Chapter 9

"Dana! Dana, let me in!"

Jude was pounding on Dana's door hysterically. Every pound ached and Jude was sure a bruise was coming.

"No," Dana snapped.

"Why not? We need to talk?"

"About what?" Dana appeared at her doorway. "About how you stole your sister's boyfriend, and how he got you pregnant during some sleazy night on your first tour as an Instant Star? Or how everyone at school calls me Mini Tommy Q? And this-" - she pulled up her trouser leg to reveal a blue mark-"-is proof."

Then she slammed her door shut in Jude's face. Jude was gobsmacked.

"Those kids at your school have no right to call you names. I'll gonna go see your prinicpal, what is it, Mr Floyd-"

"Its not just the kids!"

Dana was out of her room again. She was the other side of the sofa, face pink with frustration.

"My teachers gossip too, I hear 'em. Rachel and me hear 'em in the Staff Lounge."

Jude bit her lip. She suddenly stepped towards Dana in a rush of affection and sympathy and swooped her up, kissing her head.

"Mom! Get off. Get off!"

"I'm sorry baby. Lets run away. Get far away from Idaho. Where d'you wanna go? Hawaii? Wanna live in Hawaii?"

"Mom, you cant give me the responsibility of choosing where we're gonna live. And how are we gonna buy an apartment? And-"

"Where?" interrupted Jude.

Dana paused. Then she took a deep breath and said excitedly, "I've always wanted to go to New York."

"Go pack your stuff!" cried Jude, swinging her daughter around. "You have a passport, yeah?"

"Yeah," breathed Dana.

"Go, go!" Jude let go and Dana stumbled to her room.

Ten minutes later, Jude and Dana were clambering down the stairs, cursing the building behind him and poking their tongues out and those staring. The knot in Jude's stomachwas tightening, but she was sure that was just excitement. She'd never seen Dana so happy, not even when she was watching cheerleading nationals on ESPN and the captain on the top of the pyramid fell off. Jude was quite shocked Dana found it so funny.

Jude flagged down a cab and hopped in, bashing suitcases with Dana. The driver looked quite scared at the prospect of driving to young girls to the airport by himself, but Jude didnt care. She wanted, for once in her life, to make someone else happy, to repay Dana for the life she'd created for her. Then the thought of all the people she was leaving behind hit her. Mom, Dad, Sadie. Jamie, Gran... even Tommy.

Jude took her phone out of her pocket and texted the second-most important person in her life goodbye.

I'm gonna miss you, she wrote. You've been my best friend my whole life, and I love you. I wish I could send a better goodbye, but I'm on my way. Goodbye Jamie. Goodbye forever.