2 The Laurence boy

Chapter 2 The Laurence boy After Christmas, everyone felt miserable. "Nothing nice ever happens to us," moaned Amy. "That's not true," said Jo, coming into the room and tripping over Beth's cat. In her fall, she knocked ink onto Meg's hat, leaving a dark, spreading stain. "Oh, it's ruined!" snapped Meg. "And I can't afford another. You are so clumsy, Jo! Beth, can't you keep that cat of yours under control?"

Jo shrugged her shoulders. "Was there ever such a cross family? But just wait. One day I'll be writing books and plays and be so rich that I can buy stacks of hats. Beth can have all the cats in the world and a new piano." "Meg! Jo!" their mother called, coming in from the hall. "This will cheer you up- a party invitation for a New Year's Eve dance tomorrow."

"If only I had a silk dress and curled hair," sighed Meg. "Your dress is fine," said Jo. "My party dress is scorched where I stood too near the fire and my gloves have lemonade all over them." "You can't wear them then," said Meg firmly. "We'll each wear one of my good gloves and hold one of yours. And you must keep your back out of sight or sit." "I think I'm going to hate this party," Jo muttered. Amy stuck out her bottom lip. "At least you're going. I wish I could."

"I'm glad I'm not," murmured Beth. "But I'm sure it'll be better than you think," she whispered to Jo. The next evening, Jo helped Meg get ready, holding red-hot curling tongs to her hair. But soon she was thinking about her latest idea for a story... and a minute later she smelled burning. To Meg's horror, a row of scorched curls fell onto her lap.

"Oh I can't do anything right!" said Jo, flinging down the tongs in disgust and rushing out of the room. Amy ran to console Meg. "There," she said, fixing a velvet bow to Meg's hair. "Now it won't show." As soon as they arrived at the party, Meg began dancing with her friends. Jo, who was terrified of showing Meg up, shot behind a curtain. To her surprise, she found a boy already there.

"You're Mr. Laurence's grandson," she blurted out. "I've seen you before. You live next door to us." The boy nodded. "Hello," he said. "I'm Laurie. I'm hiding because I hardly know anyone here." "You know me now," said Jo, with a grin. "I'm hiding because of my dress," she confessed, showing him the burn. Laurie laughed. "Let's dance a polka down the passage where no one will see us," he suggested.