Written by Kimberley de Back and Daisy Elbourne (DAT�S MY NAME DON�T WEAR IT OUT!)
Emma checks in at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Holland. Her green, furry suitcase goes on the conveyor belt, ready to be loaded into the plane to London. The young woman behind the desk checks her in on the computer and says bored and under her breath that she need to go to terminal nine. Or did she say five? Emma shrugs, must�ve been nine. She wasn�t going deaf. All the way up to the terminal, she holds on to her handbag, a smile curling around the corners of her mouth. She�s going to meet Susie, one of her best friends, who lives in London. Emma managed to book tickets online, without her parents even knowing. When they found out, all they said was �As long as you pay for it yourself�. With that annoying, but satisfied smile plastered on her face, she walks up to the air hostess who takes a quick glance at her boarding pass and lets her through to go on the plane.
Emma steps out of the plane, sucking in the cool, fresh air as she walks through the terminal. She looks around, searching for a girl with longish, brown hair, brown eyes, waving about with a banner saying her name. Loads of people surround her, all waiting for their suitcases to come strolling out of the conveyor belt. She pushes her way through an old couple, who had just found their yellow, with stickers covered, suitcases. Emma paces back and forth in between the ugly grey gates of the baggage hall, looking out for the missing suitcase. Her walk turns into a run, but all in vain. A hour later, she's still there. The green, furry suitcase isn't there. It's lost. Nowhere in sight. She decides to go and ask someone where it has gone. It might got lost on her way to London. But just as she's about to cling herself onto one of the guards walking across the hall, she hears a faint noise coming from out of the speakers.
"All passengers that go from Edinburgh to Paris, France, can board now."
Anxiously, she walks up the aisle, amid rogue trolleys and kids rushing around like crazed maniacs. She stares at the baggage gate. She can't just go, without her luggage, and not now of all times. Inside her mind, everything is spread out all over the place. Where should she go? What is she going to do? Her teeth chatter, trying to bite back the panic. She looks over her shoulder, chewing her lower lip. She sees lined up people, some with suitcases next to them, kids whining all over the place. Information. Good idea, go to information, Em. Her brain is on full speed, but her legs ain't working with her.
"Can I help you, Miss?" A voice goes from in front of her. As she turns her head back into a more comfortable position, she finds the person behind the voice. A girl with golden curls bouncing on her shoulders, looks at her with a questioning look on her face. Emma looks at her for a moment, before she opens her mouth to speak.
�I don�t know if you can help me.� She pauses, the girl doesn�t look away. �I lost my suitcase and I�m at the wrong airport.� The girl smiles.
�Ah, yes. Happens all the time. Where you from?� The girl turns Emma around, and puts a hand on her back to push her towards information.
�Holland, I�m supposed to go to London, though.� The girl nods.
�I thought I heard a little accent there.� She winks. �Yeah, then you�re in the wrong place. This is Edinburgh.� They walk towards the desk where an older woman is sat. The woman looks over her glasses.
�This girl has a problem.� The girl nods towards Emma. �She lost her suitcase on the way to London.� The woman types something into the computer.
�Aha, can I see your boarding pass, please?� Emma dives into her handbag, pushes the amount of CDs out of the way, pulls out her CD-player, gets a small bag of coins shaped liquorice out and finds the boarding pass.
�Amsterdam, London.� The woman reads off the boarding pass. �Yep, you�re in the wrong place.� Again she types something into the computer. �Emma Johnson?�
�Jansen.� Corrects Emma. People from abroad always pronounced her surname wrong. It annoyed her, but then again, she was Dutch and didn�t know any better.
�Jansen.� Tried the woman behind the desk. �Can I see your ID, please?� Again, Emma takes a dive into her handbag to find her ID; it�s right next to a spare pair of batteries. She takes the little card out and hands it over to the woman.
�Thank you,� The woman says and types something into the computer. �The next plane to London will take off tomorrow at 6.30pm.� Emma takes a glance at her watch; 2.45pm now. Only another 30 hours before she has another plane to catch. She sighs.
�Here�s your new boarding pass.� The woman hands over her ID, old boarding pass and the new one. �Make sure you check in at least one hour before the plane leaves. Sorry for the inconvenience.� With that, the woman turns to an old, black man, who�s furiously waving his arms about in the air. Emma puts her stuff away; her CD-player, liquorice, the boarding passes and her ID.
