by Ann Bryant
After Celine had received her prize, Brian said he was sorry but he couldn’t whip the other runner-up’s entry out of his bag, because it was far too big, and neither could we look around and see it because it was too far away. “But,” he went on, “if I were to say the word ‘Hidden’, what would spring to mind?”
Georgie’s voice rang out loud and clear. “That tree house thingy!”
There was instant laughter and when it died down Brian chuckled and said he thought “That tree house thingy” didn’t quite do it justice, but yes, that was the other runner-up. “So, many congratulations to Claudia Driver!”
I was trying to work out in my mind who would be the overall winner of the junior category. It would have been so amazing if it was Katy, but I guessed that Brian wouldn’t choose two pieces of jewellery. Maybe it would be that fabulous gargoyle.
“And finally, the winner of this junior section.” Again, the rustling and chatting dissolved into a deep silence.
“Now, many of you might not have even seen this winning entry as you’ve been looking round today, but I’m sure you’ll all go and see it once I tell you about it. I didn’t see it myself at first because it’s way over there…” He pointed. “Near the place where you keep your pets.” He paused and grinned round, and then a murmur went round the audience. “But Mr. Cary pointed me in the right direction and I found myself at the school rubbish dump…”
I felt a gasp rising up inside me and I swung round to look at Grace, but she was staring straight ahead, her shoulders tensed right up.
“On the rubbish dump were four figures made of twisted wire and dressed fantastically in painted bubble wrap. They were lying there as though they’d been chucked off the edge of the world, and I can honestly say that the sight of those figures, who seemed to be staring tragically up into the sky, had more effect on me than any piece of art I’ve seen for a very long time.”
My throat felt tight and tears were coming into my eyes. Grace stood closer to me and I saw that her face had gone a bit red, but she kept her eyes straight ahead, and I did the same because Brian was carrying on.
“I’d like to read you what was written on the plaque beside this piece of art.”
He produced a card from his pocket and I bit my lip, my heart thumping fearfully as Brian’s voice rang out. “This is a bunch of people on the rubbish heap who can’t see properly. Why can’t they see?”
My hand shot to my mouth. No! Don’t read any more. I can’t bear it. These were the words I’d written in a big temper. But then I realized Brian had stopped reading and he was looking round his audience very slowly. “That’s all it says,” he announced finally. “And that is part of the genius of the piece. Why can’t they see? The artist has left the audience to give whatever meaning they want to these frail wire people. I have my own feelings about it, but…they may not be the same as the artist’s. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the beauty of art. There is no right or wrong!” He smiled round and I felt shivers rushing all over me. It was like a dream. Perhaps I was dreaming. Perhaps I would wake up any minute now and plummet into my real world.
A murmur was rippling through the audience. But who won? Who did it? Who’s the winner?
And then my name was announced and I realized it definitely wasn’t a dream because I was being shoved forwards by my friends as everyone else clapped and cheered.
“Go on!” whispered Grace.
“You total genius!” squeaked Katy.
I felt hands patting me on the back and the shoulders and the arms as I tried to find a path through the crowd. “Congratulations!” “Well done, Jessica!” “Brilliant!”
And then Isis’s voice, loud and clear. “You’re so clever, Jess. Well done!”
I was gobsmacked, and fully expected to see a mocking look on her face, but when our eyes met I saw something I’d never seen in Isis before. It was real admiration, and I walked on air all the rest of the way to the front, where Brian Hodgson’s big friendly smile seemed to guide me right up to him. As we shook hands, with the clapping and cheering and whooping and whistling going on all around us, Brian gave me a thoughtful look. “You’ve got a rare talent there, Jessica. Take great care of it, won’t you?”
I nodded and smiled. I would take great care of it.
Brian had convinced me that I wasn’t completely useless at everything. I might be no good with words, but I had enough artistic talent to be praised by a great artist – and that was something to be truly proud of.
