by Candy Harper
SATURDAY 23RD JUNE
Since Josette’s school arranged for us to go on a trip to Paris, you’d think my lot could have taken us to London. Nope.
I did suggest to Mum she might like to drive us there, but she packed us off to look at the cathedral. All I’m saying is you can take a look at a cathedral just as well from the outside as the inside.
Anyway, all Josette really wanted to do was snog Westy. I convinced Lily to come along and have a picnic, so that I had someone to talk to and something to snack on while I watched Westy and Josette chomping on each other. They did stop occasionally to tell rude jokes and tickle each other. At one point Westy rolled over Josette and I feared she’d be crushed so flat that I’d have to airmail her back to France, but everything seemed to ping back into place.
‘They’re quite . . . athletic with their kissing, aren’t they?’ Lily said. ‘Me and Arif usually don’t jump up and down when we kiss.’
‘Yeah, and I’m not sure anyone should try walking on a wall while snogging. That sort of thing ends up with broken teeth and someone’s mum saying, “What were you thinking?”’
I managed to get her home all in one piece and we stayed up late chatting. Josette mostly talked about Westy and I may have mentioned Ethan’s name once or twice.
SUNDAY 24TH JUNE
Westy came to see Josette off this morning. It was loud. Westy sang while Josette thumped on the coach window and started acting out some sort of story using other people’s heads as puppets.
They seemed to enjoy themselves. I’m glad Westy has found someone, even though their love will now be tested by great distance. They’ve made tons of plans for the summer holidays and they’re going to Skype a lot, and, as I said to Megs, it won’t even matter if their computers break, the volume those two chat at, they’ll still be able to hear each other across the Channel.
I was really sad to see that sweet mega mouth girl go.
LATER
After I’d seen Josette off I was drifting through town wondering if there would be anything decent for lunch, or if I should take the precaution of filling up on jelly babies, when something on the other side of the road, in the window of McDonald’s, caught my eye. It was a purple hooded top with stars on like the one Dawn was wearing that time she and Ethan came round to Westy’s. What really got my attention was the fact that the person in the hoodie was attached to the mouth of a tall blond boy. Dawn was kissing someone who definitely wasn’t Ethan.
I stopped and stared.
Someone bumped into me from behind. ‘Don’t block up the pavement!’ A man snapped at me.
I started walking again. Trying to get a better look at the purple hoody person in between the moving traffic, she’d turned her face away now, but I was sure it was Dawn.
Wasn’t it?
I needed to get across the road, but the cars were streaming past. I sped down the street to the crossing on the corner. My heart was speeding. What was I doing? Was this spying on Dawn? I mean I can pop into Maccy D’s if I want to. Besides, if you’re going to snog in a window then you obviously don’t care who sees you.
But by the time I’d crossed over, hurried back up the road and got inside McDonald’s, the purple hoody and the blond boy were gone. I was sure they hadn’t come past me so they must have gone out the side entrance.
I rang Megs.
She sucked in her breath when I told her. ‘Was it definitely her?’
‘Yes, I mean, I think so. I was sure it was her when I first saw them, but I never got to have a second look.’
‘Poor Ethan,’ Megs said. ‘Are you going to tell him?’
‘Of course.’ I hesitated. ‘Or maybe not. I’m not a hundred percent sure. What if it just starts a big argument between them and they end up splitting up, but all the time she was innocent?’
‘That would be perfect, wouldn’t it?’
‘No! I want Ethan to choose to be with me, not to end up with me because I’ve sabotaged his relationship.’
‘That’s not what you’re trying to do.’
‘No, but it might look like that’s what I’m trying to do. I’ve only just managed to convince him that I wasn’t telling him to split up with her last week. If I tell him this, he’ll just think that I’m bad mouthing her again.’
‘Hmm.’
‘I’m not sure that I should say anything. I don’t think I should meddle.’
‘But you love meddling!’
‘I’m trying to give it up.’
