I love Sweethearts

Felicity “Fliss” Richards

I wish I could live on the stage all the time. It’s the only place I really feel at home. On stage, you can be anyone you like – and you’ve learned the lines so you know what to say! Not like real life! My friends say I’m shy. It’s not just that; I don’t like upsetting people. I don’t like confrontation. Is it so bad just to want everyone to get on with each other and be happy?

I wish I could be more like my best friend Mari. She says what she thinks and she doesn’t care who hears it. She tells me I should stand up for myself more – it’s not that simple for me! But maybe it’s not such a great thing to fade into the background all the time. There’s this boy… his name’s Tom, and he goes on the same bus as me in the morning. I think about him all the time – and yet we’ve hardly spoken to each other! I don’t suppose he knows I exist…

Tom Mayerling

I’m kind of an ordinary guy. I like football and playing the drums (though I’m not very good at either, if I’m completely honest). I’ve been thinking about going along to this theatre company though. I know a couple of people in it and it sounds like a laugh. Some people get really wound up and nervous about being on stage. I don’t mind – it’s kind of fun. You don’t have to take it that seriously, do you?

What do I look for in a girlfriend? Hah – there’s a question! I don’t really mind as long as they’re cool. I quite like a bit of mystery though – I like a girl who can surprise me. Not found one yet! But maybe there’ll be someone waiting in the wings at this theatre group?

Samantha Brooks

I’m tall and blonde and I do quite a bit of modelling. People have told me I’m good-looking, and they’re probably right. But I do take care of myself. You have to these days if you want people to notice you.

I’m not shy. What’s the point? If you want something, you have to get it yourself. That’s what I believe. Whether it’s a part in a play or a boy – you have to go after them. There’s this boy I’ve seen around, actually. Tom, his name is. He’s really cute – I think we’d make a good pair. He’s single too, not that it would make much difference if he wasn’t. Not many girls are a match for me!

What do I want out of life? Everything! What’s wrong with that?

Mari Rosenberg

Some people say I’m too outspoken. I know sometimes I put my foot in it big time, but I don’t see the point of walking on eggshells. If people just said what they really felt, we wouldn’t have so much confusion in the world!

I love my friends. If my house was on fire and I could only save one thing, I’d save my friends. If they were in my house, I mean – which they probably wouldn’t be because my house is TINY and we never meet there. But you get the idea. Fliss is so sweet. She never has a bad word to say about anyone – which can be kind of annoying sometimes! But she keeps me out of trouble, which is a hard job, let me tell you!

I am SO looking forward to the summer holidays and the new drama production. A whole summer with my friends – can’t wait!

Megan Hirst

As soon as I could walk, I danced. Mum said I used to do this funny dance when I was three – it just involved swaying from side to side and then turning around so fast I fell over! I LOVE dancing – waltz, cha-cha, jive… I dance with my best friend Jake, who’s a brilliant partner and also happens to live next door! Or rather, he DID, since we’ve just moved house, MILES and MILES away from everything and everyone I love! My little brother Owen thinks it’s all a big adventure, but I hate being so far from my friends.

I have found a salsa class nearby though, so that might do for a while. And then there’s this amazingly good-looking boy I just happened to bump into at the skate park…

Maybe things won’t be so bad after all??

Jake Bradshaw

I'm going to miss Megan so much. We've lived next door to each other for years and we've always played in each other's gardens and stuff like that. I love dancing with Megan. She's such a cool girl, so funny and talented. She's really pretty too, though I'd never tell her that. She'd probably think I was taking the mickey!

Life without Megan is going to be a lot less interesting. And maybe I'm going to miss her more than I thought. I guess she's such a part of my life, it's going to feel so wrong without her.

Danny Brooks

Wheels are my life. Boards, bikes, karts – I can't get enough. Speed is addictive; it's like once I've finished a ride I just have to go again! I spend hours down the skate park, practising ollies and manuals and all that. I go with my mate Paul – he's good but not as good as me. He's going out with my sister Samantha, which means she hangs around a lot, which can be annoying. And she's got this friend Jasmine who mopes around all the time too. I never seem to meet any cool girls – not ones who like the same things I do. I like girls who are prepared to take a risk, not wimp out saying they might break a nail or something.

Life's too short to waste. You've got to grab your chances when you can!

Kate Morrell

I love gardening and flowers and getting my fingers dirty. I'm not your usual girl, I guess, but I like it that way. My mum died three years ago and I miss her every single day. People said it would get easier but it hasn't. I'm hoping my new summer job will take my mind off things – I'm working in a garden centre, one of my favourite places!

I hear there's going to be a boy working there too. I hope he's nice. I'm not very confident about standing up for myself so I hope he's not too loud!

Simon Ballios

I come from a big family. Everyone's always on top of each other. The garden is the only place I get any space. That's why I'd like to be a landscape gardener. It's so satisfying too, having a vision in your head and making it real outside. Boys aren't supposed to be arty, are they? But I like all the hard work that goes with it too – all that lifting and digging whether it's sunny or raining.

I've got a job at a garden centre this summer. I'm hoping I can use it to get more experience with the plants and to see what's popular with the customers. My dream is to exhibit at Chelsea – I want a gold medal!

“Anpa” Lumsden

I'm Kate's grandpa but when she was little she called me ‘Anpa' and it stuck. She's a great girl, takes after her mother more than she knows. I worry about her though. Losing her mother at such a young age was tough on her, and she's gone into her shell. I'd like her to be more confident in herself, but all I can do is be there for her.

Her dad works so hard I think Kate feels lonely sometimes. But she's a sweet girl and she's got a lot to give. I hope she'll find a way out of her shell soon.

Tania Dunn

I've always loved skating – right from when I first stepped onto the ice as a little girl. There's something so freeing about gliding across a frozen surface. It's the nearest you can get to flying, I think. I spend all my spare time at the rink, especially now that I'm one of the top junior skaters in the country. I go to lots of competitions and I have a shelf full of medals and trophies at home.

There's only one thing that's worrying me, and I can't tell anyone about it. But it's putting me off skating, and I hate it. I've lost the confidence I once had and I'm scared that this will be the end of my career. What would I do without my skating? I can't bear to think about it, and yet things are going from bad to worse. I just need to get my head sorted, and then everything will be back the way it was.

Zac Maguire

I haven't been skating that long, compared with some people, but I love it. It's mad – why would anyone strap two blades to their feet and try to walk on ice? But I love the craziness of the whole thing. It's dangerous too, but I kind of like that. You never know what's going to happen – it's like living on the edge.

Skating is expensive, and I have to work hard to pay for my lessons. Some skaters have it easy; they've got parents who can afford everything – the latest boots and outfits and all that. There's a girl at our rink who's like that. She's an amazing skater but she looks down on people like me. Maybe she thinks that if you wear second-hand boots you can't be serious about your skating. Well, I am – and one day I'll show her.

Libby Hannigan

I'm Tania's best friend though lately it's almost like she's forgotten about me. She's always been serious about her skating but now she seems to spend all her time there. I miss going out with her!

I love boys, though. Tania has her skating – I have boys. I think about them all day. I'm usually in love with at least three at the same time. I haven't had much luck with boyfriends though, they think I'm silly. I know the perfect boy for me is out there somewhere – I just have to find him!