Sweet Hearts

by Jo Cotterill

  ‘Not an accident?’ Candy’s jaw dropped. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘When I was lying in bed late last night,’ said Fliss, her voice calm and steady, ‘I kept going over and over it in my head. And I realized something.’

  The whispers on stage suddenly fell silent. ‘Fliss, I don’t think this is quite the time or the place . . .’ Candy said, but Fliss held up a hand.

  ‘Please,’ she said. ‘I have to do this here and now. Because what I realized was . . . oil.’

  Samantha suddenly stumbled, and Fliss knew from the look on her face that she had been right to suspect her. ‘Ouch!’ cried Samantha. ‘I’ve twisted my ankle.’ But nobody took any notice.

  ‘Oil?’ said Candy, confused. ‘Oil where?’

  ‘On the top rung of the ladder,’ said Fliss. ‘Not on any of the other rungs. Just the top one. Which is why my feet slipped.’

  Candy was shaking her head. ‘There wasn’t any oil, Fliss. I checked the ladder after you’d gone. Honestly. It was dry as a bone.’

  Fliss nodded. ‘It was dry then. That’s because someone had had time to dry it with a cloth.’

  Candy went very still. ‘Fliss,’ she said quietly, ‘what exactly are you saying?’

  Fliss looked Candy squarely in the eye. ‘I’m saying someone deliberately tried to injure me.’

  Chapter 15

  what kind of sick person are you?

  THE BUZZ ON stage erupted into full-blown uproar. Everyone was looking at each other, exclaiming, whispering behind their hands, glancing around. ‘Quiet!’ shouted Candy. ‘Fliss, what you’re saying is very serious. I really think we should talk about this in private. Not in front of everyone.’ Candy started to walk towards Fliss. ‘Come on, let’s go and find somewhere we can talk.’

  ‘No,’ said Fliss firmly. Mari’s hand tightened in Victoria’s as the two of them hardly dared breathe. ‘It has to be here and now.’

  Candy’s lips tightened. ‘Fliss,’ she said, ‘I think you must be mistaken. There really wasn’t any oil on that ladder, you know. I did check it. And Samantha and I dried the set ourselves. You must have imagined it.’

  Fliss met her gaze levelly. Under her arm was the pair of shoes. She held them out. ‘I didn’t. Because there’s oil on these. See for yourself.’

  There was a dead silence. Only Samantha gave a small gasp, and Fliss felt a tiny flicker of satisfaction. Samantha hadn’t thought of that, had she? She hadn’t thought there would be any evidence!

  Candy came towards Fliss and took the shoes from her. Slowly, she turned them over to examine the soles. On each shoe there was a skidmark. She ran her finger across one of them. ‘It’s oily,’ she said in astonishment. Then she looked at Fliss.

  ‘That could have got there from anything,’ said Samantha suddenly. ‘From – from walking along the road. Anything.’

  Candy turned to look at her curiously. ‘What do you mean? Since when does oil get onto shoes from the road?’

  ‘I’m just saying,’ said Samantha, but she was shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably. ‘It mightn’t have been the ladder.’ Her expression changed. ‘In fact,’ she said, ‘Fliss might even have put the oil on her shoes herself, to make us think there was oil on the ladder.’

  Candy stared in disbelief. ‘Are you suggesting Fliss would hurt herself on purpose? What on earth for?’

  Samantha looked around nervously. The cast behind her were starting to mutter amongst themselves, and some of them were giving her very strange looks. ‘To frame one of us, of course,’ she said, and gave a laugh. Fliss’s fingers tingled. Even to her ears the laugh sounded thin and false. ‘To make herself look more important.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ said Tom. ‘Make herself look more important? Fliss?’

  Samantha turned to him. ‘Oh, you boys,’ she said in a high voice. ‘You never see what’s going on right under your noses.’ She looked around and laughed again. ‘She’s got you all fooled. Pretending to be so meek and shy. She just wants to be in the spotlight all the time.’ Her gaze swung round to Fliss, and her nose wrinkled in disgust. ‘Little princess, that’s what she is.’

  ‘I think that’s enough, Samantha,’ said Candy firmly.

  ‘No,’ said Fliss, ‘let her speak.’

  A ripple of surprise passed through the cast.

  ‘Fliss,’ said Candy, ‘this isn’t productive.’

  ‘Yes it is,’ said Fliss, though she was shaking. ‘Because Samantha wanted to play Juliet herself.’ She turned to face the tall blonde girl. ‘Didn’t you?’

