Becky's Terrible Term

by Holly Webb

  “Oh, she hasn’t. But I met her in the park on Saturday – she helped me catch my dog, Feathers. He’d run off after a squirrel and Becky found him. Feathers is really big, he’s a Golden Retriever, but she wasn’t scared of him like some people are – so that’s why I thought she must like animals,” Fran finished in a rush.

  Katie and Annabel felt miserable. They hadn’t even known Becky had gone to the park – normally they’d have got a detailed description of any dog Becky had met, right down to the colour of his collar. It just made them feel even more determined to sort all this out.

  “Did you talk to her for long?” asked Katie, thoughtfully.

  “No, that’s the funny thing – she ran off all of a sudden, said she had to go. I nearly went to talk to her again earlier on” – Fran nodded at Becky, still sitting reading on the steps – “but I wasn’t sure if she’d want to.”

  Just then the bell rang, and they all headed back to the classroom. Katie smiled at Fran. “Look, don’t worry. I bet she’d love to talk to you about your dog. Becky’s just shy sometimes – I’m sure it’ll sort itself out.” Or we’ll sort it for her, she said to herself grimly.

  Becky hadn’t spent her breaktime reading – she’d just been staring at her book, and mentally kicking herself for being so stupid with Fran on Saturday. There she’d been, a really nice possible-friend – with the most gorgeous dog ever – and Becky had run off like an idiot. She was going to have to apologize . . . sometime. . . She’d seen Fran hovering at break, and tried really hard to summon up the courage to wave at her. But what if Fran was cross because Becky had dashed off on Saturday? She might not want to talk to her again. Becky spent the rest of the morning moping to herself, and at lunchtime she wandered off on her own again, determined to make her sisters think she could manage without them. At the edge of the playground she nearly walked into Amy Mannering, and her two hangers-on.

  “Watch it!” Amy snapped nastily, tossing her strawberry-blonde hair. Then she sniggered to her friends. “One of the little Ryan triplets – we were wrong, Cara, they’re not tied to each other with string. Had a fight, have you?” she observed cruelly, noting Becky’s woebegone face. “Your sisters decided they’ve got better things to do than talk to you?” Amy’s friends laughed as she pointed to Katie and Annabel, both gossiping with friends.

  “Leave me alone. . .” Becky quavered, looking round desperately for help. She wasn’t used to being on her own in this kind of situation. The triplets had always attracted quite a lot of attention, and sometimes people were mean to them – Mum always said it was because other people found them threatening. (Becky couldn’t imagine anyone finding her threatening, especially not right now.) But whenever someone decided to have a go she’d always had Katie on one side, and Katie would stand up to anyone, whatever their size. Then she’d have Annabel on the other side, making funny comments about the person who was trying to upset them. Faced with the three of them, most people slunk away after a couple of minutes, especially boys, who always seemed to get embarrassed at being laughed at by three very pretty girls who couldn’t care less what was being said about them. Facing a pack of bullying girls on her own was a completely new experience, and Becky was lost.

  Amy, by contrast, appeared to know exactly what she was doing. “What’s it like being the boring triplet?” she taunted. “Annabel’s the funny one, Katie’s the clever one – what are you? Oh, I see, the crybaby,” she laughed, seeing Becky’s eyes fill with tears. “Go on, run and tell your big sisters we’re being all mean. If you think they’ll care,” she added shrewdly.

  Becky looked round desperately. Where were Katie and Annabel? Even though they weren’t talking to her, she was sure that if they knew what was happening they’d come and help. She stared hopefully over at the group on the other side of the playground, and saw Katie and Annabel looking straight at her, apparently having some kind of argument. Annabel looked as though she was coming to help – thank goodness! – but Katie was stopping her. What was going on? As Becky watched, Annabel gave her a last worried look, shrugged and went back to the huddle, turning her back on Becky.

  This had never happened before. In Becky’s world, your sisters were there to protect you, always. She looked back at the sneering faces of Amy and her little groupies. What was she going to do? Tears streaming down her face, she did the only thing she could think of – she ran.