�Do you have anywhere to go while you�re here?� The unknown girl asks Emma. Emma bites her lower lip in concentration. Her friend Ruth lived nearby in Livingston, maybe she could spend the night there.
�I think I have. I�ve got a friend living around here.� The girl nods.
�Well, good. Hope you have a good flight to London.� The girl smiles her pearly white teeth and leaves without looking back.
�Thanks!� Emma tries, but the crowd had swallowed the girl up. She didn�t even know her name.
For the next hour or so, Emma tries to get hold of her friend, Ruth. She�d known her for a while now; about eight months. She had met her on this forum a long time back, and she had become very close with Ruth. They phoned each other every so often, and had send each other presents on several occasions. Now, as the bus sidled into the side of the road, she was finally on her way to meeting her.
Emma gets on the bus; politely pausing as an old woman edges her way up the wet steps. Silently, her mouth zipped shut, she sits on the bus, and sees the flickers of Scotland fly past her window as the bus curves, this way and that, to the town of Livingston.
Suddenly, unexpectedly, the bus halts to a screech on the edge of the grey pavement. Emma glances up at a sign on a pole, and peers through a squint to read the tiny lettering. Sure enough, it says Livingston. Emma finally jumps off the steps enthusiastically, after a few jolts from impatient passengers wanting to get home.
The girl paces about on the leaden, gloomy pavement, watching the sky brush itself over in a coat of angry grey. It�s cold, she�s in the wrong place, and she�s going to meet a person she has never met. Her brain freezes; however much she tries to think, she can�t remember where exactly Ruth had told her she lived. Or, if she�d ever told her.
In a flash, Emma sees herself brushed aside by an angry teenage girl, rushing about to go to somewhere in this town in the pouring rain. Emma�s brain ignites; she�s sure she�d seen that face before. The dark brown hair, tied back, and those eyes, which looked so much brighter� �on a screen. Emma gasps in disbelief, persuading herself that no, this is not Ruth, not her Ruth, maybe not even a Ruth. Just then, the very same girl on the pavement opens her mouth to let out a sound, and a hand reaches into a pocket to pull out a mobile phone. That voice is so unmistakable, Emma has to put a hand to her mouth to prevent herself from screaming.
�Yes, Mum, I�ll be home in a sec� �what do you mean, where am I? I�m at the bloody bus stop! Yeah, okay. See you in a bit� �yes, yes now I�ve got to get going. Bye.�
The familiar girl shoves her phone back into it�s rightful place in the pocket, and looks up at the sky. Thunder gives an angry, almost hungry rumble, and lightning flashes through the translucent clouds. When the girl�s eyes meet Emma�s, her face is pale with the cold, and wet with the rain. The girl�s face expresses the same sort of disbelief that is pumping itself through Emma�s veins. She opens her mouth to speak, but instead, a small, screaming, yelp sound edges out. �Oh, my, god.. ..argh!�
Emma jumps up and down with the girl, and blushes as the crowd (erm, 4 people) turn their weary heads to see what all the hysteria is about. �Hi, err, Ruth,� Emma says, in a hushed voice. She fans her face with her hands, trying to stop herself from turning a vibrant shade of crimson. �I didn�t know I�d see you here.�
Ruth responds with the same exuberance as when they had talked on the Internet. �Dude, like, HI!� she beams an energetic smile back at Emma. �You said you couldn�t come up!� she says, half-whining, and half-screaming with excitement.
�I know, I�m terrible, aren�t I?� answers Emma, hugging the girl and calming herself and Ruth down. �But things have happened, and, oh God I�ve got to ring Susie. She�s going to flip when she finds out I�m in Scotland!�
Ruth and Emma walk down the road a little, as Emma frantically presses the poor, worn-out buttons on her phone. She pauses and exchanges glances with Ruth. �Do you think my phone�ll work in the UK?�
Ruth nods, and smiles. �What are you looking at?� she giggles.
�Sorry, it�s just so strange.. �seeing your face and hearing your voice,� Emma replies, pressing �Send�.
