Disclaimer: I do not own The Story of Tracy Beaker or the characters. I only own the Kingston's and Catherine.
Thanks for your reviews: C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7, Linneagb, x snow-pony x and thanks to Wall with a Fez for reviewing all chapters. You are all right-ish about the fight. BUT, you missed out a character-probably because I haven't introduced them yet.
I am truly sorry for not updating. I don't have a valid reason except that I just didn't know what to write and that I am VERY lazy and unproductive. My updates are not going to be regular, they'll just happen. Sorry again.
Oh, and one more thing, I made Harry and Rebecca 8 and Jody 11 now. And Rebecca was taken 6 years ago, not 8. Sorry for the changes but I'm learning from my mistakes guys so… Things will get better with time. I hope.
Sorry again. Please review and I hope you enjoy- since you waited such a long time.
The Beauty of an Argument
Chapter Seven- Shopping Trip
"Wait! Where are you going?" Gus bawled "Breakfast doesn't finish for another nine and a half minutes!"
Tracy's car was big enough to fill all four of them in: Lizzie, Tracy, Tee and Carmen. Carmen didn't seem to understand that they weren't going on a shopping spree, so whined continuously until Mike told Tracy to let her go. Lizzie plugged her headphones into her phone and started to play 'This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race' by Fall Out Boy. She didn't care that she was being antisocial, she just wanted to avoid talking and listening to Carmen on a 20 minute drive to town.
Back at the dumping ground, Rick and Johnny were playing pool in the living room. They were discussing going back to school.
"I can't believe tomorrow is the last day of half term break." Johnny exclaimed, taking a shot and putting one of the balls.
"On the bright side, it's Christmas after, mate." Rick pointed out.
"After seven weeks though!"
Rick shook his head, "Just focus on the positives."
"Sup losers." Elektra said walking in.
"I-"Johnny started, but Elektra cut him off.
"I don't actually care." She flopped onto the sofa, switched the T.V on and started watching Casualty.
"By the way," She called to the boys. "Tyler and Jody are setting up a prank for Lizzie so don't spoilt it.
"Where?" Rick asked.
"Her room probably." Elektra answered.
"Why would you tell us then? It's not like you. " Johnny questioned, standing his cue beside him.
"I don't know what you do in your spare time. And I want to see Lizzie get pranked." And she went back to her TV show.
The first shop they went to was the uniform shop, Tracy led the way. It wasn't that busy just a few kids with their parents and one or two teens amongst the rails of blazers and shirts and trousers and skirts and you get the point.
"That's ours" Tee explained pointing over to a corner of the shop. The blazers were black with light blue logos.
Lizzie found her size, "WestBank Secondary?" Lizzie read off the blazer logo.
"Yep. Not the worst, but certainly not the best." Tee said. Tracy took the blazer from Lizzie.
"You need a couple of plain white shirts and then either plain black trousers or a plain black skirt. Carmen, get Lizzie a tie please." Tracy told the girls.
Carmen did so and came back with a blue plaid tie. Tee and Lizzie got the rest of her uniform, including a pair of plain black Dr Martens; since the school let you wear any shoes as long as they were plain black. It was a very plain school uniform.
The next few shops were getting things for Lizzie's room. She turned down pretty much all of Carmen's ideas, like: pink paint for the walls, a pink lamp and a wooden jewelry box, with a pink interior.
What she did buy was Navy blue paint for the walls with a powdery blue for decoration. Then, Lizzie bought a purple and blue larva lamp, a superman picture-thing and a little cassette shaped pen holder because why not?
"What's a cassette?" Carmen asked.
"It's the thing they put music on before CDs." Lizzie answered.
"Do you have any?" Tee chimed in.
"Yep, 4. A Nirvana one, 2 Beatles and a Queen one."
"You listen to old music." Carmen stated bluntly.
"And new music." She corrected, "I may know all the words to Bohemian Rhapsody but I also know the words to Still into You. By Paramore…No? You probably have heard it."
"Why do you have them anyway?"
"They were my dads," She explained. " He was going to chuck them out when we moved to America but they reminded me of when I was little so I kept them. They're completely useless anyway without a music player for them but I don't have the heart to chuck them."
On their way back to the car, they popped into WHSmiths so Tracy could buy some envelopes for Mike. Lizzie also ended up getting some stationary for school. Stuff like a pencil case and all the necessary things to put in it. She also got some post its and a notebook.
Carmen got some trash magazines.
"Do you seriously read that stuff?" Lizzie asked.
"Yes," Carmen replied. "Celeb gossip is so hot right now."
"I can't stand it. Those magazines are full of bull-"Lizzie paused mid word when Tracy turned round and gave her a 'look'.
"Come on girls." She said as she ushered them out of the shop toward the car park.
They had just finished putting their purchased items into the back of the car when Tracy's phone buzzed.
"It's Mike, he wants me buy more soup as well." Tracy explained.
"Huh? I thought we were going clothes shopping not food shopping!" Carmen whined.
Tracy didn't look at all sympathetic. "I'm sorry Carmen, but Mike asked me to do some food shopping after."