  Annabel was feeling torn apart. Although she always seemed confident and had a funny answer for everything, she was also very soft-hearted, and she was gutted about what had just happened to Becky. She and Katie had been happily chatting until Annabel happened to look up, and spot Becky and her tormentors. She’d grabbed Katie’s arm. “Look – isn’t that Amy over there? I think she’s having a go at Becky! Come on!” and she’d started to head across to sort it out, her natural reaction – no one was going to get away with something like that.

  But Katie had caught hold of her sweater. “Leave it, Bel! We can’t just run over there, we’re leaving Becky alone, remember? That’s what she wanted. She doesn’t want us to help. Look, we’ll talk about it at home.” Katie folded her arms stubbornly and glared at Bel, as though daring her to disobey.

  “But­­—” said Annabel, looking worriedly back and forth between her sisters, sure she could feel Becky’s misery.

  “No.” And Katie pulled Annabel round, fixing her with a stare that seemed to pin her to the ground. Katie was definitely the strongest character of the three triplets, and Annabel was just used to doing what Katie said. Helplessly, she went back to the game, casting one last worried look at Becky.

  That night Katie and Annabel held a Council of War. They hadn’t spoken properly to Becky since Friday evening now, and it was feeling almost painful. They still thought she was being an idiot, but just thinking that wasn’t getting them anywhere. Annabel was guilt-stricken over abandoning Becky at lunchtime, and she’d convinced Katie that this couldn’t go on. They were going to get Becky and Fran to be friends, whatever it took.

  “I still don’t see why we can’t just tell Becky how nice Fran is, and what a perfect mate she’d be,” argued Katie, lying on her bed and kicking her pillow crossly. They were up in their room, hiding from Mum more than Becky – Becky seemed to be spending all her time in the shed. She’d even started doing her homework in there, generally with Vanilla curled up in her lap trying to chew her exercise books.

  “Because, dimwit, one, we aren’t talking to Becky, and no way is she talking to us, especially after today, and two, how would you like it if Becky and I told you we’d found a perfect friend for you and all you had to do was go and say hello? You’d kill us. No. We’ve got to be sneaky,” mused Annabel, searching for ideas.

  “S’pose so,” said Katie, doubtfully.

  “What kind of dog did Fran say she’d got?”

  “A big Golden Retriever, why?”

  “Look at that!” crowed Annabel triumphantly, pointing at Becky’s chest of drawers.

  “Ohhh!” Katie went over and picked up the slim photo album lying on the top. She looked at the first picture. “Is that a Golden Retriever?” she asked hopefully.

  “Course it is, silly!” Annabel stretched out a hand for the album. “They almost all are. Becky cuts them out of her dog magazine. You know she’s desperate for a dog, and a retriever’s what she’d really like. That’s her dream dog.”

  “And Fran’s got one. There’s got to be something we can do with this!”

  “Mmm. Your turn, I’ve had today’s brainwave. Make us up a plan, Katie.” Annabel flopped back on to her bed, as though spotting the photo album had taken a lot out of her.

  “Well,” said Katie, slowly, thinking it out. “We’ve got to get them both talking, haven’t we? Without Becky running off in the middle like an idiot. I reckon if Fran sees this, she’ll ask Becky about it, won’t she? And maybe, maybe, if Becky’s not expecting it, she�
��ll be too surprised to be shy? What do you think?”

  “It’s OK, as far as it goes,” said Annabel critically. “But it’s not fantastic, is it? How do we get these photos in front of Fran, without Becky knowing?”

  “If it was in class” – Katie paced the room as she thought out loud – “Becky couldn’t run off! I think we’ve got to make it happen during the history lesson. Look, Becky’s got a folder for all the stuff Miss Fraser’s been giving us, hasn’t she? And she’s bound to get it out for something. We put that book in there, and there we go!”

  Annabel looked at her sister. “Honestly. Is that the best you can come up with? I find you a brilliant opportunity, and that’s your plan?”

  Katie raised an eyebrow at her sister. She knew this game – Annabel loved being contrary whenever she could.

  “Oh, all right then,” Bel conceded. “Have we got history tomorrow?”

