by Judi Curtin
Praise for Alice to the Rescue
‘Always charming, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, this book about two best friends is a treat’ Irish Independent
‘A touching story about the ways friendship can fix even the most seemingly difficult problems’ CBI Bookfest Guide 2009
Alice to the Rescue
Judi Curtin
Illustrations: Woody Fox
For Mum and Dad
Many, many thanks to everyone who helped with this book. If you don’t know who you are by now, I give up. (But just in case, thanks to: Dan, Annie, Ellen, Brian, Helen, Brenda, Ruth, Emma, Michael, Ivan, Kunak, Sarah and Woody.)
I really appreciate it when people take the trouble to let me know that they are enjoying the ‘Alice & Megan’ books. Special mention has to go to the enthusiastic letter-writers from Tiermohan NS and the eager e-mailers from The Heath NS. Thank You!
Contents
Reviews
Title Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Chapter one
Chapter two
Chapter three
Chapter four
Chapter five
Chapter six
Chapter seven
Chapter eight
Chapter nine
Chapter ten
Chapter eleven
Chapter twelve
Chapter thirteen
Chapter fourteen
Chapter fifteen
Chapter sixteen
Chapter seventeen
Chapter eighteen
Chapter nineteen
Chapter twenty
Chapter twenty-one
Chapter twenty-two
Chapter twenty-three
Chapter twenty-four
Chapter twenty-five
Chapter twenty-six
Chapter twenty-seven
Chapter twenty-eight
Chapter twenty-nine
Chapter thirty
Chapter thirty-one
Chapter thirty-two
About the Author
Copyright
Other Books
Chapter one
I ate the last spoonful of porridge, and got up from the table to put my bowl into the dishwasher. Mum gave a big long sigh, making her straggly, curly fringe rise up into the air, almost as if it was getting ready to fly off into outer space.
‘I’m going to miss you, Megan,’ she said.
I gave an even bigger sigh.
‘Mum, that is soooo pathetic,’ I said. ‘It’s not like I’m going to America for six months. I’m only going to school. It’s just up the road, and I’ll be home at half past three.’
Mum shook her head impatiently.
‘That’s not the point, Megan,’ she said. ‘I’ve got used to you being around the house during the Christmas holidays. It will be so quiet here when you’re gone.’
I didn’t answer. Even when I was there, the house was too quiet for me.
I love Christmas. I love opening presents (even home-made ones from my mum). I love the smell of the Christmas tree (but I hate being the one who has to plant it in the garden again when Christmas is over). I love eating the chocolate bars from the selection box my aunt Linda sends me every year (even though she knows it drives my mum crazy). I love being able to stay in my pyjamas for half the day. I love … well, I just love every single thing about Christmas.
But after two weeks of Christmas with my family, I was ready to go back to school. I was ready to go back out into the real world.
‘Your second term at secondary school,’ Mum was saying in a dreamy kind of voice. ‘How did that happen so quickly? I remember when––’
Just then the doorbell rang. I grinned. It’s like Alice has some kind of radar that lets her know when I’m in trouble. She always manages to come to the rescue just in time.
‘Sorry, Mum,’ I said. ‘I’d really love to hear what you remember, but some other time, OK?’
‘Don’t be cheeky, young lady,’ said Mum, but she was smiling, so I knew she wasn’t cross.
Just then my little sister Rosie appeared in the kitchen. She looked totally sweet in her fleecy pyjamas, with her hair all damp and curly. I felt a bit sorry for her – she just gets to go to playschool in the mornings and then she’s stuck at home with Mum all afternoon, eating healthy food and playing educational games.
I bent down and kissed her.
‘See you later,’ I said.
Then I gave Mum a quick kiss, grabbed my coat and my school-bag and ran out to meet Alice.
* * *
Alice and I hugged each other. Then I bent down to stroke Domino, my pet kitten, who had just appeared and was rubbing against my leg with her soft fur. Domino had only strayed into my life a few months earlier, but already it felt like she’d been mine forever.
‘Bye, Domino,’ I said. ‘Be a good girl until I get home.’
Alice rolled her eyes.
‘Still talking to animals, I see. Know what, Megan? You badly need to get back to school.’
I laughed.
‘Tell me about it,’ I said.
I picked Domino up and she wriggled until she was comfortable in my arms.
‘Isn’t she the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen?’ I asked.
Alice backed away. I keep forgetting that Alice doesn’t like cats very much. I think she’s even a bit afraid of Domino, but she’s too proud to admit it.
‘We’re going to be late if we don’t get a move on,’ said Alice, not answering my question.
I put Domino down, and Alice backed even further away as the little cat slunk past her.
Then Alice and I set off down the road towards school.
‘I’m so looking forward to seeing everyone again,’ said Alice. ‘I think I’m even looking forward to seeing Miss Leonard.’
I giggled. Miss Leonard is our Home Economics teacher, and I’m fairly sure she wasn’t looking forward to seeing Alice.
