by Jacky Gray
“If you’d been listening, you’d know he didn’t say.” Ray smirked.
“No, but he mentioned three sonnets and five plays. Thirteen in total, and we’ve got four by not by the bard, which means there’s one more.”
As Luke spoke, Liv glanced at Jude, whose eyebrows had shot up at this complete turn-around. She was equally surprised; not only was Luke actively participating in a lesson, but he’d beaten Ray on his own specialism: maths.
A flicker of something dark crossed Ray’s face before he nodded. “Good call, mate.” A beat. “Anyone recognise number ten?” He stared at Luke meaningfully.
The jock’s instant embarrassment didn’t make sense until Liv remembered him stumbling over the line a couple of days ago. She wrote Twelfth Night and pointed at the first one.
“I know that one. It’s from Ten Things – I mean Ta …”
“Don’t say it out loud. Write it down.” Jude nudged her and pointed behind where Diana leaned toward them, shamelessly listening in. She didn’t have the grace even to blush when faced with four pairs of angry eyes.
Liv wrote Taming of the Shrew then raised her eyebrows as Luke took the pen and wrote Romeo and Juliet against “A rose by any other name …”
“Damn. It was on the tip of my tongue.” Ray scowled. “I reckon that’s a sonnet – look at this.” He pointed to the third one, which had the word “For” capitalised, half way through.
Spotting another one with a random capital, Liv stifled a squeal of pleasure. This was her favourite sort of activity, where even if she didn’t know the answers, she had a chance of working them out. “Ok, so there’s one more sonnet, two more plays and one more quote. Any ideas?”
Ray pointed to the second one. “Definitely Shakespeare, I’d stake my life on that being the missing sonnet.”
“Oops. Guess again.” Mr Johnston chuckled.
Liv hadn’t spotted the teacher stood right behind her; he'd obviously been watching them. He addressed the class.
“Two more minutes, everyone. Some of you are nearly there, so I’ll give a couple of bonus points for anyone who can spot the odd one out.”
Luke was on fire, pointing out that “Rose at an instant” did not refer to the flower but the action of rising.
Liv shared a smug grin with Jude; Ray had been well and truly trounced.
22 The Race is On
The Fernley inter-school meeting started well for the Bryant Rockwell contingent, with a finalist in every event. Jude shouted along with the rest of the team as Luke blasted down the track chasing the top four lads.
“Come on, Luke, you can do it.”
“Run, Luke, run.”
“We’re all counting on you; Luke the man.”
“Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate? Luke Harper.”
It wasn’t obvious whether he’d heard their shouts or not, but Luke pulled away from the pack, finishing second, which gave him the silver for the two hundred metre sprint.
Kat, Liv and Terry were cheering and waving like mad as he jogged over to where the rest of the team were gathered. Some warmed up for their event, others tried to deal with the chilly October breeze.
“Well done, Luke.” Jude giggled as he lifted her up and swung her round.
“Who needs ice skates?” he joked.
Diana watched with a malevolent expression but Jude was too psyched to care as the call went out for the girls’ one-hundred metre hurdles.
Jude’s couldn’t get over her luck: she made the finals of the fifty metre sprint, and currently lay second in the long jump. She raced off as Luke shouted after her, “Break a leg.”
She was in the third lane, loosening up with a few lunges, when Diana rocked up to the sixth. More than close enough; Jude didn’t trust her as far as she could throw her. She glanced up as Liv and Kat shouted and smiled. They were doing a little cheerleader routine involving high and low fives and imaginary pom-poms – mad. Grinning, she adjusted the blocks to her stride, then the butterflies started.
When the official shouted, “On your marks,” she pressed her feet against the starting blocks and felt something prick her heel. What on earth? She wriggled her foot and whatever it was moved. “Get set.”
At the final signal, Jude shot off like a greyhound out of a trap; she flew up to the first hurdle, timing it perfectly. With a bound, she floated over it, landing easily. After that, it was a doddle; her strides exactly matched the distance between the hurdles and jumping was second nature to her from all the skating. She won quite easily; Diana came second from last and seemed quite annoyed about it.
