Wednesday 2nd April 2004

My alarm went off later than usual. Some jazz music was playing on the radio. It was an inset day; therefore, I had the day off school where I could sleep for as long as I wanted. However, Thomas burst into the room and jumped up and down on my bed singing,

"Wake up Kayleigh, welcome the morning. Wake up Kayleigh, have a cup of tea." He then jumped down and gave me a cup of tea. I groaned loudly, sat up, grabbed the tea and started to drink it.

"Have fun spending the day off at Burger King, Kayleigh." Dan said who climbed out of his bed.

I nearly choked on the tea. "Huh?"

"It's your first day of the job today, isn't it?"

I said nothing a sipped my tea. I had forgotten all about work.

Mum entered the bedroom and shooed Thomas and Dan out. She sat on the end of my bed and gave me a Smash Hits magazine which had a photo of McFly on the front cover. Along the bottom it mentioned that there was an interview with each of them about, their music, new album, what's it's like in Eastbourne and girls. I flicked through the magazine but didn't bother to read it.

"I thought this would perhaps interest you, maybe," Mum said, and then started to stroke my hair. "How are you feeling from yesterday?"

"Better."

"I was worried about you when school called me about it," She sighed. "But your music teacher, Mr Smallcombe, said that you, Lisa and Angie were going to perform at the school's music show Friday night," She pursed her lips. "You never said anything about doing a gig at The Dolphin on Sunday."

"That's because you would have tried to stop me if I told you beforehand."

"To be honest darling, I'm fine with you and your friends signing together but I don't really like the idea of you becoming a band."

"Why?" I asked.

"Well you'll skip college and you'll be living up in London with your band, and then when you turn into your late twenties, you'll think that you have wasted you life away."

I rolled my eyes and said nothing.

"Why do you want to be in a band, Kayleigh?"

"I don't do why." I muttered, glancing down at the magazine sitting on my lap.

Mum sighed, stood up and headed for the door.

"Mum." I called. She turned round to look at me. "For my birthday party this year, can I have a DJ?"

Mum rolled her eyes. "Darling, we've already talked about this and you're not going to have a party in a club for your sixteenth birthday. You can have some mates round for a sleepover or something," She paused for a moment. "Just remember that you are a twin and that you and Tracie will have to decide what to do together."

I started my shift at Burger King at midday. My boss, Mel, introduced me to all the staff and no one made me feel welcome at all. They all glared at me as I smiled at them and reached my hand out to shake theirs. No one said a word to me. I was given my uniform which I was ordered to change into before I started working. I had to wear a blue and red shirt with a badge pinned besides the left breast pocket saying: "Hi! My name is Kayleigh!" and I had to wear a cap which had the Burger King logo on it.

It was already an hour into my shift and I was bored. I did not like standing behind the counter and saying: "Would you like fries with that?" to every customer. I had lost all motivation and every five minutes, I looked up at the clock, wishing the time would go by quicker.

"Can I help you?" I asked gruffly as four boys came up to me. They ordered four king size cheese burgers, fries and four large cokes. I typed their order into the cash register and looked at the price. "Okay, that'll be £12.75 then." I looked up and stood in front of me were Danny, Harry, Tom and Dougie, all smiling broadly. It took me a couple of seconds to register who they were. "You're joking." I muttered.

Harry passed me the money as the rest of the boys took their food and went to sit on a table in the middle of the restaurant. It wasn't long till we rotated round our working positions. I was on cleaning duty.

I reluctantly picked up a damp cloth and started cleaning the tables. Tom called my name and gestured me to join them.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked as I started wiping their table to look like I was doing my job.

"We'd thought that we would check up on you on your first day of the job." Harry said.

I glanced at Dougie. "Thanks for telling them."

"By the way, Kayleigh, your band was really good Sunday night," Tom said, picking up his cola. "I really liked the first song. What was it called?"

"Too Close For Comfort."

There was a bit of a silence until Dougie picked up a chip and examined it.

"The chips taste a bit off." He said.

I took one of his chips and tasted it. "Mmmm, they're gorgeous. What's wrong with them?" I said.

Dougie shrugged and then glanced at Mel who was coming over to me.

"You are not permitted to leave your work station Miss Slovenia." Mel said deeply.

"Sorry, I was just talking to these boys," I said and pointed to Dougie. "He doesn't like the chips."

"You are not allowed to leave your work station. Now move." Mel hissed and walked away.

I groaned. "This is me, a bloody dinner lady." I hissed and the turned my back on them and started to walk forward.

"I'll have some extra salt and ketchup with my food." Tom called after me.

