Billie B Brown, Collection 2 Page 4

She can’t wait to see Jack’s face when she shows him!

  Billie B Brown has one pair of goggles, one yellow towel and one red swimming suit. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

  Belly-ache.

  Billie B Brown has an ache in her belly as big as a whale. Today Billie’s class is having swimming lessons. Billie loves paddling at the beach but she hates swimming at the pool.

  The pool is noisy and splashy and deep.

  Last year Billie’s class had swimming lessons in the little pool. This year they will be in the big pool. When Billie thinks about the deep end of the big pool she feels sick.

  In the bus on the way to the pool Billie sits next to Jack. Jack is Billie’s best friend. They always sit together.

  Usually Billie and Jack talk or sing silly songs, but today Billie is very quiet.

  ‘Are you OK?’ says Jack.

  ‘Of course!’ says Billie. ‘I have a bit of a tummy ache, that’s all.’

  Billie doesn’t want Jack to know she is scared. Jack is a good swimmer.

  If Billie tells Jack she is scared of the deep end, he might think she is silly.

  The bus pulls up outside the pool. Everyone in Billie’s class cheers so loudly that the bus driver has to cover his ears. Everyone except Billie. She shrinks into her seat.

  ‘OK, class!’ Ms Walton calls out. ‘Settle down. Do you all have your swimming bags with you?’

  ‘YES!’ everyone shouts.

  Suddenly Billie has an idea. A super-dooper idea! She quickly kicks her swimming bag under the seat in front of her. Then she puts up her hand.

  ‘Um, Ms Walton, I forgot mine!’ she says. ‘I won’t be able to swim today.’

  ‘No, you didn’t,’ says Jack. ‘It’s here, under the seat!’

  ‘That’s lucky!’ Ms Walton says. ‘Thank you, Jack.’

  ‘Yeah, thanks Jack,’ Billie says glumly. She follows Jack of f the bus.

  ‘I hope we’re in the sharks group together!’ Jack says to Billie.

  Billie sighs. The class will be put in three groups – Sharks, Stingrays and Swordfish. The Sharks group is the best.

  Billie looks at the form her mum has filled in.

  Billie knows she is not good enough to be in the Sharks group with Jack. Billie is more like an octopus than a shark. Arms and legs everywhere!

  At the swimming centre, Billie and her class get ready in the change rooms. Then they meet Ms Walton out near the little pool.

  Billie sighs. She wishes her class was still in the little pool. Even at the deep end, the water only goes up to her chin. But Ms Walton leads them over to the big pool.

  Next to the big pool there is a sign that says: Warning. Deep Water.

  Billie feels her heart begin to jump about. She tugs Ms Walton’s arm.

  ‘Yes, Billie?’ says Ms Walton.

  ‘I don’t want to go in the big pool,’ Billie whispers.

  ‘Oh? Why not?’ says Ms Walton.

  ‘I…I can’t swim very well,’ Billie says shyly. She feels her cheeks burn hot.

  Ms Walton smiles and squeezes Billie’s hand. ‘Well, that’s why we’re here, Billie. To learn!’

  ‘But Jack can already swim,’ Billie says.

  ‘And I bet everyone else can, too.’

  Just then, two boys start being silly. Ms Walton has to rush over to stop them. They might fall into the pool! The rest of the class walk over to the benches.

  ‘Come on, Billie!’ says Jack.

  Billie flops down on a bench next to Jack. She is sure she will be the worst swimmer in the class. Everyone will laugh at her. Or maybe she will even drown! Billie can’t decide what would be worse – drowning or being laughed at?

  Soon everyone is standing by the side of the pool. Billie shivers in her scratchy red bathers. Next to her, Jack jumps up and down with excitement.

  Three swimming teachers stand nearby.

  ‘OK!’ shouts a teacher. ‘We’re going to divide you into three groups. Has everyone been practising since last year?’

  ‘YES!’ everyone yells. Everyone except Billie, of course.

  Billie just looks into the deep, deep water and pulls nervously at her bathers.

  ‘Sharks! Sharks!’ Jack whispers to Billie. Billie tries to feel like a shark. Sharks are fast and not afraid of anything. But it is no use. Right now she feels more like a wobbly jellyfish.

  A swimming teacher reads out names for the Sharks group. Jack, Tracey and Benny are all Sharks. They jump in and swim away with the teacher.

