Cockatoo

by Christopher Cummings

Graham laughed. “I am more fun,” he said.

  Tina had a sudden awful feeling that perhaps Graham was right. But she had also heard some whispered scandal about Graham and that sent her heart rate up as well. “Dream on!” she said, then laughed with happy embarrassment.

  Graham still wasn’t put off and he asked, “What are you doing tonight?”

  “Don’t be fresh!” Tina cried, but secretly she was flattered. Fleur watched and giggled and looked jealous and that made Tina feel good too. She turned to face Graham and began to talk. As she did she decided she did like him and that he was very handsome. Then a look on his face caused her to glance over her shoulder. It was Andrew.

  Andrew was smiling but there was a little frown on his brow. “You trying to cut in on my girl Graham?” he said. It was in a joking tone but Tina sensed that it was no joke at all. ‘He is worried and a bit jealous,’ she told herself. Then another idea came to her. ‘Good! Maybe that is what he needs to make him appreciate me!’ she told herself.

  Graham nodded and said, “Yes I was. You want to be careful mate. She is too pretty to leave on her own for long.”

  “I will be, now go back to your jungle hideout,” Andrew retorted, plainly nettled.

  Graham laughed but stood up and left. Andrew sat down and looked a bit anxious. Tina said, “You are early. I wasn’t expecting you till later.”

  “Obviously!” Andrew said.

  His tone annoyed Tina but she also felt a surge of guilt. She knew she had been flirting with Graham. She said, “What do you mean by that?”

  “You were flirting with Graham.”

  “I was not! He was flirting with me,” Tina replied.

  “Well you shouldn’t encourage him,” Andrew said.

  That annoyed Tina even more. “Why not? You don’t seem to be very interested. Anyway, you don’t own me. I can talk to whoever I please,” she snapped. She sensed that they were having a row but could not bring herself to stop. Instinctively she knew that if the relationship could not stand some plain speaking and home truths then it was no good. ‘If he really loves me it will be for the best,’ she thought.

  Andrew seemed at a loss for words and just looked anxiously at her. Then his facial expression changed to surprise as he saw something behind her. “Oooh look! It is Willy Williams’ new zeppelin.”

  Tina opened her mouth to tell him not to change the subject but everyone around her was also turning to look so she did as well. It was another model zeppelin and it looked so impressive that Tina let out a gasp of admiration. Willy was holding it by a cord up on the veranda of the main building. The model was three or four metres long and actually flew.

  “Come on,” she said. “I want to get a better look.” She stood up and without thinking took Andrew’s hand and walked towards that side of the grass quadrangle.

  Andrew followed. “It’s only Willy Willy Williams the mad scientist,” he grumbled.

  Willy handed the cord to Stick Morton then ran downstairs onto the quadrangle. Stick then tossed Willy the cord, which Tina now saw was nylon fishing line. The model’s electric motors were then started and Stick pushed it so that it flew slowly out off the veranda and over the heads of the crowd. Tina stared at the huge model in fascinated admiration. “Willy is very clever,” she said.

  Andrew nodded. “He is a real brain, that’s for sure,” he agreed.

  As the model zeppelin purred slowly out over the heads of the crowd, held by the nylon cord, there was a ripple of applause, which Tina joined in. She found herself standing next to Nigel and Barbara. Nigel sneered and said, “Williams is just a stupid little kid. He’s as mad as a cut snake.”

  His words caused Tina to purse her lips with dislike and she glanced and saw that Barbara wasn’t looking very happy either. ‘Well, you chose him!’ Tina thought.

  A gust of wind caused the model to slew around but Willy held it and reeled it lower, before starting to walk across the quadrangle through the crowd. Stick reached up and started a second electric motor and the model began to buzz along at walking speed. Willy walked past close to where Tina stood and as he did he looked at Barbara. Tina saw her give him a smile and he smiled back. She also noted the way his eyes flicked to Nigel and the look of pain which crossed his face. ‘He really must have a crush on Barbara,’ she thought.

  Willy walked the tethered model over towards the end of C Block. As he did Tina saw some sort of disturbance. Barbara gave a gasp and cried out, “Oh no! It is that bully Scranton.”

