I can't believe nobody has mentioned my shoes. I'm feeling a bit out of place amongst Anne's friends and I almost wish I had just stayed over at Becky's house. That said, Jenny's house is awesome! They have an actual pool, with a pool house that is huge. We are the first ones here so we aren't playing Singstar yet but Jenny has a foosball table so we are playing doubles. Jenny kicks ass at this game, a good thing she is on my team. So far we are up three games to nil and now she is playing one-handed and we are still thrashing them. Anne, Abby and Lucia have been rotating on the other team but I think it's my turn to sit out the next game. Especially since Mae snuck in when we weren't looking.

I am so envious of this place, the pool is only a fifteen meter one but it's heated and Jenny can swim before school any day she likes. She also has a humongous television in here with her PlayStation hooked up to it, that thing is almost as big as dad's projection screen! I haven't been in the house but who needs to, I could live here. It has a bar with a microwave and a shower room and I'm willing to bet the couch pulls out into a bed.

Bam! That's four for four!

"Okay, I think we have proven that Jenny is the undefeated foosball king. Unless you want to play singles and loser stays on then I'm done." Abby declares, she is such a defeatist.

"Sounds fine to me." Jenny says, probably just wanting to be able to thrash me too. She does but then I kick Abby's butt. Before we can continue though, the rest of Anne's friends arrive. Lucia meets them at their car, obviously excited to show off her friend's house to Jo. We all follow slowly behind and meet them as they pass the pool.

"Man, if I lived here I would swim every day. It would be so sweet." I hear Jo say enthusiastically.

"I've never seen you at the pool, do you swim much?" I ask her, I would have remembered those abs if I had seen her at the pool.

"Not for a while, no. I feel a bit uncomfortable in a swimsuit, and it's not like I can wear trunks." Oh yeah, she likes to dress like a boy, I actually stopped noticing that at some point.

"You could wear a swim shirt, loads of boys wear those. I've got one you can have if you want." It's not like I ever wore it, mum just insisted I have one in case we went to the beach, not that she's taken us in the last three years! "I could come with you, I love the pool." And I will take any chance to see those rock hard abs again. She's built like some kind of Roman statue! A David without the penis.

I almost miss her reply because I am lost in my own thoughts, "Erm, yeah, I guess I could try that. Perhaps if you come." Hell yeah, score one for team Kelly! Anne leans in and whispers something to Jo, I have no idea what she says but it causes Jo to laugh and I just know it's at my expense. I glare daggers at my sister, I'm sure it was something derogatory towards me.

"We could all go together, that might be cool." Anne is looking straight at me when she said that, now I'm really confused. Does she think I'm trying to steal her new friend?

"What! You never go to the pool, I've been asking for years! Do you even know how to swim?" I ask defensively, it's true though, every single time I ask her to come she turns me down. My heart drops, does this mean it was me she was avoiding rather than the swimming?

I open my mouth to argue and Anne snaps at me, "Yeah, I'm trying new things. Drop it, please?" Yeah, she's been avoiding going with me. What a bitch. I gulp down a frog in my throat, I really don't want to cry and make a scene but I can feel them coming.

Jo looks between us and says, "I think we could do a group thing, maybe next week? My social calendar has never been this full!" She's just trying to stem the argument before it starts but I see sense, we shouldn't fight at someone else's house. I take a deep breath and stomp off to find someone else to talk to.

Mae is standing on her own behind the bar so I figure she won't mind a companion, I put on a brave face try to act happy, "A cold one on the rocks barkeep!" I call to her in my best western impression. She smiles and pours me a coke. "So, I've been meaning to ask, how come I haven't seen you at school yet?"

"I don't know. I spend a lot of time in clubs, I eat lunch in the classroom so you probably just miss me at breaks." Mae tells me quietly.

"Cool, what clubs are you in?" I really don't see the point in filling my days even further but it's cool that other people do.

"I'm on the dance committee, youth parliament and debating club. That fills all my lunch hours and three days after school." She says with a shrug.

My eyes bug out, "Holy crap, those all sound the most boring things in existence! Why?"

