Chapter Eleven
I SPOTTED SELMA the moment I got into the playground. She spotted me too. She was glaring. I clutched at Mum. I wanted her to pick me up even though I knew I was being a baby.
Then Neera came running over. ‘Hi, Phil,’ she said, and they did a funny hello thing with their hands – a bit like a high five but more elaborate.
‘What are they doing?’ I asked Maddie.
‘Oh, they’re in this funny club thing,’ she told me. ‘They have secret codes and passwords and they make badges.’
‘Aren’t you in their club too?’ said Mum.
‘It’s really just for people on their table. I don’t mind,’ Maddie said cheerfully. ‘I’d sooner go and play footie with Harry and the boys.’
‘Well, I really want both of you to look after Tina today,’ said Mum.
‘She can play with us,’ said Maddie.
‘You know she’s not allowed to play football.’
‘She can be the ref. I’ll get Harry to lend her his whistle.’
‘Or she can be in our club. We’ll let her join because she’s my sister and she’s been poorly,’ said Phil. ‘It’s breaking the rules, but it doesn’t matter, because Neera and I are the ones who made them all up.’
‘Well, which would you prefer, Tina?’ said Mum.
I didn’t prefer either option. I liked football, but I didn’t know the rules and couldn’t be bothered to learn them. I didn’t see how I could be a ref (though I rather liked the idea of blowing the whistle).
I liked clubs but I knew I’d forget all these codes and passwords (though I wouldn’t have minded a badge).
I didn’t say anything. I just bent my head.
‘I think just until Tina finds her feet again at school it would be better if you played together nicely, the three of you,’ said Mum. ‘Now, let’s go in and see Miss Lovejoy.’
We had to go past Selma. I hung onto Mum’s hand tightly. Phil went first. She ignored Selma altogether. Then Maddie went by. She gave Selma a fierce look.
‘Hello, Selma,’ said Mum.
Selma turned her back.
‘Here’s Tina, back at school again,’ Mum went on.
Selma started to walk away.
‘Selma? I’m talking to you!’
Selma stood still, hunched over.
‘I do hope that you and Tina can learn to play nicely together,’ said Mum.
Phil and Maddie and I looked at each other. Phil and Maddie rolled their eyes. As if Selma would ever play nicely with anyone!
‘Tina was very touched to get your letter, Selma,’ said Mum.
What??? Had Mum gone completely crackers? It wasn’t Selma’s idea to write to me. Miss Lovejoy made everyone write letters. Phil and Maddie and I all knew that.
‘Mum!’ Phil hissed.
‘Selma didn’t want to write a letter,’ said Maddie.
‘But it was a lovely thing to do all the same,’ said Mum. ‘Well done, Selma!’
Then she hurried us into school.
‘Why are you being all nicey-nice to Selma, Mum?’ asked Phil.
‘She’s our deadly enemy!’ said Maddie. ‘She’s the meanest girl in our class. In the whole school. In the whole city. In the whole country. In the whole universe!’
‘But perhaps if everyone was a bit kinder to Selma, she might stop being so mean,’ said Mum. ‘I don’t think she has a very happy time at home. Remember how her mum slapped her?’
‘I’d slap Selma, given half a chance,’ said Maddie.
I didn’t say anything. I was too busy being worried. I hated the smell of school and the sound of school. I shut my eyes and wished wished wished that I was back home in bed drawing butterflies.
Miss Lovejoy was at her desk. She frowned when Mum opened the classroom door – but then she smiled a bit when she saw that it was us.
‘Hello, Mrs Maynard. Hello, Philippa and Madeleine. And hello, Tina! Welcome back to school! I’m so pleased to see you.’
Mum gave me a little nudge. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t possibly say I was pleased to see Miss Lovejoy because it would have been a great big fib.
‘Tina’s feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment, Miss Lovejoy,’ said Mum.
‘Of course. That’s entirely understandable. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my eye on her,’ said Miss Lovejoy.
Oh dear. I didn’t want Miss Lovejoy’s beady eye on me, thank you!
‘That’s very kind of you.’ Mum took a deep breath. ‘I know you want to keep my girls separated in class, but I was wondering . . . Would it be possible for Tina to sit with one or other of her sisters for a few days, just until she gets used to school again?’
