Jo Cotterill

On the original Sweet Hearts website, I had a blog for myself but I also had a blog for my characters! Below you can read all the extras from your favourite Sweet Hearts characters!

 

 

Samantha’s modelling experiences

You know how sometimes you walk down a street and you just know you look amazing? I mean, you’ve spent an age doing your hair and make-up and you’ve picked an outfit that suits you perfectly – fashionable but individual. And people turn to look at you – boys especially – and you just smile inside because it makes you feel even better?

That’s how I feel ALL the time. I really do, I’m not just saying it. I’m good-looking. Some people are clever, some people are really tall. I just happen to be good-looking. So why shouldn’t I make the most of it? Besides, now that I’ve signed with a modelling agency…OMG I so have to tell you about the job I did the other day!

So I arrived at this studio and the girl on the desk didn’t look that impressed when I told her who I was. But then I went into the room where the cameras and stylists were and there were literally RACKS of clothes – I mean literally like six or seven whole clothes rails just BURSTING with clothes. I was in HEAVEN.

The director told me they were doing a feature in a girls’ magazine about prom dresses and they wanted lots of shots of girls in different dresses like they were having their photo taken at a prom. I was a bit disappointed when I found out there were about ten other girls there, but there were also some REALLY good-looking boys, which I wasn’t expecting and was a nice surprise!

You could tell everyone was checking each other out, but I wasn’t intimidated. One or two of the girls whispered about me, but I just lifted my chin and pretended I didn’t care. Mum always says ‘keep your chin up’ and I think that applies to pretty much every situation in life.

So I got to wear four different dresses, and I got this gorgeous boy on my arm too! I even had to kiss him on the cheek for one of the photos! I gave him my phone number at the end. It’s been three days since the shoot now so I’m expecting him to call this evening, actually.

The photos will be in the magazine in about three months, I think. Must make sure I get hold of a copy. Next time you look through a magazine and see a tall girl with long silky blonde hair – that might be me!

♥♥♥

Victoria and the au pair with no hair

I’m very lucky, really. We’re never short of money in my house. I’ve got all the latest gadgets like music and DVD players, and I’ve even got a Jacuzzi in my en suite. I shouldn’t complain. But I NEVER see my parents! They’re always working!

I get on all right with Sonia (the au pair) but she drives Mum round the bend. Sonia is from Sweden, and she’s got really good English, but she seems awfully homesick, and she’s always in her room talking on her mobile or on IM. I did feel sorry for her for a while but she’s not a very sympathetic person, if you know what I mean. I once said, ‘Oh dear, you must be missing your family a lot’ and she sort of glared at me and said, ‘I don’t care about them, only my boyfriend.’ Which I thought was a bit rude, but then maybe she’d had a bad day or was on her you-know-what and having stomach cramps. So I didn’t offer sympathy again.

Except that last night this really odd thing happened. Mum came home in a temper because her PR firm didn’t get the contract for some celebrity wedding or something like that. Sonia had cooked Swedish meatballs, which is about the best thing she does, and she had scrubbed Mum’s frying pan with a steel bristle brush. Now even I know you don’t do that – it takes all the non-stick off. And sure enough, Mum noticed and YELLED Sonia’s name so that you could practically hear it from the other side of Parchester.

Sonia took ages to come downstairs, by which point Mum was foaming at the mouth (not literally, that would be disturbing). And when she finally arrived, Mum just stared at her. So I turned round to look, and what do you think? Sonia had SHAVED HER HEAD!! I know!!! All her long blonde hair – gone!!

And Mum just looked at her and said, ‘Oh, Sonia, what have you done?’ and Sonia burst into tears and collapsed on the floor, sobbing something about penance and how other people had worse lives than her…?!? It was all really, really odd.

And by the time Mum had stopped comforting Sonia and told her her hair would grow back, she’d completely forgotten all about the frying pan.

And this morning, I found a parcel that Sonia had left out to post to her boyfriend, only she hadn’t sealed it up properly, so I got out the sellotape to do it again. And then I realised what was in the parcel – her hair! She was sending her hair to her boyfriend!!

Now, call me suspicious, but isn’t that just a BIT weird?

Gotta go, meeting Fliss and Mari at the arts centre for a drama workshop.

♥♥♥

 

Megan discovers they’re moving house

I can’t believe it. I literally CANNOT believe it. HOW could they do this to me? Without even ASKING if it was OK?