On her way back to the team camp, she felt another twinge, this time a lot sharper. Jude sat down and started to unlace the trainer.
“Are you ok?” Luke appeared from nowhere, full of concern.
“Yeah, just something in my shoe; probably a thorn or ...”
“What the …?” Luke stared at her white sock, a patch of which was stained crimson with blood. “Stay there. I’ll get the first aid kit.”
By the time he returned, with a worried-looking Miss Talbot, Jude had discovered the culprit: three tiny bits of metal in her trainer. One of them had embedded itself in the tough skin at the side of her foot, leaving two small pin pricks which were now oozing blood.
Miss Talbot set to work straight away with an antiseptic wipe, cleaning it as she asked what had happened.
“I’ve no idea how they got there, but I found these in my trainer.” She held up the metal things, one bent out of shape, the other two shaped like an “E” without the middle bar.
“They look like staples.” Luke picked one up and immediately drew blood. “But how would they get into your trainer?”
“Never mind how, give them to me before they do any more damage.” Miss Talbot was quite tight lipped as she threw them into a pocket in the first-aid box. She pressed Jude’s fingers over the puncture holes in her foot while she cut some waterproof plaster from the roll. “You kids never take any care with your kit; they probably fell out of your pencil case.”
“But I don’t own any staples, and I don’t carry my pencil case in my kit bag.” Jude’s protest went unheeded as the PE teacher applied the plaster.
“It’s a good job your socks are so thick. I don’t suppose you have a spare pair?”
“No, but ...”
Luke grinned. “I’ve got a pair she can borrow.”
“Thank you, but I think they will be much too big. See if one of the others has a pair. Diana’s bound to, she’s always well prepared.” Miss Talbot took a peek at Luke’s finger but it had already stopped bleeding. She packed up the case and glanced at Jude. “Can you walk ok?”
Jude stood. It was a little sore, but nothing she couldn’t handle as she walked a few paces to check.
Miss Talbot patted her arm. “Good girl. We’ll need to check it after every event to make sure the blood doesn’t soak through the plaster. Go on, you’d better hurry and get yourself sorted before the relay.”
As they neared the benches, Luke grabbed her arm. “Are you sure you’re ok? It looked like fall-out from a horror movie.”
“Nah, that’s normal for me, I always take a while to stop.”
“You’re not a haemophiliac, are you?” His PE training was showing.
“No it’s just ridiculously slow clotting agents; Mum’s the same. It gets worse at certain times of the month ...”
“Way too much information. Look, I’ve gotta go, they just called my next event. You take care and I’ll see you in a bit.”
Turning quickly, he cannoned into Diana, nearly knocking her over. He instinctively grabbed her arms to stop her from falling, but she somehow overbalanced and clung onto him, pulling him over. By twisting his body, he avoided collapsing on top of her, but landed on his hip with a jolt.
“What the f …? Are you trying to break me?” The pain shooting through his body made Luke curse more violently than he normally would have done.
“I – I merely came to
give Jude some socks. M-Miss Talbot s-said ...” Diana’s face crumpled and she burst into tears.
“Hey. I’m sorry. The pain made me over-react. It wasn’t your fault. Please don’t cry, I’m really sorry.” As he awkwardly patted the weeping girl’s back, he glanced at Jude.
She shrugged, watching in disgust as Diana leaned against him and snuffled into his shoulder, with the occasional wail. No chance unmissed. Picking up the dropped socks, Jude scowled and slid off to leave them to it. Poor Luke, if he couldn’t see how the cow was manipulating him with her contrived fall. Damn, she could show the gymnastic team a thing or two with moves like that. And as for the crocodile tears … Watch out Kat; she’ll be up for the lead in the next school production.
Jude had to concentrate on the team warmup before the relay. But first she examined her trainers and Diana’s socks minutely for any sign of further sabotage. Not that she didn’t trust her or anything, but she wasn’t taking any chances. Even Diana wouldn’t be stupid enough to play the same trick twice, would she?
