High Jinx

by Sara Lawrence

  ‘Right,’ Mrs Bennett stood up when the tape finished playing and started pacing back and forth behind her desk, ‘right.’

  Jinx didn’t say a word. She was panicking, wondering what she’d do if Mrs Bennett told her to take a hike. Why wasn’t the woman saying anything? What if she still didn’t believe her?

  ‘Jinx Slater,’ Mrs Bennett said eventually, pushing her glasses up her nose, staring a very nervous Jinx in the eye and smiling, ‘I’ve told you before that you’re a credit to this school and today you’ve proved it. I am incredibly proud of you. Not only have you saved two innocent men from a lifetime of suspicion and unemployment, you’ve proved yourself a true Stagmount girl.’

  Jinx blushed and turned to look out of the window again. She loved Mrs B and everything but, really, this gushing was a bit much to deal with. She blushed even harder when the headmistress enveloped her in a huge hug and practically stopped breathing when Mrs Bennett asked her if she would consider being Stagmount’s head girl next year. It was nice and everything but Christ, she did have her reputation to consider.

  There was one thing she needed to ask before she left the office. ‘Mrs Bennett,’ said Jinx, ‘I just don’t understand one thing.’

  ‘What is it, dear?’ Jinx had a feeling Mrs B would have kissed her feet if she’d asked her to.

  ‘Well,’ she paused – she didn’t want to ruin the good mood, but she needed to know, ‘why did you take her in the first place? I mean, you obviously knew why she’d left Bedales, and they must have had their suspicions about her, right?’

  ‘Yes, Jinx, you’re exactly right, of course.’ Mrs Bennett sighed. ‘I was dead against it from the start. In fact, I’d put my foot down and said no. The bursar had other ideas. When Mr and Mrs Fox offered to make a generous donation to his roof fund he forced my hand, I’m afraid. I wish I’d stood my ground, but he really can be very insistent.’

  It was obvious that Mrs Bennett needed to get on the phone and sort stuff out so Jinx decided she’d deal with the head girl issue later – it was two terms off after all, and anything could happen between now and then.

  ‘Just one thing, Jinx,’ Mrs Bennett said, looking up and grinning slyly. Jinx turned round, her hand on the door handle.

  ‘Where did you get the recording device?’

  Jinx blushed and desperately tried to think of something, anything, but her mind remained resolutely void of excuses.

  ‘Actually,’ Mrs Bennett said, tapping her forefinger against the side of her nose and winking, ‘forget I asked that. Something tells me I don’t want to know. Off you go!’

  Jinx slunk into double French an hour late and explained to Mademoiselle Dupont that she’d been with Mrs Bennett. She didn’t look at Stella but noticed Liberty staring quizzically at her. As she sat down in her front row seat she felt the enquiring glances of her entire class and wasn’t surprised when a sharply folded note flew through the air and landed with great precision in the middle of her textbook. It was from Liv and demanded to know where the hell she’d been all morning. Jinx wrote ‘later’ on it, flicked it back to her and settled down in her seat, wondering how long it would take for Mrs B to summon Stella.

  She didn’t have to wait long. Five minutes later and just as Mademoiselle Dupont was really getting to grips with the past participle Jo knocked on the door.

  ‘Stella Fox?’ she said, looking round the room with a stern expression on her face that none of the girls had ever seen before, ‘Mrs Bennett’s office. Now.’

  Jo waited in the doorway, arms folded, as Stella gathered up her books and made to follow her out. As they turned to leave she waved at Liberty as if she didn’t have a care in the world and mouthed ‘See you later, save me a seat at lunch.’ Liberty nodded and Jinx felt a pang for her friend. But not too much of one – Liberty would realise what a snake that girl was soon enough.

  At the end of the lesson they raced down the up stairs towards the dining rooms, with Jinx fielding questions like they were balls being flung out of one of those tennis machines. Only Liberty hung behind, walking sedately down the down, obviously with no idea that Stella’s days were numbered and still wanting nothing to do with them. ‘Will you all just shut up!’ Jinx giggled, ‘I’ll fill you in over lunch, when we’re all sitting down in the same place at the same time.’ Needless to say they made it to lunch in record time.

