by Judi Curtin
Melissa was madly shaking her head at Alice. I could see that she’d changed her mind about the plan. I could see that she was still too scared to tell her parents how unhappy she was at her boarding school.
Alice ignored her, though, and continued, ‘I think Melissa has something she wants to say to you.’
Melissa looked like she was going to die, but Alice gave her a look that managed to be sympathetic and scary all at the same time. When she looks at me like that, I know there’s no point in resisting.
‘Mum, Dad,’ said Melissa, in such a weird voice that both her parents looked up at the same time.
‘I need to tell you something,’ she said.
‘What is it, darling?’ said her mum, in a concerned voice, looking at her watch at the same time.
‘I don’t want to go back to boarding school for second year. I want to change to the local school, where Grace and Alice and Megan go.’
‘But that boarding school is the best in the country,’ said her mum.
‘And you’re so happy there,’ said her dad.
‘And you’ve made so many friends,’ said her mum.
Now Melissa’s voice was all choky. ‘I’m not happy there,’ she said. ‘I’ve never been happy there.’
‘But you said …’ began her mother.
‘After you spent all that money on fees, I didn’t want to tell you the truth,’ said Melissa. ‘I didn’t want to make you angry. So all this time I’ve been pretending. I haven’t got any friends in boarding school – not a single one. I hate it there. I want to leave. Please let me leave.’
Now Melissa collapsed into loud sobs. Her skin went all red and blotchy and she didn’t look perfect or confident or scary any more. She just looked sad and lost. I wondered how I’d ever been afraid of her.
‘You poor baby,’ said her mum.
‘My little darling,’ said her dad.
They both came over and hugged her for a long time. They patted her hair and stroked her back and whispered in her ear. It was a bit embarrassing, standing there watching them. I guessed they had forgotten we were there.
I looked at Alice and Grace. It was time for us to leave. As the three of us tip-toed towards the door, Melissa and her parents untangled themselves.
‘I didn’t realise that the local school was so good.’ Melissa’s mum was saying. ‘It must have improved after your sister left.’
‘I didn’t realise it either,’ said her dad. ‘Vice-president of a huge computer company, I have to say I am impressed. I’ll phone the school tomorrow and see about enrolling you for September, Melissa. How does that sound?’
Melissa started to jump up and down, making these funny, giggly noises.
Alice, Grace and I didn’t wait to hear Melissa’s answer. Our job was done. We closed the door behind us, and left.
* * *
‘You did it, Alice!’ said Grace as we walked along. ‘You really did. You’re amazing.’
‘It wasn’t just me,’ said Alice. ‘You two did as much as I did.’
‘But it was your idea,’ I said. ‘You’re the one who wanted to help Melissa in the first place, and you’re the one who came up with the plan.’
‘I didn’t think it was going to work at first,,’ said Alice. ‘I was beginning to think we were wasting our time. Melissa’s parents didn’t seem to care about the new hockey pitch, or the debating team or the music society.’
‘Yeah,’ said Grace. ‘I thought it was turning into a total fail. I thought maybe we were making things worse for Melissa instead of better.’
‘You’re the one who made it work in the end, Meg,’ said Alice. ‘It’s so lucky you’d seen that thing about the super-computer woman in the newspaper.’
I didn’t answer.
‘Meg?’ said Alice. ‘Did you hear what I said? Don’t you think it’s totally lucky that ……?’
Alice stopped walking and stared at me. Sometimes she has this funny way of looking at me, like my thoughts are on the outside, just waiting for her to notice them.
‘No way,’ she said.
I smiled.
‘OMG!’ said Alice. ‘Just OMG!’
‘What?’ asked Grace.
‘Megan made up the whole thing about the computer vice president. You’re a genius, Meg. You really are.’
‘Thanks,’ I said sweetly.
‘How did you think of it?’ asked Alice.
‘Well I was desperate,’ I said. ‘You and Grace were saying all this amazing stuff, and none of it was working. Melissa’s parents were barely listening to a word you said. And then you nudged me to say something, and all I could see was the newspaper and their two laptops, and suddenly I realised that the only way to their hearts was through their computers.’
