Chapter Four I didn’t mean to say it. I didn’t do it on purpose! The words just slipped out, as words do; you can’t always control them. I find this happens quite a lot. Mum says it is what comes of being over-eager and not stopping to think before I speak. But I think and speak at the same time! It is just the way I am made, I have these very quick reactions. Jem had taken her finger back out of her mouth and come to a full stop in the middle of the street. She was looking at me, searchingly. “You really think that’s what I ought to do? Try and trace my real mum?” “Your birth mum.” Mrs McClusky was her real mum. “You really think I should?” said Jem. “Well… only if it’s what you feel.” I wasn’t going to push her, cos that would be wrong. “I don’t know!” wailed Jem. We were nearly at the school gates. “Think about it,” said Skye. “We’ll discuss it later.” “I’ve decided.” Jem hissed it at us as we went into the playground at break. “I’m going to do it!”
