Girl Online(55)

I give a sigh of relief—so far, so good.

“Are you Penny?” Bella says to me as I come up the steps after Noah.

“Yes, I am. And you must be Bella.”

She nods and grins shyly before turning to Noah. “You were right, Noah.”

“Shhh,” Noah says instantly.

“Right about what?” I say.

“She looks just like a mermaid,” Bella says.

“Man! I thought you said you could keep a secret!” Noah says, winking at me.

Noah’s house is straight from a cozy feel-good American movie. The hallway is the size of a living room. A beautiful grandfather clock stands in the corner next to a wide staircase. Noah and Sadie Lee lead us through an archway on the left, into a huge but really homey kitchen. I breathe in the rich smell of chocolate brownies.

“So, you guys will be sleeping in the spare room,” Sadie Lee says to Mum and Dad. “And, Penny, you can go in with Bella.”

“You have to have the top bunk,” Bella says to me gravely. “I don’t like the top bunk cos I’m scared I might fall out.”

“The top bunk would be great,” I say, smiling down at her.

She takes hold of my hand. “Do you want to come see?”

“Yes please.” I look at Noah and he grins at me.

“OK, but don’t be long. We have a tree to decorate, remember?”

“Oh yes!” Bella squeals, and she starts tugging me by the hand. “Come on, let’s go.”

Bella’s room is on the second floor of the house. She leads me across the landing to a door with a handmade sign stuck to it, saying: ALIENS KEEP OUT! (AND PIGS.) “Noah made that for me,” Bella explains. “I don’t like aliens—or pigs—so that’ll stop them coming in.”

“Good idea,” I say, trying really hard not to smile.

Bella’s bedroom is possibly the greatest kid’s bedroom I have ever seen. The main wall is covered with a mural of famous fairy-tale characters, from Snow White and her dwarfs to Dumbo the elephant and Little Red Riding Hood.

“My daddy made that for me when I was born,” Bella says, noticing me staring at it. “But now my daddy’s in heaven.”

“I’m really sorry about that,” I say, crouching down in front of her.

“My mom is too,” Bella says matter-of-factly. “I think she might be an angel.”

“I’m sure she is,” I reply.

“This is my bed,” Bella says, turning and pointing at a set of bunk beds next to the opposite wall. The bottom bunk has a curtain going all the way around it.

“Cool bed,” I say, really meaning it. “I love the curtain.”

“Me too,” Bella says. “Sometimes I pretend it’s a tent. I like your voice.”

“Thank you.”

“You sound just like Princess Kate. I love Princess Kate.”

I take my case over to a space in the corner of the room and open it to get out a sweatshirt.

“Is that your doll?” Bella says, looking at the china doll lying in between my clothes.

“Yes, it is.”

“Cooool!” Bella runs over to her bed and dives through the curtains. She reappears clutching a beautiful rag doll. “This is Rosie,” she says, holding the doll up to mine. “Can they be friends?”

“Of course they can.” I pull the sweatshirt over my head.

“Hello, I’m Rosie,” says Bella, putting on a high-pitched doll voice. “What’s your doll’s name?” she says, turning to me.

“Oh. She hasn’t got a name.”

“She hasn’t got a name?” Bella looks at me wide-eyed, like I’ve committed the worst crime known to doll-kind.

“Why don’t you give her one?” I say, trying to redeem myself.

“OK then.” Bella frowns for a moment, then she picks up my doll. “I’m Princess Autumn,” she says in a grand voice. “Autumn’s Noah’s name for you,” she whispers to me. “Only I’m not supposed to tell you. Do you love Noah?” She tilts her head to one side.

“Oh, well, we’ve only just met each other so—”

“I think he loves you,” Bella interrupts. “He was writing a song about you last night. He never writes a song about any other girls. Grandma said he was acting all love-struck. ‘Love-struck’ means being hit in your heart by the emotion of love. That’s what Grandma told me.”

This time, I can’t prevent myself from laughing. And the more I laugh, the harder it gets to stop. I feel giddy with happiness. Noah has a pet name for me. He was writing a song about me! Sadie Lee called him love-struck!

Now Bella’s giggling too—so hard it’s making her ringlets bounce.

“All right, what’s going on in here?”

We both jump at the sound of Noah’s voice—and carry on laughing.

“Don’t tell him,” Bella whispers through her giggles.

“I won’t,” I whisper back.

“Are you guys gonna help me decorate this tree or what?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Bella cries, and she runs from the room.

“Well, you two sure seem to have bonded,” Noah says, looking at me quizzically.