She laughs, "Mum says they improve my chances of getting into uni. Also, back in first year, I thought it would help me make friends."

"How'd that work out for you?" I ask, taking a big sip of coke.

"Well, I know lots of people but they are all super nerdy. None that you would invite home. I'm glad Heather still hangs out with me, I really live for the weekends." She takes a long drink from her own glass, averting her eyes from mine.

"So, how come you got sent to a different high school after going to primary school with Heather?" I ask, actually interested. I'm assuming they moved just like Becky did.

"We live right on the border of the school catchment zone. Mum looked at the school results and didn't give me a choice. Heather probably would have come with me if the busses ran past her house. How did you get put in a different school to your sister? You guys are way off the bus route!"

"My best friend moved away and I begged my mum to let me go to her school. It only works because mum's work is in that direction and her hours usually work out. I spend a few evenings at Becky's or at the pool but we make it work." I shrug and am about to say more when heather suddenly appears and sits beside me.

"I'll have what she's having." She says in a corny accent. I don't know what film she's trying to emulate.

"What is it with people ordering in funny accents?" Mae asks, pouring another coke.

"I heard Kelly do it, thought it was funny." Heather admits. I thought it was funny too, actually, I still find it amusing that Mae has actually taken the role of barkeep! She's standing polishing a glass now!

"So, is there actual booze behind there or do they only stock it with soft drinks?" Heather asks, standing on the rungs of her stool to peer over the bar.

"Oh, there's booze. Lots of it too. All top shelf, malt whiskey, barrel aged rum, fancy looking gins." Mae puts down her shiny glass and picks up another to polish. "But you're not getting any. Not unless you can show me some ID."

I laugh heartily when she says that, she looks utterly serious, it's wonderful. Heather's face was priceless too.

A couple of minutes later Jenny's mum announces that Joe is about to play so we all turn towards her, she plays a song that I think I have heard. Everyone else looks like they know it so I assume it's fairly recent. Her voice is magnificent, I can't help wondering what she would sound like singing something good.

Everyone applauds and she launches straight into something I recognize from dad's playlist, bittersweet symphony. It is damned good, probably better since I know the words. Then she shifts into a slow Irish ballad about a man stealing corn and being sent away to prison. It is absolutely haunting and I feel like I want to cry just hearing it.

Before I make a fool of myself shedding tears listening to a song, Jenny's mum gets her to play whiskey in the jar. People are up singing and dancing to it but I still feel sad, Mae who has come over to sit beside me gives me a little hug and suddenly I do feel better. I sigh and lean into her arm, seeing Anne and Abby in a similar pose. At least it's not just me.

When the song ends and she has packed up, Jo makes her way to the bar. Mae does her barkeep job again, getting her a fizzy water. I guess you have to watch the calories to have a six-pack like hers.

"That song was so sad. You almost had me in tears." I tell her softly.

"Sorry. It didn't go down well, nobody clapped." Jo replied with a shrug.

"Not because they didn't like it. It was just… deep. You played it beautifully." I assure her, the song may have been the wrong choice for the occasion but I'm glad I heard it.

"Mrs Mendez wanted me to play something traditional and that was the only one that came to mind. I have a tendency to play it when I'm sad. Not that I'm sad now, just, that's how I practise it so that's how it comes over." She really seems like she regrets playing that song.

I put my hand on her arm, "It was awesome, don't worry, people enjoyed it."

She smiles at me and leans in, "So, have you played Singstar before?" She whispers.

"Nope, you?" I have a feeling I know where this is going.

"Nope."

"So, are we losing another virginity together?" I ask with a laugh.

"Hope this one doesn't hurt either!" She says with a huge smirk.

"It shouldn't be for you, your singing voice is awesome!" She beamed at my praise as if she didn't know her voice was amazing.

It turned out having a great voice wasn't everything in Singstar, it helped but Jo seemed to spend half the song finding the pitch or tone that the game wanted before she nailed the latter halves. I'm pretty sure if she sang the same song twice she would completely annihilate our scores.

