Chapter Ten

They did see Karen Baines on Monday at school, who had denied anything out of the ordinary happening that Friday night at the club. They also saw the pictures of Natalie throwing up in the club bathroom stuck all over the school, with the caption 'normal people don't lick toilet seats.'

"Oooh, I'll have her," says Mik, trying to make a swing for Karen as she walked coolly down the hall, but Natalie held her back.

"Don't waste your energy on her, she's not worth it," says Natalie.

"Natalie?" asks Simon, coming up behind her.

"Hello," says Natalie, politely.

"Can I have a word?" he asks.

"Sure."

"Erm, Last Friday. . ."

"Sorry, got to go!" says Natalie and Mik pulls her away down the hall, leaving Simon standing by himself.

"The cheek of him!" explodes Mik. "Guys!"

"Simon Pincent!" Karen shouts from the other side of the hall the next day. Valentine's Day. "What kind of joke do you call this?" She storms up to Simon, who is standing near Natalie and Mik - and Fred unbeknown to him - trying to talk to her again. Karen waves a cute pale pink little box under his nose, filled with white tissue paper. Simon moves his head back.

"What's in there?" asks Simon, disgusted.

"What?" exclaims Karen. "You sent it!"

"No I didn't," says Simon, carefully touching the tissue paper to see what was in the box. Natalie stands on her tiptoes to see as well.

"Dog poo!" she exclaims, laughing.

"You sent it!" declares Karen angrily.

"I didn't send it!" Natalie holds her hands up in protest, and looks towards Fred.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself," he says, Natalie puts her arms round him.

"Thanks Fred."

"Happy Valentine's Day."