  The next teacher reads out the Stingrays group. Mika and Ella are both Stingrays. Billie crosses her fingers that her name will be read out, but the teacher finishes reading.

  The Stingrays swim away with the other teacher.

  At first, Billie thinks she is the only person left. She was right. She is the worst swimmer in the class.

  But wait! Someone else is standing by the side of the pool. Someone with fancy frilly bathers and a pink bathing cap.

  Billie sneaks a peek. It’s Lola!

  Does that mean that Lola can’t swim either? Billie wonders. But Lola is good at everything!

  Even though Lola and Billie aren’t really friends, Billie feels a little better. She gives Lola a shy smile but Lola just bites her nails nervously.

  ‘Can’t you swim, Lola?’ Billie says.

  ‘So? Can’t you?’ Lola says crossly.

  Billie frowns.

  ‘You don’t have to be mean!’ she says.

  The swimming teacher smiles a friendly smile. ‘Hey there!’ he says. ‘You two must be my Swordfish.’

  Billie feels cross. She doesn’t want to be in a group with Lola.

  Maybe if Billie swims all the way over to the Sharks, she will prove that she is good enough to join them. But if she doesn’t hurry she’ll get stuck with grumpy old Lola.

  So, Billie pinches her nose, shuts her eyes tight and…jumps!

  Down, down, down Billie sinks. Deep down into the water.

  Oh no! she panics. I’m going to drown! Her heart thumps in her ears. She kicks her arms and legs, but it’s no use. She only sinks deeper and deeper into the water.

  Billie isn’t swimming like a shark at all. She isn’t even swimming like a fish! Billie is dropping through the water like a stone.

  Suddenly, Billie feels an arm grab her around the waist. She is jerked out of the water and plonked back onto the side of the pool. The teacher grins at her.

  ‘Perhaps you still need a little practice?’ he says. He beckons to Lola. ‘Come and join us!’

  Great! Billie thinks crossly. She glares at the water, shivering.

  Lola walks over and sits down next to Billie. The two girls don’t look at each other.

  ‘Right!’ says the teacher. ‘This time I want you to slide in slowly and hold onto the edge of the pool, OK? Then we’ll start by practising some doggie paddle.’

  Billie is horrified. Oh no! Doggie paddle? That’s for babies, she thinks. Everyone will definitely laugh at me now.

  Suddenly Lola bursts into tears. Billie looks at her, surprised.

  The teacher looks worried. ‘What’s wrong with your friend?’ he asks Billie.

  ‘She’s not my…’ Billie starts, but then she stops. Now that Lola’s crying she doesn’t seem so mean anymore.

  ‘What’s the matter, Lola?’ Billie says gently.

  Lola looks up at Billie. ‘I’m a terrible swimmer,’ she says in a little voice. ‘I can’t even doggie paddle!’

  Billie laughs.‘Is that all? Don’t worry! Doggie paddle is easy,’ she says. ‘I’ll show you.’

  Lola frowns. ‘It’s all right for you, Billie,’ she says. ‘You’re good at everything!

  Monkey bars, soccer, running…I’m terrible at sport!’

  ‘What?’ Billie says. ‘You’re the one who’s good at everything, Lola! Music, spelling, ballet… Remember how bad I was at ballet?’

  Lola nods her head. Then she giggles.

  ‘You were a pre
tty bad butterfly.’

  Lola dries her eyes.‘I guess we’re good at different things. But we’re both bad at swimming!’

  ‘No, we’re not,’ says Billie. ‘We just have to learn. Come on!’

  Lola sighs.‘I don’t want to be in the Swordfish group. That’s the worst group,’ she says.

  Billie doesn’t want to be in the worst group either. Just then, she has an idea. A super-dooper idea!

  ‘You’re right,’ says Billie. She grins.‘So let’s start our own group. We can be the Doggie Paddlers! Dogs are much nicer than swordfish and sharks.’

  ‘The Doggie Paddlers? I like it!’ says the swimming instructor.

  Lola laughs. Billie laughs, too. Then she takes Lola’s hand and the two girls slide slowly into the water.

  And this time Billie isn’t scared at all.

  Billie B Brown has one pair of 3D glasses, one fizzy drink and a huge bucket of popcorn. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

  Buzzing.