Deep breath, Megan. So here’s what happened. I was doing my homework on the dining room table, and Owen was watching his Fireman Sam DVD. And then Mum and Dad came in together, and Mum said, ‘Megan, Owen. We have something to tell you.’

And for a moment, I thought she was going to say she was pregnant and I was going to have another baby brother or sister! I really did! Even though she’s always said that was impossible. And my heart leapt, and I was SO excited for a moment, especially as they both looked excited too.

And then Dad said, ‘I’ve got a new job. A really good one.’

And I said, ‘Congratulations.’ And Owen said, ‘Congralations’ because he still hasn’t got the hang of all the syllables.

And Mum said, ‘The only thing is, it’s in Parchester.’

I said, ‘Where?’

‘Parchester. It’s down south, near London.’

And I said stupidly, ‘Is Dad going to have to move away?’

And they both looked at each other and smiled and said, ‘No. We’re ALL moving down south. To Parchester.’

I am SO angry! How dare they make me move house just like that, without any warning or anything? What about Milton Park School? What about my friends? What about JAKE, my best friend ever?

‘We can get a really big house,’ Mum went on, ‘because Dad will be earning so much more.’ LIKE I CARE!!

I’m not going. I don’t care what they say. I went round next door to see Jake as soon as it had happened. He said I can stay with him. So that’s it. I’m staying here and there’s nothing they can do about it.

♥♥♥

 

Mari’s reactions to her costume for Romeo & Juliet

Christmas Pudding

That’s me. That’s what I look like in my Nurse’s costume. I am going to DIE of embarrassment. Fliss has the most beautifully romantic dress ever and I have a brown tent. Seriously. I hope in years to come I’ll look back on this diary entry and laugh, because at the moment I just wish I was dead. Hmm. Maybe that’s a bit drastic. I wish Mrs Carstairs was dead. Yes, that’s it – then she couldn’t make me wear this horrendous reputation-destroying monstrosity.

Oh, and that’s not even the WORST! I have to wear a padded bra underneath! No, not like a Wonderbra – its 40EE! I checked the label! And it’s stuffed with – well, I don’t know what exactly but it’s all lumpy and it SMELLS.

I could have cried, I really could, except that Sean came in and I felt like teasing him instead. Fliss says Sean fancies me. I can’t say I’ve ever noticed but she’s usually right about these things (though I’d never tell her that!). I said I’d ask him if he did, and she and Vic looked like goldfish, they were so shocked. Hah!

Only…now I’m not sure I want to ask him. What if he says yes? Will it look like I’m asking him out? I’m not sure I want to go out with him. I’m not sure I want to go out with ANYBODY. But if he fancies me, then I’d like to KNOW, if you see what I mean.

He is quite a laugh.

But he’s about twenty metres taller than me, it would look ridiculous.

And how on earth would I kiss him?

Not that I fancy him.

Of course not.

Hmm.

Mari x

♥♥♥

Sarah’s hay fever

I Hate Summer

No, I don’t really. I like the fact there’s no school, and you can eat ice cream all the time, and people seem so much happier. That’s good.

I just hate my hay fever. I don’t understand why, when I’ve grown up in this part of the world, my nose doesn’t seem to know what to do with pollen and stuff like that. I mean, it’s had all these years of practice, hasn’t it? Aren’t we supposed to develop immunity to things we’re exposed to, like germs and stuff?

So I sneezed my way through another rehearsal today. Poor Fliss, she’s got used to my breaking off in the middle of a line to sneeze on her. It’s not even like I sneeze just once – it’s three, four, five times in a row! She’s even taking to carrying tissues around with her, just so she can shove one under my nose when the time comes.

Which is a real shame, because she is sooooo good in this play. I mean, seriously. Sometimes I forget that it’s my turn to speak because I’m too busy staring at her and wondering how she manages to act so well. I wish I could say my lines as well as she does. I watch a lot of TV (when my mum lets me) and I’m sure that Fliss is easily as good as anyone in Eastenders or Hollyoaks. She says she’s going to get a proper job though because her mum wants her to.

I don’t know what I want to do when I leave school. I’m really into making hats at the moment – you know, like they wear at Ascot. I made one for my mum to wear to a summer tea party and her friends liked it so much they all asked me to make hats for them too.

But you can’t really make hats for a job, can you? I mean, just hats?

Oh dear, here comes another sneeze.

Love Sneezy Sarah

♥♥♥

Megan packs up her house

We’re packing. I hate it. Every item I put into a box makes me want to cry. But bizarrely, I feel all excited inside too. How weird is that? It’s like I don’t want to go, but I do – all at the same time.

