Girls Under Pressure

Model Girl It's all my idea. "Let's go Christmas shopping on Saturday," I say to my two best friends, Magda and Nadine. "Great," says Magda, who lives to shop. "Sure," says Nadine, but she looks surprised. "I thought you always made your own Christmas presents, Ellie." "Yes, well, I think I've grown out of that stage now," I say hurriedly. We've always had this silly tradition in my family. I'd think of a theme and then make everyone a present based on it. There was the year of the stripy hand-knitted scarves, the wobbly vases the year I joined the pottery class, the cross-stitched canvas purses . . . I made them for everyone, friends as well as family, and because people were polite I thought they really liked my loopy homemade junk. I've known Nadine since we were both five so she's endured years of fraying dresses for her Barbie dolls and lumpy little felt mice. When we started secondary school I made Nadine a black-and-silver friendship bracelet. I made one for Magda in pink and purple. They seemed to like them. They both wore them for a while, anyway. Last Christmas I made special boxes for all the family, studded with beads and shells. I used liquorice allsorts for Eggs's box--but he tried to lick them through the glaze and hurt his tongue. Typical. Dad and Anna act like he's an infant prodigy but I think he's got the brains of a flea. I pondered long and hard over boxes for Magda and Nadine. In the end I made Nadine a silver box with a painted silver shell design. I did an identical one in gold for Magda. She opened hers as if she was expecting something inside--and then she asked if I'd be making her a gold necklace to go in it next year. She was joking--I think. I suddenly felt about Eggs's age. "We'll go round the Flowerfields Shopping Centre," I say firmly. "We'll buy all the presents for our families, and then we'll split up for a bit and buy each other stuff." "And then we'll go to the Soda Fountain and have a milk shake," says Magda, getting more enthusiastic by the minute. The Soda Fountain recently opened up on the Flowerfields basement floor. It's like those shiny ice cream parlor places you see in old American movies. It's become the in place to hang out now--rumored to be great for meeting boys. If there's one thing Magda likes better than shopping, it's boys. Lots of them. Nadine sighs and raises her eyebrows at me. She's seriously off the opposite sex at the moment, ever since she got heavily involved with this creep Liam who was just using her. She doesn't want to go out with anyone else now. Magda wants to go out with a different boy every night. I'm not sure what I want. And it's not like I get that many offers, anyway. Well. There's this boy Dan I met on holiday. He's my sort-of boyfriend. I don't see him much because he lives in Manchester. And he's younger than me. And looks a bit weird. He is definitely not a dreamboat. I shall have to get him a Christmas present, though. Goodness knows what. I've had this sudden brilliant idea of buying Magda and Nadine underwear from Knickerbox. Red satin flowery knickers for Magda. Black lace for Nadine. And then I could get Dad a big pair of Marks & Spencer boxer shorts and Anna some pretty prim white panties. Eggs could have Mickey Mouse knickers. I've been warming to the universal knicker present. But I can't give Dan underpants! Though I know exactly what sort, a wacky pair with a silly message. . . . I decide I'll have a good look round on Saturday and see if I get any further inspiration. I go over to Nadine's house around ten. Her dad's outside, washing his car. He's the sort of guy who worships his car, spending hours and hours anointing it every weekend. "Hello, Curlynob," he calls. I force a cheery grin and knock at the door. Nadine's mum answeWilson, Jacqueline is the author of 'Girls Under Pressure', published 2002 under ISBN 9780385729758 and ISBN 0385729758.