Seriously Weird: The Smell of Love

I didn't say anything to Mum or Dad. All through tea, I sat real quiet. My parents thought I was just being thoughtful. They liked it when I was thoughtful. They said it was better than being silly all the time.

After tea I watched some TV then I went to my room and tried to get on with some reading.

But I couldn't forget. The junk lady's voice kept squealing and squeaking in my head, like it was trapped inside my skull. I tried to get my mind on to other things, but she kept calling... "I'll be here all night, should you change your mind!"

And I thought of Amee.

I saw her beautiful face, and her big, brown eyes, like round chocolates. I imagined her hand, still in mine, and the smile, like an angel's, when she was with me. I thought about the coming day, when I was going to turn up at school without the perfume. I didn't want to be called a liar. Maybe I could just own up. No. Amee would still do what she said. Unlike me, she was a girl with character. Once she said she would do something, she kept her word.

I went to my mother's room and sniffed some of her perfume bottles. They smelled nice, but there was nothing special about them. She always bought the cheap stuff. When it was on special. Amee wouldn't be very impressed. She would know what cheap stuff smelled like.

I went back to my room and paced up and down. The situation was getting on my nerves.

What would it be like to be old? How could the junk lady play a trick like that? It was impossible anyway! She must be mad! But what if she wasn't? I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the floor. It was either take the risk or lose Amee.

I decided to accept the deal.

I let myself out through my bedroom window and sneaked across the lawn. It was cold out, and nearly dark. A slice of moon was hanging just above the city. I wished I'd brought an extra jersey.

I ran down the street as fast as I could go, and made it to the junk lady's corner. I really didn't expect her to be there.

But she was.

She had her table still set up, with the cloth down the front, and the boards behind her. The street light made her look like a witch, with the table like a big, black