The next few weeks were some of the quietest I’ve had since meeting the Adams. With no Ben around, there was no music blaring out, and now Ben had gone, Lucy and I were quieter ourselves. She’d no longer run around the house singing or shouting, and I would just try to talk with Rupert quietly instead of all the games we usually play. It just didn’t feel right without Ben there to encourage us.

 

      Another major change in our lives was Kel. We stopped talking to her. I know how nasty that sounds, but Rupert just couldn’t face her after she kissed him, and Nat was all for it, glad that Rupert finally saw what was going on. I wasn’t as eager as the other two, but after going to her house two weeks after the party I had to agree with them. I had been let into her bedroom, and she seemed really happy to see me.

 

      “Hey Lou! I wondered where you all were, it’s like you’ve been avoiding me for the last two weeks!”

      We had.

 

      “Yeah, Nat and Rupert haven’t felt like playing much. Especially when they haven’t had a call from Ben or Toby, and especially when Stacey goes around saying Ben won’t stop calling her”
      “Oh. Has Rupert been talking to you?”
      “He’s my best friend, we always talk”
      “Oh”
      “Kel, I’m sorry. When I said what I said, I meant for you to tell him you like him, not kiss him in front of his mum”
      “I couldn’t help it, he looked extra cute. You were wrong Lou, saying that he wasn’t with anyone. He pushed me away and said ‘Gross, you’re not L-the girl I’m going out with’ and wrinkled his nose, then ran off before his mum could ask him what he meant,”
      “Rupert doesn’t have a girlfriend”
      “He seems to think so”
      “Well, I guess it could be Nat-”
      “Oh, that’s great! She acts like a friend and steals the guy I like behind my back!”
      “Come on Kel, there’s no need-”
      “No, I won’t come on! Get Out! Go back to the backstabbers! Good riddance!”

      She pushed me out then, and we’ve not spoken since. Nat and Rupert were happy, but they knew I wasn’t so they didn’t cheer too much. So now I only have three friends, and I had seven only a month ago.

 

      Anyway, Kel and I stopped talking two weeks ago. And it’s made school so weird; because Nat used to sit next to her and she’s moved so the three of us are crammed onto a two-person table. Today was particularly bad, because Nat brought this huge, fluffy pencil case, and it took up loads of room. Rupert had to lean into me to get a little space. Neither of them seemed particularly bothered though.

 

      “Hey you two, are you coming round now?” Rupert asked at home time.

 

      “I always do, silly!” I replied, smiling. I do always go around his house, mum started working so his mum looks after me while they’re gone. Nat was shaking her head though.

      “Mum said I should come straight home. I don’t know why” She walked out of the classroom, and Rupert turned to me, grinning.

      “Come on then, Lou”

      We linked arms and walked out, passing Kel. I looked away shyly, and Rupert glared at her. She stuck her tongue out at him, but I could see that he still really liked him.

      We walked slowly, in silence, seeing who could kick pebbles furthest, all the way to his house. Mrs. Adams let us in, trying to smile.

      “Hello Louise darling, hey precious” She gave Rupert a quick kiss on his forehead. “How was school?”

      “It was okay. I need the loo now though” Rupert ran into the bathroom, and Anita led me into the kitchen.

      “Louise, honey, could you and Rupert stay in his room until your mum comes? It’s just that Ben’s home and-” She stopped talking, as a sad, tired looking Ben walking in in his pyjamas. I gaped at him-obviously I’ve seen him in pyjamas before, of course, but he looked so tired and upset. He looked back at me a bit embarrassed.

      “Hi Lou” he said quietly, then left for the living room. I glanced at Anita, and then followed him. It was really dark in there. I reached for the light switch.

 

      “No Lou, leave them off”
      “Ben? Where are you?”
      “On the armchair”

 

      I picked my way through Lucy and Rupert’s toys over to him, and sat on his lap. I’d forgotten how warm he is. He sat so stiffly, like he wasn’t sure he wanted anyone around him. I leant against him, and gave him a hug. After a few seconds, he relaxed, and hugged me back.

      “Ben? Why are you sitting in the dark in your pyjamas?”
      “’Coz I’m miserable”
      “Why?”

      He let my question hang in the air for a while, and I could tell he was looking me over, deciding whether to answer me. He smoothed my hair out of my face.

