blonde hair out of her blue eyes.

“Hey Jack,” Alexandria called, running over to her friend.

“Hey Xia, what’s up?”

Jackie shrugged. “I’m really excited. One week, and then there’s no more.

Let’s go.”

Alexandria nodded and waved to Paris, who was talking to her friends. Paris

ignored her sister, but Alexandria knew she saw. Alexandria scowled and she and Jackie started walking the long walk to their school.

“I’m just sick of it,” Alexandria grumbled as they walked. “She gets

everything. The looks, the fame, everything. And then when something

goes wrong, I’m the one she goes running to.”

“Yeah, that would be terrible. I know what will cheer you up, my parents are going away next weekend. Nathan will be at some party most of the time. Want to come for a sleepover on Saturday night? We can order pizza and get loads of movies.”

Alexandria smiled and nodded. “That’d be great. Thanks Jack. You always

know exactly how to cheer me up.”

“Yeah, I am great, aren’t I?”

Alexandria laughed and slung her arm around Jackie’s shoulders. “Yes

Jackie, you are great.”

“How was math?” Alexandria asked Jackie during lunch. They had most of

their classes together, but they were separated for math and language.

Jackie had been put in the smartest class for math, while Alexandria was

struggling in the lowest.

“It was easy.”

“For you maybe. We're not all geniuses.”

“Want some more help?”

Alexandria nodded sadly.

“Well… do want some pizza?”

Alexandria held up a slice of pizza, which Jackie grabbed.

“Thanks Xia. I didn’t have any money to grab anything for lunch, and I’m

dead broke.”

“Yeah, you’re usually broke. Maybe you should GET A JOB!”

“You know I can’t get a job Xia. I have no skills.”

“Yes you do. You could easy get a job tutoring in math. People would pay

loads for your skills. And that way I won’t be forking out money for you

every time you want something.”

“But I thought you liked paying for my stuff.”

Alexandria laughed. “Yeah, right. Just get a job. Now, the bell will be going

soon. What have we go next?”

“IT. I know for a fact that Mr. Cabe isn’t here, which means we have a sub!”

“A sub? Yes!”

When the bell went, the two girls walked up the stairs and into a computer

room. Three other girls and four boys were already there. There was no

teacher in sight.

“Have you been doing much writing lately?” Jackie asked Alexandria as

they logged onto their school accounts.

Alexandria couldn’t dance, act, sing or multiply, but she could read fast and

write amazing stories.

“Yeah. Last night I started this story about a young girl who lives in a war-

torn land. The idea came to me in the middle of the night, so I didn’t have

much time to write, but I got a bit done. Want to read it?”

Jackie nodded. She was Alexandria’s biggest fan. Alexandria would always

email her writing to Jackie to read over. She wanted to be a best-sellign author when she was older.

Alexandria opened up her email and forwarded the most recent one, one

she had emailed to herself, to Jackie, who opened it up and began reading.

“This is so sad,” she breathed as she read the three page document.

“Do you like it?” Alexandria asked anxiously, biting her thumb, when Jackie finished it. Although Jackie always loved her writing, Alexandria was a worrier.

“I loved it,” Jackie smiled. “It was brilliant. Your best ever. Have you

finished that story about the sick horse? That one was beautiful, but you

never sent me the ending. What happened there?”

Alexandria chewed her bottom lip. “Yeah, I’m having trouble with that one.

I’m going to give it a break for a while, go back to it a bit later.”

Jackie nodded understandingly. “That’s cool.”

After school, Alexandria saw Paris waiting outside the school for a car. Not

remembering her parents saying anything about being picked up, she told

Jackie to wait and ran over to find out what was going on.

“Hey Par, we’re not getting picked up. What are you doing?”

Paris turned around and bit her lip, as if she hadn’t wanted Alexandria to

see her.

“Yeah, listen Dria, I’m getting taken to a recording studio. My manager

found out I can sing, and set up an audition with a producer. If he thinks

I’m good enough, I could get signed!”

Alexandria just stood there, staring at her sister. “Have you talked to mum and Dad about this?” She asked when she finally regained her voice.

“Well duh. Of course I have. Mum was reluctant at first, but she’s ok with it

now.”

“And Dad is seriously letting you do this?”

The girls' dad had been against Paris starting acting, so Alexandria was

sure he’d put his foot down about the singing.

“Yeah, like I said, they’re cool with it.”

Alexandria turned around and ran back to Jackie, who had been waiting

patiently at the gate the whole time.

“So what’s going on?” Jackie asked.

“Par’s manager found out she can sing, and he’s set up an audition. Apparently mum and dad are all for it, which is so wrong.”

“Why?”

“Dad never wanted the acting to start, let alone singing. He thinks Par

should spend more time focusing on her education.”

Jackie and Alexandria started walking towards the train station.

“So are you going to come over and we’ll do some math?” Jackie asked.

Alexandria shook her head. “I would, but I’m really not in the mood to do

anything. Well, anything except write.”

“Fair enough. Send me what you write and I’ll look at it.”

“Cool, thanks Jack.”

The two girls parted at the train station. Alexandria waiting for her train,

and Jackie walking on to her nearby house.