‘That was clever,’ said Grace. ‘But won’t Melissa’s parents find out that you made the whole thing up? And what’s going to happen then?’
Alice grinned. ‘Hopefully, by the time Melissa’s parents discover the truth, it’ll be too late. Melissa will have got what she wanted. She’ll be in our school.’
‘Oh,’ I said, suddenly remembering what we’d just done. ‘Melissa is going to be in our school.’
Chapter Twenty-Three
We decided to hang out in Grace’s place for a while.
‘Is Gavin home?’ I asked, trying not to sound too interested. I wanted to tell him that I’d already been to the swimming pool to practise the strokes he’d helped me with.
Grace nodded. ‘I think he’s home – and he’s totally happy. José rang this morning to tell him that he’s definitely got the lifeguard job.’
‘That’s fantastic news,’ I said, as we followed her upstairs.
‘Yeah,’ said Grace. ‘It is. And he spent about an hour on Skype to Robyn, planning the amazing summer they’re going to have together.’
‘Totally sweet,’ said Alice. ‘Happy ever after, and it’s all down to us.’
* * *
‘There’s one weird thing about Melissa’s family that I forgot to tell you,’ said Grace when the three of us were lying on her bed.
‘What?’ I asked, not sure I wanted to hear the answer.
She sat up. ‘Well, can you remember why Melissa’s parents didn’t like our school?’
‘Yeah,’ said Alice. ‘The biggest reason was that her sister went a bit crazy while she was there, and she started to hang out with all these weirdoes.’
‘Only thing is,’ said Grace. ‘Melissa’s sister and her friends are really nice. They’re not crazy at all.’
‘Are you sure?’ I asked, remembering the girl I’d met once. She had black lipstick and spiky hair and about five nose-piercings. One Saturday I’d seen her coming towards me with a big gang of girls all dressed in black, and I was so scared I ran into a shop to hide.
‘Suzie looks a bit crazy,’ said Grace. ‘But that’s just an image. Mostly she dresses that way to annoy her parents.’
‘I’m guessing it works,’ I said, giggling.
‘Totally,’ said Grace. ‘But underneath, Suzie’s really sweet. She adores animals, and helps out at the animal shelter every week.’
‘But didn’t she drop out of college?’ asked Alice. ‘Her parents can’t have liked that.’
‘She did drop out of college,’ said Grace. ‘But that was only because her parents made her do a computer course that she found totally boring. She’s going to art college now, and doing really well. She won a big prize for sculpture a few months ago.’
‘Did that make her parents proud?’ I asked, kind of guessing the answer.
Grace shook her head. ‘No. They didn’t even go to the award night. They think art is a waste of time.’
‘Oh,’ I said, suddenly feeling sorry for the pale-faced girl who’d once scared me so much. I felt kind of stupid. Mum always gives out to me for judging people by the way they look. I know she’s right, but usually I can’t help it.
Just then the doorbell rang. Grace jumped up and looked out the windo
w. When she turned back to us, she was smiling.
‘OMG,’ she said. ‘This is going to be totally amazing.’
‘What?’ I asked. ‘Is it a pizza delivery man – with a big stack of boxes with our names on them?’
‘No,’ said Grace. ‘This is something much better. It’s Witch-girl. She’s all dressed up and it looks like she’s got her hair done. I bet she’s come crawling back for Gavin, and this time she’s going to be totally disappointed. Come on, girls, you can’t miss this.’
The three of us raced downstairs, and Grace opened the door.
‘Hey, Kiddo,’ said Witch-girl. ‘Is Gavvy home?’
She was pretty, but she had cold, hard eyes. She looked confident, and kind of mean, like if you got in her way, she’d trample right over you with her pointy-toed, high-heeled boots.
‘I said, is Gavvy home.’ she repeated. ‘I haven’t got all day.’
Grace was smiling at her in a way that must have been totally annoying.