  Samantha stared at her. ‘That’s none of your business.’

  ‘I think it is,’ said Fliss. You have to make her admit it, a little voice in her head was saying. Keep going. The more she talks, the more likely she is to confess. ‘I think Samantha was jealous of me.’

  Samantha laughed – far too loudly and far too long. ‘Jealous?’ she choked. ‘Of you? Don’t make me laugh! If anything, you were jealous of me, going out with Tom.’

  Fliss willed herself not to look at Tom. ‘What if I was?’ she asked. ‘You didn’t need to worry. I was never a threat to you.’

  ‘Oh, you say that,’ said Samantha, and slowly the expression on her face was darkening, ‘with your help-me-I’m-so-shy act. Had Tom wrapped around your little finger, didn’t you? Couldn’t stop talking about you! Fliss said this, Fliss did that. I was sick of hearing about you!’

  Fliss nodded, though her heart was pounding. This was her opportunity! ‘Is that why you put oil on the ladder?’ she asked calmly.

  ‘You deserved it!’ said Samantha, and then clapped her hands to her mouth as she realized what she’d said.

  The company gasped collectively. Mari and Victoria looked at each other in triumph. ‘She did it!’ whispered Victoria.

  Other members of the cast started to gossip excitedly to each other. ‘I never would have believed she’d go that far!’ Simone was saying.

  Fliss felt her knees weaken in relief. She’d done it!

  Candy held up her hands. ‘Stop!’ she shouted over the rising noise. ‘Quiet, all of you! Shut up!’

  The hubbub died down abruptly. ‘Let me get this straight,’ said Candy, her voice trembling with anger. ‘Are you saying you spread oil on the ladder, Samantha? So that Fliss would fall off?’

  ‘She didn’t hurt herself that much,’ said Samantha sulkily. ‘I never meant her to die or anything.’

  Tom stepped forward. His eyes were hard. ‘You hurt Fliss on purpose?’ he said. ‘You injured Fliss so that you could play Juliet?’

  She turned to him, and a pleading look came into her eyes. ‘Tom, I only thought . . . it would be really good if we could play opposite each other . . . on stage . . .’ Her voice trailed away as he glared at her.

  ‘I can’t believe I went out with you,’ he said clearly. ‘What kind of sick person are you?’

  ‘But . . . Tom . . .’ She reached out to him, but he turned his back.

  ‘I don’t ever want to see you again.’

  Candy cleared her throat. ‘This whole situation is getting out of hand,’ she said firmly. ‘The rehearsal is over. All of you, go back and get changed. I will see you an hour before curtain up tomorrow. Don’t be late. Samantha, come here.’

  Gradually, in small groups, the cast left the stage, muttering excitedly and casting glances back at Samantha and Fliss. ‘Off you go too, Mari,’ said Candy crisply, as Mari lingered at the back of the stage. Mari looked disgruntled, but she went with the others. Within moments, it was just the three of them. Fliss stood uncertainly on the grass. Her head was beginning to ache again, and she felt strangely light-headed. Had she really just done that? In front of everyone? She wasn’t sure her legs would hold her up for much longer.

  ‘Samantha,’ said Candy, when she had come down from the stage, ‘I think it goes without saying that you are officially fired from the production.’

  Samantha nodded mutely. She seemed somehow smaller. All
her brash confidence had gone. She was like a deflated balloon.

  ‘Furthermore,’ continued Candy, ‘I think it only right that I inform your parents of what you did.’

  ‘Oh, please don’t!’ Samantha exclaimed. ‘My dad’ll kill me.’

  ‘Think yourself lucky that I’m not calling the police,’ said Candy sharply.

  Samantha’s face went so white she looked like she might faint. ‘What?’ she whispered.

  ‘What you did was a crime,’ Candy told her. ‘Intent to cause bodily harm, probably. Something like that. You deliberately set out to injure another person. No matter what you might think, you can’t go around doing that kind of thing. It’s a crime and punishable by law.’

  ‘But you’re not going to tell them?’ Samantha whispered.

  ‘No,’ said Candy. ‘That’s up to Fliss.’ They both turned to look at her. Samantha’s eyes were wide with fright. Candy crossed her arms. ‘She’s the one who decides whether to report you or not.’

  ‘Please,’ said Samantha, so softly that Fliss barely heard her.

