Strawberry Crush

by Jean Ure

  The telephone rang and I went to answer it. I guessed it would be Maya wailing that she’d got soaked and why hadn’t I waited for her, but it turned out to be Auntie Megs in one of her states.

  “Mattie!” she said. “Where’s Maya?”

  “Oh,” I said, “isn’t she home yet? She had to go back for her maths homework.”

  “But it’s nearly half past four! Where can she have got to?”

  Carefully, so as not to throw Auntie Megs into a panic, I said, “She’s probably still waiting for the bus. You know how sometimes they come along in clumps and then there’s nothing for ages.”

  “But it’s pouring with rain,” said Auntie Megs. “She’ll get soaked!”

  “Yes, I did, too,” I said. “I forgot to take my umbrella.”

  “Maya forgot to take her phone! It’s here on the table. I really d— oh!” Auntie Megs broke off. “She’s here!”

  “Is she dripping wet?” I said.

  “No!” Auntie Megs gave a little happy laugh. “Jake’s brought her in his car.”

  So it hadn’t been anything to do with Miss Cowell and her dire threats. It hadn’t been anything to do with maths homework at all. Maths homework had just been an excuse. She had quite deliberately gone back to cadge a lift. And I had been fooled!

  Maya herself rang me a bit later. Even before I could say anything she was falling over herself to get it out: “I didn’t ask him!” She sounded triumphant. “I didn’t have to! He saw me standing there and he said, Oh dear, you’re going to get wet. You’d better hop in and I’ll give you a lift. So I did!”

  “So why did it take you so long to get home?” I said.

  “Oh! Well, that was because – because – well! I stopped to talk to someone and then it started to rain and I was just on my way out when I bumped into Jake, and he was about to get into his car and that’s when he saw me and said, Oh dear, you’re going to get wet and offered me a lift. Just like I told Linzi he would. Without me having to ask, cos I didn’t.”

  “But you didn’t get home till gone half past four,” I said. “How long did you stop and talk?”

  “Ages,” said Maya.

  Or she’d hung around for ages, watching Jake’s car and waiting for him to appear.

  “Who were you talking to?” I said.

  “Just people,” said Maya. She could have told me it was none of my business. The fact that she didn’t showed me she felt guilty. “But anyway,” she added, “we didn’t drive straight home.”

  I said, “Oh?”

  “Jake had to go and get petrol. And there were hold-ups. All the way.”

  “Well,” I said, “your mum was starting to get worried. She didn’t know where you were and she couldn’t ring you, cos you’d gone and forgotten your phone. What’s the point of having a phone if you don’t take it with you?”

  “Like what’s the point of having an umbrella?” said Maya. “Did you get soaking wet?”

  “I not only got soaking,” I said, “I got caught by Linzi. Again.”

  “Oh, poor you!” said Maya. “If you’d come back to school with me, Jake could have given you a lift, as well. I was so lucky he was there! I didn’t get wet hardly at all.”

  Maddening. Absolutely maddening!

  “Guess what?” Maya came jubilantly prancing after me as we made our way back into school after lunch break the next day.

  I said, “What?” She’d just come from her Music Club meeting. It was the third week in a row that she’d been. I had to admit, I was quite impressed. I knew why she was going, but I never would have thought she’d have that much stamina; not even for the chance of being near the beloved.

  “I think Hope’s given up!” She announced it with an air of beaming satisfaction. “Jake was there, but not her!”

  I said, “No, I know. She was playing rounders.”

  “Ha!” Maya’s voice was full of scorn. “Fancy choosing to play rounders when she could have been listening to beautiful music.”

  “She had to play,” I said. “It’s the inter-house rally. She’s team captain.”

  “Oh. Well! Anyway. Whatever. Me and Jake sat next to each other.” She brought it out with an air of pride, like, What do you think of that? “It was him who chose where to sit,” she assured me. “I didn’t go and sit next to him cos I knew you wouldn’t like it if I did that. You’d say I was being pushy.”

  And since when did she take any notice of anything I said?

  “I’m not pushy,” said Maya. “I don’t have to be!”