  “Think so. It’s a double after lunch, isn’t it? We’ll have to sneak the album into Becky’s bag after she’s got up, somehow. She’ll notice if we do it now.”

  “Good,” said Annabel in a satisfied way. “It makes me feel very nice, doing all this for Becky, when she’s basically being a complete pain.”

  Katie’s eyebrow went up again, and Annabel grinned shamefacedly. They both knew quite well that she was missing Becky loads, she just wasn’t going to say so – not without turning it into a heartbreaking dramatic scene, anyway.

  Annabel and Katie spent the next morning feeling like daring conspirators, jumping every time Becky even looked their way. By the time it got to the history lesson just after lunch, they were nervous wrecks.

  “Did you put it on top of her folder?” hissed Annabel to Katie, as she passed her, on the way to sharpen a pencil that was already sharp enough to stab Max with.

  “No, just underneath the photos of the school Miss Fraser gave us. Oh, I hope she takes it out soon – why am I so nervous?”

  Over on her table, Becky’s group were trying to work out what their project was actually going to be about. They had loads of facts – but what were they going to do with them?

  “Becky,” asked Jack, politely, but giving Robin a watch out, I could be taking my life into my hands here kind of look. “Have you got all that stuff about our school? Maybe we could do something about how it’s changed?”

  Becky nervously scrabbled through her folder, and Annabel and Katie gazed at each other in a kind of horrified delight.

  “It’s a good idea, but that’s the problem – I think everyone will do that,” said Fran worriedly. “It would be nice to be different –oh!” She broke off and squeaked in delight. “Becky, that looks just like Feathers, is that your dog? You didn’t say you had one as well!” She leafed eagerly through the album.

  Becky was completely confused. “I – no. That’s – oh, you’ll laugh. I don’t even know what it’s doing in here!” She looked shyly at Fran and the others. “You’ll think I’m really stupid.” Then she thought, Oh, who cares, they probably do anyway. “I haven’t got a dog at all – these ones are from magazines. They’re the kind of dog I’d love to have one day. You’re so lucky,” she told Fran enviously. “Have you seen her dog?” she asked Jack and Robin. They shook their heads. “Well, he’s just like that – only gorgeouser.”

  “And normally muddier,” grinned Fran. “You may think he’s gorgeous. Wait till he’s dragged you over a few molehills.”

  They all laughed – and Becky joined in.

  “So why don’t you have a dog?” asked Fran.

  “Two cats,” explained Becky. “And my mum says she’s got enough to look after with the three of us, without a dog too. I’m working on her, though. I’m sure the cats could cope.”

  Katie and Annabel watched gleefully as they all chatted – it was working! Becky caught them staring, and gave a small, hesitant smile, which got her two big grins in return. She pointed Katie and Annabel out to Fran and the others. “I think those two put the album in there to make me talk to you.” She gave an embarrassed grin, and looked round the three of them, even daring to catch Jack and Robin’s eyes. “I’m not used to not having them to work with – sorry I’ve been a bit, um, weird.”

  “A bit? We thought you were off your head!” smirked Jack, until Fran cuffed him on the shoulder.

  “Ignore him. He thinks he’s funny. If you’ve always had your sisters around I can see it would be scary. But you’re OK now?”

  “Mmm.” Becky nodded shyly, and smiled at Fran.

  “Well, that’s good, ’cause I’m not,” snapped Jack. “That really hurt, I could tell Miss Fraser, you know!”

  Becky turned her sweet smile on him. “Would you really? You’d tell her a girl hit you?” she asked, very nicely, but trembling inside that she was daring to talk back to him – this was such an Annabel thing to say. . .

  Jack shuffled crossly in his seat. “Well, maybe not. I think I liked you better when you weren’t talking,” he added grumpily.

  “Shut up, Jack, I’ve just had a brilliant idea,” said Robin, sounding pleased with himself. “We all like animals, don’t we? I’ve got a dog, too.”

  The others nodded.

  “Yeah, I’ve got a lizard,” Jack offered, forgetting to stay cross. “Why?”

