Alice & Megan Forever

by Judi Curtin

  Luckily someone at the other side of the room dropped something and Miss Leonard went over to investigate.

  ‘Was that self-raising flour you used?’ I asked.

  Alice shrugged.

  ‘How would I know? I thought there was only one kind. Anyway it’s too late now. Help me pack up and we can get out of here before Miss Leonard finds something else to give out about.’

  She shoved the cakes into her bag, gave the table a quick wipe, and then we set off for home.

  After a while, a dog started to follow us.

  ‘Look,’ said Alice. ‘He smells the cakes. The poor little thing must be hungry. Here, doggie. You can have one.’

  She reached in to her bag and pulled out a cake. She held it towards the dog. He sniffed carefully, and then ran away whining.

  Grace and I laughed.

  ‘What?’ said Alice, like she didn’t know what was so funny.

  Grace and I laughed some more.

  Alice shrugged.

  ‘It’s not my fault,’ she said. ‘If there was a class in ordering pizzas, I’d get an A for sure.’

  I laughed again. That afternoon had been the most fun I’d had in ages.

  Secondary school wasn’t turning out the way I had hoped, but I knew I’d always have Home Ec on Fridays to look forward to, and things seemed a little bit better

  Chapter ten

  On Monday morning, I went to my locker, gathered up my books and walked slowly to my first class. Kellie came in just as I was taking out my homework. She smiled when she saw me.

  ‘Hi, Megan,’ she said.

  ‘Hi,’ I said back.

  I so badly wanted her to sit next to me, but didn’t know how to say this without sounding like an idiot. I just hoped that somehow she’d know.

  She stood next to my desk for a minute. I didn’t know what to say, and it looked like she didn’t either. I thought about telling her about my new phone. Maybe if she knew I had a phone, she’d think I was cool enough to be friends with. But then I changed my mind. Maybe she’d somehow figure out that it was my first phone ever. Or maybe when she heard my phone wasn’t a fancy one that could show videos, she’d think I was a total loser.

  I tried to think what Alice would do in this situation. I didn’t have to think for very long. She’d just ask Kellie to sit down next to her. Suddenly I understood something – if I wanted to make friends in this class, I’d just have to be brave.

  I took a deep breath,

  ‘Er, … Kellie …’, I began, but before I could finish, Marcus was beside us. He edged past Kellie, and sat in the seat beside me.

  ‘Hi,’ he muttered, and then he put his head down on the desk like he was going to go to sleep.

  ‘You were saying?’ said Kellie.

  I shook my head.

  ‘It’s nothing,’ I said. ‘See you later.’

  Kellie shrugged and went to sit at the other side of the room.

  Marcus suddenly sat up straight and stared at my open exercise book.

  ‘Can I copy your homework?’ he said.

  I was kind of cross because he’d scared Kellie away, and I felt like saying no. Then I looked a bit closer at Marcus. He wasn’t wearing a jumper, and his school shirt was grubby and wrinkled. He looked kind of sick, and I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.

  ‘Are you OK?’ I asked.

  ‘I feel a bit…..’ he started to say, and then he seemed to change his mind. ‘Sure I’m OK,’ he said in a tough voice. ‘Not that it’s any business of yours.’

  I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just slid my homework towards him, and watched as he copied down every single word.

  * * *

  At break-time I decided it was time I asked Louise some more about Marcus.

  ‘What’s there to tell?’ she said. ‘He’s trouble. That’s all you need to know.’

  ‘I think he’s kind of cute,’ said Alice.

  She was right. There was something kind of cute about Marcus – in a dangerous kind of way.

  Louise sighed.

  ‘OK, so he’s cute. But he’s still trouble.’

  She stopped and thought for a minute.

  ‘But I suppose it’s not really his fault.’

  ‘Why?’ asked Grace.

  ‘Well, his mum died a few years ago. I don’t even remember her properly, and he probably doesn’t either. He doesn’t have any brothers and sisters. So it’s just Marcus and his dad. I suppose it’s kind of lonely for him.’