  Jinx walked over to where Liberty was sitting on her own at the end of a table of second years, pretending she was oblivious to what the lower sixth were doing. ‘Lib, will you come and sit with us? Please?’

  Liberty suddenly seemed to take a great interest in the contents of her shepherd’s pie, pushing it around her plate and refusing to look at Jinx.

  ‘Come on, Lib’ – Jinx knelt down, put a hand on Liberty’s knee and squeezed it – ‘you know how much I love you and I’m sorry – so sorry – that I’ve upset you. Look, even if you’re still furious with me I promise you don’t want to miss this. Honestly, you’ve got to hear it.’

  ‘Fine,’ Liberty stood up and picked up her tray. ‘But I’m still cross with you. And me coming over there doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you.’

  ‘OK, sweetheart.’ Jinx raised her eyebrows and picked up Liberty’s bag from where she’d left it under the table. ‘Totally understood. I’ve got your bag by the way.’

  When Jinx had finished speaking all the girls, even Liberty, were staring at her open-mouthed. If a stranger had walked into the dining room right then they’d have thought this lot were Stagmount’s own village idiots, shunned to a separate table by their cleverer peers.

  Liberty was the first to break the silence. ‘But why didn’t you tell me, Jinx?’ she whined, flicking her hair, still undecided whether she should continue the feud or not. ‘If you’d told me all this stuff I wouldn’t have hung around with her, would I?’

  ‘I tried, darling,’ Jinx sighed. ‘But she had you wrapped round her beautifully manicured little finger, didn’t she?’

  ‘And also, Lib,’ said Chastity, ‘Jinx didn’t know everything until last night, did she? She couldn’t have told you everything she’s just told us now.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Liv agreed. ‘We should just draw a line under it from here on. Let’s face it – it’s not like she’s going to be here much longer is it? There’s no way Bennett will let her hang around to poison our pure little minds any further – I wouldn’t be surprised if we never see her again.’

  Liberty seemed to agree and it was a far happier crowd who traipsed down the drive back to Tanner House to watch Neighbours. Even the sun was shining. As they approached the front door they saw Mrs Gunn striding through it and all of them apart from Jinx shrunk to the other side of the path.

  ‘Has she gone fucking mad?’ hissed Liv to Charlie as Jinx gave Gunn a jaunty wave and enquired after her health in a decidedly breezy manner. The rest of the girls were even more appalled when Gunn grunted a response and didn’t say a word about the fact that they were not – as per her new rules – allowed back to the house during the day unless they were at death’s door and had a note from Mister S to prove it.

  ‘I don’t know, love,’ replied Charlie, ‘maybe it’s Gunn who’s gone mad.’ Jinx just smiled. That was one confidence she’d sworn to herself she was never going to break.

  As they entered the house they saw Stella sitting on the sofa in the foyer. There was a huge suitcase and a box full of books on the floor next to her. She was talking in a very tight voice into her phone, demanding to know where her taxi was.

  ‘Taxi for one to the station,’ hummed Chastity and the others giggled as they floated past her without a second glance. Only Jinx hung back.

  ‘You think you’re so fucking clever, don’t you?’ sneered Stella. ‘Well I’m going to have the last laugh, you just wait.’

  ‘Whatever, Stella, whatever,’ Jinx said, making the W sign with her thumbs and forefingers. ‘Oh look, how convenient. There’s your cab. See ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya!’ She laughed t
o herself as she followed the others to the common room. What a day.

  The girls were lying on the floor, scoffing a bumper packet of Jaffa Cakes and totally engrossed in Karl and Susan when they heard the unmistakable hum of a helicopter hovering above the games pitches through the open window. ‘Ignore it,’ yelled Chastity, ‘he’s about to tell her about his affair!’

  They tried to zone it out but the sound was getting louder and louder. It was obviously about to land. Jinx jumped up to shut the window but shivered when she recognised Harrods’ unmistakable green and gold livery plastered all over its sides. She only knew one person who hired that thing to fly to Stagmount.

  ‘Guys!’ she said urgently. ‘Fuck Karl and Susan. Come here and check this out.’

  They extricated themselves from the cushions they were spread out on and came, grumbling, to the window. ‘So what?’ Chastity loved Neighbours more than anything, ‘It’s a helicopter. Big fucking deal. It’s probably some first year’s parents or something. I don’t know what you’re making such a fuss about.’

