by Jacky Gray
“So, he’s the boy next door, huh?” Ray winked at Liv again.
Kat frowned. “No, I told you. It’s not like that. We’re much too good friends to spoil it by going out together.”
He looked sceptical. “My dad reckons there’s no such thing as a platonic relationship between a man and a woman.”
“There may not be, but we’ve been surrogate siblings for almost a decade, which is why it’s possible for us. We used to talk about everything because he hasn’t got any sisters and my brothers are too old or far too young.” Kat sighed, remembering when he’d asked her about kissing David Oughton, because he wanted to kiss a girl and didn’t know how to do it. She returned from the distant memory to find them all staring at her expectantly, and continued, with a shrug.
“Then his mum died and it was like someone flicked a switch.” She shook her head. “When he came back to school he’d turned into a different boy: moody, always picking fights and rude to the teachers.”
“I remember Mrs Timons telling us about his brother Pete going into hospital the same week his mum died. She asked us to understand the pressures Luke was under and make allowances,” Liv chipped in, scraping the last scraps of sticky toffee pudding from her dish. “She told Nelson and a couple of the other planks to give him a wide berth. Of course, they had no clue what she meant.”
“Yeah, right.” Kat smiled at the memory. “But he wouldn’t talk to me about it. I worried even more when I discovered he was hanging out with Jimmy Proud’s Dark Angels.”
Ray’s eyebrows shot up. “A motorbike gang?”
“They wish.” Kat sighed. “Although he rides a bike now. They’re big enemies of my brothers and real troublemakers, causing mayhem wherever they go.”
“Jimmy’s not so bad,” Liv sprang to his defence.
Kat couldn’t stop her expression reflecting disapproval. “I forgot you had a crush on him. I thought it was all over.”
“It is. I mean, I never fancied him or anything. I think he got a bad name because of his brothers.”
“So, let me get this straight. Kat’s got an on-off thing going with the jock. Liv’s got a big crush on this leader-of-the-pack character, leaving me with Jude, the wild girl.”
“Oh, no. I’m afraid you don’t stand a chance with her.” Liv’s comment wiped the smug grin off Ray’s face.
“Because I’m in a wheelchair?”
“Tou-uh-chy! No, because she already has her one big passion.” Liv lifted her eyebrows meaningfully, but Kat didn’t twig until a kick under the table helped her to latch on to the tease.
“Wha ... oh, yes. Her heart’s well and truly taken.
“Does he go to Bryant Rockwell, too?”
“It’s not a he.” Liv’s eyes twinkled with mischief.
“You mean she’s ... I can’t believe she’s a ...”
As Ray floundered for a suitable label, Kat couldn’t keep it up any longer. “She’s not. Stop teasing the poor lad, Liv. She’s into ice-skating.”
“So, you’re saying she’s a real sporty type who wouldn’t have any time for a cripple?”
“We’re not saying anything of the sort. If the chip on your shoulder gets any bigger, it’ll be a full grown, prize-winning potato.” Liv’s classic, pomposity-deflating wit made Ray smile.
She explained further. “It’s only a tease. We simply meant she doesn’t have time for boyfriends with all the training she puts in.”
Kat added more detail. “Yeah, she does an hour most mornings before school, which is why she’s always late.”
“Ok, I’m sorry. I guess I’m a little on the defensive side after the morning I’ve had. It’s always the same when I meet new people. Will you forgive me? Please?” Ray’s puppy-dog eyes would have melted steel.
4 Liv’s Personal Hell
Watching the way the normally-reserved Kat liquefied at this newcomer’s slow, lazy smile, Liv wondered if she appeared equally smitten by Ray’s devastating appeal. The tightness of the lock of hair wrapped round her finger gave a clue to her distraction, and she released it, nodding every bit as eagerly as Kat. She figured they’d forgive him anything. Did he know the effect he had on them? She knew it wasn’t only her.
As the bell rang for the end of lunch, she realised he had the power to get all three of them sniping at each other; no one had ever managed to do that.