  ‘That’s awful,’ said Alice.

  She was right – it was awful. Poor Marcus – no wonder he didn’t seem very interested in school. He was probably too busy being sad all the time.

  I didn’t have time to worry about him though. Just then the bell rang, and I had to run to get my books ready for the next three classes.

  * * *

  Before the first class started, Kellie walked quickly past my desk, without even looking at me.

  A few minutes later, Marcus came and sat beside me. I remembered what Louise had said about him. I smiled at him, but he didn’t smile back.

  Mr Spillane must have had a bad weekend, because he was really cross. He kept giving out about stupid stuff. When one girl sneezed, he looked like he wanted to kill her. Then he walked past a desk and noticed that another girl didn’t have a textbook and he nearly went ballistic. He stormed around the class checking to see who had books. Of course, Marcus, as usual didn’t have one, and four others were missing books too. Mr Spillane started to shout.

  ‘You’re not babies anymore. Is it too much to ask that everyone have a book in class each day? You’ve had two weeks to get used to how the system works – and that should be quite long enough. I’ve made up my mind – anyone who doesn’t have a textbook tomorrow will be taking home a note from me to their parents. Is that clear? If you can’t cope with bringing books to class, maybe you’d be better off back in primary school.’

  I put my head down. I did like secondary school – sort of, but part of me wished myself back to primary school where everything was so much easier.

  At last lunch-time came. I pulled my lunch-box out of my school-bag, and stood up to go to the lunch room.

  ‘What have you got for your lunch?’ asked Marcus.

  He had barely spoken to me at all that day, and I almost jumped when I heard his voice.

  I hadn’t checked, but I knew what was likely to be in my lunch-box – all kinds of healthy stuff that Marcus would think was for losers.

  ‘Er … you know … nothing special … just food,’ I said.

  ‘Can I have some?’

  I gulped. After what Louise had said about him, I didn’t like to say no. Maybe his dad hadn’t bought any food for him. Maybe he was really hungry. Maybe that was why he looked so sick.

  But could I possibly give him a houmous sandwich, or a bag of sprouted seeds?

  Marcus was waiting for an answer, so I peeped inside the lunch-box. I could see a tub of chick peas, a bottle of carrot juice and two sandwiches.

  I couldn’t see what was in the sandwiches, but they didn’t look too gross, and they didn’t smell too bad.

  ‘You can have my sandwiches, if you like,’ I said, holding them towards him.

  Marcus didn’t need to be asked twice. He took the sandwiches from my hand.

  ‘Ta,’ he said, and then he went out of the room, eating the first of the sandwiches as he went.

  After lunch he came up to me.

  ‘Thanks, Megan,’ he said. ‘They were really nice sandwiches.’

  I wondered was he joking.

  Was this some kind of bullying that I wasn’t clever enough to understand properly?

  Marcus was smiling though, and I found that I believed him. He really did like the sandwiches. How weird was that?

  I felt kind of bad that my mum had made those sandwiches especially for me, and I’d given them away. Then I figured that she’d be proud of me for helping someone else. She’s always telling me to be gener
ous to people who aren’t as lucky as I am.

  Then I felt a sudden lump in my throat at the thought of Marcus who had no mum to do anything for him – even to make him gross, healthy sandwiches.

  Chapter eleven

  Next morning we had Mr Spillane’s class first. Even the thought of it made me nervous, as I stood at my locker and got my books ready for the first three classes.

  What if I brought the wrong book to class by mistake?

  Mum and Dad would kill me if I brought a note home from school. The only bad thing about having a phone was that they were forever threatening to take it from me as a punishment. If I brought a note home from a teacher, they’d probably take my phone and not give it back for about a hundred years.

  I double-checked that I had the right books and went to class. Marcus was there before me. As usual he didn’t have a book in front of him.