  Liberty was rooted to the spot as they watched the chopper make its landing. As the occupant jumped out and ran, bent low, to the safety of outside the landing square she turned to Jinx. ‘Shit,’ she whispered, gripping Jinx’s arm so tightly it hurt, ‘it’s Dad.’

  ‘Your dad?’ Charlie was confused. ‘What the fuck is he doing here?’

  ‘We don’t know,’ said Jinx grimly, ‘but I’ve got a terrible feeling we’re about to find out. And somehow I don’t imagine he’s here to take us out to tea.’

  As they watched, Mrs Bennett flew down the steps by the tuck shop before running elegantly down the gentle slope towards Amir Latiffe. She held out her hand in greeting, but he seemed to refuse to take it. She stepped backwards as he began gesticulating wildly about, using what looked like a large brown envelope in his hand for emphasis.

  ‘He looks mad about something,’ murmured Liv, ‘that’s for sure.’

  After what looked like a lot of persuading and peace-making on Mrs B’s part, Amir eventually began to walk with her up the slope towards the path that led to the main school front door and her office.

  ‘Lib,’ Jinx put her hands on a transfixed Liberty’s shoulders and shook her gently, ‘we’ve got to deal with this. Whatever he’s doing here it’s obvious he’ll want to see you sooner or later. Shall we bite the bullet and go up there now?’

  ‘I think you should.’ Liv put her arm around Liberty’s waist and squeezed her. ‘If he thinks you’ve done something wrong then at least this way you’ll look like you’re behaving like an adult.’

  ‘But she hasn’t done anything,’ said Charlie. ‘Has she? None of us have – not for ages.’

  ‘No,’ Jinx agreed. ‘He’s probably got the wrong end of the stick. Or he was probably in London and decided to pay a flying visit at the last minute. We’d know if it was anything else.’

  Liberty didn’t look convinced, and, to be honest, neither was Jinx, but she eventually agreed that they should be seen to be behaving innocently if nothing else.

  They all agreed that only Jinx should accompany Liberty. None of the others really knew Amir whereas he’d known Jinx since Liberty started at Stagmount.

  As they walked up the drive arm in arm Jinx prattled on about Stella and how nice Mrs Bennett had been to her that morning. She said anything, in fact, that came into her mind apart from what possible reason Amir could have for turning up out of the blue like this and in such an obvious mood about something. Liberty’s face was set in a frozen mask of terrified anticipation, and she only murmured yes and no answers to Jinx’s non-stop nervous chatter.

  They stood outside Mrs Bennett’s office, next to a shell-shocked looking Jo who didn’t ask them what they wanted but motioned for them to join her in leaning close to the outside of the door. At the sound of her father’s voice Liberty immediately turned white and began shaking like a jelly. What they heard sent a shiver down Jinx’s spine.

  Amir, obviously in the middle of a marvellous raging rant, was screaming and yelling about decency and propriety and Mrs Bennett was using her most soothing voice in what was clearly a vain attempt to calm him down.

  ‘But how do you explain this, Mrs Bennett?’ he screamed. ‘You can’t, that’s what! I pay a fortune to send my first-born to this school, believing you will look after her and then I see this.’ There was the sound of something being smacked down on a desk and then silence.

  ‘I can see why you are upset, Mr Latiffe,’ began Mrs Bennett, ‘and I can assure you …’

  ‘You can assure me of NOTHING, Mrs Bennett, NOTHING!’ Amir shouted. ‘For a long time I have wondered about this Stagmount and this is the final stick. This has broken my donkey’s back. I remove Liberty now at once and for ever.’

  ‘But Mr …’ Mrs Bennett was using her most soothing voice.

  ‘But nothing,’ Amir interrupted. ‘Shut up, woman. Where is my daughter? I want to see my Liberty now. WHERE IS SHE?’

  ‘Hi, Dad,’ a quaking Liberty said, walking into the office, closely followed by Jinx, ‘I saw you land. What’s up?’

  Amir spun round and stared at Liberty with a look of such fear and loathing and unreconstructed hatred that Jinx wanted to grab her hand and run, run all the way down the drive, past the Marina and beyond. To Hampshire. To London – to anywhere this terrible man wouldn’t be able to find her.