Alice couldn’t resist. ‘He’s definitely here somewhere, isn’t he, Grace? But didn’t you say he’s Skyping his girlfriend?’ she asked sweetly.
‘I’m his girlfriend,’ said Witch-girl, narrowing her cold eyes. ‘Or I will be in a few minutes.’
‘Hmmmm,’ said Alice. ‘I wouldn’t be too sure about that.’
‘He’s in the living-room,’ said Grace, pointing. ‘Knock yourself out.’
Witch-girl went into the living room, and closed the door behind her.
‘Leah,’ we heard Gavin saying. ‘What are you doing here?’ He didn’t sound happy.
We couldn’t make out the words, but we could hear Leah’s voice, all sweet and syrupy. Gavin wasn’t answering, and slowly Leah’s voice became louder. It kept changing from begging to flirty to angry to whining like a spoiled toddler. It was totally weird, like there were five girls in the room with him, all fighting to be heard.
‘But I told you I was sorry,’ she kept saying. ‘And you’ve always taken me back before. I don’t understand what’s changed this time.’
Gavin said something we couldn’t quite catch, and then there was the sound of Leah’s high heels marching towards the door. Grace, Alice and I raced upstairs, and sat on the landing.
We watched as the living room door opened, and Leah marched out. Her high-heeled boots click-clacked on the wooden floor. ‘One day, Gavvy,’ she said. ‘You’re going to wake up and realise that you’ve made the biggest mistake of your life – and then you’ll be sorry.’
Gavin was standing in the doorway with his arms folded. ‘I don’t think that’s going to happen,’ he said calmly. ‘I think I’ll wake up and realise what a very lucky escape I’ve had.’
‘Yessss!’ whispered Alice. ‘Go, Gavin. You tell her.’
Witch-girl tossed her silky hair, and stamped towards the front door. She stood with one hand on the doorknob and turned back and looked at Gavin.
‘Because I’m a nice girl, I’m going to give you one last chance,’ she said. ‘But if I walk out this door, I’m not coming back. Ever.’
‘Is that a promise?’ asked Gavin.
Witch-girl hesitated for a second, and then she flung the door open, and went out, slamming it behind her.
Gavin went back into the living room, and Grace, Alice and I jumped up and down and hugged and laughed until our throats were sore.
Chapter Twenty-Four
A few days later, I was lying on my bed with Domino curled up on my feet. I was in the middle of a really good book, when Mum came into my room.
‘Sorry for disturbing you, darling,’ she said. ‘But I’m doing some baking, and I’ve run out of organic quinoa. Would you mind running down to the shop for me, please?’
I wanted to argue, but there was no point. Arguing with my mum is a total waste of time – she always has an answer for everything I say.
I got up from my bed and stroked Domino. ‘Won’t be long,’ I said. ‘Keep the bed warm for me.’
‘Thanks, love,’ said Mum as she handed me the money. ‘And it’s cold outside – be sure to wear your coat and scarf.’
‘But Mum ……’
My mum can move like lightning when she wants to. Before I could finish the sentence, she’d opened my wardrobe, pulled out my jacket, and found the scarf that I’d hidden under a heap of old school-books. She wrapped the scarf round and round my neck like she was wrapping up a wriggly human present.
‘There,’ she said. ‘Now put on your jacket and you’ll be ready for anything.’
I loosened the scarf in an effort to breathe. It was the scarf Mum had knitted for my thirteenth birthday, and I have to admit, it was soft and warm. It was also brown and ugly. Worst of all, that scarf was like a Melissa-magnet. Every time I wore it, she showed up as if by magic, all ready to give me a hard time for having a mother who wants to save the world.
As soon as I had put on my jacket, Mum pushed me towards the door.
‘Off you go,’ she said. ‘Organic quinoa, don’t forget.’
* * *
I made it all the way to the shop and most of the way home without meeting anyone. I was starting to feel confident as I came up to the last corner before my road. Two more minutes and then I’d be safely back on my bed with my cat and my book.
And then I heard it.
‘Hey, Megan, how’s it going?’
I recognised the voice before I turned around.
Melissa.
