SOLVED. YA, girl's mother didn't get her roots done [s]

[Josie]

This was a YA book I would have read between 5-10 years ago, and please forgive me, because I'm about to ramble (possibly incoherently). It was told from two perspectives; that of a teenage boy (single child) who lived just with his dad. He had a crush on the girl who also had parts of the story told from her perspective, but he at one point had sex with her friend who he wasn't even attracted to, (because he thought she was fat, and at one point mentioned that her thighs 'must've been size 12 at least') but she was quite persistent in coming on to him, and I recall she smelt like apricot shower gel. It wasn't a particularly pleasant experience for either of them. He eventually 'fesses up to the girl he has the crush on, before they start going out. The girl he has the crush on was blonde, and I recall one scene where he was watching her, and she bent over and her top slid up and he could count the bumps of her spine through her skin (random thing to remember? Yes). This girl's family were going through some sort of trouble, which could have been solely financial, or the trouble was something else that then caused them to have secondary financial troubles. I remember he mother didn't go to the hairdresser's to 'get her roots done' for a while, and it distressed the girl. There may also have been something about a good table they were going to have to sell. I have a very vague feeling their trouble might have been that her father had gone to jail, but I may be completely wrong. I think the boy and the girl end up together in the end. And that's about all I remember.
Any thoughts?

[Cindy]

Josie, are you still looking for this? The bumps on the spine thing feels familiar to me but I don't remember the name right off hand.

[Josie]

*bump*

I also remember that the boy said " 'kin hell" a lot, and his dad told him if he was going to swear, to swear properly.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

What country is it set in?

[Tab]

Maybe, Scrambled Eggs at Midnight ?

Anything about the cover?

[Josie]

No, that's not it, but thanks anyway. I can't remember what it looked like, or where it was set, I'm afraid.

[Ayshe]

Never Ever by Helena Pielichaty maybe?

[Josie]

I think that's it!! Seven years later, it's solved!!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Terrific. Hopefully this will serve as inspiration for people not to give up on their old posts.

[Kym]

Well done Ayshe :)

[Michele]

Seven years, wow!! I think that must be a new record.

Lobstergirl, maybe we should include that in the group description as a promo :)

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

I wonder if the record is 7, or 8.