  ‘You dare to ask me what is up.’ He threw himself to his knees, conveniently landing smack bang in the middle of Mrs Bennett’s Bokhara rug thereby saving his knees, and held his head in his hands. ‘Like a filthy American. Like your mother.’ He started crying and smacking his head with his hands. Jinx thought she might collapse into hysterical nervous laughter but managed to stop herself for fear of what the man might do next.

  ‘It is over, Liberty,’ he said, his eyes suddenly dry and hard. ‘I have – how do you call it – tough evidence that you have been bringing shame to the good name of Latiffe and you leave here with me now this minute at once.’

  ‘But, Dad,’ Liberty said, stretching out a hand and moving closer to him, ‘I don’t understand what I’m supposed to have done.’

  ‘I show you.’ Amir leapt to his feet and grabbed the brown envelope from Mrs Bennett’s desk, shaking it so that a collection of photos spilled out all over the floor. ‘THIS! This is what you have done. And it stop here.’

  Jinx looked at the images spread out on Mrs Bennett’s floor. At first glance they looked like any of the photos tacked up on their bedroom walls all over Tanner House and teenage bedrooms all over the country. Girls and boys holding up beer bottles and glasses, their arms wrapped around each other, smiling broadly for the camera. On closer inspection she realised they showed Liberty and other people she didn’t know laughing and obviously having a good time in a club she didn’t recognise.

  As she leaned forward to study them more intently she realised the blonde girl with the massive toothy grin and heavy make-up who appeared in all the pictures was Stella. Jinx was confused. How the hell did Amir get hold of these? Had he been having Liberty followed or something? She caught Mrs Bennett’s eye and raised her eyebrows in a silent question. Mrs Bennett shook her head before inclining it to where Liberty was staring at Amir with a hunted look on her face.

  ‘But, Dad,’ she said, her voice quavering, ‘I haven’t done anything wrong. So I went to a club with my friends. So what? That’s what kids do. They hang out with their friends and they have a nice time. I love you and I’m sorry if you think I’ve let you down. But please be reasonable – I went clubbing, that’s all! It’s not shameful, it’s not dirty and it’s no reflection on your reputation.’

  Amir stared at her and shook his head. ‘I don’t care what you say,’ he said in a terrifyingly harsh voice. ‘I am not listening to you any more. For nearly four years you have persuaded me to let you stay here to finish your education and today it ends. It stops. You come back to Saudi.’

  ‘Dad,’ said Lib
erty, who looked near breaking point, ‘how did you get these?’

  ‘I was sent them in an email. I got them this morning and it so happened I was in London on business.’ Amir smoothed his beard, looking very pleased with himself. ‘Yes, it seems that not all Stagmount girls are like you. Some of them have a sense of moral decency and know the difference between right and wrong. What was her name?’ Amir scratched his head. ‘Ah yes, it was like a star and an animal. Stella Fox. She was most informative. She said she thought it was time I knew what kind of company you were keeping and what you get up to behind my back. She wrote that she’d heard I was a decent man and most concerned about my daughter and she wanted to help me out. I am very pleased with her indeed.’

  Jinx thought she might throw up. She had to make Amir see reason. ‘Mr Latiffe,’ she said, a very grave expression on her face, ‘I’m so sorry that you think Stagmount has let you down, but it certainly hasn’t let Liberty down. Look at her. She’s beautiful and kind and she’s doing so well in her lessons this term. She’s got so many friends here, and we all love her so much. We’d never let anything happen to her …’

  ‘Jinx,’ Amir interrupted and bowed slightly to her, ‘I always liked you and I liked your parents too. I thought you were a good friend to Liberty, and in your own way you probably were, but I cannot have this. Liberty is bringing shame on her family and none of you can understand that. I’m sorry but she’s coming back to Saudi with me today and that is the end of it.’

  ‘Come on, Jinx,’ Liberty put her arm round Jinx’s shoulder, ‘it’s no good. His mind is made up. Come and help me get my stuff.’

  ‘No,’ Amir folded his arms, ‘you come with me now. Right now this second. No stuff, no bags, nothing. We leave now.’

  ‘But …’ Liberty’s eyes had filled with tears and if Jinx hadn’t put an arm round her waist she might have fallen over.