Lizzie Zipmouth by Jacqueline Wilson Page B

promises.
    â€œLizzie?” said Mum. “Oh come on, don’t look like that. Don’t we have fun together when we all go out, the five of us?”

    Mum had fun. She larked about with Sam and sang silly songs and talked all the time and held his hand.
    Sam had fun. He laughed at my mum and sang with her and told her these stupid jokes and put his arm round her.

    Rory had fun. He played football with Mum and she taught him how to dive when we went swimming and when he couldn’t choose between pizza and pasta at the restaurant he was allowed to have both.

    Jake had fun. He ate sweets all day long and Mum gave him a musical toothbrush so that all the sugar wouldn’t rot his teeth too much. He brushed his teeth all day long too. He had thirteen Beanie Babies that he carried round with him. They all had to have their teeth brushed too.
    I didn’t have fun. I thought Jake was a silly baby. And it wasn’t fair. Mum didn’t mind him having his Beanie Babies. Boys are allowed to be girly.
    I didn’t like Rory much either. He pushed me over when we played football. I don’t think he meant to but it still hurt. And he splashed me when we went swimming. He did mean to do that.

    I certainly didn’t like Sam. I knew he wouldn’t be jolly and friendly for long. I was waiting for the shouting to start.
    He kept trying to make friends with me. I just looked down at the floor and wouldn’t say a word.
    I decided not to say a word to anyone.

Chapter Two
    I didn’t say a word when I had my breakfast. I didn’t say a word when I got washed and dressed. I didn’t say a word when I packed up my books and my crayons and my stickers and my schoolbag and my washing things and my hairbrush and all my underwear and my T-shirts and shorts and trousers and jumpers and my duffel coat and my welly boots. I didn’t even say a word when Mum threw my old cosy dressing-gown and last year’s party dress and my school uniform in the rubbish bin.

    Mum said my dressing-gown was all stained and my party dress was so small it showed my knickers and I’d be going to a new school after the summer holidays with a different uniform.
    I felt stained and small and different in the car with Sam and Rory and Jake. They came to fetch us and help us with all our luggage.
    â€œIt’s going to be lovely living in a house instead of that crummy little flat,” said Mum. “Won’t it be great to have a garden, Lizzie? You can play football with Rory.”
    â€œWell, I usually play football with the boys next door,” said Rory. “But I suppose Lizzie can join in if she wants.”
    I didn’t want. But I didn’t say anything.
    â€œYou’ll like the swing, Lizzie,” said Mum. “Imagine having your own swing!”
    â€œIt’s my swing,” said Jake.
    â€œBut you won’t mind sharing it with Lizzie, will you?” said Sam.
    Jake looked as if he minded a lot. I didn’t want to go on his silly old swing anyway. But I didn’t say anything.
    â€œI don’t have to share my bedroom with Lizzie, do I?” Jake asked suspiciously. “Because there’s not room. Not with all my Beanie Babies and their special beds.”
    They weren’t real beds. Jake had thirteen shoe boxes with paper tissues for bedcovers. Mum acted like she thought this was sweet. I thought it was stupid. But I didn’t say anything.

    â€œI’ve got all my football souvenirs and my rock collection and my worm garden in my bedroom,” Rory said quickly. “I wouldn’t mind sharing my bedroom with Lizzie but I have to warn her that the worms wriggle around a lot. They could just end up in her bed.”

    I decided I’d mind that very much indeed. But I didn’t say anything.
    I stood close to Mum. She knew I wanted to share her bedroom. But she had Sam now.
    â€œLizzie can have her very own special bedroom,” said Sam. “We