Ruth thinks, and her face conveys her every emotion as the seconds drift by. �If you want to come back to my house, you can use my phone,� she says. �I�m sure Mum won�t mind, and she wants me home anyways. She�d love to see you.�
The two girls run down the street, Emma following Ruth�s every step. Eventually, they come to a corner, and Ruth turns the corner, into a cute little street not far from the bus stop. She slows to a walk, and finally stops at a house. Emma inhales the air, and pulls out a tissue for her stuffy nose. Ruth turns the key, and brushes her feet in the entrance to the house. �Mum! I�m back!�
A woman who looks like Ruth comes to the door from upstairs, and stops in her tracks. She has a huge stomach; Emma knew she was pregnant, but it looks like she�s carrying twins, instead of only one child. She gasps as she sees Emma, and walks towards the girl, whose coat is soaked through. �Emma! You came!�
Emma doesn�t know what to say, and nervously rambles her way into a conversation. �Well, erm, I did?� she says. Then, she remembers something. �Oh, but I have to go in a few hours, I have a flight to catch. To London.�
�To London, eh?� Ruth�s mother repeats, grinning in a similar manner as Ruth. �That must be exciting, are you meeting anyone there?�
�Yeah, I�m meeting Susie. And, if Daisy can find a brick large enough to break her bedroom window, then we should be seeing her, too.�
Ruth laughs. �Trust her to come up with an excuse like that. Knowing her, she�d do it, as well.� Ruth looks at her mum. �Hey Mum�� her voice trails.
�Yes�� her mother echoes her daughter�s voice sarcastically.
Ruth says so much in one go, Emma can�t quite understand her. Never had she seen someone speak English so fast as this. Now, her brain was whizzing again.
�Mum, can I go to London with Emma? I�ve never been there and I�ll meet the others and I�ll pay for it and I�ll be back in a few days and I�ll look after myself and, and� �.and I won�t be going on my own.�
Ruth�s mum surveys Emma severely, and looks at the both of them. �Oh, Ruth! I don�t know, you�re both so young. Too young. And what your dad would say��
�But Mum!� Ruth tries desperately.
�We�ll talk about it in the morning.�
�Mum!� Ruth tries again.
�I said that we�re gonna talk about it in the morning, Ruth.� She gives her a steady angry look, then turns to Emma. �So, what time is your plane leaving?�
�At 6.30pm, but have to check in an hour earlier.� Emma explains calmly.
�Oh,� Ruth�s Mum says, and seems to think for a minute. �Do you want to stay over for a bit, until you have to catch your plane?� Emma glares at Ruth�s Mum, then looks over at Ruth, who seems to have forgotten about the whole going to London thing. Her eyes glister in the dim light.
�Oh, Mum! That�d be great!� Ruth exclaims and pulls Emma towards the stairs. �C�mon, I�m gonna show you my room.�
When Ruth opens the door, Emma�s greeted by, what seems like millions, of Busted posters, banners and a huge scarf. It actually freaks her out a bit; she knew Ruth was a big fan, but this was just beyond her expectations. She carefully walks through the room, observing every inch of the room, and puts her wet and soaked coat over the chair that�s in front of Ruth�s computer. She�d seen this all before on Ruth�s web cam, but in real life, it looked quite a bit different. A bit bigger, really. And more posters than she�d ever seen before. It�s more like a Busted-cave.
�Well, what do you think?� Ruth asks, with her arms spread and a huge grin on her face.
�It�s,� Emma begins. �it�s quite, well how do I put it, Busted. So to speak.� A small laughter escapes from Ruth�s mouth.
�Well, yeah.� Ruth says, sits on her bed and looks around herself, as if she�s never been in her own room before. She bites her lip and thinks for a moment. �You want to phone Susie? I�m guessing that she�ll be quite worried by now.� Emma nods and follows Ruth down the stairs again, passing several rooms in the hall; the nursery is one of them.
Ruth�s Mum is sitting on the couch, holding her tummy for dear life, but with a satisfied look on her face. Suddenly, a recurring beep is emitted from inside Emma�s pocket. She looks at the screen, and finds that she has a text from Susie, just as she was about to pick up the receiver.