By comparison, the rest of the meeting was pretty uneventful. Bryant Rockwell came away with a bunch of medals including Jude’s gold for hurdles and fifty-metre sprint, bronze for relay and Luke’s silver. Unfortunately, he had to drop out of the rest of the meeting due to a “mysterious” hip injury which left him hobbling at the end of the sprint final. He took the stick from his team mates with unusually good humour.
Jude had almost forgotten about the incident by Monday until she overheard Liv calling it “staplegate” as she told Ray in the lunch queue.
As he settled at the table, Ray shot a glance at Jude, obviously on the wind. “Maybe Miss Talbot got it right; they fell out of your pencil case.”
“I don’t carry a pencil case in my kit bag, or anywhere near it.”
“Out of your school bag then. I don’t see why it’s such a big mystery.”
“But I told her, I don’t even own a stapler, so why would I have staples?”
Terry hovered behind Kat. “Are you ok, Jude? I heard about what happened at Fernley.”
“Hi, pull up a chair. I’m ok, just a couple of pricks.” She grinned as the lads fell about laughing at the unintentional pun; then got serious. “Luke suffered the real damage when Diana pulled him over.”
“Be fair, Jude, it wasn’t her fault. I barged into her and she toppled over.” Luke helped himself to a chip off Terry’s plate, making the skinny lad blush.
“Are you sure about that?” Jude watched the exchange curiously; it seemed a little out of character. “The way I see it, she was deliberately out to nobble you. It cost you the gold; and possibly some other medals, too.”
“Funny you should say that about Diana.” Terry spoke up before Luke had time to pile any more defence on behalf of his former tormentor. He’d swallowed a mouthful of food and now had to chew quickly, a task made more difficult by the five pairs of expectant eyes.
“What do you mean, Terry?” Ray broke the silence impatiently.
Gulping down the mouthful, Terry spluttered nervously, “I merely wondered what she was up to before the hurdle race. I saw her hovering by Jude’s lane. I thought she was doing something stupid like tying her shoelaces together, but Jude’s other foot was at least a metre away as she lunged.”
“Surely I’d have felt something or seen her.” Jude frowned.
“You were watching Liv and Kat doing their cheerleader routine.”
“Why didn’t you say anything at the time?” demanded Liv.
“It all happened so fast.” Terry’s words tumbled out in his haste to explain himself. “The race started and Jude got the gold, so I figured I’d misjudged it. What with the perspective and everything, she could have been tying her own shoelaces in the next lane or something.”
“Except she wasn’t in the next lane. I was in three and she should have been in six.”
Jude’s quiet statement stopped everyone for a second as they all digested the incriminating information. Then they began to talk at once.
“That would certainly seem to prove it.” Kat shook her head.
“The nasty, vicious little bint.” Yet again, Luke didn’t hold back.
“What a poisonous cow.” Liv focussed on the repercussions as she faced him. “You might have been seriously injured.”
“Why pick on Luke though? I thought she fancied him.” Ray’s comment stopped everyone again and Luke looked completely gob-smacked.
He soon recovered. “What the heck are you on about, Donelly? Surely you know I can’t stand the nasty, small-minded bint. After what she said about you an’ Liv, you think I would look twice?”
“Cool it boy, I didn’t say you fancied her. Don’t you remember last Monday in geography when she snuggled up to you?” Ray’s innocent expression had Luke struggling to work it through.
“But you don’t even do geography.”
“No, but Jude does.” Ray’s smirk twinkled with mischief.
“What? Oh, right.” Luke turned a dull red colour and wouldn’t meet Jude’s eye. “I just thought the silly mare was short sighted and couldn’t see the list. I even moved away so she could get a better look.”
“And she moved even closer. We thought you were playing chase.” Jude slid him a sidelong glance; she knew she was pushing it. “I reckon she wasn’t out to hurt you at Fernley, she just wanted you to land on top of her so the pair of you could roll around in the grass.”
“Jude!” Kat was shocked at the suggestion.
