by Ann Bryant
So then I slowed down even more and she came alongside me. For a while our strokes were exactly matching, and for some reason it seemed to make it easier to scull.
“Have you noticed,” said Charlotte, as though she was reading my mind, “that when you’re in time with another boat, it actually seems to help?”
“Yes, you’re right,” I replied, smiling to myself.
It was strange, but being in time with Charlotte felt so different from being in time with Holly. In one way I preferred it with Holly, because I moved faster and worked harder, which was an amazing feeling. But, on the other hand, it was an easy, friendly silence with Charlotte, and I could just tell she was enjoying herself.
“It’s nice when you find you’re good at something that you weren’t expecting to be good at, isn’t it?” she suddenly said.
I grinned and nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. And that was when I looked up and realized that Mrs. Ansell had taken a photo of us.
Chapter Four
On the way back to school in the minibus, my emotions got all mixed up. Most of me was feeling really happy that I’d enjoyed the morning so much. Charlotte’s words were still buzzing away in my mind – It’s nice when you find you’re good at something that you weren’t expecting to be good at. On the other hand, I could already feel my happiness seeping away, because I didn’t think I could bear to wait for the next sculling session. At least it was only three days away, as there was a mid-week session on Wednesday.
But something else was tugging at my happiness. In a word, Holly.
“I don’t think she likes me,” I said to Izzy in a whisper.
“That’s because she thought she was going to be the best sculler and get all the attention, and you’ve come along and spoiled everything!” Izzy replied. “I’m quite glad actually. She shouldn’t be such a show-off!”
The main thing that was worrying me was that at the end of the session I’d heard Holly asking Ryan when she could go in a quad scull as she’d sculled before and didn’t want to get bored. And she also asked if she could choose which people could go with her. She’d quickly added that she thought it should be Mikki, Charlotte, Tilly and Caitlin. I was a bit confused because she’d named four people plus herself, so why was it called a quad, when surely that meant four people altogether? I hung about waiting to hear what Ryan would say and got a shock when I heard his reply. “There’s one name you’ve missed out there. And that’s Sasha. But, anyway, it’s early days yet. Give it time. People need to get much more practice on their own.”
“I hope I don’t have to go in a quad scull with Holly,” I said to Izzy anxiously.
“You could tell Ryan you’d rather stay in a single,” said Izzy, frowning.
“But what if I don’t get a choice?”
“Don’t worry about it now, Sasha. Wait till it actually happens. Ryan said give it time, didn’t he? So it definitely won’t be in Wednesday’s session.”
Izzy was right. I ought to concentrate on happy thoughts. “Guess what, Izzy?”
“What?”
“I’m so pleased that I’ve found something I’m quite good at…”
“Very good at, you mean!”
I gave Izzy a grateful smile for saying that. “And I’m determined to get as strong as I can this week by having my induction at the gym as soon as possible. Then I’ll go to the gym every day and use the rowing machine, so hopefully I’ll be even better next time. I’m going to try and find Mrs. Truman as soon as we get back.”
“She might not be there. It’s Sunday, remember,” Izzy pointed out.
“But if she is there, just think, I could be rowing again this afternoon, and all I’ll need to do is close my eyes and imagine I’m in a proper scull, not sitting on a machine!”
Izzy was frowning. “I don’t think you ought to go to the gym so soon after you’ve been rowing though, Sasha. That might be too much for your arm muscles when you’re not used to using them. I know with ballet training you have to build up your training gradually until your muscles are used to being stretched. I guess it’s the same with rowing.”
She’s very wise, my best friend. And she was right. I would start the next day.
The others were so happy for me when Izzy and I told them all about our morning at Pollington Water. It was lunchtime and we already felt buzzy, because there’s something about the grand Silver Spires dining hall and the delicious food on the menu every day that gives you a lovely warm feeling of being part of a massive family.
“Good old Sash!” said Emily, hearing our news. “You’re a dark horse, aren’t you!”