  I couldn’t help wondering if Jake had really gone and sat next to her, or whether, more likely, he’d arrived late and there was only the one seat left. I reckoned that was probably what had happened. Why else would he go and sit next to a lowly Year Eight, even if she was like his little sister? It wasn’t what Year Twelves did.

  “What’s more to the point,” I said – another of Dad’s pet phrases! It’s what he says when Mum is going on about something and he can’t get her to stop. “What did you actually listen to?”

  “Oh, it was lovely! It was people singing.”

  I said, “Singing what?”

  “Songs. Opera. Something!” She waved a hand, impatiently. “I can’t remember exactly, but Jake asked me if I’d enjoyed it and I said yes, cos I did, and then he said if I’m interested in music why didn’t I try out for the choir, and—” She stopped, indignantly. “What’s your problem?”

  “Oh, pardon me while I try not to die laughing,” I said. “Oops! Sorry, I can’t help it.” I clutched at my ribs. “Oh, that is so funny! You trying for the choir.”

  “Why shouldn’t I?” said Maya.

  “Cos you so can’t sing!”

  “I so can!”

  “Just not in tune,” I said.

  “Well, anyway –” she said it rather sulkily – “Jake thinks it would be a good idea. And now that I’m learning about music I probably could get into the choir.”

  “Yes, and pigs might fly,” I said. I know it wasn’t very original, but you can’t always be thinking of clever things to say, and anyway I was too gobsmacked. Jake had obviously never heard Maya sing! I did think it was a bit irresponsible of him, though, to be encouraging her. He was probably just trying to be kind and take an interest, but it would only make her all upset and disappointed when she was turned down.

  “By the way,” I said, as we went into school, “Mum’s asked me if I’ll go and help out in the salon for a couple of hours after school on Friday cos the new girl she got is off sick. D’you want to come? It’s quite fun.”

  “Would we get paid?” said Maya.

  “Well, probably not both of us,” I said, “cos Mum only needs one. But I’d share with you! You could put it towards Auntie Megs’ birthday present.”

  Saturday morning we were going to go shopping together to buy presents for our mums. We always did it together cos of their having the same birthday.

  “So d’you want to?” I said.

  “No, it’s all right,” said Maya. “I’ve got enough saved up for what I want to buy.”

  “But you could buy her something even nicer!”

  I could see that she was tempted. But obviously the thought of me going into town and leaving her on her own to cadge yet another lift from Jake was even more tempting. Cos it was what she was going to do. I just knew it!

  “All on your own?” said Mum, when I turned up at His ‘n’ Hers on Friday after school. (His ‘n’ Hers is the name of Mum’s salon. It’s mostly only Hers that come in, but sometimes she gets a His or two. Sometimes she even gets a His that wants to be bleached or have a perm!)

  “So where’s Maya?” said Mum. “Not coming?”

  “I asked her,” I said. “But we didn’t think you’d really need both of us.”

  “I could have used her,” said Mum, “if she’d wanted. I wouldn’t like her to feel left out.”

  “It’s OK,” I said. “She’s quite happy hanging around the school car park hoping Jake�
��ll give her a lift.”

  “Oh.” Mum pulled a face. “Still in the throes, is she? Still got her crush?”

  “Mum,” I said, “Maya’s crushes go on for ever!”

  “Ah, well,” said Mum, “it’s always fun while it lasts. Now, let’s see what we can find for you to do … Could you bear to tidy up the back room for me? With Suzanne off sick none of us has had a chance to get round to it.”

  Tidying up the back room wasn’t as much fun as being in the salon, but I couldn’t really complain. After all, I was being paid for it. Mum said before I started perhaps I could just make two cups of coffee for the ladies who were under the dryer.

  “The one near the window is Mrs Armitage, the other is Jake’s mum.”

  I said, “Oh! I didn’t realise Jake’s mum was here.”

  “She comes in every Friday,” said Mum. “That’s black, by the way, and no sugar. The other lady would like white with two sugars. OK?”

