CHAPTER
ONE
It's All a Dream
D ream s. Am bitions.
E veryon e h a s th em .
S o m e p e o p le d r e a m o f s c o r in g a p e n a lt y in t h e W orld Cup Final.
O th ers w a n t t o tra v el a r o u n d t h e w orld... E llie S te v e n s o n d r e a m s o f
b e in g a singer.
Ellie is a n o r m a l s e v e n te e n -y e a r -o ld girl. S h e lives in a q u iet v illa g e
in t h e b e a u tifu l Y o rk sh ire D ales. S h e g o e s to s c h o o l, h a s
a
p a r t-tim e
j o b in h e r D ad ’s s h o p a n d en joys s p en d in g tim e w ith h e r b e s t frie n d s ,
C a ssie a n d Skye.
T his is t h e s to r y o f Ellie a n d h o w d r e a m s , s o m e tim e s , d o c o m e true.
‘Pencils d o w n , p le a s e !’
i quickly t r y t o fin is h w ritin g o n e la s t s e n t e n c e b u t Miss J o n e s
s e e s
m e .
‘Ellie S te v e n s o n ! T h e e x a m is o v er!’
‘P lease, Miss... a n o t h e r t h i r t y sec o n d s... fiv e?'
■ ‘H u m p h !’ s h e s a y s a n d t a k e s m y p a p e r.
T h e r e ’s n o t h i n g I c a n d o n o w . I h a t e b io lo g y ! / w a n t t o b e a
singer.»/ w a n t e d t o s t u d y m u s ic a t A level.
'You c a n ’t s t u d y m u s ic !’ sa id D ad w h e n I to ld h im a t t h e s t a r t o f
It's A ll a Dream
s ix th f o r m , in S e p t e m b e r la s t y e a r.
If y o u w a n t a g o o d c a r e e r y o u n e e d t o s t u d y s c ie n c e .’
H e s rig h t. T h e s c ie n c e s a r e i m p o r t a n t , Ellie,’ a g r e e d Skye. ‘I’m
g o in g t o s t u d y c h e m is tr y , biology, p h y sic s a n d m a t h s . ’
Boring! W h y d o n ’t y o u s t u d y F re n c h like m e ? ’
s u g g e s t e d Cassie,
m y o t h e r b e s t frie n d . ‘Mr Lake, t h e F re n c h t e a c h e r , is g o rg e o u s !’ i
I n e v e r to ld a n y o n e a b o u t m y d r e a m a f t e r t h a t .
N o w h e r e I a m t r y i n g n o t t o fall a s l e e p a s Miss J o n e s f in is h e s
co llectin g t h e a n s w e r p a p e r s a f t e r t h e biology e x a m .
I s t a r t t o y a w n . I s t a y e d u p s tu d y in g all night. I’m really tir e d . I
close m y e y e s. I on ly w a n t t o r e s t f o r a m in u te . B u t s o o n I’m n o t in
t h e e x a m room ...
I’m o n s t a g e in f r o n t o f t h o u s a n d s o f f a n s . My fa n s! T h e y a r e
s h o u t i n g m y n a m e ... I s t a r t t o p la y t h e g u i t a r a n d t h e y all ch eer...
t h e y sin g t h e w o r d s t o m y l a t e s t hit...
‘Ellie! Ellie!’ Miss J o n e s ’s a n g r y voice w a k e s m e up.
‘Eh...? S o r r y ? ’
‘It’s t i m e t o g o h o m e !’ s h e s a y s , s h a k in g h e r h ead .
I’m t h e o n ly p e r s o n le ft in t h e ro o m . E v e ry o n e e ls e h a s a lr e a d y
g o n e .
I w a s d re a m in g ... again.
I fe e l s tu p id a s I pick u p m y b a g a n d w a lk t o w a r d s t h e exit.
O u ts id e , i t ’s raining. It’s sp rin g b u t t h e sk y is g r e y a n d m is e ra b le .
It s e e m s like it will ra in f o r e v e r a n d I h a v e n ’t g o t a n u m b re lla .
‘Ellie! Ellie! W a i t f o r m e ! ’ I t u r n a r o u n d a n d s e e S k y e r u n n i n g
t o w a r d s m e . T h e on ly t h in g I c a n s e e is h e r wild black cu rly h a ir. The
r e s t o f h e r is h id d e n b e h in d a pile o f lib ra ry books.
S k y e is o n e o f m y b e s t f r i e n d s b u t s h e is t h e l a s t p e r s o n y o u
1. g o rg e o u s : very good-looking.