  Scranton was blocking Willy’s path. Tina was too far away to hear what was said but the look on Scranton’s face caused her a sick feeling of worry. Scranton tried to grab the nylon line holding the model. Willy stepped back and avoided this but Scranton suddenly produced a cigarette lighter and flicked it on. It was one of the butane gas ones and Tina saw a jet of flame roar out for twenty centimetres.

  Barbara again cried loudly, “Oh no! Stop him Nigel! Do something.” She let go of Nigel’s hand and began thrusting her way through the gathering crowd towards Willy. At the same time Andrew let go of Tina’s hand and began pushing towards Willy. Tina followed, noting that Graham and Peter Bronsky, both in their cadet uniforms, had joined Willy and were speaking to Scranton. But they were too late. Scranton suddenly jumped up and the gas lighter flared.

  There was gasp from the crowd. The flame had cut the nylon cord and the model suddenly floated upwards. Tina felt a surge of sick dismay and continued pushing forward behind Andrew and Barbara.

  The model was seized by the wind and as its electric motors were still running as well it was driven against the building. For a while it looked like it might snag or be caught, but then a gust slewed it round and it blew off towards another building. Tina could not get closer because of the press of people but did get glimpses of Willy’s anguished face. ‘Oh poor Willy!’ she thought.

  The model scraped along the upper part of M Block before sailing off out over the school fence, ten metres up. It snagged briefly on the power lines before being blown off across the street. Some students followed it, including Willy, Stick and his little sister Marjorie, Stephen, Peter and Graham. Barbara followed them but Andrew stopped and took Tina’s hand. He watched the model floating away and shook his head. “They won’t catch it now,” he said.

  “What a terrible waste,” Tina cried. A deep anger at Scranton’s cruel act made her wish she was big enough to hit him. But all she could do was stand and watched as the model drifted higher and higher. It dwindled rapidly in size as the wind carried it off over the rooftops across the street.

  They watched until the model had dwindled and vanished. Then they turned and made their way back to the fete. Tina looked around for Scranton but there was no sign of him. She felt very sorry for Willy as she knew the model must have taken him many hours to make. As she walked she gripped Andrew’s hand but was aware that virtually nobody was noticing. They were all talking about the zeppelin model or were busy with their own affairs. ‘But they will notice me at the dance,’ she told herself.

  CHAPTER 25

  EMOTIONAL TURMOIL

  For Tina the afternoon now seemed to drag. She and Andrew went around to all of the stands and displays again. The real interest for Tina was in watching the other people. Several times she noted other girls look at her and Andrew and that gave her satisfaction. There were also several little incidents that added variety. Graham and Peter returned and Andrew asked them if they had caught the model zeppelin.

  Graham shook his head and said, “No chance. It just flew off into the mountains.”

  Tina met his smiling eyes and felt a twinge of warmth she did not want to admit to. “Is Willy very upset?” she asked.

  Graham nodded. “He is. But I think he is more upset because Barbara Brassington is walking around holding Nigel Cressly’s hand.”

  “Does Willy like her?” Tina asked.

  “I think so. He hasn’t actually said it but you can tell by the way he looks at her. And he did ask her out. T
hat was why he had the fight with Scranton,” Graham explained.

  “Where is Scranton now?” Andrew asked.

  Graham shrugged. “No idea,” he said, but he kept his eyes on Tina’s as he said it.

  Andrew obviously noticed this as he sounded quite abrupt when he said, “See you later,” and almost wrenched Tina around and led her away.

  “What was that all about?” Tina queried, a bit peeved by his action.

  “I didn’t like the way Graham was ogling you,” Andrew replied stiffly.

  “Oh he was not!” Tina replied. But she also glowed with egotistical pleasure and admitted he had been giving her very appraising and admiring looks. ‘Maybe he likes me,’ she thought.

  “He was, and if he keeps doing it I will snot him one,” Andrew snapped.

  She liked that. “Would you fight over me?” she asked.

  “If I had to,” Andrew replied. “But only if that was what you wanted.”

