He's the One by Katie Price Page A

Cory. But she couldn’t because he would be with his parents. Her next was that she had to see Em. Praying that her friend would be in, she managed to entice Brooke out of the park and practically jogged with the buggy all the way to Em’s flat. To her dismay she discovered that her friend was already packing up, and the sight of her possessions being put away in boxes was like a slap in the face to Liberty. She really was losing her best friend.
    ‘Hey, Brooke, do you want to see if The Tweenies is on?’ Em asked the little girl, realising that Liberty needed to talk. They settled her in the living room in front of the TV, and went into the bedroom. Em had taken down all her film posters, photographs and the fairy lights that had hung round the mirror, and now the room seemed very bare. Liberty sat cross-legged on the bed and relayed what Melissa had said, very aware that there might not be many more occasions when she could do this. So often before she had sat in this very place, chatting to Em, asking advice, giving advice, giggling, swappingstories, and the thought of not being able to was almost unbearable to her. Talking on the phone and writing letters would never compensate for not being with her best friend.
    ‘What do you think I should do? I mean, Melissa’s right, Cory is too young to be a parent. And I didn’t even know he was only nineteen, or about the girl in the States who broke his heart. Maybe I’m just a complete rebound for him.’ Liberty chewed at her nails, a habit she’d thought she’d got out of months ago.
    ‘First of all, calm down. Melissa has her own agenda – you thought that right from the start. But Cory’s not like her, not in any way. When his parents have gone, you can talk to him and work something out. You don’t have to look so desperate, I’m sure it’s going to be okay.’
    Liberty didn’t share Em’s conviction, though. She could feel the happiness she’d had with Cory slipping through her fingers, slipping away.
    He had left several messages asking her to call him when she returned home. She dialled his number and he picked up after one ring.
    ‘Can you come over? I have to talk to you?’ There was an urgent note in his voice.
    ‘Have your parents gone?’
    ‘They have, thank God! And if they hadn’t, I would have told them to. Please, come now. Get a taxi, I’ll pay.’
    Should she tell him that she knew about the place at art school in America? No, she couldn’t do it over the phone; she had to see him.
    As soon as she arrived Cory pulled her into his arms and kissed her, and kissed her, and she felt the familiar tingle of desire, which ignited whenever she was with him.
    ‘I’ve missed you so much,’ he murmured, smoothing back her hair and gazing at her as if he couldn’t quite believe she was here in person. ‘I need to tell you about the little bombshell my mom dropped.’
    ‘I know all about it, she met me in the park this morning.’
    Cory shook his head in disbelief. ‘She’s a piece of work.’
    They sat together on the sofa and, as with Em earlier, Liberty had the feeling that this might be one of the last times she did this and was trying hard to stay strong and keep it together.
    ‘So you know that they’ve promised to pay for me to go to art college, but only if I go in the States?’
    She nodded.
    ‘I’m sure my mom thinks that I’m just going to roll over and accept whatever she says, just like my dad. Well, I’m not going to, Liberty. I want to study in England so that I can be with you.’
    ‘But how will you afford to? Your mum said they wouldn’t pay.’
    He shrugged. ‘Then I’ll get a job like you.’ He reached for her hand. ‘The point is, I’m not leaving. I want to be with you. I have to be with you. That’s all that matters.’
    He was saying everything she had hoped he would, and she wanted to let the happiness in, but there was something stopping it. ‘Cory, you’re only nineteen, why did you lie to