  “Well, why don’t we do our project on animals, then?” Robin looked quite excited. “About how they’ve been part of our town’s history. You know, carthorses, that sort of thing – there’s loads of animals in these pictures. No lizards though, Jack.”

  “Carrier pigeons during the war,” suggested Becky enthusiastically.

  “Did you know they actually ate horses during the Second World War when there was rationing?” Jack added gleefully.

  “Uurrgh!” said Fran. “That’s disgusting. But interesting, too. Robin, that’s a fab idea. And I bet no one else will do anything like it. Excellent!”

  “Maybe we should do some research online?” Robin suggested. “I bet my mum wouldn’t mind if you lot came round after school and used my laptop. ’Specially if I told her it was for homework – she might die of shock, though.”

  At the end of the lesson Katie and Annabel dashed up to Becky, who grinned at them. “S’pose you two think you’re really clever?”

  Annabel preened. “That would be because we are. It was my idea, of course. Katie just added a few of the finer details.”

  Katie rolled her eyes, and then gave Becky a hug. “Are you OK? Do you want us to kill Amy Mannering for you? We shouldn’t have left you to deal with her, Becky, I’m really sorry, but I was still so cross with you.”

  “It’s OK.” Becky was feeling on top of the world – Amy didn’t seem nearly as important and scary as she had yesterday. The idea that her sisters had gone to all that trouble to sort things out for her was making her feel as though she wasn’t just the crybaby triplet. OK, she was the idiotically shy one, but at least Katie and Annabel cared about her enough to set up that whole stupid plan. . .

  The walk home from school was very different that day. On Monday Katie and Annabel had stalked ahead, their backs radiating righteous indignation, as Becky trailed miserably behind. Today they just couldn’t stop talking. It couldn’t have been only four days since the row – it felt like for ever.

  “Fran really is nice, isn’t she, Becky?” begged Katie hopefully. “You do like her?”

  “Yes, lots. And Jack and Robin too. I was so lucky to end up in a group with them. All right, Bel, you can gloat now.”

  “Good. We’re brilliant, aren’t we, Katie? Absolute geniuses, especially me.” Annabel’s expression was sickeningly smug, and Becky and Katie exchanged a familiar long-suffering look. It felt so good to be able to do that again.

  Becky looked at them both seriously. “Sorry, you two. The whole thing was really stupid.”

  “You weren’t being stupid,” Katie reassured her.<
br />
  “No,” added Annabel. “She was being mind-numbingly, unbearably stupid. Big difference.”

  “Bel!” Becky and Katie looked at each other and then each took a firm grip on the jackets they were carrying – it was still too warm to wear them, but Mum insisted.

  “Noo!” squeaked Annabel as her sisters launched themselves at her, flailing jackets. “It was a joke!” But by this time she was breathless after two well-aimed jackets had thumped her in the stomach, and Katie and Becky were following up with their ultimate weapon – Annabel was extremely ticklish. A couple of minutes later she was hiccuping with laughter, and begging. “Stop it! Ooh, stop it! I’ll be sick! I really will!”

  They all leant on someone’s garden wall in a giggling heap.

  “Idiot!” gasped Annabel to Becky. “You –know – I didn’t – mean it!”

  “Of course not,” smirked Becky. “But it was a great excuse to tickle you senseless, wasn’t it?”

  She waggled her fingers meaningfully at Annabel’s neck, and her sister squirmed back clutching her jacket as a shield. “Don’t you dare!”

  “OK, OK! Truce. For the moment, anyway. Listen properly now, Bel? Just for a minute.”

  Annabel nodded, still recovering.

  “I just wanted to make sure that – that you two felt the same way I do. About us having other friends. I mean, I was really scared, ’cause I thought you didn’t want us to spend time with each other any more.”

  “No!” Katie sounded urgent. “Becky, I can’t believe you really thought that. You know we couldn’t stand not being friends with you. We want to have other people around sometimes, but we’re still more important to each other than anyone else.”

  “We’re triplets, Becky – that’s never going to change, ever,” agreed Annabel, serious for once.

  “Not even when you’re being a complete muppet, like now,” added Katie, pulling one of Becky’s bunches in a friendly sort of way. “Isn’t she, Bel?”