Owen is being soooooo unhelpful. Every time Mum packs some of his stuff into a box, he takes it all out again to play with. It’s driving her nuts! She says she’s going to wait until he’s in bed and then empty the room around him. I don’t think she would though, he’d freak out like mad if he woke up to an empty room!

I don’t want to leave my room. It’s exactly how I like it. About three years ago, Mum and Dad said I could have it painted whichever colours I like. So I chose one wall of red, one of green, one of blue and one of yellow. My parents thought I was joking to start with, and Dad went on and on about it being ridiculous to paint four walls a different colour. He said once it was done, I’d change my mind and beg to have it re-done. But I didn’t – I love it, it’s like living inside a paintbox. Mum and Dad have stopped whinging about it giving them a headache now, and Owen loves it of course.

I guess I could do the same thing in my room in the new house, but it wouldn’t feel right, you know? Like it’s an imitation of the real thing back here. I wonder if the new people will paint over it all? Oh God – don’t think about it, now I want to cry again! I can’t bear the thought of someone else living in our house! Finding the secret hiding nook just inside the fireplace; working out which boards squeak on the top landing; becoming annoyed by the back door that bangs into the washing machine…these are all our things, all our memories. Do you think houses remember people, like people remember houses?

Oh dear, now I’m sounding like a lunatic. Houses remembering people?! Get a grip, Megan!

I have to go. Mum wants me to help bubble-wrap the pictures. I used to love popping bubble wrap but now I hate the sight of it.

I’m going to miss so much about this house and Milton. And I can’t even bring myself to write about the thing I’ll miss most. The person I’ll miss most. What will I do without him?

Yours miserably, Megan x

♥♥♥

Mari’s first date with Sean

So we went out, Sean and me. And I thought from the start it was DOOMED because he was wearing this awful brown leather jacket. I hate leather because of all the killing-animals thing. He said it wasn’t real leather but I smelt it and I think it was.

So that wasn’t a good start. We went to the arcade in the shopping centre and he showed me how to play ZOMBIE RAGE which was quite good, once I got the hang of it. I’m not sure we were supposed to be playing it, actually, since it did say 18+ on the side of the machine, but Sean said it was all right. You have to shoot as many zombies as you can, and he was really surprised at how good I was! In fact, I even BEAT his high score – YAY!! Girl power! But I think I might have nightmares tonight because the zombies were really…eurgh. Gross.

And we also played those games where you put your 2p in the slot and hope that it pushes the coins over the edge so you come away with loads more. Do you know the ones I mean? It’s a stupid game, and a really quick way to lose all your money, but somehow I couldn’t stop. Ooh, maybe I’m an addict?

Anyway, once I’d lost all my money (well, I say ALL, I only had £5 to start with) we went for an all-you-can-eat Chinese and Sean paid, which was just as well otherwise we’d have had to wash up in the kitchens or something to pay for it. (Can you really do that, do you think? I’ve seen it in films but somehow I never quite believe it.)

I ate duck and pancakes. JUST duck and pancakes. I LOOOOVE duck and pancakes, is there anyone who doesn’t? And if you can choose whatever you like, I’ll have that, thank you very much. I had fourteen in the end. Sean laughed at me. In fact, he laughed at me quite a lot, but in a nice way, if that makes sense. I laughed at him too, to be fair.

He’s nicer than I thought, and funnier. We’re going out again. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH WE’RE GOING OUT AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Does this mean I have a BOYFRIEND?? OMG I think I might hyperventilate, it’s too scary to think about.

No. He’s not a boyfriend. He’s just someone to…er…go on dates with. But for fun. Not in a serious way. Nooooooooo…

Hmm.

Head-in-the-sand Mari xxx

PS Oh God, just remembered, it’s the first salsa class tomorrow. Mum is making me go ‘to help you get fit’ when she actually means ‘lose two stone’. I don’t want to go. I have no sense of rhythm. I can’t even clap in time. This is going to be a disaster.

♥♥♥

 

Fliss – filming on location for TV

I still can’t believe I’m here. Filming! On location! Me, little shy Fliss Richards! It’s mad! Mari has been texting me practically every day, asking how many lines I’ve got and whether I have to kiss anyone – typical Mari!

It all seems to have happened so fast. One minute I’m playing Juliet on stage in Parchester, and the next minutes, I’m in Bristol filming a new TV series to be shown on E4! I’ve got quite a big part, too – I’m in loads of scenes with my ‘family’.