Liv couldn’t wait to get together with the others to talk it all over, but Wednesday afternoon was devoted to sports, her least favourite pastime of the week. It wasn’t too bad in the summer: cooling off in the swimming pool could be fun after a hard day at work and she actually swam quite well. Not in Jude’s league, but who was? The thought of getting into the unheated outdoor pool right now made her shudder as she removed her shoes and tights, pulling on sports socks.
“Come along ladies, anyone not on the pitch in five minutes gets to go five times round the perimeter.” Miss Talbot’s oft-repeated refrain brought a host of protests from several vociferous girls.
“No way.”
“Give us a break, we just got here.”
“Gross. Straight after treacle pudding. Does she want me to be sick?” Becky’s remark hit the spot.
Liv pushed out her full belly, clutching it and miming throwing up. Becky’s fond grin took Liv back to year seven when they were the original “little and large” for a while. Becky had an abnormal growth spurt and Liv felt sure she had a couple of rogue strands of hobbit DNA. They put up with a lot of stick because of it, but by the end of the year, the rest of the class had mostly caught up with Becky, and Liv had finally stretched by a couple of inches.
Jude stood in front of Liv. “C’mon, get a move on, or she’ll have your guts for garters.” She flicked her gaze toward the PE teacher who was glaring at them.
Liv pulled her shorts on under her skirt. Right now, five laps didn’t seem too big a deal. She’d developed a sort of rolling gait which resembled a jog, perfecting it in the cross-country to get past the checkpoints until they left her alone. Then she’d walk back, usually getting in last. Infinitely preferable to the ordeal of changing behind a towel in the communal changing rooms. Or, even worse, in the showers which had nowhere to hide from skinny little runts like Diana Braithwaite who felt it their duty to tease her every week.
On a good day, she didn’t feel fat so much as plump and cuddly. On a bad day, as in any with a ‘d’ in the name, all she saw in mirrors was a fat blob. Solution? Don’t look in mirrors. Simples. Liv pulled off the tie and undid the buttons on her blouse.
Maybe she could use her period to skip it? No, not even Miss Talbot would believe she had it three weeks running. Bother! She was destined for an hour of hockey followed by an hour of netball. Could they devise a worse torture for her? Not possible. She sighed, taking her blouse off to the accompaniment of familiar giggles from her arch enemy, Dirty Diana.
“How can you possibly stand up straight with all that weight on top?” The girl’s titter had the same effect as nails on a chalkboard – the geography teacher kept one in his classroom for the express purpose of torturing the class when they got too noisy.
This time Liv snapped. “How can you possibly tell the same joke every week? Is it because you’ve got no brains up top?”
Jude and Kat led the laughter of the rest of the class who were also fed up with Diana’s spiteful comments. Most of them had experienced enough of the agonies of puberty for the novelty to have worn off completely. They no longer laughed, however nervously, at the discovery of some new bodily function designed specifically to cause the maximum embarrassment.
Liv appreciated their loyalty. Although they could sympathise, her best friends would never understand the nightmare of rolls of pink flesh bulging over the too-tight briefs her mother optimistically bought for her. Jude was immaculately toned with all the sports; it wasn’t simply ice-skating she was good at. And as for Kat: she had one of those tall, willowy figures, like a super-model, with looks to match.
Oh, w
ell. She’d have to content herself with being the ugly geek of the outfit. With another sigh, she finished lacing her boots. Her friends held out their arms, and she linked with them both as they ambled out to the hockey pitch.
“C’mon, pass it to me. Pass it over, Liv,” Becky shouted to her.
“Sure, have it with pleasure.” I never wanted the damn thing in the first place. Liv hated hockey; as usual, she got put in defence. They obviously figured her bulk would intimidate the opposition. Fat chance – pun intended.
All of a sudden, a stick came from nowhere and smacked her in the face. Then a body slammed into hers, knocking her to the ground. Her sole thought was gratitude she’d taken off her glasses; they’d have smashed into her eyes.
Miss Talbot’s whistle screeched to stop play.
Poor Becky almost cried as she tried to untangle herself with the minimum of further damage. “I’m so sorry, Liv. I don’t know what happened; I must have slipped. Oh, God. Miss Talbot, quick; she’s covered in blood.”