�Emma, where are you? You�re not in London, as far as I can see. Please ring me, so that I know you�re still there,� the text says, in text message speak. Emma bites her lip nervously, and decides to turn off her phone before the battery runs out. �I�d better ring her,� she says to Ruth, who�s standing next to her. �She�s waiting for me in London!�
�Oh, crap. Hell yeah you better ring her!� Ruth laughs, sensing that her mum is watching everything. Her mum quickly turns her head to avoid suspicion, and attempts to stifle a rogue giggle. Emma, meanwhile, chews her sleeve in anticipation of someone picking up the phone.
A few seconds later, she hears a voice. �EMMA??� it shouts, eagerly.
Ruth signs to Emma that she�s going out of the room for a split second. Emma answers the voice on the end of the line. �Yes, I�m here.�
�What do you mean, you�re here? Where are you?�
�Uh, well, you see, I�m not actually anywhere near London right now��
There is an awkward silence on both ends of the line. Ruth stands at the corner, watching the look on Emma�s face. Susie�s the first to say something. In fact, she even laughs.
�Then where the hell are you now?� A nervous giggle follows, Emma can even detect a tone of anger hidden in the giggle. Emma clears her throat and takes a deep breath in.
�Well, you probably won�t believe it, but I�m at Ruth�s.� Another silence makes its entry into the ever lasting conversation.
�How on earth did you get there?� Emma doesn�t have to think long, and tells her the story about boarding on the wrong plane by the stupid air hostess who didn�t even look at her boarding pass, that her suitcase would probably be in London and that her plane would take off the following day.
�So you�re gonna stay at Ruth�s for a bit?� Emma nods into the receiver.
�Yep, I�m really sorry for all the trouble, Susie.�
�It�s okay, I�m glad you�re fine. Nice to know that you can stay at Ruth�s for now. Tell her I said �thank you�, okay?� Again, Emma nods into the receiver of the phone.
Emma and Susie talked for a bit; when she�s gotta pick Emma up from the airport and such, then they say their goodbye�s and both hang up the phone.
The rain outside, ticks on Ruth�s bedroom window. Emma sits on the edge of the stretcher that�s next to Ruth�s single bed, then letting herself fall down onto it. With her hands under her head, she counts the light, grey spots on the ceiling. A deep sigh escapes from her throat, which turns into a cough. She wraps the scarf, that was in her handbag, around her neck and sits up straight to see Ruth walking in the small Busted-cave.
�I found a spare toothbrush in the bathroom that you can use.� She says and hands the pinkish toothbrush over to Emma. Emma gives a faint smile and mumbles a thank you. �You can borrow a t-shirt to sleep in, if you want.� Ruth tries, but it�s useless; Emma is drowned in her own thoughts. �Emma?� Ruth tries again, this time with the result of Emma looking up in a flash, looking puzzled. Ruth searches her closet for something to sleep in, and finds an oversized t-shirt, that she gives to Emma. �Bathroom�s the first on the left.� Ruth informs with her Scottish accent, whilst vaguely pointing towards the bedroom door. Emma nods as a thank you and leaves Ruth in her Busted-cave to take a shower and brush her teeth.
With her head in London and a faint smile plastered on her face, she steps back into the bedroom, her shortish brown hair dribbling water on the carpet. Ruth is sat on her bed, with her legs under her bum, reading a random magazine. The magazine lowers, and Emma can just about see Ruth�s blue eyes gazing at her.
�Oh my God,� Ruth brings out, almost as a whisper, and puts the magazine away. Emma raises an eyebrow and shuffles about on her bare feet, the t-shirt barely covering her knees. �I knew you hurt yourself, but that it was that bad, I didn�t even dare to dream.� Her eyes fixated on Emma�s right arm, that has various darker coloured stripes on it. Emma tries to hide them by casually crossing her arms.
�It�s nothing.� Emma sighs. And with that, the conversation ends. They both look for the warmth of their duvets and fall asleep.
A Saturday morning, Emma awakens by loud television sounds that fill the room. Her eyelids slide open, her green eyes scan the room, to find Ruth sitting on the floor in front of the TV, her legs crossed underneath her small body. Pop music enters Emma�s ears, and she sits up straight on the stretcher that she�d been sleeping in. Or well, she hadn�t been exactly sleeping. She had woken up at 3am, and had been awake for the next four hours. After she�d counted the stars that had peeked through the curtains for ten times, she�d fallen asleep again.
