The Summer of Telling Tales

by Laura Summers

  Chapter 28

  Grace

  Ryan walks us home. Ellie’s completely quiet but as he’s never met her before, I think he just assumes she’s like me so he talks for the three of us. He’s bursting with enthusiasm and tries to convince me I should play in the band again. He says we could even audition for ‘Beachfest’, some big music festival taking place next month. Up till now he hasn’t dared put The Damage down but with me playing, he says they’d stand a really good chance of getting picked.

  We take the shortcut down the path through the stones, something I’d never dream of doing after dark if I was on my own or just with Ellie, but with Ryan walking between us I feel safe.

  The moon comes out from behind the clouds and suddenly the stones are bathed in its clear pale light. There’s a faint white mist rising from the ground like soft breath, blurring the edges of each stone. For a brief moment I imagine the group of young girls, magically released from their stone prisons, dazed by their unexpected transformation back to their human form.

  We reach the caravan and thankfully Mum isn’t back from the fishermen’s meal at the café yet. Ellie rushes straight in. I know there’s something wrong because back at the community hall she didn’t say a word when I told her we should be getting home. I thought she’d kick up a fuss as it was so early but she just hurried off to collect her jacket as if she couldn’t wait to leave. She didn’t even say goodbye to her friend.

  ‘Grace,’ Ryan says, as I’m about to follow Ellie into the caravan. I stop and turn around. He’s holding out a scrap of paper. Puzzled, I take it.

  ‘I meant to give you this earlier. One of the twins found it in the kitchen. It must have fallen out of your jumper pocket.’

  I stare at the folded paper blankly, then realise to my horror it’s my list about him. I prickle with embarrassment. Please, don’t let him have read it, I pray silently. Please! I put my hand to my face but he guesses my thoughts.

  ‘I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t read it. Harry insisted it was mine because he’d seen my name at the top. I just wanted to put the record straight.’

  Mortified, I unfold the paper and realise that next to my stupid list there’s more writing, in black felt pen.

  Ryan

  You’re funny.

  Only cos I want to make you smile.

  You stuck up for me.

  Someone has to stand up to the old rottweiler.

  You’re thoughtful.

  Can’t help looking blank. You’re on my mind all the time.

  Kind.

  An incurable character defect obliges me to help the following:

  – small furry animals

  – kid brothers ( I keep putting them on eBay but no takers)

  – random old ladies across the road, whether they want to or not.

  I am urgently seeking therapy.

  Pretty smart.

  Wrong boy.

  But are you for real?

  Yes I am, so you don’t ever need to be afraid of me.

  ‘I’m not afraid of you one little bit!’ a voice says, out of the blue. ‘I love being with you.’

  We stare at each other in shock as I realise that voice was mine. Ryan hadn’t expected me to say anything. But then nor had I. The words just fell out of my mouth, easy as breathing. Ryan tries to speak but now he’s the one tongue-tied – completely lost for words.

  Finally he takes a gulp of air, shrugs, grins and diving forward, gently kisses my cheek. Then he turns and runs full pelt back down the field towards the beach. Ellie appears in the caravan doorway.

  ‘Think he likes you . . . or what?’ she says, rolling her eyes.

  ‘Think I like him too.’ I reply quietly.

  ‘Grace Smith, what is happening to you?’ she asks in surprise.

  I shiver inside. ‘I’m waking up.’

  And suddenly I imagine I’m one of those Maids, brought back to life, free to breathe and move and dance once again.

  ‘Cracking up, more like,’ Ellie retorts. ‘But I suppose you were pretty good tonight. Let’s face it, if it wasn’t for you, they would have been seriously average.’

  ‘So you think I should join the band?’ I ask her.

  She gives a little shrug.

  ‘What’s the matter, Ellie?’ I ask.

  ‘Nothing,’ she says with a big false smile. ‘I’m deliriously happy.’

  ‘You can tell me.’

  ‘No, I can’t. But Gracie, although everything’s rubbish, it’s all sorted. OK?’

  ‘I guess that’s all right then,’ I reply confused.