      “Because everything in my life has fallen apart, and now I’ve barely got a friend left”
      “You’ve still got me!”
      “Yeah” He kissed my forehead. “I don’t really deserve your friendship. Lou, I know how horrid I’ve been to everyone, especially you”
      “Shut up with the rubbish Ben! What’s gone wrong?”

      He sighed, his breath tickling my neck.

 

      “Well, the band’s dead, Toby, Mark and I are barely speaking and Stace broke up with me when she found out I wasn’t going to be famous anymore”

      I hugged him again, and he squeezed me back really hard.

      “Cheer up Ben, I know Toby will call you soon, and you’ll go back to normal. Mark’ll call too; he always said he was sure you were really nice. And Stacey’s stupid if she’ll give you up and even more stupid if she wasn’t with you for you in the first place!”

 

      Ben gave a weird snort out of his nose, and I knew through the darkness that he was smiling.

      “Maybe you’re right. And I’m just as stupid as Stacey, ignoring someone like you for no reason”

 

      The door opened then, and Rupert looked in, squinting.

      “Lou, are you in here?”
      “Yeah, I’m on Ben’s lap. Don’t turn the light on!”

 

      Rupert stumbled over to us, and sat on Ben’s right leg, leaving me on his left one. Of course, Rupert being Rupert, he pulled us both into a huge hug. Then Rupert had to ask Ben everything, even things I hadn’t.

      “Ben, what went wrong with the band?”
      “What didn’t? The manager just wanted money; we’d have had nothing. Then he wouldn’t let us write our own songs or play instruments or even sing. And then there were the dodgy clothes and urgh, they made us wear make up!”

 

      Rupert giggled, and I could tell Ben was cheering up. He suddenly pulled us closer; so all three of us were hugging each other so tightly we could barely breath.

      I missed you both so much! I’ve been so stupid, but I promise I’m not going to ignore you, either of you, ever again. I’d have no one to beat at Cluedo then!”

      We stayed in that hug forever. I don’t think any of us could have let go, even if we wanted to. I couldn’t stop grinning-Ben, our Ben was back!

      “Well, Toby will still want to beat us at Cluedo too, so telling him that will get you and Toby back to being friends”
      “And me and Nat will help! As if we’d let our brothers ignore each other!”
      “Yeah. You know, he wanted her to stay off school today, so she’d be the first person he saw when he got back, but she wasn’t allowed”
      “So that’s why she wasn’t allowed around here!” Rupert sounded really happy. I smiled to myself-it must be Nat he likes, why else would he be so excited? More excited than usual anyway. Ben noticed too.

 

      “Has my little brother gone and got himself a girlfriend in the last month?”
      “Ben!”
      “Ah, come on! So it’s Rupert and Nat, cute! Have you held hands yet?”

      I giggled.

      “Shut up Ben!”
      “Ah, you’re all shy in front of your best friend. Lou, did you know about Rupert and Nat?”
      “Ben, shut UP” Rupert warned him.
      “No, neither of them told me. I thought it though, they share a desk at school now”
      “LOU!”
      “Do they? Well, well, well. They’re always whispering too”
      “They are! But they don’t have to hide it anymore”
      “Nope, ‘coz we know now. Gee Lou, only you and me left. Want an older man?”

 

      I stopped breathing. Did he really just ask me what I’d thought he’d asked me? Ben and Rupert went quiet, waiting for me to react, but I couldn’t, I was shocked. Did he mean that?

      “Aw, Lou, I was joking!” He smiled and got out of the chair, and left the room. Rupert waited until he had left for a short while, and then turned to me.

      “Lou, you, you . . . you lied to Ben about me and Nat! She’s just a friend!”
      “We were just playing, and . . . I thought you were!”
      “Well, she’s not, she’s just my friend! I will never like her like that! Leave me alone-I hate you!”

      He stormed out of the room, and I ran after him.

 

      “Rupert, I’m sorry!”

      He turned around, looking at the floor.

      “It’s okay. I’m just so sick of everyone trying to match-make me”
      “Well, I’m sorry. Maybe it’s because you’re so huggy”

      He smiled.

      “I love ya Lou”
      “Do you? You just said you hated me”
      “Did I?” I nodded. “I didn’t mean it Lou. You’re my best friend” He pulled me into a hug, and I hugged him back, glad that he wasn’t mad at me.