Poppy Nwosu - Road Tripping with Pearl Nash

Wakefield Press

Poppy Nwosu is an author of young adult fiction. She has published three romantic contemporary novels: Making Friends with Alice Dyson (2019), Taking Down Evelyn Tait (2020), and now Road Tripping with Pearl Nash (2021). She is the editor of the 2021 Wakefield Press YA anthology Hometown Haunts: #LoveOzYA Horror Tales.

Her work has been shortlisted for the Adelaide Festival Unpublished Manuscript Award and the Readings Young Adult Book Prize, and has been awarded the SA Writers Fellowship residency at Varuna Writers House, as well as an Arts SA grant. She has appeared at Adelaide Writers Week and Salisbury Writers Festival, among other places.

Growing up surrounded by cane fields and rainforest, Poppy studied music at university before living overseas in Ireland. She is now based in Adelaide, Australia.

You can visit her at www.poppynwosu.com.

Wakefield Press

16 Rose Street

Mile End

South Australia 5031

www.wakefieldpress.com.au

First published 2021

This edition published 2021

Copyright Poppy Nwosu, 2021

All rights reserved. This book is copyright. Apart from any
fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research,
criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act,
no part may be reproduced without written permission.
Enquiries should be addressed to the publisher.

Cover designed by Liz Nicholson, Wakefield Press

Edited by Jo Case, Wakefield Press

ISBN 978 1 74305 877 0

For Gus

Prologue DAISY One Year Ago

The concrete driveway is overgrown. And its dark. Also, the music spilling from the clattering windows is bad. Like, really bad: nothing but repetitive electronic beats. Im trying to think of more excuses but thats all I can come up with as Daisy drags me toward the front door.

Shes definitely not listening though.

I try out some more protests, think of anything I can to save me from the stupidness ahead. Daisy simply rolls her eyes as bass throbs in muffled beats through the thin walls of the building.

House party.

My own brand of personal hell.

Practically every person from school is inside that house. Ill spend the entire evening hovering around the edges, feeling awkward and hating everything.

Yet I still cant bring myself to tell her the biggest reason I want to be anywhere but here. Instead, I ask if she knows that my nana will kill me if Im not where I said Id be (at Daisys house studying for our end-of-year exams). Also, I mention to her that no one in there likes me. They all still think of me as that weird country kid, even after four years of living in the city. I remind Daisy I just got my braces and my teeth still hurt. (And that I look stupid.)

Shes not listening. I keep talking anyway.

Daisy, seriously. I want to go home.

She snorts, flicking long hair across her shoulder. Youre already here! Besides, how bad can it be?

I try to clamp down on the irritation rising in my chest but seriously, Ive been through this a million times with her. I speak through gritted teeth. I can think of better ways to spend my Saturday. Like a million ways.

Stop it, Pearl, snaps Daisy. You agreed to come! I didnt force you.

She kind of did, but I shut my mouth hard on what I was about to say anyway, push it down deep because I value our friendship and I dont like it when shes mad. Even though shes making me mad. So I dont say the thing thats burning inside my head, sizzling on the tip of my tongue.

I dont want to be a third wheel.

Instead I blurt, You dont even know if he likes you!

She stops her incessant pulling of my arm. Goes deadly still as dim light from the house spills over her face. Her voice turns low. And a little bit wobbly, which immediately makes me regret my words.

Ill never know if I dont go in there. She takes a big shaky breath, and it occurs to me for the first time that maybe shes scared. I dont get a chance to ask her though, because a group of boys pushes past us on the doorstep, laughing and shoving as they tumble into the house. I watch them go with a wrinkled nose.

Lachlan, the object of Daisys affections, isnt with them, but his best friend is. Like the rest of them, he shoves past us as if we dont exist. I scowl, rubbing my side where his elbow connected with my ribcage.

I heard he couldnt even name one single plant in biology, I mutter. He doesnt hear but Daisy shakes her head at me.

You truly embarrass me, Pearl Nash.

What?

Honestly, you can take the girl out of the country She doesnt even bother finishing the sentence. But believe me, Ive heard it before.

I scowl even harder. Knowing the name of a plant has nothing to do with being from the country!

My nana is just into gardening is all. And she teaches me things sometimes.

I sniff. Besides, hes one of the worst offenders in there! Walking around school like he owns the whole place. Looking down on everyone.

Sounds like youre the one looking down on everyone. You know, youre being pretty judgemental for a country girl.

I grit my teeth again. But say nothing. Lately, the line between teasing and being mean is getting blurred, I think.

Its hard work, but I let the comment go. Let the irritation thats boiling in my chest go too.

Fine, I announce, waving my hand at the throbbing, light-drenched house ahead. I take a big breath. Lets do this.

Daisy grins wide, eyes sparkling in the dark. She launches at me, grasping my shoulders into a tight hug. Which makes me feel better. I whisper into her hair, Just promise you wont leave me alone in there, okay?

She pulls away and nods solemnly. I promise.

I raise my eyebrows meaningfully at her. Because last time I had to spend the whole night next to that idiot who doesnt even know how to name a single plant!

Hes alright, though.

Im feeling annoyed again. Hes not alright! See how he pretended he didnt even see me just then? Came barrelling into me with his elbows? And besides, he totally insulted my braces.

Daisy inspects me quizzically through the dark and then finally shrugs. They do look a bit weird though.

My mouth gapes open in disbelief, until she laughs.

Im just teasing! You look great. And I wont leave you alone in there like last time.

Im still frowning. And Im already cranky, which is hardly the right mood for a party. Also, Im highly aware that my current state of mind means if Lachlans best friend says even one slightly insulting thing to me tonight, theres no way Im going to be able to hold back. I take deep breaths.

Lately, I feel like Ive been shoved onto the back foot with Daisy. Like something is happening that I dont quite have a handle on yet. You seriously wont? Youll stay with me?

Daisy grins and wraps an arm tight around my shoulders as she shoves open the front door. Music spills across the patio in a heavy wave, dim lights flickering inside. She tilts her head toward mine, whispers, I promise Ill stay with you, Pearl Nash.