Then he handed me an envelope and wished me the best possible luck for the future. “Not that you’ll need it. You’re a rising star,” he added, which made my heart sing as I walked on air again, back to my friends. By the time I got there the clapping had finally faded and people were starting to move away.
“Look, everyone’s gone to look at your art, Jess,” said Naomi, clapping her hands together like a little girl. “See you in a minute!”
And that was when I started to step out of my dream and to wonder what on earth had happened to bring my card into Brian Hodgson’s hands. The last time I’d seen it was just before I’d put it under my pillow. I just didn’t get it.
As soon as Grace and I were completely on our own I swooped on her. “I don’t understand what happened with my card!”
She bit her lip. “I…I saw you writing something last night in bed, because I was wide awake, only I pretended to be asleep. And I saw you put whatever it was under your pillow, and I could tell you were in a state. So this morning when you went to the bathroom I took it out and read it, and it made me sad… In fact, it made me so sad that I was suddenly determined to do something about it.”
I gasped. “But what about my terrible spelling?”
“It’s okay. I got the first two sentences in my head, then I rubbed out the whole thing and wrote out just those first two sentences so they filled up the card nicely. Are you…cross?” She looked as though she was holding her breath, waiting for my reply, and it suddenly hit me that she was the very best possible best friend in the world.
I gave her a hug and felt the tears at the backs of my eyes again. “No, of course not. How could I be cross? I’ve just won the exhibition, thanks to you.”
“When I went to Mr. Cary at morning break and said you’d changed your mind, he looked as though he didn’t believe me and I went red and suddenly found myself telling him the truth – I mean the whole truth, about everything. I hope…you don’t mind. Then I handed him the card and said you’d written it after lights out. I didn’t tell him I’d changed it a bit.”
My hand went to my mouth in horror. “Wh…what did he say?”
“He asked me to show him your piece and I took him to the rubbish dump and he just stared and stared. He had tears in his eyes and he asked me where I thought we should put the card, and I said ‘What, so we’re leaving the figures here? I think Jess wanted them to lean against a tree looking out in all four directions.’ And he said, ‘No, what Jess wanted in the end was to chuck them on this rubbish heap. So that is exactly where we’ll leave them.’ Then he took the card and placed it really carefully between the fingers of the smallest figure.”
Grace put her arm round me. “I told the others what I’d done at lunchtime, because I couldn’t bear to be the only one keeping such a massive secret!” She smothered a nervous giggle. “They couldn’t believe it. Georgie called me a black horse, until Naomi pointed out that she actually meant dark horse!”
I laughed then. It was a big spluttery laugh of relief and joy.
Grace grabbed my hand. “Come on, Jess. Let’s go and join the others to look at your piece.”
We jogged all the way and I couldn’t believe that so many people were still congregated around the rubbish dump.
“Aha! Here’s the artist!” said Brian, seeing us approaching. “There are a lot of people here wanting to be put out of their misery, Jessica. Everyone wants to know what you think is the answer to your question ‘Why can’t they see?’”
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br /> I spotted Naomi and Katy and Mia at that moment and they all looked at me with waiting, wondering eyes, and then Georgie was grinning at me, and Grace shuffled a bit closer to me, and I suddenly realized how lucky I was to have these special friends, and also how silly I was ever to have thought they wouldn’t stand up for me no matter what I’d done. And on the other side of the rubbish dump stood Mr. Cary. Our eyes met and he broke into a big smile as he gave me a thumbs up and a little nod.
“They couldn’t see because they had their eyes closed,” I answered firmly, “but I think they’re open again now.”
Mr. Cary moved round towards me and Brian. “In which case,” he said in his announcer’s voice for all to hear, “we must move them off this rubbish dump and find the perfect place for them at Silver Spires.”
“What about the reception hall?” came Miss Carol’s voice from somewhere amongst the crowd. “They’ll look wonderful with those sparkling lights shining on them!”
“What do you think, Jess?” asked Mr. Cary.