  Billie B Brown is buzzing with excitement. She is going to the movies with Rebecca and her sisters. Rebecca is in Billie’s class at school. She has two big sisters called Karri and Jen.

  Billie wishes she had two big sisters. Billie only has a fat baby brother called Noah. He is nice for cuddles but not much else.

  Rebecca’s mum lines up for the tickets. ‘Which movie do you want to see?’ she asks.

  ‘How about that one with the dancing mice?’

  ‘Nah,’ says Jen. ‘That’s for babies. Let’s go and see the one about the haunted house.’

  ‘Hmmm,’ says Rebecca’s mum.‘It looks a bit scary.’

  ‘No, it’s not,’ says Karri. ‘It’s only PG. It’s for kids.’

  ‘Well, I think we should let Billie and Rebecca decide,’ says Rebecca’s mum.

  ‘Are you OK with scary movies?’ Jen asks Billie.

  ‘Of course!’ Billie says, though secretly she is a teensy bit nervous. Billie doesn’t like scary movies much. They give her nightmares. But Billie doesn’t want Rebecca’s sisters to know this.

  She wants them to think she is brave.

  ‘Rebecca?’ asks Rebecca’s mum.‘Are you OK with the scary movie?’

  At first, Billie thinks Rebecca looks a bit nervous too. But then she says, ‘Sure! We’re not babies, Mum.’

  ‘I used to get scared,’ Billie says in a big voice. ‘But that was when I was little, not now.’

  Karri and Jen laugh.

  Billie grins. She likes making Rebecca’s big sisters laugh.

  ‘All right, then,’ says Rebecca’s mum. She buys the tickets and walks them to the door. ‘I’ll pick you up here when the movie is over.

  Jen and Karri, look after Rebecca and Billie, OK?’

  Billie grins. She is so excited to be going to the movies with Rebecca and her two big sisters!

  Billie follows Rebecca and her sisters into the cinema. They find their seats.

  ‘Can I sit next to you?’ Karri asks Billie.

  ‘Sure!’ says Billie. She feels her cheeks get hot with pride. Rebecca’s big sister wants to sit next to her!

  Karri leans in close and shares Billie’s popcorn. Billie imagines what it would be like if Karri was her big sister. It is a nice feeling.

  Soon it is time for the movie to start. Everyone puts on their 3D glasses. ‘Look!’ Rebecca squeals. ‘The pictures are coming right out of the screen!’

  Jen leans forward.‘Shh!’ she says.‘Not so loud!’

  But Billie and Rebecca wriggle with excitement. They wriggle and giggle so much that Billie nearly drops her popcorn on the floor.

  ‘Careful!’ says Karri. She catches the box just in time.

  In the movie, two children go to stay with their aunt for the holidays. They take their dog Fido with them.

  Fido is very funny. He makes everyone in the cinema laugh. But soon the children find out their aunt’s house is haunted. They walk into a little room, which is dark and scary. They open up a cupboard.

  Suddenly ghosts fly out of the cupboard.

  It looks like they are coming out of the screen! Billie squeals and covers her eyes. Her heart is beating very fast. She sneaks a peek at Rebecca.

  Rebecca is covering her eyes too.

  Finally, the ghosts go away. The children search the house with their dog. The dog rolls around and chases his tail. He is very funny. Everyone in the cinema laughs. Billie and Rebecca laugh the loudest of all.

  ‘Shh!’ say Karri and Jen together.‘You two are being too noisy.’

  But Billie and Rebecca have got the giggles.

  If Rebecca looks at Billie she bursts out laughing. If Billie looks at Rebecca, she laughs, too.

  ‘I’ll tell Mum,’ Karri says.

  Rebecca rolls her eyes at Billie.‘Big sisters,’ she whispers.‘They are so annoying! You are lucky you don’t have them.’

  But Billie thinks Karri and Jen are wonderful.

  When the movie is over, Rebecca’s mum meets them at the door.

  ‘How was the film?’ she asks.‘Not too scary?’

  ‘It was hardly scary at all,’ boasts Billie. She and Rebecca look at each other and burst into giggles again.

  Rebecca’s mum smiles. ‘Well, I’m glad you girls had fun. We’ll have to take you home now, Billie. But you might like to come again another day?’

  ‘Yay!’ says Rebecca.

  Billie grins. She is so full of fizzy buzzy happiness she can hardly keep still.