  ‘It’s up to you,’ said Candy. ‘Do you want to take this further?’

  Fliss didn’t know what to say. She had never imagined things could go that far. She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ said Samantha, seeing Fliss hesitate. ‘I never thought . . . well, I guess I didn’t think at all. I wanted to play Juliet so badly, and you seemed to have all the luck.’ She swallowed. ‘Even Tom . . . all he could ever talk about was you. When we went out, he never seemed to notice me. He was always thinking about you.’ Her eyes filled with tears and her lower lip wobbled. ‘I just wanted some of that limelight . . .’

  A week ago – even an hour ago – Fliss would never have thought she could feel sorry for Samantha. But the girl was pathetic. She was broken and humiliated. ‘I don’t want to tell the police,’ said Fliss. She suddenly felt very tired. ‘I want to go home.’

  Candy took hold of her arm. ‘Of course. You shouldn’t even be here. You should be resting.’ She turned to Samantha. ‘I think you should make yourself scarce.’

  Samantha nodded. ‘Thank you,’ she said to Fliss in a shaky voice. ‘Thank you. I’m so sorry.’ Then she lowered her head and went.

  ‘We’d better get you home,’ said Candy. ‘Does your mum know you’re here?’

  Fliss shook her head. ‘I left a note, but I didn’t say where I was going. She’s probably guessed.’

  ‘Sit down on the stage and I’ll ring her,’ said Candy. ‘She’ll be worried about you.’

  ‘The play . . .’ said Fliss, exhausted. ‘Who’s going to play Juliet?’

  ‘Don’t worry about that now,’ said Candy.

  ‘But Samantha . . .’

  ‘We’ll think of something. If the worst comes to the worst, we cancel.’ Candy smiled at her. ‘It’s just a play.’

  ‘I can do it,’ said Fliss. ‘I want to do it.’

  ‘You’re shattered,’ said Candy. ‘You need to go to bed.’

  ‘But tomorrow,’ said Fliss. ‘I’ll be better . . .’

  Candy looked closely at her. She hesitated for a moment, and then said reluctantly, ‘Maybe. We’ll see.’

  ‘My mum won’t want me to do it. But I want to. Please.’

  ‘I understand,’ said Candy. ‘Don’t worry about a thing.’ She looked anxiously at Fliss. ‘Listen, here’s a cushion from the Capulet party scene. Lie down for a minute. Close your eyes. I’ll take care of everything.’

  Candy was as good as her word. Jeanette arrived, white and terrified, and Candy took her aside and had a long talk. Fliss lay back on the stage in the evening warmth and stared at the sky. Gradually all the other cast members went home, and still Candy and Jeanette were talking. Fliss watched the clouds change from white to pink to grey, and tried to think about what Samantha had said. Something about Tom . . . He couldn’t stop talking about you. Why? It was all so confusing. Why would Tom go out with Samantha and then talk about Fliss all the time? Fliss let the thoughts drift in and out of her head like clouds on the breeze.

  Eventually, Jeanette came over. ‘Come on,’ she said gently. ‘Time to go home.’

  Fliss allowed herself to be lifted up and supported back to the car. By the time she reached home she was already asleep. Jeanette looked across at her daughter. Fliss’s head had fallen sideways, and her long dark eyelashes rested against her cheeks. Jeanette reached out a hand and stroked the side of her face. What an extraordinary thing for Fliss to have done today! Standing up in front of everyone and accusing that girl! Candy said she had been quite calm and strong. Jeanette could hardly believe it. Her little Felicity! Confronting someone! And, what’s more, being proved right! Jeanette’s face hardened as she thought about what that Samantha girl had done, spreading oil on the ladder. What a stupid, dangerous thing to do. Fliss could have been hurt far worse than she was. This must have been the thing she talked about with her friends. Jeanette felt sad that Fliss couldn’t confide in her. But maybe, she thought, with a sudden realization, I wouldn’t have taken her seriously. I was so concerned about her getting better, I wouldn’t have listened properly.

  Jeanette smiled at her daughter’s sleeping face. ‘I’ll do better,’ she promised in a whisper. ‘I’ll try to listen to you more. And as for tomorrow . . .’ She sighed as she remembered what Candy had said about the play. ‘We’ll see how things look in the morning.’

  Chapter 16

  come with me

  ‘I CAN’T BELIEVE your mum let you come!’ Mari squealed in excitement and threw her arms around Fliss.

