Marty's Diary , livre ebook

Ransom Publishing Limited - Cross Frances

Découvre YouScribe en t'inscrivant gratuitement

Je m'inscris

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

62 pages

English

Vous pourrez modifier la taille du texte de cet ouvrage

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

A propos
Informations
Extrait

Description

When your dad gets married again, it's a good thing, right? Everybody happy all round, right? Not when your new stepmother can't stand you. And when you don't think too much of her, it doesn't help either. That's bad enough, but then other stuff happens like new babies, and people going nuts. This fast-paced read is dynamic and gripping, perfect for teen readers who want all the characteristics of a long novel, dealing with teenage issues and tough topics, in a strong, condensed book. From a series written by some amazing authors, this book is everything a reluctant reader would want to get them engaged.

Informations

Publié par	Ransom Publishing Limited
Date de parution	01 janvier 2013
Nombre de lectures	2
EAN13	9781781271650
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0333€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Marty’s Diary
FRANCES CROSS
I was fortunate enough to be able to work with Frances Cross on Marty’s Diary. We only ever communicated via e-mail, but in the brief time that we worked together, we did become friends and her warmth and professionalism are qualities that I came to cherish .
God bless you, Frances .
Peter Lancett Series Editor
Contents

Title Page
Epigraph
Marty’s Diary
Abut the Author
In the Same Series
Copyright
Marty’s Diary
June 12th My dad remarried yesterday. He married Linda Fleming. She says she’s pleased to have gained not just a husband, but a daughter too. But I know she’s lying. She never talks to me if she can help it.
And she’s always hanging around and never giving me and Dad time on our own. Linda’s never been married before and she doesn’t seem to have many friends except for her younger sister, Paula, who lives in Leeds. She’s always writing her letters. How Jane Austen is that? Nobody writes letters in this day and age. She’s even had headed paper printed. From The Desk of Linda Richmond . I think she’s been presumptuous. I mean, she arranged that before they were even married.
They got married in the registry office on Ridgeway Street and it was a pathetic ceremony. Not like the photos of Mum and Dad at their first wedding. This time there was nobody extra except us and Auntie Wedgie, my dad’s sister, and Uncle Bill, her husband. She’s not really called Wedgie, but everybody calls her that. She’s okay, is Auntie Wedgie. I don’t think she likes Linda either.
Just before we went off to the registry office, Linda asked me if I wanted to borrow some of her eyeshadow. She’s always trying to pretend we’re best mates and that, but I said no. I don’t want to borrow her poxy eyeshadow, and besides it was a horrible colour.
When Mum got married she had pink roses, and there were some pink roses in the registry office yesterday. My throat felt prickly when I saw them because I thought of Mum. But anyway, Mum probably wouldn’t care because she’s happy living in South Africa with her new husband, Vusi. They’ve got a baby now and he’s nearly six months old. It seems funny to have a little step-brother who’s a baby. His name’s Thabo. But I’m cool about Mum being there.
Then we went to have a reception at the Happy Duck, and Linda raised her eyebrows when Dad gave me a lager because she said 16 was too young to be drinking. Honestly, I think she lives in the dark ages sometimes. The reception was OK I suppose, but Linda needn’t think me and her are going to be best friends or anything. Dad looked a bit stupid if you ask me, the way he was smooching around Linda all the time.
June 20th I was doing my project work today for Miss Hammond when Linda came in and asked me what it was about. It’s really boring and I don’t think she would understand it, so I said I could manage. Then she said she would do my colours with Colour Me Beautiful. I want to find out if I am a winter or spring or whatever, but I said no. I bet Linda’s a spring. My mum’s a summer for sure. She always wears pale blue and pink and that, and she looks great. Linda’s not bad-looking, but she wears really old-fashioned gear sometimes. That fits in with her letter-writing thing, I suppose.

From The Desk of Linda Richmond
June 22nd
Dear Paula
Well, we’ve taken the plunge and tied the knot. It was very low key which is what Kevin wanted, but Marty was a bit sullen. She’s quite polite, but I get the sense she doesn’t like me a lot. I’ve taken your advice and am trying to make friends with her, but she makes it hard. Sometimes I look at her watching me and she almost seems to hate me. I knew it would be difficult to be a stepmother, but I didn’t realise it would be this hard .
And Kevin makes such a fuss of her, you’d think she was two years old. I suppose she is his little princess and has a special place in his heart, but it always seems as if he puts her needs first .
All the best
Linda

From The Desk of Linda Richmond
June 24th
Dear Paula
There’s been an email from Kevin’s ex in South Africa. She wants Marty to go and visit her later in the year. I think it’s a good idea, but I know if I make too much noise about it they’ll think I want to get rid of her. That sounds a bit childish, doesn’t it? But a bit of me would find it easier if she wasn’t around. Kevin doesn’t seem to understand I want some time with him alone as well. Anyway, we’ll just keep on going and see what happens .
All the best
Linda