  That night, Billie’s mum tucks her into bed.

  ‘Did you have fun with Rebecca today?’ she asks.

  ‘The best!’ says Billie.

  ‘We went to see a movie with her two big sisters.’

  ‘Oh, did you?’ says Billie’s mum. ‘Which movie?’

  ‘The one about the haunted house,’ says Billie.

  ‘Isn’t that one a bit scary?’ says her mum. She seems surprised.‘I thought you didn’t like scary movies.’

  ‘Mum!’ says Billie. ‘I’m not a baby.’

  Billie’s mum smiles. ‘Goodnight then, my big girl.’

  Billie snuggles into bed and falls asleep.

  Soon she begins to dream. In her dream she is in an old house. It is dark and scary. Doors creak and cobwebs stick in her hair.

  Billie hears someone crying in the next room. It’s Noah! Billie doesn’t know what to do. She wants to run away.

  But what if Noah is in trouble? Billie slowly opens the door.

  Suddenly, out flies a ghost! Then another and another!

  Billie screams loudly. Then she sits up.

  ‘Mum!’ she calls.‘Mum!’

  Billie’s mum comes rushing in. She has Noah in her arms.‘What’s the matter?’ she says.

  Billie’s heart is pounding. ‘I had a bad dream!’ she says. ‘There were ghosts. And Noah was crying.

  I thought the ghosts had taken him.’

  ‘Oh Billie,’ says her mum. She gives Billie a cuddle. ‘I think that movie gave you nightmares. Look, Noah is right here. And he is perfectly fine. Aren’t you, Noah?’

  Noah giggles and holds out his soft fat arms.

  Billie scoops him up into a cuddle. She is so happy to see that he is all right. She kisses him on both his fat cheeks.

  ‘I love you to bits,’ she whispers in his ear. Noah might be annoying sometimes, but she wouldn’t swap him for all the sisters in the world.

  Billie looks up at her mum.‘Do you think I could sleep in your bed tonight?’ she says.

  ‘Just this once,’ says Billie’s mum. ‘But no more scary movies, OK?’

  The next day at school Billie sees Rebecca in the playground. She is sitting with Ella and Tracey.

  When Rebecca sees Billie she waves her over.

  ‘Hey, Billie!’ Rebecca calls. ‘How fun was the movie yesterday?’

  ‘It was awesome,’ says Billie, laughing nervously. ‘The ghosts looked like they were coming out of the screen!’

  Billie doesn’t tell them abo
ut her nightmare. They might think she is silly.

  ‘Which movie did you see?’ asks Tracey.

  ‘The one about the haunted house,’ says Rebecca.

  ‘Oh, there’s no way I’m going to that one,’ says Ella. ‘I hate scary movies.’

  ‘Me too,’ says Tracey. ‘They give me nightmares.’

  Billie is surprised. ‘Me too!’ she blurts. ‘I mean, when I was little I used to get nightmares,’ she says quickly.

  She still doesn’t want Rebecca to think she was scared of the film.

  ‘I had nightmares last night,’ Rebecca says quietly.‘I had to sleep in my mum and dad’s bed!’

  ‘Really?’ Billie gasps. She can’t believe it.‘But I thought you saw scary movies all the time?’

  ‘I do!’ says Rebecca.‘But only because Karri and Jen want to watch them. I like funny movies best.’

  ‘Me too,’ says Ella. ‘My favourite movie is Finding Nemo.’

  ‘I love it too!’ says Tracey.

  ‘My sisters hate watching cartoons,’ Rebecca sighs. ‘They say cartoons are for babies. I always have to watch what they want to watch.’

  ‘You can come and watch Finding Nemo at my place,’ says Billie shyly. ‘I’ve got it on DVD.’

  ‘Cool!’ says Rebecca. ‘That would be awesome.’

  ‘Can we come too?’ ask Tracey and Ella.‘We could have a Nemo party!’

  ‘Sure,’ says Billie.‘I’ll ask my mum. But we’ll have to wait until Noah is in bed. The shark gives him nightmares!’

  Billie B Brown has two messy pigtails, fifteen freckles and one wobbly tooth. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for?

  Bother.

  Every morning this week, Billie B Brown has stood in front of the mirror and wiggled and jiggled her wobbly tooth. But it is no use. The tooth is stuck. What a bother!