  I lose sight of Ryan in the darkness but seconds later hear a faint but joyous whoop from the beach and know that it’s him. I grip the note tightly and follow Ellie inside, smiling all over and feeling like my whole world has suddenly flipped upside down.

  Chapter 29

  Ellie

  I’m dreading going into school today because I’ll have to face Cait, Abs and all the other girls. But then, I think sadly, maybe I won’t actually have to face them; they’ll just give me the cold shoulder and I’ll be on my own again, like I used to be at my last school. I try not to think about this as I walk, head down, into my form room.

  Abs, Ruby, Shareen and Freya come rushing up to me. My heart beats faster – are they going to have a go at me? That would probably be worse than being ignored.

  ‘You’ve got it!’ Ruby shrieks as Shareen and Freya both try to hug me.

  I look at them blankly.

  ‘Mad Mulligan’s chosen you!’ squeals Shareen excitedly.

  ‘What for?’

  ‘Princess Caraboo, what else?’ says Abs.

  ‘But . . . what about Cait?’ I ask, my mind spinning in excitement as I dare for a moment to think of myself playing the lead role.

  ‘Oh, she’s Lady of the Manor,’ Freya tells me.

  ‘But —’

  ‘It’s fine, Elle. So what if someone else gets to be the star – for a change,’ adds Freya with just a hint of cattiness in her voice. ‘Anyway, you were loads better than her.’

  My heart’s beating excitedly. ‘Did you really think so?’ I ask.

  ‘Definitely. You’re a natural.’

  ‘Am I?’

  ‘Yeah,’ says Ruby. ‘You were totally brilliant.’

  I’m glowing inside. More of the class crowd round, everyone’s looking at me and saying how great I am and I feel like I’m on top of the world.

  ‘I reckon you’ll end up an actor like your dad,’ Shareen says.

  The mention of Dad brings me suddenly back down to earth with a bump.

  ‘Doubt it,’ I mumble, guiltily.

  ‘Let’s face it. All your family’s talented,’ says Ruby. ‘Daisy Millar told me that the new girl in Ryan’s band is your sister!’

  ‘No wonder you didn’t want to tell Cait about her!’ says Abs with a gasp.

  ‘Yeah, I’d have kept that quiet too,’ adds Freya with a snort of a giggle. ‘Cait’s fancied him for years.’

  ‘So is Ryan going out with her or are they just in the band together?’

  ‘Um . . . I don’t know.’

  ‘Cait’s not going to like it, whatever,’ says Ruby.

  ‘Oh give over, Ruby! Who cares what she likes? Why should she be the centre of attention all the time?’ asks Freya. ‘Well, I think your sister’s amazing. Ryan’s band used to be rubbish.’

  ‘Even though he’s totally gorgeous, of course!’ says Shareen with a lovestruck sigh.

  There’s a sudden awkward silence as Cait walks into the room.

  ‘Hi,’ says Abs.

  ‘Elle’s going to be Princess Caraboo,’ calls Freya.

  Cait pastes a smile on her face. ‘Really,’ she says, flicking her long brown hair over her shoulder as if she didn’t care one bit. ‘You’ll be great.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  I smile back at her but there’s a thin, but very solid, icy wall between us now. Abs and Freya notice immediately and looks dart between them,
but neither of them says anything out loud, even though at least twice in the next few minutes Cait glances sideways at me, as if she’s sizing me up.

  She doesn’t sit next to me in French like she usually does, but hangs back in the corridor talking to PJ. Both Shareen and Freya rush over to fill the empty seat next to me. Freya wins but promises Shareen she’ll let her sit next to me in double art. Cait glances over at us as PJ is telling her to ‘park her fat bum’ on a bench outside the dining hall at breaktime and wait there for him. Instead of giving him a mouthful like I expect her to, she doesn’t say a word – she just nods.

  Chapter 30

  Grace

  I didn’t think anything would be different at school today but from the minute I walk into class it seems I’ve stumbled into a parallel universe.

  ‘You were amazing!’ Daisy Millar gushes, looking at me for the first time as if I haven’t crawled out from under a stone.

  ‘I’ve asked my Mum to book The Damage for my party, but only if you’re playing,’ says her friend Amy. ‘You will be, won’t you?’