“I think that would be perfect,” I replied, feeling the little private light inside me glowing more brightly than surely even the chandelier, with all its teardrops, could ever glow.
And at that same moment, Grace and I exchanged a look.
A best friends’ look, that said more than a thousand words.
School Friends Fun!
I love being at Silver Spires – not only are my best friends here, but with all the activity and excitement it’s the perfect place for capturing cool arty images, which look fab on my pinboard. Why not try snapping pics of your friends to decorate your room too?
Getting snap happy!
I carry my camera everywhere I go, to make sure I never miss that perfect photo opportunity. Sometimes the most interesting images come from the most unexpected places – half the fun is finding them! Here are my top tips for stunning photos.
* Try taking pics at the eye level of your subject – so if it’s your pet, get on the ground with them. Making a connection with your subject means your shot will be more direct and have greater impact.
* Check the area around your subject before you snap your perfect pic, or you might get unexpected results, like trees sprouting from heads!
* Fed up with the usual cheesy grins and posed pics? Then make like the paparazzi and catch your friends unawares for natural, relaxed shots. Catch them reading, chatting or enjoying their fave hobby – but know when to stop. Nobody likes pictures of themselves snoring or stuffing their faces…
* Cameras are fab for capturing memorable moments at parties…but if it’s your party, you may be too busy enjoying yourself to take photos. Ask your friends to snap all the little details you may have missed, from decorations to clearing up…the results can be surprisingly funny!
* Remember, you’re in charge of the camera. Pose your subjects, add props, and experiment. Snap pictures from above and below, and at crazy angles. Take control over the way you want your pictures to look. After all, you’re the artist!
So what are you waiting for? Grab your friends and have some School Friends fun!
Now turn the page for a sneak preview of the next unmissable School Friends story…
Chapter One
“No, I can’t!” I insisted, shaking my head firmly. “Not in a million years!” I added, in case any of my friends hadn’t quite got the message.
“But you’re so talented, Mia!” said Georgie, my very best friend. “You play the piano like…brilliantly, and you sing like…brilliantly!”
I couldn’t help laughing. She looked so funny, throwing her hands in the air dramatically, as only Georgie can.
“And that song you made up is lovely,” added Naomi, smiling.
“No, I really can’t,” I repeated. “I’d just be too scared. I mean far too scared!” I folded my arms, and probably looked stubborn and immature. But I couldn’t help it. The thought of entering the Silver Spires junior singer/songwriter contest simply filled me with dread.
“I know what you mean about being nervous,” said Grace. “I still get nervous every time I do any competitive sport.”
I smiled gratefully at Grace. “And this is in front of the whole school,” I said quietly. But in my heart I knew that even if it was in front of just the Year Sevens, I’d still never be able to manage it. “I’d…die.”
“Which wouldn’t be very helpful if you were just about to sing!” said Georgie, looking at me as though I was hopeless.
“Don’t pressure her,” said Naomi. “Not everyone’s as outgoing as you, Georgie!”
I thanked Naomi for that, with my eyes. She’s the wise one of the group and I was really pleased that she understood how I felt.
“Well I think Mia needs to be pushed!” said Jess, folding her arms. “She’s just too modest!”
The five of us were sitting under one of the trees on the grass behind the main Silver Spires building. Well actually only four of us were sitting under the tree. Georgie was stretched out in the sun. She’d rolled her school skirt over at the waist to make it as short as possible, and she’d tied a knot in her shirt so her stomach could get tanned as well as her legs. It was morning break, and there were loads of other Silver Spires students dotted all over the huge grassy area, some of them lying back sunbathing, others just sitting and chatting. It was the second half of the summer term and also the beginning of the lovely hot weather. It gives me such a nice feeling to be able to look round and know that I’m a part of this beautiful place. Silver Spires is just the best boarding school in the world.
My eyes flicked round my friends and landed on Georgie. “You’re getting very pink,” I told her. “Did you put sun cream on?”