‘At least that awful Marcus won’t be around to scare you any more,’ said Alice.
I didn’t answer. Marcus had been in my class until just before Christmas, and he had started off being really scary, but in the end I felt sorry for him. Even though he did some bad things, he was nice underneath. I’d never found the right time to tell Alice that, in a funny kind of way, Marcus had been my friend.
‘At least you’re never going to hear from him again,’ said Alice.
Once again I didn’t reply.
What would Alice say if she knew that Marcus had texted me from his new boarding school only half an hour earlier?
Sometimes things are just too complicated to put into words.
* * *
Before long we were at the usual corner where our friends Grace and Louise were waiting for us. We all hugged, and then continued on our walk, chatting about the Christmas holidays. Grace had been on a skiing holiday, and made us all laugh as she told us stories about the crazy, but very good-looking, German boy in her skiing class.
Just before we got to school, we met my friend Kellie, and the five of us walked through the school gates together. I wasn’t scared like I had been back in September.
I felt brave and happy and ready for a whole new year.
Chapter two
We had assembly first thing, so we all made our way to the big hall. It was kind of fun, waving at people I hadn’t seen over the holidays. Everyone was chatting and laughing. The girls were hugging each other, and the boys were pretending to think that was gross. Then the principal, Mrs Kingston, stepped on to the stage, and everyone stood quietly.
‘Bet this is going to be totally boring,’ whispered Alice with a big sigh. ‘What do you think, Meg?’
I didn’t reply. Mrs Kin
gston was really strict about talking in assembly. Why was Alice whispering? Did she want to get in trouble on the very first morning?
As usual, Alice was right, though. There was about twenty minutes of boring stuff, and then, at last, Mrs Kingston said something interesting.
‘This year, we’ve decided to try something new,’ she began. ‘There’s a very large range of abilities in your English classes, so we have decided to divide you up based on the results of your Christmas exams. This means that, for English lessons only, you will no longer be taught in your usual class groups, but in the new ones, which are on the lists at the back of the room.’
Everyone immediately turned to look, but turned back again just as quickly when Mrs Kingston let out a sudden loud cry.
‘PATIENCE!’ she shouted, so loudly that almost everyone, including me, jumped. ‘You can all see the lists on your way out, and not before then.’
Mrs Kingston went on with loads more boring stuff after that, but I couldn’t pay any attention. I love English and had done really well in my Christmas exam, but I couldn’t remember how Alice or any of my other friends had done. If they had done well we could all be together for English, which would be totally great. I was too afraid to ask them though, as Mrs Kingston was wearing her very cross face. There was no way I was doing anything that might make her shout at me in front of everyone.
At last Mrs Kingston showed signs of winding up, and we were allowed to walk very slowly towards the back of the hall. There was a bit of pushing and shoving as everyone tried to find their name. Louise got there first and reported back.
‘I’m with Kellie,’ she said. ‘Grace is on her own again, and Alice and Megan are together.’
I turned to Alice and we jumped up and down and hugged each other.
This was so great! Now I was going to be with Alice for English and Home Ec, and I had Kellie in all of my other classes.
This was going to be a totally fun term – I just knew it.
Chapter three
The first few weeks went by very quickly. Then one day, our new English teacher, Mr Dunne, came in to class rubbing his hands, and saying,
‘Listen carefully, class, because I have some very big news.’
Alice nudged me.
‘He’s probably going to tell us that he got a new car, or something boring like that,’ she said.
I giggled.
‘No,’ I whispered back. ‘I bet he wants to tell us that he’s discovered an exciting new book, all about full stops and commas and quotation marks.’
Alice giggled too, but stopped when she saw that Mr Dunne was staring at us.
‘When Megan and Alice are ready,’ he said, ‘I’ll tell you the news.’
We all sat up straight, and when the room was perfectly silent he continued.
‘It’s a competition,’ he said.
Now everyone listened carefully. Competitions are usually a lot more fun than regular school work and they are much less likely to involve stupid grammar rules.
Mr Dunne continued.
‘It’s an essay competition.’
I started to smile. I love writing essays, and Mr Dunne nearly always gives me top marks when we have to do one. Maybe I could win. Maybe, for the first time since starting secondary school, I could stand out as someone special.
Sophie put her hand up.
‘What kind of an essay do we have to write?’ she asked. ‘Can we write about disco dancing?’
A few of the boys laughed, and everyone else groaned. Sophie is a disco-dancing champion, and she’s also a champion at boring everyone to death by talking about disco dancing.
Mr Dunne sighed.
‘No, Sophie,’ he said. ‘You can’t write about disco dancing.’
Sophie put on a sulky face.
Then lots of hands went up together.
‘What do we have to write about?’
‘How much do we have to write?’
‘Can we do it on the computer?
‘What’s the prize?’
Mr Dunne smiled.