I can’t really explain what happens in the series, but basically it’s about this boy who gets in with the wrong people – like a gang – and it all goes horribly wrong, and all that. He (the central character) is going out with this girl, and I play her younger sister. The girlfriend is being played by Emily Maitland, who nobody will have heard of but she is absolutely amazing. She’s done loads of small parts in different things, but this is sort of her big break. So we’ve got quite a lot in common, and she has been SO helpful with all the camera stuff. I had no idea it was all so complicated!

Filming isn’t a bit like I thought it’d be either. You do such tiny short scenes, and you have to do them over and over again exactly the same way so they can get all the camera angles. There’s a LOT of standing around, but it doesn’t matter because everyone is so nice. There’s an especially nice catering lady who always saves the nicest bits of food for me because she thinks I’m too thin! (I’m not, by the way, but she is pretty big…)

I have to do lessons every day because technically I’m still at school, but it’s nothing like ordinary school. There’s a tutor who goes through stuff with us and sets us assignments, but it’s a lot more fun than some of my lessons! I’m going to be quite sad to go back to school afterwards!

I do like filming but it’s not quite the same buzz as theatre. The director told me I was doing really well the other day (I’d just had to do a really hard scene where my character bursts into tears and throws stuff) and he even said he’d like to work with me again!

I talk to Tom every day on the phone but it’s not the same as actually seeing him. I miss him loads – I’m only away a few weeks but it feels like forever, and I was only just getting to know him! I worry all the time that he might go off with someone else while I’m away (like the evil Samantha) but Emily says I’m mad. She says she’s never heard of a boy quite so besotted as Tom…which makes me blush!

I am loving all this madness but I can’t wait to come home and see Tom and my friends again!

Love from Fliss xxx

♥♥♥

 

Tania remembers Kerri’s accident

It’s there – right in front of my eyes. Every time I try to go to sleep, I can see her falling. And, worse, I can hear the crack – oh God, it was just so scary. Poor Kerri.

She was practising the triple axel. It’s hard – I haven’t quite mastered it yet but I think I’ll get it soon. Kerri was doing really well. She’d just landed one perfectly, and I think she wanted to prove she could do it, by doing another one straight afterwards.

I don’t know what went wrong. She was whizzing past me, and I saw her prepare for the jump. It didn’t look any different from the other times. She jumped and spun – and then she fell. It was a really bad landing, and even if I hadn’t heard anything, I’d have known she must have hurt herself.

But the crack! Even now – oh. It echoed around the rink. Everyone there turned to look. Everyone knew.

And she lay there on the ice, looking at me. She knew too, what it meant. If it was a bad enough break…then she’d never be number one again. I would.

When they x-rayed her leg, they said she’d broken it in five different places. She’s had to have pins and rods put in, to hold it together. They’ve said she won’t skate for months – if at all.

I don’t know what to do. She didn’t fall because of me – but I feel like she did. Because of that accident, I’m the top skater now. But every time I close my eyes, I see it. And I’ve started to see it at the rink too. As I come round the corner where she fell…it’s almost like it’s happening all over again.

I’m really scared it’s going to happen to me. But everyone is just carrying on as normal. I just have to pull myself together, right? Just stop thinking about it. And everything will be fine again…

Tania

♥♥♥

Owen’s view of the world, aged 4 

I lost Snowy today. But it was alright cos we found him again.

Megan got cross with me cos I tried on some of her dance shoes. She said they were special and threw her hairbrush at me. It hit me on the head and made me cry. Mum told her off and Megan got even crosser.

I like our new house now. I didn’t to start with because it smelled funny, but now I like it. My room is really big and I can put all my train track out at once. Mum doesn’t like that because she trips over it. Dad likes it though. He keeps saying he feels like a kid again.

I don’t feel like a kid. I am nearly grown up. Next birthday I will be five and then after that I will be six and when you are six you are pretty nearly grown up.

We are going to a party soon with Megan’s dance class. I like dancing but I wouldn’t want to wear all that makeup. Jake always said he didn’t mind it. He would like my train set, I bet. I wish he still lived next door. In fact, I wish he’d moved at the same time as us and come to live in the new next-door-house.

Megan keeps talking about skateboarding. I don’t know why, girls don’t skateboard.

Jessica at nursery gave me a kiss the other day. She is my girlfriend and I am her boyfriend. I know this cos she told me.

Got to go, it’s macaroni cheese for dinner.

Owen (aged 4)

(typed by Mummy)