The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks by Fiona Harris
Affirm Press, Simon & Schuster
Extract from Gracie’s diary in The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks at PaperbarkWords blog
4 pm
After a very average start, I’m happy to report that today
turned into one of my top five birthdays of all time. My
best friends, Viola, Zillah and Jun, came round to give me
my presents and I loved them all. I got an AC/DC T-shirt
and a guitar keychain from Zillah, a yummy-smelling
body cream and chocolates from Jun, and cute silver
guitar earrings, cherry lip balm and a new water bottle
from Viola. Spoilt or what?!
They all lost their minds over Suz, of course, and Viola
insisted I play a bit of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, even though
she hates Nirvana. (She’s more of a Taylor Swift girl.)
Afterwards, they helped me hang my new fairy lights
in my room while we yapped about starting high school
11in ten days. Zillah’s stressed about learning French, Jun
is scared she’ll have to cut up a rat in Science and Viola’s
worried about everything. (The girl hates change.)
We also talked about the tragedy of me going to a
different high school.
‘What are we going to do without you?’ Zillah wailed.
‘Don’t!’ I groaned. ‘I can’t even. I’m DREADING going
to Middleton!’
‘At least you can join a band there,’ Viola said. ‘West
Meadows High only has a jazz ensemble, and Dad says
they’re insufferable.’
Viola’s dad has been teaching at West Meadows High
for yonks, so she knows all the goss.
‘You should just send them the video from our grade
six graduation as your audition,’ Jun said. ‘That was
awesome.’
Zillah agreed. ‘You’ll be straight in when they see that.’
I tried to act humble. I really did.
‘Nah,’ I said. ‘I’m not THAT good!’
‘You are!’ Viola said firmly.
I am. After I played at the school fete a couple of years
ago, some of the teachers started calling me ‘Slash’ after
the legendary 80s rock guitarist. I was stoked at first, until
they started doing old-person air guitar moves when I
walked into their classes. It was mortifying. For them, not
for me.
I’ve played electric guitar at a bunch of school
events over the last couple of years, including our grade
six graduation, but I’ve never been part of a band before.
I can’t wait.
(The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks by Fiona Harris, pp11-12)
The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks by Fiona Harris at Affirm Press
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