‘Well,’ said Miss Lovejoy, lacing her fingers and looking at Mum over her glasses, ‘I’ve given it some thought, but I’m not sure it would be good for Tina in the long run. She has to learn to stand on her own two feet – even though they’re a bit wobbly at the moment.’
‘Could she at least change to a different table?’ said Mum.
‘I’ve considered that too. But if I let Tina sit on another table, then I’ll have half the class wanting to swap places. However, I don’t want you to think I’m too hard-hearted. I’ve rearranged Tina’s table. She’s sitting between Michael and Alistair now, and they’re both good-hearted boys. They’ll be little gentlemen and look after her. Don’t worry, Mrs Maynard. Tina will be fine.’
Mum still looked worried. So did Phil and Maddie. And I was very, very, very worried.
Chapter Twelve
SO I SAT at the same table, though not next to Selma.
She could still kick me under the table, but she had to slide right down in her seat to do it. Whenever Miss Lovejoy saw her slipping downwards, she said, ‘Come along, Selma, sit up properly.’
She wasn’t near enough to nudge or poke me and she couldn’t reach to scribble all over my drawings. It was sooooo much better. And it was actually quite good to sit between Mick and Alistair.
Mick was my second favourite boy in the class after Harry. He could be very funny. I loved watching him in dance and drama. He made us all roar with laughter when we were pretending to be dogs.
Alistair was never funny. He was the most serious person I’d ever met. But it was very useful sitting next to him because he knew all the answers and didn’t mind if you copied a bit.
He helped me catch up on all the work I’d missed. Miss Lovejoy nearly got cross when she saw I hadn’t done any homework at all.
‘There now! And I made all that effort to come over to your house to give you work so you wouldn’t fall behind,’ she said, shaking her head at me. ‘You’re a naughty, lazy girl, Tina Maynard.’
‘I’m naughty but I’m not lazy, Miss Lovejoy,’ I said. ‘I did do lots of work in my butterfly book. Do you want to look at it?’
‘Not just now. This is a maths lesson and you must practise your multiplication sums,’ she said in a stern voice.
I hadn’t got to grips with multiplication before I got ill. I couldn’t work out how to do it at all.
I went up to Miss Lovejoy’s desk and she showed me very simple multiplication sums. They were still too difficult for me and I didn’t understand, but I didn’t dare tell her in case she got even crosser.
I went back to my seat and looked at the three sums she’d set me, but I couldn’t do them at all. I bent my head over my book, feeling sick. I gave little moans, and Phil and Maddie heard.
‘Please, Miss Lovejoy, Tina doesn’t look very well,’ said Phil.
‘She’s gone all green. That means she’s going to be sick,’ said Maddie. ‘Can we take her out to the toilets?’
Miss Lovejoy looked at me carefully. ‘I don’t think she’s sick. I think she’s simply sick of hard work,’ she said. ‘Have you finished those sums yet, Tina?’
‘Not quite, Miss Lovejoy.’ I started sniffling.
‘Haven’t you got a clean tissue?’ said Alistair. ‘Hang on, I’ve got a packet in my pocket. Have you sti
ll got pneumonia? I hope not!’
‘I’m just crying a little bit,’ I whispered. ‘Don’t tell or Selma will call me a baby.’
‘Why are you crying?’ he asked in his clear loud voice.
‘Ssh! Because I can’t do my sums.’
‘But they’re easy-peasy.’
‘They are for you.’
‘Look, shall I show you how to do them?’ He leaned over and showed me. He did it again. And again. Then he rubbed out the answer and made me do it.
‘That’s right!’
‘Miss Lovejoy, Alistair’s doing all Tina’s sums,’ said Selma.
‘Is that right, Alistair?’ asked Miss Lovejoy.
‘I’m helping her, but she’s just done a sum all by herself, Miss Lovejoy,’ said Alistair.
‘Then that’s good,’ said Miss Lovejoy. ‘I don’t need a teacher’s assistant in this class while I have you, Alistair.’
Phil and Maddie came and played with me at break time and lunch time. They were very kind and chose all my favourite games. We were princesses, and then we were witches, and then we were mermaids, and then we were knights fighting dragons.