"And uniform counts as clothes Carmen." Tee pointed out.
Carmen took a deep breath.
"Well why did you guys invite me if that was it?"
"WE DIDN'T!" Tee and Lizzie simultaneously yelled at her.
"No need to be rude." Carmen snapped back.
"Girls!" Tracy intervened, "You go shopping and I will be back here in an hour with the food shopping."
There was no way Lizzie was going with Carmen so in her sweetest voice she said: "No need for that Tracy, it'll be quicker if we all go."
"NONE SENSE!" Carmen yelled physically dragging Lizzie and Tee away.
'Thanks a lot.' Lizzie mouthed to Tracy who smiled and got into her car.
"Tyler careful," Jody warned. "It can't smell too strong, otherwise Lizzie will notice it."
They had mixed flour, ketchup, glitter, bird seeds, milk, tomatoes, sherbet, and butter into a bowl and were adding blackcurrant squash to make it runnier.
"Relax, mixed with all this other stuff, it won't smell of anything." Tyler exclaimed, stirring.
"Okay, I think its ready." Said Jody. She held out the balloon with a funnel sticking out and Tyler poured the mix in.
When it was full, Jody tied a knot at the end of the balloon.
"Right. We need to be extra careful with the next part of the plan. I'll go get the stepladder." Tyler ran off and came back a couple of minutes later with a metal stepladder.
He and Jody then went to balance the balloon above Lizzie's door. Then Harry walked by.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked looking up at the pair.
"Pulling a prank on Lizzie. Don't tell anyone Harry." Jody replied
"But I like Lizzie." Harry announced.
"Please Harry." Tyler begged. "Think of it as... dumping ground initiation."
Harry thought for a moment,"Fine." then he wandered off downstairs leaving the duo to continue with their plan.
Tee and Lizzie had eventually negotiated with Carmen to let them sit in Costa while she bought new shoes. Lizzie sipped on her Cappuccino quietly whilst Tee took a bite from her brownie.
"I don't really like coffee." Tee told Lizzie.
"Depends on the brand really. Here taste this." She handed Tee her drink.
Tee took a sip and grimaced. "Nope. Still don't like it."
"Decaf, skinny, soya Chai Latte, take out, snappy." Someone loudly ordered.
Lizzie looked and saw it was a thin blonde girl in pastel colours.
"Can you even get one of those? Do they exist?" Lizzie whispered. Tee simply shrugged.
"That's Megan Knight. The most popular girl in school: Carmen's BFF. Who knows what goes on inside her head."
Megan looked over at the pair and began whispering to the smaller brunette in a similar outfit. In no time at all, the girl was holding her 'decaf, skinny, soya Chai Latte' and was walking towards Tee and Lizzie.
"Oh look, its creeper Tee. Finally found a new person to leech off instead of Carmen?" Megan sneered.
"What's it to you Blondie?" Lizzie retaliated.
"Well, clearly your new here. I'm Megan, Megan Knight."
"I know." Lizzie informed, drinking some of her cappuccino.
"Of course you do. Everyone knows me," Megan gloated. "I bet nobody knows you. You look like you have been living in a gutter."
Lizzie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Whose your sidekick?"
The brunette girl stepped forwards and smiled. "Olivia King."
"A King and a Knight. Strange that the King's the one taking orders from the Knight though. Don't you think so? " Megan and Olivia looked unimpressed.
Just then Carmen decided to walk in with two full bags. "Oh hey bestie!" she beamed." I see you've met Lizzie. She's new."
"Hey Carms." Megan sang before flicking her blonde curls over her shoulder.
Megan narrowed her eyes at Lizzie, "Have as much fun as you want mocking me. It's not like anything you say matters, gutter girl."
"It WILL though." Lizzie smirked. The two fourteen year olds stared at each other across the table. Olivia and Tee were looking at each other as well- but not as hard. It was like a two way "your friend is being stupid, stop them" "no yours" look.
"Hang on," Carmen intervened. "What's been going on? Lizzie what did you say?"
"Why do you assume it's me Carmen? You've known this bitch longer than me." Lizzie replied.
"Rude." Olivia spat. "You've known her for all of two minutes and you've given her a mean nickname"
"Are you bloody kidding me?" Lizzie rhetorically asked.
Megan stood up straight and breathed in deeply. "Well, at least i'm not the one mocking peoples surnames."
"And Lizzie's not the one judging people by their looks. Just because they aren't a rich, blonde, slapper like you" Said Tee, standing up.
Given that everyone else was stood up, Lizzie did also. She straightened out her Arctic Monkeys t-shirt and looked Megan in the eye. By this time, they had gathered quite a crowd, including a member of staff.
"You've taught the puppy how to speak; how nice." Megan cooed. "Maybe next you can teach it how to stay. As in: stay away from me."
"Tee's not a puppy. Anyways...You two bore me. I'm leaving." Lizzie told them, picking her leather jacket up from the back of her chair, and putting it on.
"Scared, are we?"
"No, just bored. Did you not hear me the first time?"