  ‘Why didn’t you bring your Geography book?’ I asked as I sat down next to him. ‘You’re going to be in big trouble.’

  Marcus shrugged.

  ‘How could I bring a book, when I don’t even have one?’ he asked.

  He spoke in a tough kind of voice, but something made me feel sorry for him again.

  Why didn’t he have a book?

  Maybe his father wouldn’t give him money for one?

  Maybe his father gave him the money and he spent it on food?

  ‘But Mr Spillane is going to write a note in your diary,’ I said.

  Marcus nodded.

  ‘I know. And I’m going to be in so much trouble. It’s going to be my fifth note. My dad will go crazy. He’s really violent sometimes. He’ll …’

  He didn’t finish the sentence. I gulped. My dad wouldn’t hurt a fly. I couldn’t begin to imagine what a violent father would be like. Poor Marcus.

  Just then Mr Spillane walked in to the room.

  ‘I haven’t forgotten my promise,’ he said.

  ‘I’m coming around to check who has managed the very difficult task of bringing their Geography book to class.’

  He walked slowly around the room, checking every table. It was kind of creepy as everyone sat in total silence. Soon I could hear Mr Spillane’s footsteps behind me. I made a sudden decision. I carefully slid my book over to Marcus’s side of the desk. Marcus gave me a funny look, but he didn’t say anything.

  Mr Spillane was beside us.

  ‘Megan?’ he said in surprise.

  I could feel my face going red.

  ‘I’m very sorry, Sir,’ I said. ‘I was studying Geography at home last night, and I left my book in my bedroom.’

  Mr Spillane folded his arms and looked at Marcus. ‘Megan has forgotten her book, and you’ve managed to bring a book for once in your life? Is this a co-incidence, or is there something funny going on?’

  Marcus didn’t answer. I held my breath and hoped that Mr Spillane wouldn’t open the book and see my name written inside.

  I smiled and tried to look innocent.

  ‘I’m really sorry,’ I said. ‘I’ll bring my book tomorrow.’

  Mr Spillane sighed.

  ‘I’m surprised at you, Megan,’ he said. ‘But a promise is a promise. Take out your diary.’

  He opened my diary and I watched as he wrote in his slanty handwriting. Despite a strict warning, Megan has not brought her Geography book to class today. Please discuss this matter with her.

  I sighed. He didn’t know what he was doing. Didn’t he know how long my mum needs to discuss anything? She could lecture me for hours about this. And then she’d probably take my phone too.

  Mr Spillane gave me back my diary.

  ‘Get your parents to sign this,’ he said. ‘I’ll be checking tomorrow.’

  Then he went to the top of the classroom and started to write on the white-board.

  Marcus smiled at me.

  ‘Thanks,’ he said. ‘You’re OK.’

  And then I totally embarrassed myself by going as red as the cover of the book that had got me into so much trouble.

  * * *

  After class, Jane came over.

  ‘That was your book that Marcus had, wasn’t it?’ she said.

  I didn’t answer.

  ‘He’s using you, you know,’ she said, as she walked away with her new best friend.

  Was she right?

  Was Marcus just using me?

  I wasn’t sure. All I was sure of was that when he smiled and said I was OK, I didn’t care if he was using me or not. I just wanted him to keep on smiling.

  Chapter twelve

  As soon as I got home, I took out my homework diary and showed the note to Mum. She read it a few times, like there was some hidden message in it that she couldn’t make any sense of. Then she sat down at the kitchen table, like the shock was too much for her. In my pocket I gripped my phone, getting ready to hand it over.

  ‘I can’t believe my eyes,’ said Mum. ‘You’re not in the school three weeks and already you’re bringing notes home?’

  I ran my fingers over the keys of my phone. I had waited so long for it, and I loved it so much. What would I do without it? How would I text my friends? Could life go back to the way it was before?

  I decided I had to tell the truth. Well sort of the truth anyway – telling the real truth about Marcus would make things much, much too complicated.