  From the other side of the classroom, I spot Ryan watching me. I nod and smile at Amy as a huge, relieved grin sweeps over his face, and I feel a strange but delicious fluttery feeling in my stomach.

  ‘Yesss!’ he shouts just as Miss Turner enters the room. ‘Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh yes!’

  ‘Ryan, stop jigging about like a moron,’ she orders cheerfully.

  ‘Yes, Miss Turner! Straight away, Miss Turner!’

  ‘Baxter, have you been sniffing something?’

  ‘No. Just happy, Miss Turner.’

  ‘How extremely thrilling for you. And would this have anything to do with your performance at the community hall on Saturday night?’

  ‘They were sooo cool, Miss!’ one of the girls calls out.

  ‘Curb your enthusiasm, Kaylee. It’s frighteningly unnatural.’

  ‘But you should have heard them.’

  ‘I live two doors down from the hall. I could hardly avoid it.’

  ‘So what do you think, Miss? Wicked or what?’

  ‘Well, I have to admit I was, in fact, pleasantly shocked. Instead of the usual cat-strangling cacophony that Ryan and his entourage have honed to perfection, I heard . . . I heard . . . music.’

  ‘That was Grace on violin.’

  ‘Really! Well, Miss Smith, I shall inform Mr Brightwell, and no doubt he will recruit you into our magnificent school orchestra where your considerable talents can be put to more productive use.’

  I stare at her in alarm but then catch Ryan smiling at me and relax, realising I don’t care if they make me play in the orchestra or not. It might even be fun.

  To my delight, Miss Turner moves straight on to form business and completely ignores me for the rest of the registration session. Ryan and I head off to our first lesson and I find myself speaking to him – OK, quietly, and only when there’s no one else around – but I speak! We talk. Our conversation is slow at first, tentative, awkward even. We bat words clumsily to and fro like two kids playing ping-pong for the first time. We’re both as nervous as each other. But soon it becomes easier, and although I don’t say a word about Dad, after a while it’s as if we’re old friends meeting for the first time in years. And I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.

  At lunchtime I’m in the cloakroom when Ellie rushes up.

  ‘Grace, Grace, guess what?’ she says urgently.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ I ask, eyeing her nervously.

  ‘I’m Princess Caraboo!’

  ‘What?’

  ‘The school play! I auditioned. I’m the lead, Princess Caraboo! First rehearsal in five minutes!’ she tells me excitedly.

  ‘That’s fantastic!’ I say.

  ‘And there’s another rehearsal after school tonight so don’t wait for me, I’ll meet you back home.’

  ‘Um . . . I . . . might go to Ryan’s first – but I’ll be home before Mum gets back,’ I reply, wondering what she’ll say.

  ‘Oh, OK.’

  I needn’t have worried, she’s far too excited about the play to digest anything I’ve just said.

  ‘And well done you,’ I add. ‘Break a leg or something . . .’

  She turns to go and I see her friend Cait staring at us both. She’s sitting with PJ who’s whispering in her ear. I expect her to say something or join Ellie as she walks past but to my surprise, she completely ignores her.

  When Cait does get up to go, PJ tries to hold on to her, but she gives a little laugh, breaks free then hurries down the corridor towards the school hall. PJ glances over at me.

  ‘All right, Frosty?’ he asks. ‘Changed your mind about going out with me? Just say the word.’

  I turn away and hurry off.

  Chapter 31

  Ellie

  I quickly discover Mad Mulligan isn’t quite as bonkers as she first seemed, but she still works us like a maniac on a mission.

  ‘OK, everyone, listen up,’ she bellows, reducing the room to silence. ‘You’ve got just a few short weeks until your first performance. There’ll be rehearsals most days after school. I want all lines learnt by next Monday. No excuses. If you’re not happy, leave right now and don’t waste my time!’ She points melodramatically to the door as if hordes of us were going to suddenly stampede out. Nobody moves.

  ‘Right. You may all have the brains and bodies of sensitive young adolescents but while you’re in this hall you’re going to be professional actors . . . because when your big night finally comes and you get up on that stage and act your little hearts out – I want the audience to adore you, to worship you . . . not to snigger into their boots. OK. Let’s do this.’