  She liked that too, particularly the implication that it was her choice. She snuggled against him and strolled happily along. Soon after that she saw Barbara and Nigel in the distance and they were obviously having a disagreement. ‘I don’t think that relationship will last too long,’ she decided. ‘Cressly is too full of himself and he is just taking her out for what he can get.’

  Then she sighed, secretly wishing Andrew would try to get ‘a bit’.

  Later, while she and Andrew were enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, Tina saw Barbara walking around on her own. She looked quite unhappy and that got Tina speculating that Cressly had given her the brush off.

  Andrew suggested something to eat and led the way to a hamburger stall where he bought them both a hamburger. While seated at the nearby tables eating Tina saw Barbara again. This time she was with Karen from her class. Tina also noted a dejected looking Willy standing there talking to Stick. To Tina’s surprise Barbara went over and placed her hand on Willy’s forearm. Willy looked surprised and then pleased as Barbara said, “Hello Willy. I’m sorry about your model. It was really marvellous.”

  Willy appeared tongue-tied but after a few seconds stammered, “Th.. Thanks.”

  Karen tugged at Barbara’s sleeve. “Come on, I don’t want a hamburger either. It will make me ill.”

  Barbara gave a shrug. “See you later,” she said to Willy, then followed Karen. As the pair walked past Tina Barbara said to Karen, “You could have waited a sec. I only wanted to cheer Willy up. It was a great model.”

  “He’s just a stupid kid,” Karen sneered, “playing with toys at his age!”

  “He’s alright,” Barbara replied defensively.

  Tina did not hear any more as the two girls moved out of earshot. But it did make her feel sorry for Willy. ‘He might have a crush on Barbara,’ she thought, ‘but if her best friend is that negative he doesn’t have much chance.’

  Andrew then spoke to Willy. “That was a great model Willy,” he said. “The best I have ever seen.”

  “Thanks,” Willy replied. He then turned and Tina met his eyes. To her they looked full of misery and she was worried lest he burst into tears. To save him the shame she added, “It was really good.”

  “Thanks,” Willy muttered, nodding. But it was very obvious to Tina that he was deeply dejected. ‘Poor boy,’ she thought as she watched him walk away with his friend Stick.

  It was a fairly thoughtful Tina who finished eating her hamburger. She and Andrew then wandered around looking at all the stalls again. After that they sat and watched some of the displays on the stage. This included Scottish Highland dancing and musical items. Tina thoroughly enjoyed both and Andrew at least pretended to be interested.

  Later they went upstairs to the coffee shop run by the Year 11 French class. Tina managed two cups of coffee and some bread but she felt a bit tired and down. Despite being with Andrew she felt that the fete was not nearly as exciting as the previous year. ‘Never mind. Only a couple of hours to the dance,’ she consoled herself.

  After lingering over a coffee they strolled around again and then went and worked in their class stall for an hour. Tina began to count down the time until the dance. But even that got her all anxious. ‘I hope Andrew likes my dress,’ she worried. Then she fretted about the bust being too revealing. But the only other option now was to make some excuse and not go so she nerved herself to face the event.

  To fill in more time she and Andrew went and sat and watched more displays: Irish dancing this time, followed by some ballet by a group of Year 8 girls. Tina pointed to the girl leading the dancing and said, “That dark haired girl in the lead is Graham Kirk’s sister isn’t she?”

  Andrew looked and nodded. “Yes. Kylie is her name.”

  Tina admired her trim legs and good muscle tone and style and said, “She’s very good.”

  Andrew nodded and said, “If you like ballet.”

  “Don’t you?”

  “Not particularly.”

  Tina thought about this for a second and then said, “What if I said I wanted to go to the ballet, would you take me?”

  Andrew hesitated fractionally and then said, “I suppose so.”

  That bothered Tina so she replied, “I suppose I could always find someone else to go with.”

  That made Andrew look uncomfortable and he muttered about it being alright. But Tina was still a bit worried. ‘If he really loves me he should just make a sacrifice sometimes,’ she thought. For the second time that night she wondered if in fact Andrew was the man for her. She realized that she really knew very little about him and also began to appreciate that learning about the other person and adjusting to their likes and dislikes was a basic part of any relationship.