The games weren’t quite as good as usual though. Phil kept looking over at Neera and her friends, who were sitting in a circle writing in exercise books. Maddie kept staring at Harry and the other boys playing football.
I wondered about telling Phil that she could go and join Neera and the other members of her club. I wondered about telling Maddie that she could go and play football with Harry. But if I did that, who would I play with?
Everyone in our class seemed to be in little gangs and groups. Even Kayleigh had friends now because she was good at dancing.
There was only one girl in our class who didn’t have anyone to play with.
And I certainly wasn’t going to play with Selma.
I was still so scared of her that I didn’t want to go to the toilet just in case she came after me. I decided I simply wouldn’t go.
‘What’s the matter, Tina?’ said Phil.
‘Nothing,’ I said.
‘Yes there is,’ said Maddie. ‘You keep fidgeting.’
‘I’m fine,’ I said, though I wasn’t.
‘You need to go to the loo!’ said Phil.
‘No I don’t,’ I lied.
‘Go on, quick, before the bell goes,’ said Maddie.
‘I don’t need to go,’ I protested.
‘Would you like us to come with you?’ asked Phil.
‘Yes!’ I said.
So my sisters escorted me, one on either side, and waited outside the door while I went. I was only just in time. And while I was washing my hands Selma came in.
‘Oh help,’ I said.
‘It’s all right, we’re here,’ said Phil.
‘What do you want?’ Maddie asked Selma.
‘What do you think?’ she said. ‘Is there some law says I can’t use these toilets? Or do you stuck-up rubbish triplets actually own them? Are you about to start charging a penny a wee?’
‘We’d charge you a whole pound!’ said Phil.
‘You owe us far more than a pound. You chucked my sister’s valuable china doll down the loo. I bet it cost our gran heaps and heaps,’ said Maddie.
‘Baby!’ I said, suddenly overcome with longing for her. I thought of her tumbling wretchedly through mile after mile of terrible stinking sewage, and burst out crying.
‘There! Look! You’ve made my sister cry!’ said Phil.
‘She’s just a spoiled little cry-baby,’ said Selma. ‘Boo-hoo, boo-hoo!’
‘You shut up. Our sister’s been ill. It’s very serious when you get pneumonia,’ said Maddie. ‘She could have died. Don’t you dare upset her now! You say another word and I’ll punch you right in the face!’
‘Maddie!’ Phil squeaked. ‘Don’t! You mustn’t fight!’
‘Ooh, mustn’t be naughty and fight!’ said Selma in a silly voice. ‘Or maybe you’re just chicken.’ She made cluck-cluck-cluck noises.
‘I’m not chicken!’ Maddie squared up to Selma, her fists clenched.
‘Don’t, Maddie!’ Phil begged.
‘Don’t, don’t, don’t!’ I cried.
Selma was much taller than Maddie. She was much stronger than Maddie. She was much fiercer than Maddie.
We all knew that Maddie couldn’t possibly beat Selma in any kind of fight. But then, thank goodness, thank goodness, the bell rang, and one of the Year Six monitors came dashing in.
‘Off to your classroom, you lot! Go on, don’t stand there gawping. Didn’t you hear the bell?’
‘I need to use the toilet,’ said Selma, and locked herself into a cubicle.
‘We don’t!’ said Phil, and she hurried us away.
‘I thought you said Selma was better?’ I said, rubbing my eyes. ‘She’s worse!’
‘I wish that bell hadn’t gone,’ said Maddie. ‘I’d have punched her and punched her otherwise.’
Phil and I looked at each other. We didn’t say anything.
Selma was five minutes late for afternoon lessons.
‘Selma! What on earth have you been doing?’ asked Miss Lovejoy.
‘Nothing,’ Selma mumbled. She was rubbing her eyes too. It almost looked as if she’d been crying, but of course that was impossible. Great big tough girls like Selma never cried.
It was art now, my favourite lesson. Miss Lovejoy showed us a picture of a big vase of yellow sunflowers, the colours so bright they made you blink.
‘Now I want you to paint sunflowers, children,’ she said.