‘It’s nice to see you’re all so enthusiastic,’ he said, ignoring Sophie who was muttering under her breath.
Then he continued.
‘The essay has to be around three to four hundred words long.’
There were a few groans from the kids who are always in trouble for not finishing their homework.
Mr Dunne ignored them.
‘You can do your first draft in your copies, but anyone who wants can type out their final draft on the computer. The topic of the essay is “The benefits of foreign travel”.’
There were a few more groans from the back of the class.
Suddenly Sophie perked up.
‘I went to a disco-dancing competition in England last year. Can I write about that?’
Mr Dunne sighed.
‘Did you benefit from the trip?’
Sophie smiled happily.
‘I got a silver medal. Look, I’ve got it here in my bag. Will I show you?’
I tried to hide my smile. Sophie had shown everyone in the class that medal about five times already. It was probably almost worn out from all the times she had put it in and out of her school bag.
Before Mr Dunne could reply, a boy called Joe put up his hand.
‘I’ve never been to a foreign country,’ he said. ‘So can I write about my holidays in Kilkee?’
Mr Dunne shook his head.
‘Sorry, Joe, I don’t think that would count,’ he said. ‘But don’t worry. Anyone who has never been abroad can write about why they think a trip abroad would improve their lives.’
Joe put up his hand again.
‘What if you don’t think a trip abroad would improve your life?’
Mr Dunne shook his head crossly.
‘Well you’ll just have to pretend, won’t you? But everyone has to write the essay, it will be good practice for you all. The first draft is your homework. I’ll be collecting it on Monday.’
Now there were lots more groans.
Once again Mr Dunne ignored them. Maybe being half-deaf is a good thing in a teacher.
‘The good news,’ he said, ‘is that there’s a big prize. A very, very big prize. It’s been donated by a past pupil of the school, and entry is limited to boys and girls who are currently in first year.’
Everyone sat up straight again and waited. Mr Dunne fumbled with a bundle of papers on his desk.
‘Now where did I put that letter?’ he muttered.
At last he waved a piece of paper in the air.
‘Here it is,’ he said.
The only sound was the slight rustle as Mr Dunne unfolded the letter and began to read silently.
Then he folded the letter and pushed it back into the envelope.
‘Actually, I’m not supposed to tell you what the prize is until tomorrow,’ he said.
This time the groans were almost deafening.
‘That’s not fair,’ said one of the boys from the back.
Mr Dunne gave a mean smile.
‘Life’s not fair,’ he said, suddenly reminding me of something Marcus had said once.
Then we all had to open our workbooks and spend half an hour doing totally boring grammar.
* * *
Alice and I walked home with Grace, Louise and Kellie. Like us, the others had also been told about the competition, but not about the prize.
‘I wonder what it is,’ said Kellie.
‘The teachers are making a big deal of it,’ said Grace. ‘So it must be totally great.’
‘Maybe it’s something stupid like a pencil case, and they’re just getting us all worked up so we’ll write good essays,’ Alice said.
We all laughed and then Louise said.
‘Very funny, Alice, but I bet you’re wrong. We have to write about foreign travel, so I bet it’s a trip abroad.’
Kellie sighed.
‘I bet you’re right. I’d so love to win a trip abroad. I’m going to start my essay ton
ight.’
‘Me too,’ said everyone except Alice.
‘I’m not writing a single word until I know exactly what the prize is,’ she said. ‘Imagine all that wasted effort if the prize turns out to be something stupid.’
I didn’t agree. I didn’t care a whole lot what the prize was. I just wanted to win.
‘I’m going to base my essay on my trip to France last summer,’ I said.
Alice nudged me and giggled.
‘What was the benefit of that?’ she asked. ‘A big soppy romance with a local boy?’
Sometimes I wished Alice didn’t have such a long memory. I had to smile though. Alice had come to France the summer before, with my family and me, and we’d had a totally brilliant time, and I’d met a really nice boy called Bruno. Those sunny days seemed very long ago now.
We talked about the competition until we got home, and that night I wrote my essay. I went over and over it for ages until I was satisfied. Then I carefully put it into a folder and put it at the bottom of a drawer where it would be safe.
For once in my life I was going to do something great. I was going to write the very best essay and I was going to win the prize – whatever it was.
Chapter four
As soon as Mr Dunne came into class the next day, everyone rushed to ask him questions. In the end he held his hands up.
‘OK, I surrender,’ he said. ‘I’ll tell you what the prize is. But first you all have to sit down quietly.’
We all scuttled back to our desks and sat as quietly as we could while Mr Dunne rooted in his brief-case for the all-important letter. There was another long wait while he looked for his glasses, and by then we were all practically jumping up and down in our desks, we were so excited.
Then he began to read. The letter was full of totally boring stuff at first, but finally Mr Dunne got to the good bit.
‘… The student who writes the best essay will be declared the winner. The prize is…’
Here Mr Dunne stopped, just to tease us. Then he read on quickly.