‘Maybe he’s fine with it; maybe that’s why he nearly snogged you at the carnival. Perhaps they’ve got that sort of relationship.’
‘Doesn’t sound very nice to me. But I suppose it is their relationship and we don’t know anything about it. I’m just going to keep my mouth shut – unlike Dawn.’
MONDAY 25TH JUNE
I keep thinking about Dawn. Actually, it’s Ethan I’m thinking about. I know that the whole thing is none of my business, but if one of my friends saw my boyfriend kissing someone who wasn’t me, I’d want them to tell me.
LATER
Except, of course, I don’t actually know how their boyfriend-girlfriend thing works. Maybe they’ve got some sort of arrangement like Megs said. Maybe if I tell Ethan I saw Dawn with another boy he’ll laugh and say “So what?”.’
LATER STILL
Even though it’s none of my business and there’s a teeny tiny possibility that it wasn’t even Dawn, ( just someone who looks exactly like her and has the same clothes as her) and even though Ethan will probably think I’m a jealous liar who is trying to interfere with his relationship, I think I am going to have to say something to him at debating club. At least then I’ll have tried to do the right thing.
TUESDAY 26TH JUNE
At lunchtime Icky came prancing up to me and Angharad, like an evil My Little Pony.
‘I saw you on Sunday afternoon,’ she said to Ang. Which is one of those stupid statements that I think is best responded to with a kick in the head.
Angharad, of course, has neither my violent tendencies nor my powerful leg muscles so she just nodded.
‘You were with that titchy Radcliffe boy. Is he your boyfriend? I bet people mistake him for your little brother, don’t they?
Ang was turning pink. ‘His name is Elliot an—’
‘And it’s none of your business who he is,’ I said. ‘We don’t ask impolite questions about who you’re hanging about with, Vicky. Mostly because it would take too long to learn to recognise all the different species of troll you’re friends with.’
‘Don’t insult my friends!’
‘All right, we can go back to insulting you if you like.’
‘I’m not the weirdo that was on a date in a museum.’ She turned back to Angharad. ‘You’re so sad.’
Angharad flinched.
‘I think it’s sadder that you had so little to do on your Sunday that you had to watch people on a date in a museum,’ I said.
‘I go on dates in the evening like a normal person.’
Angharad forehead crumpled into a frown. ‘Yeah, well . . . you wouldn’t have enjoyed it in the museum anyway, you wouldn’t have understood any of it.’
There was a burst of laughter and I realised the girls on the table behind us had been listening in.
‘Good one, Angharad!’ Becky said.
Icky opened her mouth to say something, but everyone was so pleased that lovely Ang had got one over on evil Icky that whatever nastiness came out of her big gob was completely lost in cheering and high fives.
WEDNESDAY 27TH JUNE
Angharad and I sat together this afternoon. It was Geography, so we were able to have a good chat because there wasn’t much else going on.
‘Do you think it’s weird to go on a date to a museum?’ she asked me.
‘I would think it much weirder if you and Elliot had gone clubbing.’
‘Why? People go clubbing with their boyfriends, don’t they?’
I took my yoghurt out of
my bag and pulled off the lid. ‘I think the whole idea of a date is that you do something that you both enjoy. The museum is perfect for you and Elliot.’
‘Perfect for geeks.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with being a geek. It’s just a word that people use when they’re jealous of how smart you are. It’s people like you who end up with the best jobs and get the most out of life. Icky’s too stupid to even enjoy a museum or an art gallery. We should feel sorry for her really.’
‘I suppose so. It’s just . . . I mean, I’m really glad Elliot likes the same stuff as me and I don’t really care what Icky thinks is a good place for a date, but sometimes I wonder if we’re doing other stuff right.’
‘What other stuff?’ I asked.
Her cheeks were flushed. ‘Kissing stuff.’
‘There isn’t really a right or a wrong way as long as you’re happy. Are you enjoying the kissing stuff?’