  I scuttled off, happily. I always like to feel that I’m being useful. By the time I came out, Mum was busy shampooing someone else, so I delivered the coffees myself. Mrs Harper smiled up at me.

  “Thank you so much, Mattie! Greatly appreciated.”

  I watched, rather wistfully, as Mum finished her shampooing. I would so love it if she let me have a go! I know I wouldn’t scald people, which is what she’s scared of. I hoped for a moment she might ask me to stay and hand out rollers, which sometimes she does if there’s nothing else that needs seeing to, but she said, “OK, Mattie? Tidy up? It’s a big job out there.”

  I said, “OK!” Obediently I ducked behind the curtain into the back room. Mum was right! It looked like a tornado had blown through the place. Bottles and jars all spilling out their contents, dirty cups and plates in the sink, waste basket overflowing. It was a pity, I thought, that Maya hadn’t wanted to come and help. It’s always more fun with two of you. I wondered where she was, right now. Sitting in the car with Jake was my bet. She had no shame at all.

  Mum must have got Mrs Harper out from under the dryer, cos I suddenly heard them talking on the other side of the curtain. I didn’t listen on purpose! I didn’t have to. The curtain is quite thin and both Mum and Mrs Harper have these carrying sort of voices. In any case, conversations that people have in hairdressing salons aren’t really private, I don’t think.

  I heard Mum say, “I do hope Maya isn’t making a nuisance of herself with Jake.”

  And then Mrs Harper, sounding a bit surprised: “No! Not that I’ve heard. Why?”

  “It’s just that I gather she’s got a bit of a crush on him.”

  “Oh!” Mrs Harper laughed. “I’m sure he can deal with it.”

  “So long as he doesn’t feel under pressure. I know he was kind enough to offer her and her mum a lift if they needed it, but Maya really seems to be taking advantage.”

  “I shouldn’t worry too much,” said Mrs Harper. “To be perfectly honest there’s nothing he likes more than driving that car! He’d be in it all day long if he had his way.”

  “All the same,” said Mum. “I wouldn’t like to think she was imposing on him. Just because he was kind enough to pick her up that time she came off her bike.”

  “Yes, I heard about that. Her mum told me. She was so grateful! But it’s what any boy would do.”

  “You think?” said Mum.

  “Well! Maybe not. But don’t forget Jake’s known her since she was tiny. I’d have been very cross with him,” said Mrs Harper, “if he hadn’t stopped to help.”

  “It’s just unfortunate,” said Mum, “it came at a time when she’s especially vulnerable, what with her dad going off and not bothering to get in touch.”

  There then followed a load of stuff about Uncle Kev and how selfish and irresponsible he was, and how Auntie Megs shouldn’t be left to cope on her own, and really it wasn’t any wonder if poor little Maya was desperately insecure.

  I’d heard it all a zillion times before so I kind of stopped listening for a bit, not that I’d actually been listening. It was more, like, taking care not to slam cupboard doors or clatter too much. Usually when I tidy stuff up I like to do it quite vigorously, which is the way I do pretty much everything. Mum sometimes complains about the noise I make.

  “Don’t do anything by halves, will you?” she goes, clapping her hands over her ears.

  Well, but why would you? What would be the point?

  I ran water very busily into the sink and set about doing this massive clear-up job on all the dirty plates and dishes that had piled up. I wondered if Mrs Harper would say anything to Jake about Maya having a crush on him. I hadn’t expected Mum to tell her, though I supposed it didn’t actually matter. Practically the whole of our class knew about it, so why not Mrs Harper? And even if she did tell Jake, I couldn’t really see that it was a problem. It was all so obvious that he ought to have noticed it for himself by now.

  I swished energetically in the sink so that Mum and Mrs Harper’s voices were pretty well blotted out. I couldn’t even be sure that they were still talking. And then, in between tossing knives and forks across the room and seeing if I could manage to lob them into the cutlery drawer (which mostly I couldn’t), I heard Mrs Harper say, “I’m pretty certain he does have a girlfriend,” and I immediately stopped lobbing things cos – well! She could be talking about Jake. And it couldn’t be secret or she wouldn’t be doing it in the middle of a hairdressing salon where just anybody could hear. I mean, if there had been anybody about, which in fact there wasn’t apart from the lady under the dryer and I should think you’re pretty much deaf when you’re under a dryer. But I was there! She knew I was there, working away on the other side of the curtain. So it obviously wasn’t secret and I didn’t have to feel guilty. I just went on doing my job, but doing it quietly, the way Mum likes, so as not to be intrusive. That’s all.

