Forget Me Never

small kids and throwing chocolates about. Neve joined in and Reece and I sat back, stirring our yogurts. I was about to say I’d pick a different flavour next time when I realized we weren’t alone.
    ‘Hi, Sophie,’ It was Zoe Edwards and one of her mates. I felt my insides cartwheel. I hadn’t seen Zoe all summer – Paloma had mentioned she’d gone away, Tenerife or somewhere hot like that. I’d almost been able to pretend she didn’t exist. ‘How’s your holiday going?’
    ‘Fine,’ I mumbled, putting down my yogurt. Why was she acting all nice?
    ‘Been anywhere tropical?’
    Reece narrowed his eyes. ‘What do you want?’
    Zoe gasped. ‘Oh, Reece, I didn’t see you there! Sorry, I just assumed Sophie didn’t hang out with you any more.’
    ‘Why would you assume that?’
    ‘Because Sophie doesn’t fancy you.’ Zoe opened her eyes very wide, as though it was obvious. All facial expressions were exaggerated with her; she fancied herself as an actress. ‘There’s someone else you like, isn’t there, Sophie?’
    Reece glanced at me and raised his eyebrows in a question: What’s she on about? I shook my head, swallowing. Suddenly it was like I was at school again – all the whispering behind my back, the laughter. My throat was constricting, making me feel like I was choking.
    ‘Leave me alone,’ I managed.
    Zoe tilted her head to one side. ‘Doesn’t Reece know, Sophie? Did you not tell him?’
    ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ Reece demanded. I saw that his hands had balled into fists; for a moment I thought he was going to hit her.
    ‘Oh, of course. You weren’t at the party,’ Zoe said in a pitying voice, ‘so you wouldn’t know, but Sophie had a very interesting time—’
    ‘ Leave me alone! ’ I couldn’t bear making a scene like this; I pushed past Zoe and walked quickly into the nearest shop. Reece ran after me. To my relief, Zoe and her friend were walking off sniggering.
    ‘What was that all about?’ he asked, catching my arm. It reminded me of how Aiden had held me yesterday; I shook him off.
    ‘Don’t want to talk about it.’
    Reece opened his mouth – but then he paused and turned around to look at the stage.
    ‘Hey,’ he said. ‘Where’s Neve?’

REECE
    I looked around. The Disney characters in the Summer Grotto were still dancing, but the kids who’d been there with Neve had moved on. Forgetting about Zoe, I ran to the stage, pushing through the crowd milling around it. Children in white T-shirts and shorts and pleated skirts and sparkly sandals – but no blue-and-white-check dresses. Telling myself to get a grip, I waved Snow White over to the edge of the stage.
    ‘Do you know where my little sister went?’ My voice came out sounding a little high-pitched. ‘She was up here just a moment ago. Three years old, dark hair, check dress.’
    Snow White shook her head. I looked around at the sea of faces thronging the stage, then scanned the entrances to the nearby shops. No sign of her! Neve must have wandered inside one of them. Which one?
    Zara had the most colourful window display. Come on, Neve, I thought, stepping in and craning my neck to see above the shoppers’ heads. Don’t do this to me. Damn it, she knew she wasn’t supposed to run off. How many times had Mum told her? But then when Neve was with Mum she never got the opportunity to stray – Mum was always so careful. I was the sloppy one who’d thought Neve was safe on that stage and had forgotten about her when Zoe had come along.
    Christ, Mum would kill me if anything had happened to Neve! Actually, she wouldn’t – I’d kill myself!
    She wasn’t in Zara. Desperate now, I ran into the shop next door and then across the aisle into a health-food store. Suddenly it seemed that Brent Cross was overrun by children. Sophie grabbed my arm when I came out.
    ‘Reece! Calm down. We won’t find her if you’re in headless-chicken mode.’
    ‘Of course I’m in headless-chicken mode! My sister’s vanished! She’s only three. I’m meant to be looking after her!’
    I must have been shouting. People were staring at us.
    ‘Maybe she went back to the trains,’ Sophie said.
    Of course! Neve loved that train set. She hadn’t wanted to leave earlier. That was where she would be!
    ‘Little idiot!’ I said as we hurried along. ‘She’d never try this on with Mum. When we find her we’re going straight home!’
    We entered the Early Learning Centre. Lots of children were playing