�You�re awake.� Ruth states, as she sees Emma�s sleepy face and rubbing her eyes. Ruth is already dressed and her hair is up in a high ponytail. She smiles a big smile and points to the TV screen. �Busted are about to be on.� Her little eyes twinkle with these words. Emma suppresses a small groan and climbs off the stretcher.
�Yay.� She simply says and gives the same smile as Ruth had given her. �I�m gonna brush my teeth first, if you don�t mind.� Ruth shakes her head.
�Nope, as long as you hurry up, they�re on after Phixx.� Again she points to the screen.
�BA Flight 101 to London is now ready for check in.�
�Oh!� Ruth�s mother cries, hugging her daughter and patting Emma on the back. �I don�t know why I�ve let you go, but be very careful, okay! And stay with Emma.�
�Don�t worry, Mrs Bolan, I�ll take care of her,� says Emma, staring at Ruth in disbelief. Ruth hugs her parents both tightly and then reluctantly lets go, waving and jumping up and down as her parents fade into the crowd. Emma shouts after them. �Thanks for everything!�
Ruth jumps onto the airport trolley while Emma pushes them towards check in, going backwards and forwards down the slippery aisle between queues of people. �I wouldn�t do that if I were you, Miss,� a security guard says, quickly stopping her. He takes a look at both of them suspiciously. �Where are your parents?�
�Oh, we�re not going with our parents!� Ruth shouts, as Emma pushes the trolley further away from him. �We�re going to London!�
�You�re one crazy girl,� Emma says, handing Ruth�s passport and her ID to the lady at check in. The lady smiles and suddenly bursts out laughing. Ruth looks surprised. �What�s so funny?� she asks, looking up at Emma.
The lady pulls a sarcastic face and looks at Ruth�s passport, and then at Ruth. �Pull a face,� she says. Ruth obliges, crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out. The lady holds out her passport so that Emma can compare the faces, and Emma giggles. �Just the same face,� the lady says. Ruth blushes. �What were you thinking?� Emma asks.
�Uh, well, I think I�ve been watching the Mr Bean movie too many times. Plus, I never expected someone to actually see my passport.� Ruth replies, her face changing into the normal cheery look as ever and grins a cheeky one. Emma puts Ruth�s suitcase on the conveyor belt so it can be loaded into the plane.
�Terminal nine is where your plane leaves.� The lady at the check in informs them both and hands over their boarding passes. Emma gives a friendly nod and hooks with Ruth�s arm and the two of them hop to terminal nine.
�I�ve never been on a plane before,� Ruth nervously whispers, with a tremble in her voice, as she clings herself onto the armrests of the plane seats.
�Oh, it�s no biggie.� Emma reassures and gives Ruth�s hand a gentle squeeze. �Just fasten your seatbelt and do what I do; never ever unfasten it until you�ve landed safely on the ground.� Ruth nods and fastens her seatbelt. �Oh, and another thing. When those yellow masks come down from the ceiling, it�s time to scream and then you�re also allowed to panic.� Ruth eyes go wide and Emma actually backs away, afraid that they�re about to pop out of their sockets. �Calm down, I was only joking.� Ruth looks away from Emma and into the aisle, to see an air hostess taking place at the end of it and waving her arms about in the air, following the instructions that are heard through the speakers.
�I have to say, the air hostesses in the Busted video were much prettier.� Ruth remarks after elbowing Emma between her ribs. �Better dressed, too.� She adds as she follows the air hostess down the aisle with her eyes, watching the air hostess� blue skirt and her white, striped blouse with the yellow and light blue scarf around her neck. �Do you think we�ll get to see film on this flight?� Ruth asks. Emma can see that she�s bored already. That�s what you get when you travel with a hyped up child like Ruth. Ruth turns her face to Emma�s; she�s raised an eyebrow. �Sorry, I�ll shut up now.� She says and slumps down in the seat as far as the seatbelt allows her to.
Ruth grabs Emma�s hand when the plane starts to move around on the airport and the motors start to make humming sounds.
�We�re going to die, aren�t we?� Ruth asks desperately and tightens her grip on Emma�s hand.
