The Ghostly Grammar Boy

by Sandra Thompson

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Megan and Jason's secret love affair was making me very uncomfortable. Sure, it was fine now, while they were just whispering and possibly making out, but it wouldn't be so funny when they realised they were wrong for each other. When they realised that Jason could never be fulfilled by someone who didn't understand him and that they'd made a terrible, irreversible mistake, the fighting would begin—and then our group would be ruined.

  So when I stumbled upon their love session behind the science labs, I'd had a natural reaction: I panicked and ran for it before they saw me. I'd been so shocked and upset that I hadn't even been able to bring myself to tell anyone all day.

  Now it was last period—the first time I'd seen Jason since that horrifying moment. We were in English and were supposed to be practising our monologues in small groups on the school oval. In other words, we were talking and not doing any work. Jason, Brooke, and I were lying in our regular lunchtime spot, under the gum trees. We were all dreading the due date for our monologue performances, which meant we were far too stressed to actually start working on them. It was a dilemma I faced in most of my subjects. It seemed like as good a time as any to bring up the topic of Megan. I wanted to gauge Jason's reaction.

  'Megan's really good at monologues.' I announced abruptly.

  Even though I'd been hoping for an interesting reaction from Jason, I hadn't expected how enthralled he would become at the mention of Megan's name. He sat bolt upright from his reclined position, rested his elbow on his knee and, with his chin in his hand, leant in towards me, in fascination.

  'Really? That's so interesting! Tell me more!' he gushed.

  And he wasn't being sarcastic.

  I was taken aback. My mouth flailed as I tried to think of what to say. Jason continued to stare at me, riveted by my story of Megan. Luckily, at that moment the school bell rang.

  I hadn't reckoned on Jason's obsession with Megan. Despite my protests, Jason insisted on walking me home so that we could continue talking about Megan. The love bug must have bitten Jason really hard, because my house was in totally the opposite direction from his. Although, interestingly, I did live rather close to Megan.

  As we started walking home, I couldn't help but notice the uncharacteristic spring in Jason's step. I felt a pang of dread. The source of Jason's happiness was so wrong. This could only end in disaster for them, and our group. Brooke, who accompanied us, chatted away happily, oblivious to both Jason's mood, and my sense of foreboding. Her mum had given her a mortifying lecture yesterday about approaching 'womanhood'. Parents were so embarrassing sometimes. I could totally sympathise with Brooke's pain, but it hadn't been all bad for her. Brooke's lecture had ended in a surprise rise in her clothing allowance. If only all of my mum's creepy lectures ended in pocket money, I'd be a millionaire by now.

  Jason seized upon every opportunity he could to sabotage our conversation and bring it back to the topic of Megan. He kept pounding me with relentless questions about her. It was creeping me out. The whole time, he just kept staring at me with a hopeful, expectant look plastered across his face. It was completely weird and was starting to scare me. I began to wonder if Jason knew I'd seen him with Megan this morning and was trying to ascertain how much I'd seen.

  As we arrived at my place, I remembered I had something new to stress about. Today was the day Dad got off early from work. He was probably loitering aimlessly around the house, as he usually does when Mum's not home.

  Which meant I was at high risk of a parent-friend interaction.

  Too late.

  'Brooke! Jason!' The front door swung open. Dad grinned delightedly at my friends and beckoned them inside. He was still wearing his business shirt, but he was tieless and his shirt was out. He was in relaxation mode.

  'Hello, Mr Travis. How are you?' Jason asked formally, whilst offering his hand in an adult way that came off as strangely childish when Jason did it.

  'Jason!' Dad shook Jason's hand, then jovially slapped him on the back. 'You know better than that! Call me Ross!'

  'Hi, Ross,' Brooke squeaked at Dad with a shy wave. 'Is Brett home?'

  I did an internal eye roll. What is it with my friends and Brett?

  Dad ushered us inside, insisting that Brooke and Jason stay for a drink. I stopped dead in my tracks when I got to the kitchen. Brett wasn't the sibling I needed to worry about.

  The ghostly apparitions of Ella and Chris were standing in the middle of the kitchen having a sloppy, heated make-out session.

  It was the last thing I needed to see. I cleared my throat loudly.

  'Hi, pervert,' Ella said, wiping her mouth. I glared at her soundlessly. Chris obviously still hadn't learnt how to touch objects; he was as translucent as the first time I'd met him.