I sang Barbie Girl with Mae as a duet, she took the Barbie track and I had the role of Ken, it was hilarious. I'm surprised I didn't score negative points, Mae knew all the words which was a little intimidating and she did these little doll like gestures that everyone laughed at but I could not get my voice low enough to score points. Mae gave me a huge consolation hug at the end though which was nice.

I really enjoyed the evening, I mainly talked to Mae and Jo which Anne did comment on when we were on our way back in Abby’s dad’s car. I wanted to tell her that she and Abby were too busy being lovestruck and trying to out themselves to pay me any attention but it really wasn't the right place.

I fell asleep in the car, in my defence it was late and the motion of the car was really soothing. Waking to Abby taking a photo of me drooling with my mouth open was not fun though. Her dad totally told me off for the language that came out of my mouth. Oops.

As I stumbled up the stairs Abby told me I could use the bathroom first. I know that is just an excuse for them to have some 'alone time'. Well, I guess I don't care, much, I'm probably just jealous. Either way, I'm still sleeping in the middle tonight, it's freezing in Abby's house and I don't like the idea of being in the same bed as them if they decide to fool around.

I pull on my nice new pyjamas, not new, stolen thoroughly from Anne, the same ones I wore for movie night. She hasn't mentioned it but I like them, hell I must, I've only had wash days not wearing them since Anne's party. Perhaps I should ask mum to buy me some more…

I stand at the sink brushing my teeth, being a good girl and humming 'Under the boardwalk' which dad insists will make me brush for a full two minutes. My mind is wandering, I suspect I'm going to have weird dreams tonight considering I can't seem to focus on one thought for more than ten seconds.

"I'm sleeping in the middle." I tell the girls as I return to the bedroom, "There's no way I'm letting you two get up to any hanky panky whilst I'm in the bed!"

"Hanky panky? You sound like Gran!" Anne says as she walks past me to the bathroom. Suspiciously, they both go together… I don't know if I'm just being paranoid, but I think they might be up to something in that locked room.

I lie down in the bed, trying to get the exact middle. It's huge compared to my single bed, and low to the ground. The pillow smells like Abby's perfume. That's the last thought through my head before I'm in the land of nod.

I don't know what time it is, it's utterly dark and I can't see a clock, I don't know if there even is one. I suddenly realise that my arm is hugging Abby and my hand is somewhere it really shouldn't be. I have a brief concern it could be my sister but then realize the material is wrong, I'm holding a thin cotton covered handful of warm flesh. Anne is wearing a thicker jumper like top and she has sleeves, I can clearly feel a bare arm holding my own tight against her chest.

I realise I am holding my breath, accidental second base! I don't dare move, I hardly breathe letting my hand rest there for as long as she will let me.

I must have dozed off again, I wake to feel an arm draped across my hip. Anne must have moved in her sleep. I realise it must have woken Abby, I can feel her nipple harden under my thumb. Oh god it's glorious. I stay like that for what seems like very long minutes, resisting the urge to stroke my thumb across Abby's nipple.

Eventually, my time is up, she lifts my hand and places it firmly on her stomach, holding it there with her own hand, I inadvertently make a disappointed noise. Truth be told, I'm happy with that too. Cuddles with my sister's girlfriend! I notice she doesn't move Anne's hand.

I must have fallen asleep again, next I know I wake with the sun streaming through the curtains and Abby firmly moving my hand again. This time I missed the experience. Anne is missing, she must have slipped out without waking me.

"You're a very handsy young lady." Abby berates me as she gets out of bed, she quite blatantly pulls down her short nightie before moving the quilt. I wonder where that hand of Anne's went! She certainly didn't make any moves to shift it!

I spend a few minutes thinking of that and of the feeling of that nipple. I really shouldn't do this. I feel really bad, but oh so good at the same time. I'm so conflicted. I hear the toilet flush and footsteps going downstairs so I force myself to get out of bed rather than be the bad girl I so want to be.

After I dress and wander downstairs I manage to catch the tail end of a conversation, I pause at the door, listening.

"Next time she's sleeping in the camp bed." That was Anne, I guess she didn't like me playing piggy in the middle.