She sighed. “Why did I have to be born with such pale skin? Why can’t I be black, like Naomi? Or at least a bit darker than I am, like Grace.”
Grace is from Thailand and it’s true she’s got lovely olive-coloured skin. She sighed and mumbled something about thinking her looks were boring, while Naomi laughed, then turned suddenly serious and stared into the distance. “We should just be happy with what we are, shouldn’t we?”
I guessed she was thinking about some of the poor people she’s met in Ghana, which is the country she comes from. Naomi is actually a Ghanaian princess, but she hates people knowing that. She feels very lucky to have been born into a wealthy family, and she spends loads of time in the school holidays working for a charity that builds wells in Ghana.
“Well, I’m just as pale as you, Georgie,” I quickly said, because Naomi looked sad, and I wanted to bring her back to the here and now.
“And I’ve got freckles but I don’t care!” laughed Jess.
“Yes, that’s another complaint I’ve got,” Georgie said, sitting up suddenly. “I’d be fine with being pale as long as I had a ‘don’t care’ attitude like you two!”
So then we all laughed, and I felt happy that we’d got away from the subject of the Silver Spires Star contest, because the very thought of singing my own song in front of an audience made me feel quite panicky, and I didn’t like my friends trying to push me into it. It was embarrassing and pathetic that I had such a fear of performing in public, especially because music is so important to me and I love playing the piano. But what happened when I was six years old has left a terrible mark on me.
It was my first local music festival and I was playing a piece by Handel. We were all supposed to announce our pieces and say the name of the composer before we played. I remember looking out at all the faces and trying to find Mum and Dad and my baby brother, but Mum’s seat was empty. It turned out that she’d had to take my little brother out because he’d started to cry, but I didn’t know that at the time and I just felt frightened to see all the faces but no Mum. When I came to announce my piece, in my worried state I couldn’t remember the name of the composer, but I knew it reminded me of a doorknob, so that’s what I said… “Intermezzo, by Door Knob.” And I remember wanting to cry because I didn’t understand why
people started laughing. And I got so upset then that my fingers didn’t seem to work properly and I played the piece terribly and got the worst mark of anyone.
The next year, my teacher tried to persuade me to enter the music festival again but I refused. When I was eight I finally agreed to give it another try, but I felt so sick when I got onto the stage that I had to run off and straight out of the hall, otherwise I would have been sick in front of the whole audience.
After that I never entered one of the town music festivals again, and neither did I play piano in concerts at my primary school, even though my teachers and then my friends tried and tried to persuade me. In the end the teachers gave up because I think Mum must have had a word with them, but my friends wouldn’t leave me alone. None of them knew what had happened at the music festivals, and it was far too embarrassing to explain, so I just kept on making excuses that I’d hurt my finger or didn’t have a piece ready, or even that I’d lost my music, which all seems ridiculous now.
It was a relief when the Year Six concert at my old school came and went without me having to play in it, but then I came here to Silver Spires and now it looks as though my problems are starting all over again. The real trouble is that I should be able to play in public, and I so wish I could. After all, real musicians perform in front of audiences and that’s what I want to be, more than anything. Music is such a big part of my life that I ought to just make myself get over my fear…only I can’t. And even if I managed, by some miracle, to play the piano in public, there are two extra layers of nervousness with this Silver Spires Star contest. You have to write the song yourself, and sing it.
I’ve only written the one song that my friends had heard in my life, and I don’t know if it’s any good. I wrote it almost exactly a year ago, last May, when I was in Year Six at my primary school. I was feeling really sad at the time because I knew I was going to be coming here to Silver Spires Boarding School in September, and although I was excited in some ways, I also knew I’d really miss Mum and Dad and my little brother. And I was right, because I did get homesick during the first few weeks, and I even found it hard coming back to school after the holidays for this third term. But I’m lucky because I’ve got the best, best friend in the world.