“Don’t worry, my dear.” The PE teacher patted Becky’s arm. “Katrina, can you take Rebecca to the surgery and bring back a stretcher. Don’t move, Olivia. The rest of you, clear off and run twice round the pitch.”
As the other teacher herded the rest of the girls away, Miss Talbot asked Jude to stay and help while she examined Liv for any serious damage.
Jude said angrily, “Diana deliberately tripped Becky with her stick. I saw it.”
Miss Talbot glared at her for an instant, then adopted a bland tone. “I’m sure it was an accident, Judith; the ground is rather slippery after the rain. Well, Olivia, it looks as though you’ll survive, but I’m taking no chances. If your fall caused a nose bleed, it’s the hospital for you.”
“It wasn’t the fall, someone’s hockey stick smashed into my nose a second before Becky bumped into me.”
“Are you sure?”
Liv nodded, sending fresh spots of blood down the front of her white shirt.
Miss Talbot frowned. “Right, see if you can stand.”
“No problem.” Liv knew the drill: slightest wobble and she’d be in casualty until six o’clock, so she pulled herself up slowly and carefully.
“Ok, I’m convinced. You’d better go and lie down in the surgery until it stops bleeding, then get changed. Come and join us, by then we’ll probably be on the netball court. Make sure you see me at the end of the lesson.”
As Liv tried to work it through, the teacher fired off more instructions.
“Judith, will you go with her? Then you and Katrina can meet me back here. Bring Rebecca if she’s checked out ok. And don’t dawdle; we won’t start until you get back.”
“Yes, Miss Talbot.” Almost perfect harmony.
As soon as she’d sprinted off, blowing her whistle, Jude started. “The nasty, vindictive, lying, cheating cow.”
“Now, now. I always thought you liked Miss Talbot.”
“You know full well I mean Diana. We all know she’s a vicious little madam, but I never thought she’d stoop to ABH.”
“This Body isn’t Actually Harmed, only my face.” Liv grinned.
“Probably getting you back because you made everyone laugh at her.”
“I think it worked better than she planned. She wasn’t to know poor old Becky would lose her grip on the stick and I would end up with a faceful.”
“Yeah, but it could have been a lot worse. Don’t you worry, I’ll get her back in netball, fix her good and proper.”
“You’ve been watching those Ealing comedies again, Jude. No, don’t do anything. For one, she’ll be expecting it, so she’ll suffer all the way through waiting for it to happen; and two, she’ll find a way of landing you in it. You saw the way Miss Talbot scowled; they’re all careful with Madam Braithwaite ’cos Daddy is chairman of the school governors.”
“That’s terrible.”
“Leave it with me. I’ll teach her a lesson she won’t forget in a hurry.”
“Ok, yo’ de boss, Boss.” Jude grinned, knowing full well she sounded like an old gangster movie. “Are you sure you’re ok?”
“What? Missing half a hockey match and the whole of netball, how much better can it get? I’m half inclined to go and thank her.”
They met Kat and Becky coming up with the stretcher and the poor girl couldn’t apologise enough. She got really mad when she found out what Diana had done.
Liv still had a lot of affection for the uncomplicated girl; they’d been thrown together frequently in year seven. A budding friendship emerged as they discovered common traits, both being single-minded, blunt, and good at maths. Diana soured it, sticking to Becky like glue as they were the only two girls from the local private school. She’d tried everything possible to split them up, leading to a huge public row in the dining hall. Liv could tell her former friend still had unresolved issues as her face took on a grim set.
“Don’t worry; I’ll make that creature sorry she ever harmed you.”
“Thanks, Becky, but I’d rather fight my own battles. Get even with her on your own account, by all means.”
“What do you mean?”
“If Jude hadn’t spotted Diana doing the dirty, we might have thought you were trying something on. Even worse, if Miss Talbot suspected ...”
“Yeah, she’s never liked me since I refused to be on the netball squad. Prince Rupert takes all my spare time.”
“She does like you; she called you my dear.” Jude touched her arm.
Becky hung her head. “It’s just her way.”