“But I didn’t. Land on her.” Luke frowned. “Like an idiot, I smashed my hip trying not to; I thought I might crush her.”
“It would have been a lot less damage, though. Or maybe not. I think I’d rather have broken something than have to suffer close physical contact with that toxic madam.” The look of disgust on Ray’s face made everyone laugh.
“Except that’s what you ended up doing, didn’t you?” Jude was relentless.
Luke’s frown deepened. “No, I told you. I missed her.”
“But then she turned on the waterworks and had you cuddling her while she cried on your shoulder. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I – no, I didn’t. But I hate to see a girl cry. Especially if it’s my fault. I shouted at her, remember.”
Ignoring Luke’s silent plea for mercy, Jude gave her resentment full rein. “From where I stood, it looked like she had you right where she wanted you. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t set up the whole thing with those staples just so you would take her in your arms.”
“Surely not!” Kat was doing outrage like you never saw it before.
“Of course not. How could she possibly know Luke would dash halfway across the track to help you? Nice try, Jude, but way too far-fetched.” Ray grinned to soften his words, but Liv pulled no punches.
“Been at the X-files again? Stick to Star Trek, it’s more plausible.”
Jude grinned. “Yeah, right, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Terry lost his nervousness of the group enough to pipe up with his opinion. “Whatever her motives, that girl needs sorting out good and proper.”
Liv smiled. “I’ve been thinking about it. I came up with a few ideas which involve Luke putting up with a bit more close contact with DD.”
“DD?” Terry’s eyebrows met in the middle.
“Dirty Diana. It’s our code-word for her.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of this.” Luke looked apprehensive.
“Don’t worry, it won’t be much, the plan needs a lot more work. In the meantime, be as pleasant as you can possibly bear to be; it’ll help.”
“Rather you than me, mate.” Ray clapped him on the back. “I’m sure you’ll rock it. All it needs is a bit of acting, and we all know how good you are. Thinkest thou not, good fellows? ’Twas not ever thus?”
Luke groaned as the others reacted, mostly with grins.
“Talking of acting, are any of you guys going to the Bugsy auditions?” Terr
y blushed as he drew everyone’s gaze.
Luke scoffed. “Seriously? You saw how bad I was at the Duke.”
“Yeah, but that was Shakespeare, this is slapstick.” Kat squeezed his arm.
Ray grinned. “You’d make a great Fat Sam.”
“Thanks very much, mate. And I suppose you’d be Bugsy?”
“As if. I seem to remember it’s a really active part. Doesn’t he dance a bit as well as sing?”
Everyone fell silent again. It was so unfair that a wheelchair should affect so many things.
Liv recovered first. “But you must come along, Ray. They’ll be able to do something with props or scenery.”
“There must be plenty of parts where you don’t have to move around.” If anyone knew, it would be Kat. “What’s the other gang leader called? All he ever does is sit around in his big posh house, then he’s in a car …”
“Come on, guys. Nice thought, but get real.”
“No, you get real. You’re one of the best actors in the class, if not the school. There must be a way.” Liv saw every problem as an intellectual exercise.
“Yeah, come on Ray, we need you.” Kat squeezed his arm.
“Ok, ok. I’ll come but I’m making no promises.”
Luke stood. “Sorry, but I have to go. Didn’t quite finish writing up the physics experiment from last lesson.”
“Need any help?”
“Not really, I think it’s just the conclusions left to do. Thanks for asking, though. Here, let me take your tray.”
Ray followed Luke out and Liv and Kat swapped “would you believe it?” glances.
Jude finally worked it through and squealed. “Oh, no. That means it’s not geography. I never learned my Spanish vocab.”
“I’ll test you, if you want.” Kat picked up her tray and followed her out.
23 That Awkward Age
As the others deserted her, Liv sneaked a reverse eye-roll, feeling awkward about leaving Terry on his own. “Typical. If we’re extremely lucky, she may have it sussed by the end of the year. She’s walked off without her tray; that girl’s mind is so filled with sports she has no time for anything else.”