  “The thing is,” said Mrs Harper, “he really took it badly last year when Janine broke up with him.”

  “Oh,” said Mum, “I remember Janine!”

  “A lovely girl. We never quite knew what went wrong: he wouldn’t talk about it. But it really upset him.”

  “Some kind of lovers’ tiff?” said Mum.

  “I suppose so; these things happen. But now he’s clammed right up. I’m almost sure he’s seeing someone else, but I don’t quite like to ask. And whoever it is he’s keeping it very close to his chest. Almost as if he’s …”

  There was a pause. I slid a knife very carefully into the cutlery drawer.

  “Not ashamed, exactly. I wouldn’t go that far. But I have this strong feeling he’d rather we didn’t know.”

  “It’s probably just normal teenage secrecy,” said Mum. “I can’t imagine Jake doing anything foolish.”

  “I expect you’re right. We’ve all kept things from our parents.”

  “Haven’t we just!” said Mum. “I remember going out with some boy who had purple hair and tattoos all over him.”

  I thought, Mum! That was something I never knew.

  “The poor boy,” said Mum, “he was totally harmless! But my dad would have had an apoplexy.”

  “Well, this is it,” said Mrs Harper. “Maybe there are some things we’re better off not knowing. It is a bit worrying, though.”

  “Children are a worry,” said Mum.

  I waited to see if she was going to say anything about me, cos, I mean, if I was a worry I ought to know about it so I could do something. But Mum had obviously finished taking out rollers and brushing and spraying. The next thing I heard was her saying, “There you go! How’s that?” and Mrs Harper saying, “Beautiful, as always!” I think she meant the way that Mum had done her hair rather than her herself looking beautiful, though actually she does. Her hair does, as well. It’s very dark and thick like Jake’s. Mum says it’s a joy to work with good hair. On the other hand she says that fine hair, like Maya’s, is a challenge, and she does quite like a challenge. Mine, she says, is just impossible.

  “Goes its own way
no matter what.”

  “A bit like its owner,” she adds, but that is so not true! I am always going other people’s way. I am very sensitive to other people and their feelings.

  After we’d shut up for the night and were driving home Mum asked me if I’d heard anything about Jake having a girlfriend.

  I said, “Mum! How would I know? He’s a prefect. He’s Year Twelve. And why, anyway?” I said.

  “Mrs Harper was just a bit concerned, that’s all. We’ll probably be concerned about you one of these days, wondering if you’re seeing anyone and if so who.”

  “Not me,” I said. “Not for ages!”

  Maya, of course, was another matter. I told her next morning, as we sat on the bus, about Mrs Harper being concerned about Jake. “She thinks he might have a girlfriend that he doesn’t want her to know about … D’you think he has?” I put it as casually as I could, waiting to see what she would say.

  Maya tossed her head, defiantly. “Well, if he has,” she said, “it’s not Hope Kennedy.”

  How had she discovered that?

  “Omigod,” I said, “you didn’t ask him? You did, didn’t you? You actually asked him!”

  “I can ask him whatever I like,” said Maya. “He doesn’t mind.”

  I have to admit, I was curious. “So what sort of things do you talk about? When you’re cadging lifts off of him.”

  “I don’t cadge lifts off of him! Honestly,” said Maya, “there are times when you can be so horrible. You say the meanest things just to hurt people!”

  “I didn’t mean to. I just wondered what you talked about.”

  “Anything,” said Maya. “We talk about anything.”

  “Like whether he has a girlfriend? Maybe,” I said, “I should tell his mum that you’re his girlfriend. That would please her!”

  I’d forgotten that Maya has absolutely no idea when someone is being sarcastic. Her face lit up.