Antonia had been concentrating hard all the time that Izzy and I had been talking and I guessed she was trying to take in the various technical terms we used to explain everything about sculling. But her eyes shot wide open when Emily said I was a dark horse.
“It’s an expression that means you’ve been keeping it secret that you’re actually really good at something,” explained Nicole.
“Except that I didn’t even know I was any good at sculling until today!” I laughed.
“Not like Queen Holly!” said Izzy, lowering her voice.
The other four leaned forwards and Emily planted her elbows on the table, as Izzy told them in a low voice how good Holly was, but also how we didn’t think she liked anyone else being quite as good as her.
“I can’t stand show-offs,” said Emily.
Bryony sighed and rolled her eyes. “She should realize that it’s all about teamwork,” she said simply.
“Well, she might have to next weekend because she’s asked Ryan if she can go in a quad scull with Mikki, Charlotte, Tilly and Caitlin,” said Izzy.
“A quad scull? Don’t you mean a quin scull if it takes five altogether?” said Nicole.
“I don’t think there’s such a thing as a quin scull,” I said, closing my eyes to get a picture of the boathouse to try and recall if there were any boats for five people in there. Come to think of it, I couldn’t picture any stable quads either, and I was wondering if there even was such a thing. If it was a racing quad, surely it would be much too difficult for us. That made me nervous again until I remembered, with a little rush of excitement, that I was going to have a nice long chat with Mum and Dad straight after lunch, to tell them all my news. I couldn’t wait.
On Monday morning I got up and dressed in tracky bums, T-shirt and trainers, packed my school uniform in my PE bag and had my school bag ready, all by quarter past seven.
“See you at breakfast!” I said to the others, as I rushed out of the dorm.
“My goodness! Someone’s got the wind in their sails this morning!” said Matron, leaning over the banister as I ran downstairs.
“Going to the gym, Matron!” I called back. “Got an induction!”
“Oh! Happy induction then! Do a bit of jogging for me, won’t you!”
Matron is such a friendly, jokey person. We’re really lucky to have her at Forest Ash. I was smiling to myself about what she’d said as I hurried over to the sports block. I’d never heard of having the wind in your sails before, but I guessed it meant I was whizzing along really quickly. I liked that expression. If only it mentioned sculls instead of sails it would have been perfect.
The day before, I’d asked Mrs. Pridham if she thought I’d be able to book an induction at the gym, and she’d said I should ask Miss Vernon, who is actually in charge of the gym, and who should be around on a Sunday because she is the assistant housemistress at Elmhurst. I’d kept my fingers crossed as I’d run all the way to Elmhurst, but when I’d finally found my way to Miss Vernon’s room I’d suddenly felt really nervous, wondering whether she’d think I was a bit cheeky coming to find her at the weekend. When I’d knocked she’d come to the door and given me a nice smile, then looked puzzled, probably because I was from a different house. But once I’d explained in a big gabble what I was there for, she’d nodded and smiled again, then invited me in to her room – which looked like more of a sma
ll flat – while she found her gym rota. I’d been so happy when I’d booked the only free spot in the whole of Monday – seven thirty in the morning.
I’d left her quite quickly, though, because I could see she was in the middle of watching something on TV, and also she looked really tired. Then I’d rushed off on cloud nine, just like I was rushing to the gym right now.
It was only seven twenty-six as I went into the sports block. I walked along the corridor, round the corner and up the stairs, my footsteps getting faster and faster, till I was right outside the gym. And then I got a horrible shock.
There was a note on the door, which said:
MISS VERNON IS UNWELL. TODAY’S INDUCTIONS ARE CANCELLED.
N.B. ON NO ACCOUNT MUST EQUIPMENT BE USED BY STUDENTS WITHOUT A MEMBER OF STAFF PRESENT.