�Ruth, dear, the plane hasn�t even take off. If we�re going to die now, I�ll eat my hat.� Ruth eyes are watery and Emma can read the fear in the blue pools. Ruth opens her mouth,
�One; you don�t have a hat and two; HOW ON EARTH ARE YOU ABLE TO EAT IT WHEN YOU�RE DEAD?� Emma�s hands shoot to Ruth face and she places them on her cheeks.
�CALM. DOWN. Or I�ll you get kicked out of the plane. OKAY?� Ruth�s eyes move from Emma�s left eye to the right and back. Her mouth is formed as an �o� due to Emma�s squeezing. She tries to nod,
�Okay,� She muffles and calms down a bit.
�Good.� Emma replies and takes back both of her hands and rests them on her lap.
The nose of the plane turns to the sky and the motors go beyond soft humming sounds. Emma gets pressed back in her seat and she closes her eyes; she loves the feeling in her tummy as the plane takes off. The feeling of butterflies in her tummy. Ruth is just glued to her seat, her eyes looking wildly into nothing.
As the plane gets into the a steady speed and the shocking feeling fades away, Emma opens her eyes again and looks out of the little rounded airplane window to see the clouds under the plane pass by.
�They�re going to play Along Came Polly.� Ruth brings out, still the same shocked look on her face, her eyes wild, and it�s as if someone else is talking from inside her. �I�ve already seen that film.� She adds with the same monotonous sound.
�Horrible.� Is the first thing Ruth says as soon as they�re out of the plane and walking through the terminal. �Never ever going on a plane again. Horrible.� Emma just laughs at this.
�I think you�ll have to. Seeing that you have to go home someway.�
�Horrible.� Ruth repeats as she dives into Emma�s handbag. �Don�t you have like, Jaffa Cakes in there?� And searches some more for her favourite snack. �ID, CDs� God, you�ve got your whole house in there and you don�t have Jaffa�s?� Emma shakes her head. �I knew I should�ve taken some from home.� Her voice trails off and pulls out the small bag of coin shaped liquorice. �What is this for junk anyway?� Emma rips the small bag out of Ruth�s hands.
�This is my version of Jaffa Cakes, thank you very much.� Emma laughs and strokes the plastic bag as a sign of affection. Ruth gets the conveyor belt in sight and runs towards it, grabbing Emma�s hand on the way and nearly pushing three suitcases off a trolley that was standing next to them and making some of the liquorice fall out of the bag and on the floor.
Ruth stands on the side of the conveyor belt, eagerly waiting for her blue suitcase to come strolling out of the store place where all the suitcases had been put after taken out of the plane. She claps her hands enthusiastically as she sees a blue dot coming towards the two of them, a little white tag with her name on it dangling on the suitcase�s handle.
�I want a trolley,� Ruth whines as soon as she�s picked up her heavy suitcase, trying to hold it steady, but failing miserably.
�Good idea,� Emma agrees and goes on the look out for a trolley. Ruth points vaguely towards an empty trolley. �Gimme that,� Emma whispers and pulls the blue suitcase onto the trolley. �Now, I want my own suitcase back.� Ruth nods and sits down on the trolley, her legs crossed and waving like the Queen when people look at her.
�Why do I always have to push the trolley?� Emma asks as she looks around for Information.
�Because you�re older than me and so you�re more mature.� Ruth simply explains. �I�m still a kid.� She adds.
�A baby, more likely.� Emma whispers under her breath, but just loud enough for Ruth to hear.
�Oh! That was offending.� Emma shrugs and Ruth bursts into fits of laughter.
�There we go,� Emma states and parks the trolley next to the Information desk. A young man is sitting behind the desk with dark brown hair, pretty brown eyes and dark eyebrows.
�Can I help you, Miss?� He asks, smiling a beautiful smile and pearly white teeth.
�Yes, I was supposed to arrive here yesterday, but I boarded on the wrong plane. My suitcase went with the plane to London, though.� The young man types something into the computer.
�Right, can I see your boarding pass, please?� Emma follows the same procedure as she had in Edinburgh and emptied her bag, taking out her ID, too.
�Ah yes, I see. If you hold on a minute, I will fetch someone to get your suitcase.� The young man says and calls someone to get Emma�s suitcase.