From The Desk of Linda Richmond
June 28th
Dear Paula
I am really struggling with this girl. I suspect that beneath the sullen attitude there is probably quite a nice girl trying to get out, but at the moment she’s so far under the surface it’s impossible to reach her. I tried everything, even offering her a chance to do Colour Me Beautiful with me to see what her colours were, but she turns me down flat each time. It’s a bit discouraging .
Actually, I think I’m also over-sensitive. Between you and me, I sometimes feel quite embarrassed about behaving like such a child. She’s supposed to be the teenager not me, but she winds me up so much. And I do resent the way Kevin treats her as if she’s a fragile piece of china. Everything that she wants and needs comes first. I think the problem is that I’m not really used to kids anyway, especially rebellious teenagers. I’ll just have to keep on trying my best, but I really wish I had a bit more quality time with my new husband without Marty being boot-faced around the place all the time. Some honeymoon eh?
All the best
Linda

June 30th Mum sent an email to ask again if I can go out there and visit them in South Africa. Wow! That’s cool. I’d really like to go. Mum’s skint so she can’t pay. I’d have to get the fare from Dad. I want to see an elephant in the wild. Plus my friend Becks says that Cape Town, which is where Mum lives, is great. Mum went there on holiday two years ago and said the sun shone all the time. So after she and Dad split up, she went to live out there. I don’t think Dad and Linda will mind me going to see her. I think they’ll be glad to get rid of me, especially Linda. To be honest, I don’t think Dad will even notice if I am here or not. He spends all his time with my darling stepmother these days. When I asked him if he wanted to go skating like we usually do on Thursdays, he said that Linda wanted to do something else. So I went by myself. It was okay. Jazz was there. I’m not interested in him or anything, but he’s pretty hot.
July 10th My birthday. I’m a Cancerian. I read my horoscope. It said, ‘someone has come into your life who will have a profound effect on it for good or ill’. That means Linda of course. Then it said, ‘keep all your options open’. I don’t know what that bit means unless it’s something to do with going to South Africa at Christmas. Anyway these horoscopes are rubbish. If they’d said ‘a tall handsome man (Jazz) has come into your life’ I might believe them. Everybody at college thinks he’s great. I told him about Linda. He said step-mums were okay and he’s got one so he should know. But I think it’s different for guys. I looked up Linda’s horoscope – she’s Sagittarius. It says she needs to relax more and go with the flow and let the universe show her what it has to offer. Huh.
Also I got a great present from Mum – a really cool top and a CD I wanted. Guess what Linda and Dad gave me? Well, it was a really naff dress thing with flowers on it. Linda said it was the right colour for me. Honestly. Which planet is she on?
July 16th I’m in my room. Dad sent me there for cheeking Linda. I think he’s ridiculous the way he reacts. It’s her fault for treating me as if I were 10 years old. My own mum doesn’t do that. I hate her. Dad’s being really unfair. I wish I was in South Africa with Mum. She wouldn’t treat me like dirt. If I was a bit older I’d go off on my own.
July 30th I had an email from Mum this morning. She said that if Dad can afford it, she’ll ask if I can go over there in November. It will be warm there then. I hope I can. I really want to see Mum again and get away from horrible Lumpy Linda.
August 1st That’s it! I have finally had it! Dad says I can’t go to South Africa until I ‘adopt a better attitude’. He’s even starting to talk like Linda now. He’s going to see how I get on in September with my college work before he’ll decide if I can go on holiday. It’s all stupid anyway. And now it’s the holidays and I’m stuck at home with HER.
The only good thing is that Jazz is still around and he’s going to take me to this new place which is a club he knows about. I’m not telling Dad about it and will sneak out when he’s canoodling with Linda.
August 2nd Dad says I can’t go out again for three weeks. He’s just making a ridiculous fuss because I was a bit late back and I had had a drink. It isn’t like I’m an alcoholic or anything. And he said Linda had said she smelt cigarette smoke in the bedroom. Dad said she didn’t want to sneak on me or anything, she just felt worried that I might be getting addicted to smoking. Huh. She just wants to make trouble, that’s all.
And another thing. I am sure it’s only Linda that’s stopping Dad from buying me an air ticket to South Africa. I bet she’s said it would be a waste of money and he shouldn’t do it.

From The Desk of Linda Richmond
August 15th
Dear Paula
How are things? It’s a bit grim at this end. I had to tell Kevin about Marty smoking in the bedroom and I have to admit he did come down on her a bit hard, but I was doing it for her own good. If she gets hooked now she might never be able to stop. Kevin’s really worried about her at the moment because her college work is really going downhill. I think he’s starting to feel a bit guilty about her actually. He seems to think my coming on the scene is causing all her problems. It’s making things a bit difficult between us and I’m treading on eggshe