  ‘You see, Mum,’ I began. ‘I actually brought my book to class. I always do. I’m really careful about stuff like that. But the … er … person next to me didn’t have a book. And that person has parents who are really, really strict and ……’

  ‘And you lent her your book so she wouldn’t get into trouble?’ finished Mum.

  I didn’t correct her. She thought I’d lent my book to a girl, and I wasn’t letting her know she was wrong.

  I nodded slowly. Mum didn’t answer for a while. I wondered if that was a good sign. With my mum you can never be sure about that kind of thing.

  After ages Mum gave a big sigh.

  ‘I don’t know what to say to you, Megan,’ she said.

  So don’t say anything, and especially don’t say that you’re going to confiscate my phone.

  After another long silence Mum spoke again.

  ‘What you did was very kind, and I like to see that. On the other hand, I don’t want the teachers getting a bad impression of you so early in the term. Anyway, maybe we can overlook things just this once, but if it happens again, your friend will just have to be brave and take her punishment. Or maybe you could help her to get organised, so it doesn’t happen any more.’

  I didn’t answer. How could I help Marcus? His problems were so big I wouldn’t even know where to start.

  ‘Now get me a pen,’ continued Mum. ‘I’ll sign your diary and I’ll get Dad to sign it too as soon as he’s home.’

  I raced to get a pen before she had time to change her mind. Then I ran into my bedroom, took out my phone and looked at it.

  It had been a narrow escape.

  * * *

  On the way to school in the morning, I started to tell Alice what had happened the day before. I’d just got to where Mr Spillane was promising to send notes home, when Alice grabbed my arm.

  ‘Look,’ she said, pointing. ‘Look over there.’

  I looked, but wasn’t quite sure what I was supposed to be looking at.

  ‘Over there,’ said Alice. ‘It’s an old lady.’

  She was right. There was an old lady standing on the edge of the footpath, but what was so interesting about that?

  Alice went on to explain.

  ‘Our religion teacher was telling us all about helping old people. She said sometimes they can’t see or hear very well, so things that would be simple to us could be really hard for them.’

  We were very near the old woman now.

  ‘Look,’ said Alice. ‘The poor old lady can’t get across the road. We have to help her.’

  Before I could say anything, Alice was shouting in the old lady’s ear.

  ‘Don’t w
orry,’ she said. ‘We’ll help you.’

  Then before the old lady could say anything, Alice took her arm and practically dragged her across the road. Because I couldn’t think of anything else to do, I followed them.

  As soon as we were all safely on the footpath, Alice let go of the woman’s arm.

  ‘No need to thank me,’ she said. ‘I’m happy to help.’

  The woman waved her walking stick in Alice’s face.

  ‘What on earth are you going on about?’ she said.

  Alice looked at her, puzzled.

  ‘I was helping you across the road,’ she said.

  The woman waved her stick even closer to Alice’s face.

  ‘You silly girl,’ she said. ‘I wasn’t trying to cross the road. I was just waiting for the bus, and if I don’t get back across soon, I’m going to miss it.’

  Alice went red.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘Will I help you back again?’

  The woman shook her head crossly.

  ‘No, thank you. I can manage perfectly well on my own.’

  ‘But,’ began Alice, ‘our teacher said crossing roads can be hard for old people …’

  Now the woman laughed.

  ‘Thank you, dear, but I’m not old. I’m only eighty-three!’

  Then before Alice could say another word, the woman crossed the road just in time to catch the bus.

  Alice turned to me.

  ‘What are you laughing at?’ she said.

  I was laughing so much I couldn’t answer. Alice looked mad for a second, but then she saw the funny side, and we both laughed until tears were pouring down our cheeks.

  So I never told her the story about Marcus and the Geography book.

  Maybe it was just as well.

  Chapter thirteen

  Two weeks later, there was an overnight trip to an adventure centre for all first-years. I was really excited – two whole days with no school!