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"II could to ! OK, so you don’t like When Harry Met Sally But you could have pretended!"

"So you’d rather I was insincere?" says Jess, folding her arms "You’d rather I lied? That just about su to pretend you like so!" I shout in frustration "I just wanted us to have a good tiether! I did research, and I planned your roo… and you’re so cold! It’s like you don’t have any feelings!"

Suddenly I feel close to tears I can’t believe I’rated this badly I break off and take a few deep breaths, trying to regroup Maybe I can retrieve things Maybe we can stillis, Jess… I did it all because I wanted us to be friends," I say And it’s true I really did "I just wanted us to be friends"

I expect to see her face softening, but if anything she looks et what you want," she says "Don’t you, Becky?"

I feel my face flame

"Wh-What do you mean?"

"I mean you’re spoiled!" Her harsh voice cuts like a knife "What you want, you get! Everything’s handed to you on a plate If you get into trouble your parents bail you out, and if they don’t, Luke does! Your whole life estures with her book "It’s empty! You’re shallow and materialistic… and I’ve never --"

"Talk about obsessed!" I shriek "Talk about obsessed! You’re obsessed with saving ot thirty grand in the bank and you go around like you’re penniless! Getting free bubble wrap and horrible bruised bananas! Who cares if washing powder costs forty pence less?"

"You’d care if you’d been buying your oashing powder since the age of fourteen," Jess snaps back "Maybe if you took a little et into trouble I heard about how you nearly ruined Luke in New York I just don’t understand you!"

"Well, I don’t understand you!" I yell, in tears "I was so excited when I heard I had a sister, I thought we’d bond and be friends I thought we could go shopping, and have fun… and eat peppermint creams on each other’s beds… "

"Pepperh I’m crazy "Why would ant to eat peppermint creams?"

"Because!" I flail my arms in frustration "Because it would be fun! You know, ‘fun’?"

"I kno to have fun," she snaps

"Reading about rocks?" I grab Petrography of British Igneous Rocks "How can rocks be interesting? They’re just… rocks! They’re thehobby in the world! Which just about suits you!"

Jess gasps "Rocks are… not boring!" she lashes back, grabbing her book "They’re a lotand getting yourself into debt!"

"Did you have a fun bypass operation or so?"

"Did you have a responsibility bypass operation?" yells Jess "Or were you just born a spoiled brat?"

We glare at each other, both trying to collect ourselves The kitchen is silent apart froe-freezer