Not two minutes later, someone with a blue blazer and marine blue trousers comes walking up to them, with a green, furry suitcase rolling behind him.
�Thank you,� Emma says politely and takes over the suitcase. Ruth just laughs at the sight of the suitcase and points at it. �What? I like green and furry, okay!� Ruth shrugs and slaps the man on his back.
�Thanks dude.� She says and watches Emma lifting the suitcase onto Ruth�s.
With Ruth on the trolley and Emma pushing it once again, they pass tons of people waiting for their beloved to come out of the terminals. Emma�s eye falls onto a big white banner with her name written on it.
�EMMA!� A girl with dark brown hair reaching her shoulders, shouts, and opens her arms to hug Emma tight. The green suitcase balances on the edge of the suitcase underneath it and eventually falls onto Ruth�s back. It�s not until then, that the girl notices Ruth. �And Ruth!� She pulls Ruth off the trolley and gives her the same warm hug as she had given Emma just a minute ago. Emma smiles, a satisfied feeling pumps through her veins and she puts the big banner onto the green suitcase that she had placed back onto the blue one. �I�ve been waiting for ages, man!� Susie exclaims and hugs both of the girls again.
�Yo,� Comes a sudden voice from behind Susie. A short girl with dark hair, wearing a skirt, socks that reach her knees and glasses, steps forwards and waves shortly. Everyone is silent for a split second. �Wacky, wacky suitcase,� she replies.
�Daisy!� Emma shouts. �You look, er, nice-�
Daisy butts in, very literally. �Hell yeah, I do, if I say so meself!�
�And hey,� Ruth says, thinking. �I�ve got an idea.�
�What?� the others all gasp, sarcastically.
�If Emma�s got a camera, then, seeing as we may not ever meet up like this again, we should take a piccie!�
Emma pulls a face. �How am I going to take a picture of us, with me in it, when I�m taking the picture? Hang on, does that make sense?�
�It sort of does�. �if you hold the camera in front of you,� Daisy grins. �Like so��
�Oh, finally! Daisy has something logical to say!� Emma gasps. She holds the camera out in front of her and all four girls pose in front of it. Each girl poses in her own way and when the familiar click of the digital camera sounds, they all gather to see the picture. Emma is in the middle, Ruth to her right, smiling wildly, and Daisy is further right, sticking her tongue out with half her hair hanging over her face. Susie is to Emma�s left, holding some little white strips of paper above her head. Emma screws up her face, confused. �What are those?�
Ruth peers closer. She can just see some tiny bold lettering on the white strips. �Busted� �Wembley Arena,� she says, pondering over the thought.
Daisy wakes up and blinks. �BUSTED? WEMBLEY?� she shouts. �Susie, are you pulling my leg?�
�Yeah, is this for real?�
Susie is a little shy about this. �I knew this would happen, I bought them ages ago.�
�YOU PSYCHIC!�
�So� �we�re going to see Busted, at Wembley, and the doors open in an hour or so.�
All that can be heard that part of the airport, is plenty of Oh my God�s, and screams.
The girls pile up in Susie�s white Polo; Emma next to Susie, the two other girls in the back seats. Susie starts the engine, and drives off, but before they�ve even left the airport parking, they�re stuck. Stuck in traffic. Susie hits her steering wheel madly, and mumbles some words that no one can really hear. Daisy, being the person she is, rolls the little window on the left, down, and pokes her head out of it.
�There�s a huge gap between your bumper and the back of the car on front of you! You should bloody well move, or we�ll but in there!� She shouts to the person that is driving the blue van two cars in front of them. A fat arm sticks out of the van�s window, and shows the middle finger. This triggers Susie to pull the wheel to the right and stamps on the accelerator pedal. The girls� head bonk to the ceiling of the car as Susie wildly drives up the pavement and butts in between the van and the car in front of it. Daisy feels her head and pokes her head out of the window again. She sticks her tongue out her mouth and holds up her middle finger, on which the fat man in the white van waves his fist about and sticks his head of his window,
�Stupid brats!� He calls after them, Daisy screws her face up.
�I heard that!� Daisy screams at the man.
Susie squeezes the Polo in between some other random cars and drives to the exit of the road, on their way to Wembley Arena.