"Hell, next time I will sleep in the camp bed." Abby's just mad about my roaming hands. God, I hope she doesn't mention that again.

"Next time we can both share the camp bed and she can have the bed to herself!" That's it, I'm breaking this up, I wasn't that bad.

"Hey, what's for breakfast?" I ask innocently as I come into the kitchen.

"Cereal, Abby has about a hundred different choices though." Well done not flinching Anne! If I hadn't heard the conversation I never would have guessed you were talking about me.

Abby opened a large corner cupboard, "They are all up on the top shelf, not a hundred, unfortunately. Help yourself."

Wow. It may not be a hundred but the selection runs the gambit from boring rice puffs and all-bran to weird and wonderful granolas. My hand hovers over the lucky charms before I decide to be adventurous, honey and almond clusters with raspberries. I drag it down, I'm glad I'm taller than most of the girls in my class, I don't have to ask people to get things off the top shelves anymore.

"So, any plans for Sunday? Lazy day?" Abby asks me as I pour my milk.

"I have my swimming in the afternoon. Other than that it's a free day. Mum made me do my homework on Friday as a caveat to getting to go to the party." I reply before digging in. Oh wow, this is about the best cereal I have ever tasted.

Abby must have noticed the look of bliss on my face, I was chewing with my eyes closed, "Those are my favourites, mum buys them for herself but I doubt she gets to eat even half the box." I nod and give an 'mmhmm', reluctant to stop filling my face with this wonder food.

"So, what are you doing Abby? We could hang out this afternoon?" Anne asked innocently, I'm pretty sure she just wants to spend the afternoon doing the things she couldn't with me in the bed. That said, I'm pretty sure I know where those fingers were last night.

Abby lip curls upwards, "Can't, mum and dad are having my gran and grandad over. We will probably end up doing jigsaws with them drinking sherry."

Anne gave a dejected little shrug. Obviously, she has no plans.

We are ushered out of the house straight after I finish my bowl, I absolutely have to get mum to buy some of that. That said, I might just sit and finish the whole pack if we had it in our house.

Anne is almost skipping on the walk home, "Enjoyed sleeping with Abby then?" I ask her.

"What? No! I'm just happy, last night was fun and we have all day to ourselves."

"Mmmhmm." I drone, man I wish I had a girlfriend to make me that happy. "You two seemed to be getting along well last night."

Anne looks at me puzzled, "Oh, we thought we were being discreet!" Yeah, discreet with me as the meat in an Anne and Abby sandwich. "Was it really obvious? We just held hands a bit."

Oh, perhaps she is talking about the party, yeah, best not mention that other thing, "If you knew you were together it was obvious, no idea if people would have noticed otherwise." I answer, not really having paid that much attention at the party.

"Damn, we have to be more careful. You seem to get on well with Mae and Jo, do you see Mae at school?" She's walking backwards now, she has way too much energy for a Sunday morning!

"Actually we talked about that last night. It sounds like she is super busy with these geeky clubs her mum got her to join." As soon as the words leave my lips I regret telling Anne, something about that conversation felt like a confession.

"What clubs is she in?" She asks, sounding genuinely interested.

"Erm… prom and something else. It sounded really geeky, like speech club or debating or something." I shrug, "It sounded like she was a bit lonely." There, I said it, something told to me in confidence blurted out the moment someone asks me about it. Man, I feel stink.

"Hmm, she does tend to be really quiet, I could imagine her finding it hard to make friends. She gets on well with you though, you should hang out with her at school." Anne says enthusiastically.

I look at her in disbelief, "A fifth-year hanging with a bunch of first years? Way to kill her reputation, if she has any."

Anne frowned at me, "Oh, I suppose you're right." She said eventually. Well, duh, of course I'm right! Not that I would mind hanging out with Mae, she is nice, in a quiet, self-effacing way. I think if someone were to get to know her I can imagine her being really fun.

We arrive home to find the door locked, I manage to use my key for only the third time since mum and dad gave me it. It feels odd letting myself into my own house when I know my parents are in. Oh god… don't be bumping uglies, I do not want to be scarred for life.