  For the next three-quarters of an hour we work our socks off as Mulligan stamps and shouts and orders us about like the biggest diva this side of the western world.

  I’m dreading all the scenes I share with Cait. Word is going round that we’ve had a bust up and aren’t talking. But as I get into the part, forgetting I’m just Ellie Smith acting like a drama queen in some school play, the tension builds between us and by the climax of our big scene when the Lady of the Manor accuses Princess Caraboo of being a fraud and she’s fighting back with all the energy she can muster, the atmosphere in the room is electric and I suddenly realise I’m physically shaking. At the end, everyone breaks out into spontaneous applause and even Mad Mulligan is raving.

  ‘That was amazing, girls! Fantastic! Elle you really nailed that scene,’ she tells us as if we were on some TV talent show or something. ‘You keep it up and this play is going to be the best this school has ever produced. If it’s that good, we’ll take it to the drama festival next term. And come back with a stonking big trophy!’

  As I glow in her praise, I notice the look on Cait’s face and the light in her eyes. We may not be friends any more, I think bitterly, but being enemies has some benefits.

  I’m loving every single moment I’m on stage and I’m devastated when the rehearsal finishes all too quickly. Once Mad Mulligan calls time and tells us to hurry back to our lessons, Cait looks through me as if I am invisible. She walks straight past me, waving to PJ who’s standing at the hall doorway, waiting for her.

  ‘You were total dog poo!’ he announces loudly, so everyone can hear.

  Her face flushes red and she stares at him, embarrassed.

  ‘Only joking!’ he says as he hugs her, but the look on his face says different and I realise that he’s enjoying seeing her squirm.

  For one tiny moment he reminds me of Dad.

  They walk off up the corridor, with his arm clamped around her shoulder, pulling her tightly towards him, and suddenly I feel I should say something, call out, warn her. But we’re not friends any more – we officially hate each other. So I don’t. I don’t say a word. Besides, what could I say? Be careful, Cait, PJ is like my dad?

  I haven’t actually told her or anyone else what my dad is really like and I would never dream of doing that, so she wouldn’t have a clue what I was talking a
bout.

  She’s late into registration but makes an excuse about having to see one of the teachers. As she slips past me to the desk in front of mine she leans over and coldly whispers one word.

  ‘Liar.’

  Chapter 32

  Grace

  I catch Ellie after school as she’s hurrying down to the hall for her second play rehearsal.

  ‘How’s it going?’ I ask.

  ‘Great,’ she tells me as she darts a wary glance at Cait, a few metres ahead of her.

  ‘Want me to hang around?’ I ask, trying to disguise my concerned big sister voice.

  ‘Give over,’ she retorts. ‘See you back home.’

  She runs into the hall. A couple of girls rush up to her and the three of them start to chatter excitedly together. Cait hangs back, leaning on the other side of the stage, staring at Ellie with daggers drawn and I’m wondering what’s going on between them as Ryan approaches.

  ‘You ready?’ he asks.

  I nod. ‘Let’s go,’ I whisper, glancing at Ellie who’s totally forgotten I’m here as she giggles with her friends.

  As we walk back to Ryan’s house, he tells me more about Beachfest.

  ‘There’ll be fireworks and about eight bands. Maybe even a big name or two. It’s on every year, in aid of the lifeboat station down on the quay,’ he says. ‘Dad used to be a crew member.’

  He’s quiet for a moment.

  ‘He saved a man from drowning once,’ he adds quietly.

  ‘Is . . . is that why he’s in a wheelchair now?’ I ask.

  ‘No.’ Ryan replies, his face clouding. ‘He’s ill. He’s got MS.’

  I look at him blankly.

  ‘It’s a horrible illness that creeps up on you, slowly paralysing you, till you can’t move.’

  ‘That’s awful, Ryan, I’m so sorry.’

  ‘Yeah, well, it’s very slow, and sometimes he even seems to get a bit better for a little while, and there’s always new cures, aren’t there? Stem cells . . . I dunno, stuff like that, so it’s not all doom and gloom. I’m sorry I . . . it’s just I want to do something – something to make him proud of me, and the band’s all I can think of.’