I laughed and shook my head. "I'm so gonna kill you afterwards."

Tom laughed.

Twenty minutes went by and I did nothing else but stand in the corner and watch McFly eat their food, pretending that I was doing work. Once they had finished, I walked over their table and piled their rubbish on one tray.

"So, how's your first job?" Harry asked.

"I think I might be quitting this job in a few days time." I said as I put their drinks and rubbish onto the tray.

"Don't blame you." Danny finally said. I looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back just as soon as two people walked in.

"Incoming." Tom muttered. I looked up and saw Chloe and James walking in hand-in-hand.

"Oh bollocks!" I hissed under my breath

"What?" Dougie asked.

"Look at what the cats dragged in." I muttered turning my back to James and Chloe. McFly all looked at them as they went to the counter to order food. James turned round and he looked at me, frowned and then turned away.

"That's your ex?"

I nodded. I had an urge to mess up their date, but I knew that revenge wasn't always such a good idea and that I should just leave them to it. However, whenever I looked at James, I just remembered him kissing me the day before to save my life.

I picked up a wet mop and started to clean the floor. I just wanted them to leave.

"What are you doing here, Kayleigh?"

I looked up and saw James and Chloe, looking at me, holding a tray of food.

"Working." I replied bluntly.

Chloe burst into fits of laughter. James looked a little uncomfortable. "You work here?" She laughed even louder. I saw McFly turning to watch us in the corner of my eye. "How much do they pay you to say, 'Would you like fried with that'"

I said nothing and pushed passed her.

"Pathetic." I heard Chloe mutter to James. I turned to look at her.

"It takes one to know one, Chloe," I snapped. "I just don't bother wasting my time with people like you."

"Tracie was saying about you wanted a big party for your birthday," Chloe stepped towards me. "As if anyone would want to go to your party."

I narrowed my eyes. "Why do you even care?" Chloe and I were face to face. I raised my eyebrows. "At least I have the decency to cover up my breasts and bum when going out." I indicated to her very low cut top and mini skirt.

Chloe slapped me. Across the face. Smack.

There was silence in the restaurant. All the customers and turned their attention to us. James did nothing but subtly eat his burger.

I kicked her in the shin as hard as I could. She squealed and clutched onto her shin. Before I knew it, we had started a fight. Chloe had pounced on me. She started pulling my hair, biting me, slapping me and digging her nails into my skin. I hit her back. Everyone in Burger King had got up off their seats and crowded around us. James did nothing.

"You bitch!" Chloe said repeatedly, until I pushed her off.

The fight didn't last long till one of my co-workers split us apart. James and Chloe were sent out and I was taken to the manager's office.

I was fired. On my first day. The manager fired me and ordered me to hand in my badge and uniform. I did so, not uttering a word.

"She did start it though." I said before leaving.

The manager didn't reply but just ushered me out. I didn't blame him for sacking me on my first day of the job, yet I was pretty thankful.

As I walked out the door, I saw James leaning against the wall on his own. He looked at me but I carried on walking away.

"Kayleigh, do you mind if I can have a word for a minute?" He asked. I hesitated for a moment before turning to him.

"Go on then." I said flatly. There was a long silence. James looked a little stuck for words. "We can stand here all day, James, but you're going to have to point out that you're in the wrong sometime soon."

"I know I lied to everyone."

I raised my eyebrows and folded my arms.

"Yet you deserved it, Kayleigh, you really did," James snapped. "I got so fed up with you complaining about being a nobody. I mean, what the hell was that all about?"

I laughed slightly. "Well, that just shows how much you really didn't know much about me at all."

"I must have been blind to have asked you out in the first place."

"Did you know that you were going to go out with Chloe before you asked me out?" I asked. "Because right now, I just feel used."

James didn't answer.

"To be honest, I don't even know why I'm even bothering to talk to a liar and a user," I then backed away. "Just do me a favour and leave me alone because I certainly do not want anything to do with you ever again." And with that, I turned on my heel and walked away. I didn't dare to turn round or anything, I just walked briskly up the road, getting further and further away from Burger King.

As I got halfway down the road, I heard someone call my name. However, I recognised the northern accent and I knew it wasn't James. I turned to see Danny running towards me. I smiled gleefully.

"Danny," I said as I started to walk up to him. "What're you doing here? I thought you would've gone with the rest of the boys?"

Danny smiled as he reached me. "I just wanted to make sure that you're okay after that fight."

I nodded. "I'm fine," I replied. "The manager fired me but I'm not too bothered."

Danny and I took a walk round Eastbourne. He told me the story of how he met Tom, Harry and Dougie and how they formed a band. We walked down the stony beach and towards the section of the beach where there were small rowing boats sitting on the stones.