Thankfully they are just nursing hangovers. Dad pours us a coffee as Anne asks about their night. As far as dad tells it the hangover is all mum's fault.

"So, quiet day in front of the TV?” I ask, grabbing a fruit juice to down whilst dad pours the coffee. “You still okay to take me swimming.” I dread the answer, I actually want to see Becks today, I have news and gossip to tell her. Mum suddenly looks green and rushes off.

“I guess that’s a no.” I'm pretty pissed off, to be honest. If I was allowed to go alone it would be fine but mum thinks I'm too immature to ride the bus alone. Anne got to go alone when she was my age, what's the difference?

“If you don’t mind the bus then I’ll go with you.” I look disbelievingly at Anne.

Dad seems to be looking to me to make that decision, “I’m okay with that if we go early and you come for a swim.” I tell her, pushing my luck.

Anne looked at me disbelievingly. “Really?”

“If you’re willing to go with Jo and Abby you can’t hate it that much.” I say accusingly, I'm still mad about last night, she has been avoiding coming with me for years, if she says no I will totally take it personally.

“I don’t know if I even still have a swimsuit that fits.” Anne said, trying to worm her way out of going with me, well it's not going to work.

“I have loads, we aren't much different in height now so you would probably fit one.” I give her an evil smile, “The swim meet is at two, if we have an early lunch and leave here at midday we should get a good swim in.”

“Okay, fine. You better find me a nice one though, something that doesn’t show too much skin.” I am tempted to get her to try my high cut Adidas one, it shows off my bum so well. I think twice about that though, I actually do want to get her swimming with me so I give her my short leg ones. They are brand new, I think I may have worn them once because they are so ridiculously conservative. They please Anne though so I guess she can keep them. Call it a swap for the pyjamas.

As we ride the bus Anne seems preoccupied, she isn't even interested in my ongoing campaign to make a first-year chemistry experiment explode. At one point I tell her Hellen Keller is teaching my English class and she doesn't blink an eye. I try more and more outrageous stories and nothing, she could be a million miles away and still pay more attention to the conversation.

I huff and fall silent, staring out the window at the drab housing estates drifting past. Before long we arrive at the pool and for the first time Anne seems to react to something, some girl I see all the time at the pool said: "Lookout, it's one of the new apprentice dykes, better not take our clothes off yet."

Anne got really upset at that, which was funny since neither of the girls in the locker room was anything special to look at.

I was about to respond when Anne said "It's not worth it. They're just being homophobic pricks."

One of them says something insulting but I walk past the bigots and get in the pool and wait for my sister to get used to the water before turning to Anne, “It’s not like you would want to see them naked. The one who spoke has a really nasty appendix scar and her friend has a huge strawberry birthmark.” It's the truth too, although I must admit the birthmark is in an interesting place.

“Oh my god, Kelly! You really are a pervert! And you can't judge people like that, they can't help those things!” Meh, if people don't want me looking they shouldn't strip in front of me.

“Come on, let's go to the deep end and do some diving. I'm going to be swimming enough laps later on.” I tell her, seeing the slight smirk which belays her stern comment.

Swimming with my sister is awesome, it's been so long since we did this that everything is new and fun. I kind of wish Becky was here but she almost always turns up with about thirty seconds to spare, already in her costume. She never even changes on the way home on Sundays, just hops in her mum's car wet in a towel.

When the time comes for swim squads Anne decides to just do laps in the slow lane. I finally get to tell Becky all about last night. She is so jealous, or at least I think she is, she might just be pissed off that I didn't come and stay the night at her house. I neglect to tell her about my faux pas with Abby in the bed. She really doesn't need to know that one, considering I am not telling her I like girls. Perhaps I can tell Charlotte…

Oh shit, that busybody who insists on giving me advice has followed Anne into the changing rooms. God I hate that woman, she talks to me almost every week, she's as bad as my mother. Last week she told me off for looking at a girl's bum as she was walking out of the shower room, it's not like I was hurting her or anything and she was tall and slim and gorgeous, and she knew it judging by the way she wiggled those hips.

I almost miss my call as I dwell on the woman, oh well, it's Anne's problem today.