The girls enter the queue; girls in really short skirts and revealing tops are already screaming in front of the doors.
�But seriously, Susie. How on earth did you know that there was going to be all four of us?� Emma questions, Susie just smiles shyly.
�Well, no one actually knew the whole truth about this. Daisy knew I was going to pick you up from the airport and I asked her if she wanted to come with me. Phoned Ruth and talked to her parents so she could come to London as well. At first her Aunt would come with her, but after you stranded there�� She sighs satisfied, her plan had obviously worked. �But no one actually knew about the Wembley tickets, though.� A big smile comes across her face, and she holds up the tickets proudly.
�Move people, the doors have opened!� Daisy butts in and starts pushing her friends towards the door where the tickets get ripped off.
�Walk all the way down the aisle, the first four seats on the left.� The man who had ripped the tickets says and points down the red carpeted aisle.
�Front row seats?� Ruth yelps and jumps up and down the aisle until she�s all the way down.
�Front row seats.� Susie answers, and smiles.
�God, that must�ve cost you a right fortune, dude!� Ruth squeals and sits down on the last of the four seats.
�Let�s just say I have my connections.� Susie mysteriously says and grins as the lights go down and the sound is turned up to full blast.
The first supporting act comes up on the stage and their do their thing, followed by the second supporting act.
After a good thirty minutes, the lights go darker for the second time. The screen on the background shows some vague contours of three figures in light tunnels. Girls are screaming, and a computer-like voice counts down from ten to zero, when the three figures get shot out of the light tunnels and onto the stage, where they get greeted by thousands of screaming fans. The four girls in the front row simultaneously stand up and on their seats, to scream their heads of along with the rest of the Arena. Daisy reaches into her pocket and pulls out a neatly folded piece of fabric.
�What is that?� Ruth asks, while screaming through What I Go To School For. Daisy unfolds it, and it is a giant pair of y-fronts. She gathers it in her fist. Emma glances at it and can see some writing on it.
�Err, where on earth did you get that from, Daisy?�
�I have my sources� ...and no they're not my dad's!� she says. She pulls her arm back to aim it right at James, and Emma stops her.
�I wouldn't if I were you.�
�See if I don't,� she smirks. �I can get it on his head and it�d look like a hat!� Daisy throws the pants straight at James� head. He tries to duck whilst strumming away, but it lands on his head. He looks over at the girls, and grins. On the front of his head is the lettering �I was Busted by the Flux!� in scrawly, green handwriting. Daisy shouts so loud, the other girls are sure she�ll get kicked out. �EMAIL US!�
�Silly, silly girl!� Emma laughs.
After the concert, the girls travel home. Every few minutes, a gigantic scream emerges from the back seats, almost causing poor Susie to have a heart attack. To top off Busted overload, Emma puts in her copy of A Present For Everyone in the stereo, Air Hostess blasting out of the speakers and making the car look from the outside like a moving, shaking boom box!
Finally, however, after beating the hordes of other fans going home by car, they arrive at Susie's house, Emma and Ruth asleep.
�Wakey wakey!� Daisy shouts, still jumping up and down. Susie looks at her watch, and it reads quarter past midnight. She yawns, but after waking up, Ruth is still hyper, and switches on Susie�s laptop. She connects to the Internet, and an annoying popup says that there�s a new email in Susie�s inbox. Deciding not to be rude, she calls Susie over. �Hey, you've got mail!�
�Okay,� Susie says, opening up her email. �Who could be emailing me now?� She scans over her messages, scrolling up and down. At the top, is a message from an unknown email.
�Open it, open it!� Daisy squeals, getting bonked on the head by Emma.
�It could be a virus,� Susie says. �Oh, well, the subject name doesn't look too harmful. The e-mail�s called Hi from Guess Who.�
�Do you have an admirer?� asks Ruth.
�No, I have a boyfriend!�
Susie hastily opens the email, and all the girls read it eagerly.
�To the Flux (good name),
I just took a little time out from the tour party (and Matt trying to get me drunk). I wanted to say, thanks to whoever threw those pants at me, I�m sure they�ll be very much appreciated for years to come. If you�re wondering whether this is really me, well I don�t usually talk to fans, but because someone told me to and because you lot are so crazy, I thought I'd say hi. James xxx.