I lead her to the machine, pointing out dials and drawers, but I can already tell Clara’s not really listening.
‘Oh, Harry! In here!’ she cries as our housemate slams the front door, shouting out a greeting. ‘We’re adulting!’ She sounds thrilled with herself, even though – so far – her contribution has mostly been staring out the window.
‘Goodness me, Jemma.’ He enters the room, gawpingbug-eyed at the giant pile of clothes I’m kneeling beside. ‘Got a bit behind with your washing, have you?’
‘It’s not m—’ I begin to protest, but Clara is already talking over me, bouncing excitedly.
‘Oh my god, Haz! Jem! I’ve just remembered! They’ve made a TV series of that book!’ She sounds excited and I stop loading stinky washing into the drum to listen. ‘The one you’re always reading from the library? I saw an advert for it earlier,’ she continues happily. ‘Too Good to Be True, right? They’ve renamed the TV seriesBook Boyfriend, which is a bit of a relief because that name… ugh, right? So dated!’ She laughs and I make a mental note to lose at least half of her dirty socks. ‘They said the show is based on the cult classic book – they even flashed up the cover – and is going to be airing soon.’ I stare at her blankly. ‘We can watch it together?’ she suggests, then turns to Harry. ‘All of us! It can be a house activity, every week, watching it together.’
Harry nods enthusiastically. ‘Sounds like fun!’
‘Are you serious?’ I breathe out, horror dawning on me. ‘They haven’t!’
She frowns. ‘I thought you’d be excited?’
I swallow hard.Too Good to Be Truemeans so much to me… How dare they rename it?! What else are they going to change?
I hold my breath.
‘They usually ruin books, don’t they, when they turn it into a TV show? What if they’ve ruined it? I don’t want to watch it.’
Clara scoffs. ‘Don’t be mad. TV is sooo much better than books! Books just go on forever and are really boring.’
I glare at her so hard, it feels like fire will shoot out and burn her all up. I want it to.
‘What are we talking about?’ Salma bounds into the kitchen, stopping short when she senses the energy. ‘Uh-oh, are we arguing? I can’t have negative energy around me, I took my first micro-dose of mushrooms this morning and my emotions are way too raw and surface level.’ She pauses, wide-eyed as she looks between me and Clara. ‘I think I took too much actually. Unless Angela Lansbury is really in here with the magic bed fromBedknobs and Broomsticks?’
Clara shrieks with delight. ‘I wish!’ she says happily. ‘And we’re not fighting actually; we were just talking about watching a TV series together. It’s based on Jim-Jems’ fave book and starts next week. You’re in, right, Salma?’
‘I haven’t agreed to anything,’ I say quickly as Salma starts fiddling with the buttons on the half-loaded washing machine.
‘Don’t do that,’ I scold her and she regards me with confusion.
‘I’m just fiddling with the magic knob to make the bed fly,’ she tells me and I gently guide her away from the sports setting.
‘I have to leave in a minute,’ I hiss at the other two. ‘So Clara, please keep an eye on Salma today until thisBedknobs and Broomsticksphase wears off?’
I catch Harry mutter, ‘What even is a bedknob?’ as Clara smirks.
‘I’ll look after her, but only if you agree to watch theBook Boyfriendshow with me!’ She says this with a flourish, knowing I’m cornered. ‘The first episode airs next week, OK? It’ll be our new house show. And it’ll be way, way better than the book, I guarantee it!’
Harry clocks my fury and clears his throat, stepping between us and helping a giggly Salma into a chair. ‘Sounds like a plan!’ he says cheerfully, regarding the half-dealt-with piles of laundry. ‘Um, I actually need to do some washing, too.’ He smiles helpfully between us. ‘I can get this on for you guys, if you like?’
‘Oh my god.’ Clara is breathless. ‘Youlifesaver,Haz!’ She skips out of the room and I pick up my rucksack angrily, heading for the front door. I have to get to the library for this meeting. Clara, her stupidity, and this news aboutToo Good to Be Truethe TV show can wait.
I turn back at the last moment. ‘Oh actually, Harry, I’ve got a bunch of washing, too, if you’re doing it?’
Chapter SevenCLARA
‘Jemma! We’re in the living room. Get in here!’ I call out as the front door slams with my sister’s arrival home.
‘Ugh,’ comes the unenthused response floating through from the hallway. I start to reply but get distracted by someone’s daring leap on the telly.
‘Well, that’s totally dumb, for a start!’ I yell and catch Harry – across the room in the armchair – putting his head in his hands. Beside me, Salma stifles a laugh.
‘What are you guys up to?’ Jemma calls out.
‘We’re watchingDie Hard,’ Salma pronounces, as someone on screen spasms under a hail of gunfire. I sit up straight as the on-screen hero throws himself across a lift shaft or something. ‘See? That would never happen, Haz! I’ve watched enoughFloor Is Lavato know he would slide straight off that bit and into the lava.’ I pause. ‘Or into the German trap or whatever.’ A small groan comes from the Harry corner and I give him a quizzical look. I glance up as Jemma fillsthe doorway, still wearing her coat, backpack in hand. We need a convo about that coat actually; it is hid-eeeeeee-ous. After all, if you see something that doesn’t look right, see it, say it, sorted.