A terrible feeling of disappointment mixed with frustration seemed to whizz round my veins as I stood there staring at the notice and remembering how Miss Vernon had been watching TV in her flat on a nice summer’s afternoon and how tired she’d looked. Of course. She hadn’t been well. Now I felt terrible for having disturbed her. But I also felt disappointed and let down. I couldn’t help it. All my pent-up energy was collapsing.
I tried to walk away but something was rooting me to the spot and my hand couldn’t help itself pushing the door open, so I could at least say I’d looked inside the gym. Maybe there were even teachers inside, so it would be okay to just pop my head around the door.
What I saw was a whole new world to me. It was a proper gym, like the one at the leisure centre where we live that Dad goes to sometimes on Sunday mornings. I stared round at the different machines and wondered what they were all for. Then I saw the rowing machine. There wasn’t a teacher in sight, but I couldn’t help walking towards it. I was desperate to find out how the machine worked. There was some sort of a computer on it. Maybe it could show you how fast you were going, or how far you’d rowed. Or maybe both. A little discussion between me and myself started up in my head.
Just pressing a few buttons on a machine isn’t exactly using the equipment, is it?
No, that’ll be fine because there’s no physical danger involved. That’s what you have to have the induction for, and why the member of staff has to be present – to check you’re not in physical danger.
Just do it quickly. No one will ever know.
So I pressed the menu button beside the little computer screen, but absolutely nothing happened.
Of course! It wasn’t plugged in.
I stared at the plug for ages, and also at the socket on the wall. To plug it in seemed like going one step further in breaking the rules. But then I reminded myself that no one would ever know, and I could unplug again the moment I’d had a look at the computer.
I picked up the plug and pushed it into its socket. At once, the little screen filled up with options. I pressed the one that said JUST ROW, because that was exactly what I was wishing I could do, but then there were three different screens to choose from, and I wasn’t exactly sure what they all meant. One was just like a stopwatch, counting the minutes and the seconds, but the others looked as though they were showing how many metres you could travel per stroke and things like that. Until I actually started rowing I wouldn’t be able to tell what they meant. But I ought to switch the machine off now and go back to the others.
I didn’t though.
My mind was racing. The notice on the door made it much less likely that anyone would come in, so why didn’t I just try a couple of strokes? It would be all right… Wouldn’t it?
I sat down on the seat with a bit of a clunk, I was in such a hurry, and slid my feet into the foot rests, doing up the Velcro straps to make them fit tightly, so they wouldn’t move when I started rowing. Then I reached for the handle and gripped it with both hands. It wasn’t exactly the same as being in a scull, but it wasn’t that much different. I pulled hard and it felt brilliant, especially watching the figures turn over on the little computer screen and imagining I was swishing across Pollington Water. Just a few more strokes then I’d stop.
But I’m in the swing of it now. I really want to carry on.
All the same I’d better not. It would be terrible if anyone caught me.
Okay, just one more…
“You’re not supposed to use the equipment without an adult present! It says so on the door.”
I turned sharply and felt my cheeks going bright red at the sound of Holly’s voice right behind me.
“I…I know…I was just…”
She’d come round the side of me and was giving me a really cold look with her hands on her hips. “Anyway, I haven’t seen you in here before. I bet you’ve not even had an induction, have you?” I shook my head, shamefully, and Holly carried on. “It’s like a proper gym, you know. You have to be taught how to use the equipment. That’s what Mrs. Truman says.”
I swallowed, feeling really alarmed. I didn’t like the way Holly had mentioned Mrs. Truman. I had an awful feeling she might report me. That would be terrible.
“I…was just trying it out to see how the computer worked. I wasn’t doing it properly. Just…seeing how it worked…” My voice faded pathetically and I got off the machine and switched off the computer quickly, then switched it off at the wall as well, wondering whether Holly had had an induction herself. I noticed she was wearing cycling shorts and a skimpy top and had a towel round her neck, so she’d obviously been planning to work out. It took quite a lot of courage to ask. “Have you had an induction?”