  'I'm going to the loo,' I announced to the others. Unbeknownst to them, I grabbed Ella by the arm and dragged her out with me. Chris obediently followed.

  I could hear Dad beginning to interrogate Brooke and Jason. I would have to rescue them soon.

  'I don't know how you can have make-outs when Dad's in the same room,' I said dryly.

  'I thought he was in the bathroom,' Ella replied defensively, her more opaque face flushed with embarrassment.

  Changing the subject, and desperate to get my news off my chest to the only person who I knew couldn't spread it, I told Ella about Megan and Jason's make-out, and Jason's follow-up obsession with Megan.

  Ella didn't seem to share my outrage at these recent events. She looked at me incredulously, 'Fiona, you are so clueless.'

  I felt annoyed at her worldly and superior tone. She was the younger twin after all. 'What are you talking about?' I asked in annoyance.

  'I think I'll leave that for you to discover by yourself.'

  'Arrrgh!' I stormed back to the kitchen in annoyance, leaving Ella and Chris up to their own devices; but what greeted me in the kitchen left me even more bewildered.

  A squealing Brooke, incoherent with excitement, bowled me over as she hugged me excitedly. At the same time, Jason was smiling and shaking Dad's hand.

  'What's going on in here?' I asked in confusion. I looked at Dad. He was clearly looking chuffed by whatever had passed while I was talking to Ella.

  'Nothing's settled unless it's okay with you, Fiona,' he began. I eyed him suspiciously as he continued, 'I was just telling your friends about my new kayak.'

  I groaned loudly. Was he trying to get rid of my friends forever?

  Dad ignored me and continued. 'I'm heading to Bateman's Bay this weekend to test it out and thought you might all like to join me for a weekend away.' My thoughts were racing as he explained that we'd be staying at his friend Geoff's holiday house. Boys and girls would be sleeping in separate rooms, of course. Naturally Dad would be checking with everyone's parents.

  I didn't know what to say. I mean, a weekend at the beach would be great. The weather was still sweltering, and the local swimming pool just wasn't cutting it for me lately. Plus, I could even out my tan. On the other hand, it would mean a weekend of parental embarrassment. Strangely, neither Jason nor Brooke seemed to notice how weird my dad was, so maybe it would be okay. I looked at the others.

  Jason was clearly over the moon at the idea of spending a weekend away with Megan. He was staring at me and nodding frantic encouragement. At least if I went away with them, I could keep an eye on their blossoming romance—maybe even talk them out of it. Brooke was eyeing me anxiously, as if bracing herself for me to crush her dreams. As if I could ever say no to her.

  That left just one problem. I wouldn't be able to protect Alan. What if the step-monster and Shane tried to kill him this weekend? I needed to talk to Chris.

  'Uh, I'll be right back,' I groaned, clutched my stomach and ran from the room.

  It would be nice if one day I could manage to invent an excuse that didn't make me look like a disease-stricken weirdo.

  Unfortunately, my award winning imitation of being sick meant that I wasn't looking where I was going. As I burs
t out of the kitchen, doubled over, I ploughed head first into Ella and Chris making out again.

  They sprang apart instantly.

  Ignoring Ella's glare of annoyance, I quietly explained the weekend situation, finishing with my suggestion that they could watch out for Alan while I was away.

  'You guys could probably do a better job of stalking him from the spirit world than I could.' I didn't add what I was thinking—that I deserved a weekend of hanging out with my friends at the beach without worrying about my ghost sister's ghost boyfriend's brother. I needed a break.

  The look on Chris' face almost made me take back my suggestion. He looked inconsolably miserable.

  Wow, he was really worried about Alan. Then, as quickly as it had fallen, Chris' face lit up again. He smiled.

  'No problem, Fiona. I can look out for him—but if the worst happens and Alan suddenly dies, can you please promise me that you'll then tell the police your suspicions about Shane and Sharelle?'

  I was taken aback.

  Ella gave Chris a hug.

  'Don't even think that, Chris! Alan will be okay while we're watching him.'

  'I promise if anything happens—' I began.

  'Which it won't,' Ella interrupted.

  'I'll speak to the police,' I finished.

  Chris looked relieved.

  'I'd better go!' I whispered, and walked back out to the kitchen.

  At the sound of my footsteps re-entering, Dad, Jason and Brooke turned to look at me expectantly, awaiting my decision. I didn't disappoint them.

  'We're going to Batemans!' I announced.

  I was going to get a tan that even Carly would be jealous of.