You'd better get ready, don't want to be late.
But I don't want to go.
I don't have to.
No...but you should.
You've been invited and if you don't go,
you may not get asked again.
I don't even know what they're doing,
Or where they're going.
That's OK, just go with the flow.
You'll be riding, all together.
But you need to be there on time or they'll be gone.
Is Sally going? And Clara? Who else is going?
I'm not sure, but Marnie is going and she invited you.
Just stick with her.
She said they're going to Freya's house.
I can't just turn up.
You're going on a ride with Marnie as a part of a group.
You go where they go. You're invited.
But my bike has squeaky brakes.
I can't ride it.
Dad fixed your brakes, they're all good.
Why are you making me go?
Because it's important to have friends.
Next year, when you go to high school,
you need girls to sit with at lunch,
to hang around with,
to talk to.
There'll be loads of new faces,
you need to be able to talk to the ones you know.
These are all nice girls going out for a bike ride.
And they want you there.
But what if nobody's there?
Then you tried, can't do more than that.
You know sometimes it's hard to get out,
but once you've done it you are always glad.
This is going to be just the same.
Bye now, see you in a couple of hours.
And with that, I wave her off and walk inside.
I won't look back, though it's all I want to do.
My heart is thumping.
I feel her anxiety.
I feel her discomfort.
I take a deep breath and say a silent prayer.
This stuff is so hard for her,
way harder than I will ever really understand.
Yet, she's gone.
She's doing it.
I think she's amazing.