"So, are glad you came down here?" I asked.

"Yeah," Danny said. "Have you always lived here?"

I nodded. "Have done all my life."

Danny smiled. "I heard someone saying that Eastbourne is the new Brighton."

I paused and started to laugh. "That's silly."

"It's a lot more peaceful down here then it is in London. Tom and I always like to find a peaceful spot while song writing."

"What sort of music are you influenced by?"

"There's a mix selection really. Mainly the Beatles and the Beach Boys."

"My Uncle Robbie is a huge fan of the Beatles. Whenever I go round to visit him, he always plays their records and spends the day singing along."

"He has good taste."

I nodded and laughed a little. We walked back on ourselves in silence. I looked down at my watch and it was getting close to four in the afternoon.

"I'd better get back home; otherwise my parents would start worrying if I'm home any later." I said.

Danny nodded. "So, maybe I'll see you around?"

"Yeah, maybe," I turned to go but I then turned back to look at him. "When …. where when will you next see me?"

The corners of Danny's lips curled up into a smile. "Maybe when you finish school tomorrow?" he suggested.

"At the pier?" I knew that every Thursday, everyone would go down to the pier to hang out.

Danny agreed and said bye before we went our separate ways.

I decided to take a detour home. I walked through the town centre, trying to find a HMV. I new I had some spare change in my pocket.

I entered the first HMV store I saw and walked over to the 'M' section where the CD's were. There were about over a dozen copies of McFly's single. I picked one up and looked at a cover. The photo was of the boys singing in what looked like a blue room. I wasn't too sure exactly where. A studio or someone's garage, maybe.

"Kayleigh?"

I spun round quickly, hiding the CD behind my back. It was Lisa and Angie. I had been caught. They both could tell what I was doing.

"What's that behind your back?" Angie asked.

"Nothing. I have nothing in my hands." I attempted to put the CD back but Lisa had snatched it out of my hands.

I tried to cover up. "Look, it's not what it looks."

"You like McFly, don't you?" Lisa said, smirking.

I sighed. I couldn't lie to them any longer. "Okay, you've found me out. I liked McFly ever since that concert we went to. I pretended that I didn't because I wanted to prove you both wrong. You happy now?"

"You're so silly, Kayleigh, you really are." Angie said and they laughed.

"Besides," Lisa said. "Angie and I saw you walking with Danny earlier on," I felt my cheeks flush. "Is there something going on between you?"

I shook my head. "No," I muttered. "Well at least I don't think there is."

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"I have been becoming friendly with McFly recently. I keep on seeing them …"

"What about Danny?"

I sighed. "I really don't know," I pursed my lips, thinking about what I was about to tell them. "I think I have some …" I paused once more. I wasn't too sure what I felt apart from my heart was telling me that I had feelings for Danny. "I think I might have fallen for him … maybe."

Lisa nodded and nothing else was said after that. I bought the CD and the three of us walked home together.

As I got home, I walked into the kitchen to find mum was cooking dinner and dad playing snooker with Headband Dan.

"How was your first day your new job?" Mum asked as she saw me.

I took in a deep breath and said casually, "I got fired."

The room fell silent.

"Oh, Kayleigh!" Mum groaned. "How the hell did you get fired?"

Dad put the snooker stick on the table and folded his arms. I shrugged and headed to the stairs but dad grabbed hold of my arm to stop me from walking away.

"We need a full explanation, young lady." Dad said in a harsh tone.

I glanced at Dan who was scooting out the room.

"Kayleigh, I want an explanation right here, right now."

"I got into a fight with Chloe Bell from school."

"Tracie's friend?" Mum asked sounding surprised but dad slammed his fist onto the snooker table, making the stick roll of and fall to the floor with a clatter.

"HOW THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU GET INTO A FIGHT?" He hollered.

"She started it. She was the one who started talking to me. She slapped me first."

"Yes, and you could have the decency to ignore her and get on with your work." Mum said, sounding a little less angry then dad it.

"But think about it, Zoe, she looses her temper too easily." Dad grunted.

I glared at him.

"Oh Kayleigh what's the matter with you at the moment?" Mum whined. "You're getting yourself into more fights and arguments then you did when you were little."

"Tell you what," Dad said, cutting across mum. "You're getting one more chance and if you mess that chance up, we're grounding you."

I rolled my eyes. "So what is my punishment for today then?"

"You are not allowed to go to the pier tomorrow afternoon after school."

I frowned. I had already promised Danny that we would meet there.

"Is that clear?"

I said nothing.