“Trust me; Miss T doesn’t say that to people she thinks are a waste of time.” Jude smiled. “And anyway, I’ve heard her say more than once what a good all-rounder you are.”
The taller girl’s face beamed with embarrassed delight. “Really, she said that? Cool.”
“Yep.” Liv silently thanked Jude as she reassured Becky. “And you don’t want to do anything stupid in class to risk her getting mad, do you?”
“True. But there are other ways. Diana keeps her horse at the same stables as Prince Rupert.”
“You wouldn’t harm a dumb animal?” Kat looked horrified.
“I’m not going to hurt her.” Becky grinned at her own joke. “Merely get her into some minor trouble. Fanny Borstein has all sorts of rules about the state of tackle and she’s probably the only person Diana’s afraid of.”
“Sounds good. Best of luck with it.” Liv smiled. “Now, you’d better get back, Miss T said she wouldn’t restart the match without you.”
“Ok. I’ll let you know how I get on.” She hugged Liv and took a slow walk back.
“Cheers.” Liv turned to Jude and Kat. “You may as well go back, too. I’ll manage the stretcher back to the surgery.”
“Are you sure you’re ok? There’s a lot of blood.” Kat inspected her face with a tiny grimace.
“Yep. I told you, no problem. Most of it will wash off.”
“Ok, then. Take care, you.”
After hugs, they dashed off to join Becky, and Liv dutifully reported in to the first-aider who cleaned her up and logged the details.
“The skin hasn’t broken, and if you hold this on …”
“It’ll reduce the bruising.” Liv grinned. “Dad’s a doctor.”
“Of course. At least twenty minutes, more if you can.”
Liv relished the luxury of changing in private, then soaked the blood out of her sports shirt. Holding the ice-pack in place, she skimmed through Mel’s letter again. She didn’t want to get to the netball courts before the changeover, so she took a slow walk toward them, thinking over Mel’s words.
Somehow, the act of writing a letter revealed emotions which never came through in the texts or Facebook messages she sent. Although it was great Mel had made some new friends, the letter made it clear how much she’d been struggling without her familiar comforts. Liv grimaced; it must be absolutely awful to be a stranger in a new school. No wonder Ray hung round them like a leech. She must try to be a little nicer
to him and stop teasing.
5 Ray: An Honorary Girl
Grunting and shouts attracted Liv’s attention as she skirted round the rugby pitch. Glancing over, she saw the lads taking turns to slam into a padded machine. Ray sat on the side-lines, obviously hating every minute.
She sidled up and tapped his shoulder. “Hi, what are you doing here?”
“I could ask the same of you.” His look registered the ice-pack.
“Hockey stick in the face. Mega nosebleed.”
“Holy cow, Batman.” He punched a fist into his hand. “Are you ok?”
She grinned, remembering the recent viral meme. “Hey, I’m not complaining.” Her nose felt tender, but she’d live. “I’d do anything to get out of playing hockey. I hate it.”
“Even get yourself one of these? You’d never have to play it again.”
“Gosh, I’m sorry. That was really insensitive of me. I bet you were dead keen on sports.”
She looked at his broad chest and thick wrists and he followed his gaze. An odd expression flitted across his face as he shook his head. “Nah, I’m with you. I hated sports even before the accident. I was pretty useless, but brainy ones like us usually are, aren’t we?”
Her eyes strayed back to the width of his shoulders and he flexed his arms, stretching the white cotton tautly across the muscles. “This? My dad’s idea. He sends me to a gym where this guy takes me through a set of routines to try and stop my muscles wasting away. He’s trying to fix it up for Wednesday afternoons but Mike’s away on holiday so Mein Fürher Green said I had to sit on the side and watch instead.”
“Does it work?”
“It’s pretty useless on my legs but I’m getting the upper body of an Olympic weight-lifter.” He flexed his muscles again, this time like a TV body builder, and she giggled at the stupid face he pulled.
Unfortunately, Mr Green heard and glared at them. “You. Girl. What are you doing here? This isn’t a mixed session.”
“Ray’s personal trainer sent a message; he can make it, after all.”