  ‘Ow! Mind my arm!’ Fliss grinned as she patted her friend on the back. ‘I’m still an invalid, you know.’

  ‘Invalid, my foot,’ said Mari, snorting. ‘If you can stand up in front of everyone like you did yesterday, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with you.’

  Victoria smiled. ‘Everyone’s talking about it. You amazed us all.’ She pulled a face. ‘I didn’t think you would do it. Not really.’

  ‘I did,’ said Mari confidently. ‘I always knew you had it in you.’

  ‘I am so lucky to have friends like you,’ said Fliss.

  Mari looked around in mock astonishment. ‘Friends like us? You have other friends? Who are they? I’ll stamp on their fingers!’

  The other two laughed. ‘You are so silly,’ said Victoria. ‘She meant us.’

  ‘I know,’ said Mari, sticking her tongue out. ‘I was being daft on purpose.’

  The three friends were sitting on the stage in the park, soaking up the late summer sun. ‘Next week we’ll be back at school,’ said Victoria, with a sigh.

  ‘It won’t be so bad,’ said Fliss. ‘New year, new start, all that.’

  ‘New you,’ said Mari, digging her slyly in the ribs. ‘New confidence.’

  Victoria nodded. ‘I shall call on you to fight all my battles for me in future.’

  Fliss laughed. ‘Don’t you dare. Do you know how ill I felt after confronting Samantha?’

  Victoria gave her a hug. ‘Well, it was worth it, wasn’t it?’

  ‘Yes,’ Fliss admitted. ‘I never realized how good it could feel to stand up for yourself. I felt as if nothing could stop me.’

  ‘You must have shocked your mum,’ said Mari thoughtfully, ‘for her to let you come today.’

  ‘I think I did. I don’t know what Candy told her, but Mum’s being nicer than she’s ever been before.’ Fliss glanced over to the shade of a tree, where Jeanette sat reading a book. ‘She wouldn’t let me come out unsupervised though.’

  ‘You’re here, that’s the main thing.’ Victoria followed Fliss’s gaze. ‘And when she sees you perform, she’ll see how brilliant you are.’

  Fliss pulled a face. ‘I’m a bit nervous now though.’

  ‘Don’t be,’ said Mari. ‘Just think about how much you like acting.’ She added, ‘And how much you like Tom.’

  Fliss blushed. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about wha
t Samantha had said. ‘He talked about you all the time,’ she’d said. Was that really true? If it was . . .

  ‘Candy’s coming over,’ said Victoria, standing up. ‘She probably wants us to get ready.’

  Candy called the group together on stage. ‘You guys have worked so hard,’ she said, her face alight with enthusiasm. ‘You really deserve this. We’ll do some warm-ups and then I want you to get into costume and get focused. I want you to put yesterday out of your minds. The audience will be arriving very soon. No messing about this afternoon, it’s the real thing.’ She turned to smile at Fliss. ‘And welcome back, Fliss.’

  The rest of the cast broke into spontaneous applause. Fliss blushed again, and found herself catching Tom’s eye. He was clapping as hard as any of them, and his gaze was fixed firmly on Fliss. There was such warmth in his stare that she had to look away. Could it really be true? But there was no time to wonder about Tom now. Candy led them through a round of physical and vocal warm-ups, and then it was time to get into costume and put on makeup.

  The girls’ tent was strangely quiet as they got ready. ‘I am so nervous,’ said Victoria, rubbing her stomach. ‘I think I might be sick. What if I forget my lines?’

  ‘If you forget your lines,’ Mari said, trying to put on mascara, ‘then we can’t even start the play. You’ve got the first one, remember!’

  Victoria clapped her hand to her mouth. ‘Oh no! What is the first line of the play?’

  ‘Two households . . .’ began Fliss.

  ‘Oh yes, yes! Both alike in dignity!’ Victoria flapped around like an oversized moth. ‘Of course! How could I forget that?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Mari, ‘but if you don’t sit still, you’ll knock all my stuff onto the ground.’

  Victoria clasped her hands behind her back. ‘I’m so sorry. I just – Fliss, aren’t you nervous?’

  Fliss stared at herself in her little mirror. The reflection that stared back was of a serious-looking girl, with dark eyelashes and eyes, high cheekbones with a hint of pink, a small tilted nose and a rosebud mouth. It was the face she had always seen in the mirror. But today something felt different. ‘No,’ she said slowly. ‘I don’t think I am nervous.’