A Message for Andrea McLeish

Chapter 9

'It's all very well to say we're going, but how do you propose two fifteen year olds pop in to Sydney without anyone noticing?'

It's been days since I had the idea to go to Sydney. Anthony and I haven't stopped arguing since. We're eating in the library because we thought we'd be the only ones in here, but the place is packed with nerds.

I whisper, but in my excitement my voice comes out more like a hiss. 'Simple! We both tell our parents we're at some sleepover, take the morning train as that'll raise less eyebrows than the plane, find the club, get in and open the box, then catch the late night train back.'

Anthony raises his eyebrows. 'By the time the morning train arrives and the late one leaves, we'll only have a few hours.' He starts flicking through some book that's lying on the table.

'Well, won't we only need a few hours?' I ask.

'I guess that could work,' Anthony says. 'My mum's pretty slack and doesn't much mind where I go, but I doubt she'd be an alibi for you if your parents called. Besides, would they let you have a sleepover at a boy's house?'

He's right. Dad might be at work all the time and Miriam cleaning all the time, but they're not absent enough to overlook me staying at a boy's house.

'Perhaps not,' I say. 'I need another alibi. A girl alibi.'

Anthony clears his throat but doesn't say anything. I guess I'd need a microscope to be able to see the odds of finding a girl who is trustworthy enough to be told what we're doing but cunning enough to lie to my dad if necessary.

But then Harriet walks by and there's this weird light shining all over her. It's actually just the sun streaming in through the window, but it looks like a halo.

I call out. 'Harriet!'

'Shh!' say the nearby studying nerds.

I give them the finger.

'Hey guys, what's up?' Harriet asks when she's reached our table.

'Got a moment?' Anthony asks.

'Sure.' Harriet sits down. 'Did I tell you I'm going to England next school holidays? We'll be visiting my grandparents and touring around. It'll be my first ever trip overseas!'

I ignore her. 'Anthony and I need to go to Sydney and we need an alibi,' I say.

Anthony winks and Harriet blushes.

'Not like that!' I say. Now my cheeks feel hot. 'We need to go there because that's where the safety deposit box for this is.'

I pull out the key and show her.

'We reckon it's in a club there,' Anthony says. 'We know the name of a nearby street and we can be back within a day. But Andrea needs to say she's having a sleepover at someone's house.'

'Someone who can put my dad off the trail if he rings,' I add.

Now I'm full-on blushing. I've hardly spoken to Harriet in four years and I'm demanding a pretty massive favour from her. She has every right to tell me to fuck off. Maybe I can suck up to someone like Pippa, when MacKenzie's not around, and get her to agree to the scheme.

'I'll do it,' Harriet says.