Angharad looked at the desk. ‘There hasn’t actually been any kissing stuff. I mean, Louise was here last week and then I saw him on Sunday after she’d gone and, well, nothing really happened.’
‘Oh. That’s okay. Do you want kissing to happen?’
‘Maybe. We did hold hands for a bit in the Egyptian room at the museum. That was nice.’
The yoghurt hadn’t filled much of a hole so I rummaged around in my lunch box again. ‘Elliot obviously likes you a lot. I’m sure you’ll get to the kissing. It’s the same as the museum. You don’t have to follow anybody else’s idea of what’s the right way to do it. Do what’s best for you and Elliot.’
She nodded. ‘That makes sense.’ She grabbed her pen and bent over her work. ‘Faith,’ she whispered. ‘Mr Cox is glaring at you.’
And then I had to listen to a long lecture about how we weren’t in the cafeteria and I should be thinking about my work not eating my lunch. Fortunately, I still had half a Kit Kat in my mouth, so sucking on that helped pass the time.
LATER
Ethan turned up late to debating club. Mrs Lloyd-Winterson had already launched into her introduction so there was no chance to speak to him then. I kept trying to catch his eye during the debate, but he spent almost the whole time staring out the window. Maybe he was thinking about Dawn. He didn’t look too happy though. When it was all over I shot out of my chair, but it’s quite hard to clear a pack of teenagers to one side even when you do use my special chop-and-pinch technique. I called out, ‘Ethan! Wait up!’ but either he didn’t hear me or he pretended not to. By the time I’d got down the stairs and outside he’d completely disappeared.
Why is doing the right thing so difficult?
And why does it have to involve running?
EVEN LATER
I was sort of relieved that I didn’t have to try to find the words to tell him about Dawn. But I can’t put it off forever, so I’ve sent him a text asking if he’s coming to the park with everybody after school on Friday. I’ll tell him about Dawn then.
THURSDAY 28TH JUNE
I’d just sauntered into school this morning and was wondering if Lily had arrived yet, (or more specifically if Lily’s lunch had arrived) when I was startled by Miss Ramsbottom appearing out of nowhere.
I looked around for a secret door. There wasn’t one, so I think that this confirms Miss R’s vampire abilities once and for all.
She was eyeing me up and down like I imagine you do when you’re deciding whether to buy a cow or not, so I said, ‘Nothing to see here. Just hurrying to my education, Miss Ramsbottom, with barely any contraband in my bag.’
She ignored all that. ‘Faith, could I have a moment of your time?’
That’s the first time she’s ever actually asked if I want to spend time with her. Normally she just starts bellowing at me without so much as a ‘Did you see Eastenders last night?’. I was tempted to tell her that I didn’t have a moment to spare because all my moments at school are taken up with snacking, flicking things at Megs and making up songs about Mr Hampton’s moustache, but curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to see what she wanted.
‘As you are aware,’ she said looking down at me from her incredibly high-heeled heels. ‘I have been organising the Green Schools Alliance conference, which is happening today.’
‘Oh, yes. I noticed the date ringed on my calendar of exciting school events as I leapt out of bed to get in a bit of simultaneous equations practice this morning.’
She eyed me up and down like I imagine you do when the cow you are thinking about buying produces a cowpat on your foot. ‘Yes, well, unfortunately, Sushma, who was due to give the main speech on our school’s green initiative is unwell.’
I could see where this one was heading. ‘That won’t look good for you, will it?’
She bristled like a brand new toothbrush. ‘Obviously, it’s not really my fault, but I would like our visitors to hear about the good work the school is doing.’
I remembered how enthusiastic Ang has been about this whole Green thing. ‘You could ask Angharad to do the speech.’
She shook her head. ‘Angharad is already busy acting as a guide. And, although she has exceptional organisational skills and is a lovely girl, she is perhaps a little . . .’
‘Quiet?’
‘. . . Shy.’
‘So what you’re looking for is someone who is loud and full of personality?’
‘Yes, I suppose so.’