  That seemed to end the conversation for a while. Then at 9:00 pm Andrew touched her arm. “All those cadets have closed their display. Look, there are Graham and Peter.”

  Tina looked and saw the army cadets carrying things back to their Q Store. “Yes, nearly time for the dance,” she said.

  Andrew nodded and said, “We’d better go and get changed then.”

  Tina experienced a sharp little thrill of anticipation mixed with anxiety. They both stood up and she said, “Will you meet me here or at the dance?”

  “Here,” Andrew replied firmly. That cheered Tina up a bit as she had fantasized about walking through her admiring and jealous school fellows in her best dress and with Andrew. So she agreed and they separated and went to the change rooms. A change room for the girls had been set aside in one of the Home Economics classrooms so Tina made her way upstairs and proceeded to change. The place was being run as a cloak room by some Year 10 girls and Miss Hackenmeyer so their belongings had been quite safe. Small screened cubicles had been set up and Tina used one of these to change. But as she struggled into her tight dress and saw how it displayed her bosom her emotions were swamped by anxieties over whether it was too daring, or too overdone.

  Then she discovered another problem: she needed someone to zip her up at the back. Biting her lip with anxiety she looked out. As she did she saw Barbara and Karen arrive. Tina hesitated and then decided to ask. “Excuse me Barbara, would you zip me up please?” she asked.

  Barbara stopped and gave her a quizzical smile, then said, “Alright.”

  Tina turned and Barbara walked over and carefully zipped her up. As she did she said, “You are in Year Ten aren’t you?”

  “Yes, I’m Tina Babcock in Ten ‘A’,” Tina replied.

  Barbara nodded and said, “Let’s have a look then.”

  Tina did not really want to but could not think of a good reason other than embarrassment so she stepped out and turned around. She noted Barbara’s eyes widen as they took in her cleavage and that sent her anxiety level shooting up.

  Barbara nodded and smiled. “You look great! It is a very nice dress.”

  “Thanks,” Tina replied. She was tempted to ask if she thought the bust too revealing but could not bring her self to. Instead she moved to study herself in the mirror. It seemed to her that
her whole front was creamy mounds of flesh and for a few seconds she contemplated going back to change. But that would need someone to unzip her and she was too afraid of mocking comments to admit to being scared. ‘I will just have to brazen it out,’ she thought, aware that her neck and cheeks were mottling with embarrassment.

  Barbara nodded approval and then went to a change cubicle, leaving Tina alone in front of the mirror. Tina tidied her hair and checked her make-up then went back to pack her other clothes. Feeling very self conscious she made her way to the counter to check them back in. She certainly drew some glances but they seemed to be more admiring and envious than censorious but they still made her cheeks burn. With her heart fluttering with anxiety she made her way downstairs.

  At every step Tina was conscious of her bobbling bosom. It filled the lower half of her vision and she was appalled at how much it quivered. ‘Oh dear! I hope I haven’t made a real blunder,’ she worried.

  But Andrew’s reaction was all she had hoped for. He was very smartly dressed in slacks and long sleeved shirt and the moment he saw her his eyes widened in surprise and admiration. “Gee! You look really great Tina!” he cried.

  A warm feeling of daring and appreciation caused her to glow inside. Then she blushed and felt a mixture of desire and shame as she knew he was looking. She could see he was trying to pretend he wasn’t looking but noted his eyes continually flicked to her bosom. ‘I’ve got his attention at least,’ she told herself. Wicked and naughty thoughts flitted through her mind and she had to smile, even as she blushed.

  Andrew took her arm and they strolled out across the quadrangle. As they walked through the crowds Tina noted many people glance at them. Some even stared- or ogled if they were boys. Her face scorched but she was also aware of a deep thrill that she knew was naughty but which she was enjoying. To her it suddenly all seemed worth it.

  Tina and Andrew strolled across the quadrangle and under the school. Their route took them past the cadet Q Store and she noted that Peter and Graham were still there in cadet uniform. They were helping to pack things up. Capt Conkey and Lt Hamilton were supervising.