“Course I have. Ages ago.” She was watching me, eyebrows raised in an arch as though she couldn’t believe what I’d been doing. And finally I couldn’t bear her staring at me like that so I scurried out of the gym mumbling something about going to breakfast. As soon as I was in the corridor I broke into a jog, and kept it up all the way to the dining hall.
There were loos just along the corridor from the dining hall and I nipped in there to change into my uniform, then went to find my friends. It was such a relief to see Izzy and the others. There was an empty space at their table, which Izzy must have been saving for me, because she beckoned me over as I walked in, and patted the bench beside her.
“Hey! You’re early. I thought you’d be much longer than this. Was it good?” she asked, as I put my cereal and toast on the table and sat down.
Emily chipped in before I had a chance to answer Izzy’s question. “Did you use loads of stuff or just the rower?”
“I never actually got to do anything,” I said, feeling my cheeks getting hot, because I was about to admit how silly I’d been. “There was a note on the door which said that Miss Vernon was ill.” I didn’t add the bit about not using the equipment on any account unless a teacher was present, because my friends would think I was stupid. And they’d be right. I felt ashamed of what I’d done now, and very, very guilty. “I thought it would be okay to have the teensiest go on the rowing machine, just to see how it actually worked, because it’s got its own little computer and you can see how far you’ve gone and how long it’s taken you and everything…”
“Oh no!” said Nicole, her hand going to her mouth as though I’d done something really bad. “You didn’t try it out, did you?”
This was exactly what I’d been dreading. All the way back from the gym I’d been telling myself that everything was fine and my friends would say I was being silly imagining that Holly might report me. But already they were looking shocked and I hadn’t even mentioned Holly yet.
“I…I just did a few strokes and I was about to stop…”
A little gasp came out of Antonia. “…When someone came in…” She finished off my sentence in a breathy whisper, her eyes big and round, as though she’d seen a ghost.
“Y-yes… Holly.”
This time it was Izzy who gasped, but then she must have seen that she’d got me worried. “At least it wasn’t a teacher,” she said quickly. “Did you tell her you were just doing a few strokes, not actually using the machine prope
rly?”
“Yes…but she kept staring at me, and saying you have to be taught how to use the equipment…and things like that…”
“Look!” hissed Emily. “She’s just come into the hall.”
Of course, we all looked round then and my eyes met Holly’s. She was leaning forwards talking to Mikki as she stared at me with that same look in her eyes that I’d seen in the gym. Then Mikki turned round and looked at me too.
“Ignore them,” said Bryony, gulping down her last mouthful of hot chocolate.
“But what if she tells Mrs. Truman?” I asked in a rush.
“Tell the truth. Say you’re sorry, you know you shouldn’t have done it but you thought it would be okay to see how the computer worked.”
It sounded such a sensible and obvious thing to say when Bryony put it like that, but I still felt myself shuddering at the thought of having to face Mrs. Truman. Bryony and the others hadn’t seen the note on the door, after all. I just had to cross my fingers and pray that Holly wouldn’t tell her.
Chapter Five
I didn’t enjoy the rest of that day at all because I kept on worrying about coming across Holly and wondering whether she’d told Mrs. Truman that I’d broken the gym rules. Year Sevens are divided into classes for most subjects, and sets for English, science and maths. Holly and I are only together for English, and we didn’t have it that day, thank goodness.
All the same, just thinking about her made me feel guilty, and when I saw her at lunch, and later on in the corridor, I felt a big wave of worry that she’d reported me.
I could have gone to the gym after school to see if the note had been removed, but I knew it was pointless because, even if Miss Vernon had miraculously recovered, she’d already told me there wasn’t another slot that day for me to have my induction. So I decided to go for a run round the athletics track. I know running isn’t the same as rowing, but Mrs. Truman had stressed to us that general fitness is important in all sports, so at least it’d be doing me a bit of good.