a r o u n d . T h is is m y m o b ile n u m b e r if y o u n e e d m e , ’ he g i v e s m e a
p i e c e o f p a p e r . H a v e a g o o d t i m e ! ’ a n d w i t h a w a v e ^ h e
d i s a p p e a r s in to th e c ro w d .
A f t e r p h o n in g D ad I d e c i d e t o p h o n e C a s s i e a n d Si
still d o n ’t k n o w t h a t I’m h ere.
C a s s i e ? ' I s a y w h e n s h e e v e n tu a lly ^ a n s w e r s t h e p h o n e.
‘Y e s ...’ T h e line is v e r y b ad .
‘It’s m e , Ellie! G u e s s w h e r e I a m ! ’
‘W h a t ? ’
‘ It's Ellie! i’m h e r e a t G l a s t o n b u r y ! ’ I s h o u t b a c k . ‘I'm a t th e
p y r a m id s t a g e . W h ere a r e y o u ? ’ B u t th e n 1 s e e h er, s o I w a lk o v e r
to m y tw o f r ie n d s .
S k y e s e e s m e f i r s t . ‘E llie !’ s h e s h o u t s a n d t h r o w s h e r a r m s
a r o u n d m e. T h e n C a s s i e s c r e a m s , a b ig s m ile on h e r f a c e . 'W h at
a r e y o u d o in g h e r e ? ’ S h e g iv e s m e a h u g a n d I q u ick ly tell th e m
a b o u t th e c o m p e titio n .
W a it a m i n u t e , ’ C a s s i e s a y s , h e r m o u t h o p e n in d i s b e l i e f . 3
‘Y o u ’re g o in g t o m e e t M urphy.
The
M u r p h y ? ’
I s m ile a n d nod.
‘W h e n ? W h e r e ? Tell m e Ellie! T h is is a m a z i n g ! ’ S h e s t a r t s to
ju m p up a n d d o w n a n d h u g S k y e e x c ite d ly . ‘W e ’re g o in g to m e e t
M urphy! I n e e d t o g e t c h a n g e d . W hich t o p sh all i w e a r ?
T h e pink
o n e o r th e g r e e n o n e ? A n d m y h a ir !’ S h e t a k e s a m ir r o r o u t o f h er
b a g a n d lo o k s a t h e r r e fle c tio n c are fu lly .
‘C a s s i e , I’m s o r r y .. . ’ I t r y t o e x p la in b u t m y m o b ile s t a r t s to
ring. It’s Mike.
1. w ave ; a m o v e m e n t f r o m side t o side with y o u r hand t o s a y goodbye.
2. e v e n t u a l l y : a f t e r a long tim e .
3. d i s b e l i e f : a r e a c t i o n w h e n you d o n ’t b e liev e s o m e t h i n g is true.
‘ E llie, I’v e g o t t h e c h a n c e t o i n t e r v i e w C h r is M a r t i n f r o m
C o ld p lay . B u t h e ’s o n ly a v a ila b le a t 6 p m .'
‘T h a t ’s w h e n w e ’r e in te r v ie w in g M u rp h y .’
‘ I k n o w . Will y o u b e OK to d o t h e in te r v ie w by y o u r s e l f ? You
h a v e th e q u e s t i o n s a n d y o u r b a c k s t a g e p a s s , d o n ’t y o u ? I’ll let
t h e m k n o w t h a t y o u ’ll b e a lo n e , O K ? ’
‘B u t...’
B e f o r e I c a n a s k a n y t h in g e ls e , th e line * g o e s d e a d .
I quickly
tr y t o p h o n e M ike b a c k , b u t his p h o n e is e n g a g e d . W h a t d o I do
n o w ? I w a n t t o m e e t M u rph y m o r e t h a n a n y t h in g b u t c a n I really
g o t h e r e by m y s e l f ?
‘W h a t d o y o u t h in k E llie ? ’ a s k s C a s s i e . I a l m o s t f o r g o t t h a t
C a s s i e a n d S k y e w e r e t h e r e . ‘I w a s a s k i n g S k y e w h ich e a r r i n g s go
b e s t w ith m y g r e e n t o p . .. ’ s a y s C a s s ie .
‘C a s s i e . . . ’ I t r y t o i n t e r r u p t b u t s h e is s o e x c i t e d t h a t s h e
d o e s n ’t h e a r m e . S h e o b v io u s ly th in k s t h a t t h e y ’re
c o m in g w ith
m e . B u t t h e y c a n ’t. I o n ly h a v e o n e b a c k s t a g e p a s s .
‘T h e s e , o r m y s i l v e r o n e s , ’ s h e h o ld s a d i f f e r e n t e a r r i n g up
a g a i n s t e a c h e a r . ‘S k y e , y o u n e e d to g e t c h a n g e d to o . Y ou c a n ’t
m e e t M u rph y lo o k in g like t h a t ! ’
‘C a s s ie , will y o u s h u t up a n d liste n t o m e f o r a m in u t e !’ I s h o u t
s o lo u d ly t h a t s h e i n s t a n t l y lo o k s a t m e. ‘I’m re a lly s o r r y , b u t y o u
c a n ’t c o m e .’
H e r s m i l e d i s a p p e a r s . B u t t h e n s h e l a u g h s , ‘Y o u ’ re jo k i n g ,
r i g h t ? ’ B u t t h e look on m y f a c e t e lls h e r t h a t I’m n o t. ‘W h a t do
y o u m e a n , w e c a n ’t c o m e ? W e ’r e y o u r b e s t f r ie n d s , o f c o u r s e w e
c a n c o m e w ith y o u ! ’
1
. line : (h e r e ) t e l e p h o n e
c o n n e c tio n ,