Why hadn’t I run all the way home?
Why wasn’t Alice with me?
Why was I wearing the ugly scarf?
‘Hey, Melissa,’ I said, as I continued to walk towards the safety of my home. ‘I’d love to chat, but I’ve got to bring this stuff home for my mum. I’ve got to––’
But Melissa put her hand on my arm, stopping me.
‘Before you go,’ she said. ‘There’s something I …’
Reluctantly I turned around to face her.
‘That’s the scarf your mum made for your birthday, isn’t it?’ she said. ‘It looks totally––’
Suddenly I didn’t want her to finish. It was like my brain was a pinball machine and all Melissa’s old insults were rattling around inside it, making me feel sick and dizzy. I had to make her be quiet.
‘Stop right there, Melissa,’ I said. ‘Don’t say another word – not a single, solitary word. You’ve been picking on me and insulting me for years and years, and now I’ve had enough. I don’t care what you think about me, or my mum or my clothes, or … anything. I’m not going to let you bully me any more. It’s over. Forever. Now, you should probably close your mouth, I think you might need a licence to catch flies around here.’
Melissa slowly closed her mouth and stared at me like she’d never seen me before. In a way, she hadn’t ever seen me before. She’d only ever seen the scared Megan, the one who wasn’t brave enough to stand up to her. I smiled to myself. I liked the all-new Megan.
‘So anyway, Melissa,’ I said. ‘Sorry for interrupting you. What were you going to say about my scarf?’
‘Actually,’ she said. ‘I was going to say that it looks totally soft and warm.’
Now it was my turn to be speechless. ‘I’m not sure I believe you,’ I said, when I finally found my tongue.
She gave a big sigh. ‘It’s the truth, but I don’t blame you for not believing me. I know I’ve been kind of mean to you in the past.’
‘Kind of mean?’
‘OK,’ she said with a small smile. ‘I’ve been totally mean. I think I’ve worked out why, but I’m not sure I can explain it properly.’
I was confused.
Was she playing some kind of mean trick on me?
Or was my timing all wrong?
Just when I was learning how to to cope with the old, mean Melissa, why had this new, nice one shown up?
What was going on?
I needed time to think. I put the organic quinoa down on the wall next to us, and folded my arms, trying to look like I was calm, like I
was in control.
‘So go ahead,’ I said. ‘Give it your best shot. See if you can explain why you’ve been picking on me ever since you’ve known me.’
Melissa took a deep breath. ‘It’s just that … I think … you see … and I know this sounds kind of weird … but … I’ve always been kind of … jealous … of you.’
I was wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes, when I realised that she hadn’t been joking. She was standing there, patting her shiny hair and looking as confused as I felt.
‘I don’t get why that’s so funny,’ she said.
‘You jealous of me?’ was all I could say.
‘Yes,’
‘But that’s crazy. What exactly were you jealous of?’
‘It started years and years ago, when we were little kids,’ she said. ‘When your mum used to wait outside the school for you every afternoon.’
I remembered those days. Mum used to stand right outside the school gate, and when I came out, she’d run towards me and hug me like she hadn’t seen me for six months. Even though I was tiny, I used to be totally embarrassed.
‘Your mum always looked so happy to see you,’ she said. ‘Like you were perfect. Like you were the centre of the universe. Mostly, I was picked up from school by a babysitter.’
‘Yeah, but your mum had a job. She probably found it hard to get away in the middle of the day.’
Melissa shook her head sadly. ‘Lots of the other mums had jobs, but still they found time to come to the school. Mine was the only one who never showed up.’
‘But I remember your mum coming to pick you up one time,’ I said. ‘She had a briefcase and a laptop and she looked like someone important. I think that was the same day that my mum was in such a hurry, she’d forgotten to take her apron off. It was totally embarrassing.’
‘Occasionally my mum did come,’ admitted Melissa. ‘When she had a day off from work. But when that happened she was usually late, and we had to run all the way home, so she could ready for some really important meeting. I always felt like I’d messed up her day, just by needing to be picked up.’