I thought, Goody-goody-goody, but to my HUGE annoyance Miss Lovejoy said I had to copy some of the lessons I’d missed out of Alistair’s exercise books.
‘But I really, really, really want to paint some sunflowers!’ I said.
‘I know, and I’m sure you’d be very good at it, Tina. But you need to catch up on all those lessons you missed. You should have tried to do a little more work when you were at home,’ said Miss Lovejoy.
‘It’s not fair,’ I mumbled.
‘Life isn’t fair, Tina. Now settle down and stop moaning.’
So I had to sit there copying while everyone else splashed yellow paint about and created beautiful sunflowers.
‘Miss Lovejoy is mean mean mean mean mean,’ I muttered under my breath.
‘Are you humming, Tina?’ asked Miss Lovejoy. ‘Be quiet now.’
I copied and copied and copied. I got sick of the sight of Alistair’s squiggly writing. He used such long words too, just like a textbook. By the end of the afternoon it felt as if his loud pompous voice were spouting facts inside my head.
While everyone else was clearing up the paint things, Miss Lovejoy beckoned me over to her desk. She glanced at all my copying. ‘Well done, Tina. You’ve worked very hard to catch up.’
‘I’m not going to have to do copying every art lesson, am I, Miss Lovejoy?’ I asked plaintively.
‘No, of course not,’ she said. ‘Now, how about showing me the drawings you did at home?’
I went and fetched the sketchbook from my satchel. I felt suddenly shy and worried. I’d loved drawing and colouring all my butterflies. I didn’t want Miss Lovejoy telling me I’d drawn a wing wrong or made a spelling mistake.
She turned page after page, not saying a word. I waited, fidgeting. Then she looked up and smiled at me. A really big smile. ‘Oh, Tina!’ she said.
‘Isn’t it good, Miss Lovejoy?’ said Phil, coming to stand beside me.
‘She did it all by herself, Miss Lovejoy,’ said Maddie. ‘She’s ever so good at drawing, isn’t she?’
‘Yes, she is,’ agreed Miss Lovejoy. ‘And you’ve written some very interesting facts about butterflies too.’
‘I like butterflies,’ I said.
‘In the spring you’ll be able to look out for all these butterflies in your garden.’
‘We haven’t got a proper garden,’ I said.
‘We just have pebbly bits like a beach at the front,’ said Phil.
‘And a yard at the back with our trampoline and the barbecue stuff,’ said Maddie.
‘Well, perhaps your grandma and grandpa have a garden?’ said Miss Lovejoy.
‘No, they live in a flat,’ Phil told her.
‘Well, I’ll have to put my thinking cap on,’ she said.
I didn’t quite understand. I thought Miss Lovejoy meant a real cap, like
I didn’t realize she meant that she was going to think very hard about a butterfly garden.
Chapter Thirteen
WHEN THE BELL rang for playtime the next day, Miss Lovejoy clapped her hands.
‘Wait a minute, everyone. I need a couple of children to do some hard work for me this playtime. All right, who likes football?’
‘Me!’
‘Me!’
‘Me!’
Lots of ‘Me!’s. Nearly all the boys and half the girls said ‘Me!’ Maddie said ‘Me!’ the loudest, even louder than Harry.
‘Well, you’re getting good exercise already, so out you go into the playground and start your football match.’ Miss Lovejoy made shooing motions with her hands.
Maddie rushed to the door – and then hung back.
‘Yes, Madeleine?’ said Miss Lovejoy.
‘I don’t know what to do!’ she said. ‘I like football, but I like playing with Phil and Tina too.’
‘I think they’re going to be preoccupied with other things. Don’t worry about Tina. She’ll be busy doing work with me.’
‘Oh!’ Maddie looked at me, her head on one side, mouthing, Is that all right?
I didn’t know whether to shake my head or nod. While I was making up my mind, she went out of the classroom.
‘Now, I know some of you like dancing too,’ said Miss Lovejoy. ‘That’s also very good exercise. So you go out into the playground and practise your dance steps.’
Kayleigh and five other girls went out – Sarah, Lucy, Princess, Danka and Nell. Selma stood up too, looking uncertain.
The Butterfly Club Page 8