‘That’s funny because ordinarily I find myself getting told off for those qualities.’
‘There’s no need to be cheeky, Faith. I am asking you if you would be prepared to take on the speech.’
I pretended to consider it. Ramsbum clearly needed my help and I was determined to make the most of it. ‘If I learnt this speech at the last minute and demonstrated admirable levels of eloquence and charisma then I’d really be a credit to the school, wouldn’t I?’
I had the pleasure of watching a small part of her die inside while she nodded.
‘The sort of girl that would be a real asset to the prefect team?’
The penny dropped. Her eyes hardened. ‘Yes, Faith, if you deliver this speech with your usual aplomb I will definitely put in a good word about you to the prefect selection committee.’
I beamed. ‘Obviously, I was always going to say yes.’
‘Obviously.’
And she handed me the speech with what I thought was an unnecessarily frosty glare given that I had just volunteered to save her bony behind.
I sauntered off to registration.
‘Are you eating custard creams again, Mrs Webber?’ I asked, leafing through the speech. ‘Because I may have to requisition them. I’ve got important work to do for the good of the school; I’ve got to learn this whole speech before eleven o’clock and I find I memorise better on a full stomach.’
‘Nope,’ said Mrs Webber through a suspiciously full mouth. ‘No biscuits here. What’s this speech?’
‘Miss Ramsbottom has entrusted me with the extremely difficult task of making her look like a decent human being who doesn’t hate students and totally cares about the environment.’
Mrs W raised her eyebrows.
‘I know. It’s a big ask, even for a girl of my talents. Basically, I’ve got to do this speech thing for those green people at the green thing. I’m the only person that can save her backsi— er, her back bacon.’
Mrs W brushed biscuit crumbs off her front. ‘Is it that, or is it that she’s desperate?’
I waved the three page speech at her. ‘Can you think of anyone else who could learn all this at the last minute?’
‘I’m not sure that you can learn it at the last minute.’
I looked down at the speech, there was rather a lot of it. ‘Maybe not, but I will carry off having not learnt it with style. Come on, wouldn’t you turn to me in an emergency?’
Mrs W gave it some thought. ‘No.’
I was a bit disappointed by this. ‘But I’ve got a lot of transferable skills! I’m strong and smart . . .’
&nbs
p; ‘Violent and volatile,’ Mrs W added. ‘Listen, I tell you what, if I’m ever murdered under suspicious circumstances I give you my full permission to avenge my death.’
‘I’d be honoured. And should the zombie apocalypse happen before you get truly ancient – let’s say thirty-eight, shall we? Then you’re very welcome to join my army.’
‘Sounds delightful. Now, hadn’t you better sit down and get on with half-learning that speech?’ And she swivelled round on her spinning chair so she had her back to me and carried on eating custard creams.
By selflessly working on it all through double RE I knew that speech inside out by eleven o’clock. I’d even added a few touches of my own. I was a teeny bit nervous before I had to stand up in front of dozens of teachers from other schools, but I managed to get through the whole thing and they seemed to like it. Miss Ramsbottom was clearly ecstatic. I could tell this because when I finished she threw caution to the wind and forgot about her brittle bones and clapped her hands together. Twice. That’s how good I was.
LATER
I’ve got to say the knowledge that Miss Ramsbottom owes me a favour is making me quite dizzy with joy.
FRIDAY 29TH JUN
I was planning my speech to Ethan all the way to the park but as soon as I got there and saw Megs’s face I knew something was up.
‘What?’ I asked.
Her face clouded. ‘He’s not coming. Cam says he’s split up with Dawn.’
‘No!’
‘Yep, and you’ll never guess why.’
My head was spinning. ‘Why?’
‘Apparently someone told him that they saw Dawn kissing someone else.’
I let out a breath. ‘So it was her. Is he upset?’
‘I don’t know. He didn’t say much to Cam, just that he’d broken it off with Dawn and he didn’t fancy coming out.’ She was watching me.
‘What?’ I asked.
