Page 71 of Lyrical (Academy of Stardom 2)

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Pen

Lena grins, throwing her arms around my shoulders and squeezing me tightly. “Pen, I’ve missed you!”

“I’ve missed you too,” I laugh, guiding her to the booth and away from all the prying eyes.

This is our favourite café in Hackney and most of the locals come here too. Pietro, the owner, makes the most amazing cakes and the best hot chocolate in London. We don’t often get to come here, but now that I’ve got enough food to last me until my first payday, I figured I could spend my remaining tenner on a couple of hot chocolates and a slice of chocolate cake to share between us. I’ve still not quite recovered from the killer hangover from Friday night with Clancy and River, and I need a sugar hit, stat. I spent most of Saturday in bed avoiding everyone, but feel considerably better today. I seem to be good at burying my head in the sand when the need arises. Not that I needed to hide, given I haven’t seenanyof the Breakers since Friday. I’ve tried not to think too much about what they were meeting Jeb for or what they’ve been up to since. I figure if shit went down, I would’ve found out about it by now.

“I’ve loads to tell you about the school trip. Who knew the Isle of Wight could be so much fun! I thought only old people lived there.”

I laugh, capturing the attention of Pietro with a wave and a smile. He comes over to take our order. Once he’s returned to the counter, I turn my attention back to Lena. “So, you enjoyed yourself then?”

“It was so good! I shared a room with Simone and Laura. We snuck some booze into our suitcases and got pissed every night. It was such a laugh.”

“Lena, you could’ve gotten caught!”

“Yeah, but we didn’t. Besides, we weren’t the only ones who did it. What’s the headteacher gonna do, suspend all the students for doing the same thing? They’d have no one left in the year.” She giggles, rolling her eyes.

“It was supposed to be an informative trip. You were supposed to be learning shit, Lena, not getting drunk every night.”

“Iwaslearning shit. I learnt that local boys are all pussies and don’t like being dared. I also learnt that Teddy Smith in our year has a nine inch cock, and that he likes his balls being tickled when he’s getting sucked off.”

“What?! You’re fourteen, Lena!” I hiss, shocked at the thought. “Who the fuck is Teddy Smith?”

Her grin blows wide and she starts laughing. When she’s finally calmed down, she swipes at the tears falling from her eyes and shakes her head. “Seriously, Pen, your face! Oh my god!Ididn’t give him a blowjob, that wasSimone. Besides, I’m almost fifteen.”

I blow out a breath, shaking my head at her. “I’m not even sure that’s any better. She’s your best friend and alsofourteen.”

“Seriously, don’t tell meyouwere any better behaved at our age. You hung out with the Breakers and everyone knows they’re manwhores. Come on, you must’ve gotten up to shit with them.”

“They were myfriends, Lena. It wasn’t like that between us.” At least not at fourteen, but she doesn’t need to know that.

She gives me a ‘yeah right,’ look and shakes her head. She’s way sassier than I ever was at her age. I’m not sure that’s a good thing either. Sassy can get you into a whole heap of shit.

“Want my advice?” I ask.

“Nope, but I know you’ll give it to me anyway,” she says, waving her hand in the air as Pietro comes back with our order. We both thank him and wait for him to return to his other customers before picking up our conversation.

“You should keep away from boys; they’re nothing but trouble and no giving blowjobs until you’re at least twenty-five.”

Lena pulls a face. “Why doIhave to be the good one? You didn’t keep away from the Breakers, and you’re seriously telling me you’ve never given a man a blowy.”

My cheeks flush with the memory of me on my knees in the shower with York. Thankfully, Lena’s way too interested in devouring the slice of chocolate cake to notice.

“I did keep away from the Breakers… eventually,” I say, batting away her comment. “Besides, you need to learn from my mistakes and make better choices than I did. Just because Simone is happy to give someone a blowy, doesn’t mean you should. You need to begood,” I say sternly.

“Being good is boring, I’d rather be like you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know, I want to becool. Hanging out with the bad boys, getting up to stuff I shouldn’t. I want to have fun, Pen. Like you did when you hung out with the Breakers.”

“Firstly, being cool doesn’t equal getting up to no good, and the Breakers weren’tbad boysjust misunderstood. Plus, I’d rather you not blow some kid, and get an education. I want you to make something of yourself, okay?”

“And you’renotmaking something of yourself? Come on, Pen. You’re, like, living your dream. You’re adancer. All my friends want to be like you.”

“I’ve managed to get into the Academy, yes, but that’s no guarantee of a future in dance. I’m fully aware of that fact.”

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