"Sorry, it's just that your outfit is crying for help so loud, that it's very hard to hear you."Megan took a sip of of her 'decaf,skinny, soya Chai Latte' and immediately spat it out. "This has gone cold. Get me another."
Olivia scuttled towards the counter to buy Megan a new 'decaf, skinny, soya Chai Latte' whilst Megan forced Lizzie to take her cold one.
"Since you're so used to rubbish, chuck that one for us."
"Oh i'll chuck it alright. Right over some rubbish." Lizzie smiled and Megan looked confused. "A.K.A... you." Lizzie threw the 'decaf, skinny, soya Chai Latte' all over Megan without a second thought. Megan shrieked, Olivia came to her aid, Carmen scowled at Lizzie, Tee suppressed a laugh, but couldn't help smirking and Lizzie grabbed Tee and yelled "leg it!"
The two sprinted out of Costa and didn't stop running until they were just by the car park. They earned a few confused glances from surrounding shoppers.
"Oh my GOD!" Tee laughed. "I cannot believe that you just did that that. THAT!"
"She was being annoying. What else could I do?"
"She'll have you for this, you know."
"I'd like to see her try."
"I wouldn't say that if I was you. Last year she basically forced these two guys to leave school (through humiliation) after one knocked her over in the corridor."
"Little dramatic don't you think? And stuff like that doesn't scare me. I legitimately want to see what she can do."
"Your choice." They began laughing together again.
Tyler and Jody had finished setting up their prank and were going about their business as usual. This meant that Jody was snacking in the kitchen and Tyler was playing on his phone in the living room. Tyler hoped the girls got back soon before someone intervened with the prank. He didn't have long to wait because ten minutes later, a furious Carmen barged through the door carrying multiple shopping bags.
Mike came out of the office as Carmen marched upstairs.
"How was the shop-?" He got cut off.
"TERRIBLE!" With that, Carmen was gone.
"Hey Mike!" Tracy followed Lizzie and Tee in- they were helping her carry the food shopping and Lizzie's stuff in.
"You can leave the bags in the kitchen girls." Mike told them.
Whilst Lizzie and Tee were putting the shopping bags in the kitchen, Tyler, Elektra and the others who were in the living room sneaked upstairs and hid in Rick's room-which, coincidentally, had a perfect view of Lizzie's room, specifically the door.
Lizzie and Tee walked up to Lizzie's room with Jody in tow, since she had offered to help carry the bags. Insisted in fact.
When they got to landing outside of the door, Lizzie looked confused. She was sure she shut it properly before they left for shopping. It was a force of habit. Having two family members who literally walked in whenever they wanted to talk to her or get her to do something got really annoying so, having a five second warning, gave her to to kick stuff under the bed, put homework in front of her or pretend to be asleep. It also let Lizzie know if someone had been in her room.
Expecting someone to jump out, Lizzie walked deadpan into her room. The fast movement of the door, made the balloon fall swiftly onto the back of Lizzie's head when she turned around to turn on the light.
Lizzie hissed through gritted teeth. "Very. Funny. I. Hope. You. Are. Proud."
Laughter erupted from Rick's room and the kids inside spilled out, phones in hand. "Congratulations!" Tyler started. "Now that you have been successfully pranked," he glared at Elektra-who gave him an equal stare back. "You are one of us!" Few cheers were heard.
Lizzie gave a small smile but that faded when she touched her hair.
"Oh my god your hair is rank. It's like a unicorn vomited on your head."
"Thanks for the description, Tee.I think i'm going to have a shower now. Maybe even two."
Mike wasn't pleased when he found out about Tyler and Jody's little prank. He still hadn't forgiven the kids for the food fight, even though he'd stopped them for going trick or treating last night. Dinner was awkward.
Carmen was sulking because of the shopping trip and missing Tyler and Jody's prank.
Lizzie was silent because despite her long shower, she was still sparkly( from the glitter).
Tee was worried because she knew what Megan was capable of and didn't want her to hurt Lizzie.
Tyler was annoyed because he had been grounded.
Jody was annoyed because she had been grounded.
And everyone else was attempting to distract themselves from the awkward atmosphere by starting conversations. But their attempts failed.
Lizzie sat upright in bed that night. How did she not see it? How did she not expect something like it? It was petty, fretting over something small like a prank but it had got Tyler and Jody into trouble. Her being at Elm Tree got two kids grounded, eleven kids banned from trick or treating- not including herself and most likely got one in trouble with the most popular kid in her new school, that she hadn't even been to yet.
This was not how it was meant to be. Lizzie was meant to be liked. Liked. Before it went down. She was going to mess stuff up. It was inevitable. But couldn't that happen, for once, after she'd had some fun. After she lived a little.
Lizzie contemplated going out or just going to Johnny's room to 'find' stuff out. But she was too tired. Too tired to even sleep.
Lizzie checked her phone and whispered to herself, "Only nine and a half hours till breakfast. Lucky me"
Longest chapter I have done. sorry again for not uploading in such a long time. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review. Merry Christmas! :)
