to take it easy because, you know, you hadn’t done much before. Then, then, you start spewing embarrassing facts about vegetables. Is it really any wonder we tell you to zip it?’
Anne-Marie enjoyed the reference to vegetables and muttered ‘Cabbage’ under her breath. I hissed at her to shut up. I tried to explain to Nic how I honestly hadn’t been sulking. But she called me childish and annoying. She also said that I drank too much of everyone else’s alcohol without ever supplying my own.
‘You just want a free ride and if you don’t get what you want you act like a baby. I mean, how dare you turn up at my house and tell my mum and dad you don’t know where I am, and make out that I was the one who was in the wrong to go off and leave you in the middle of nowhere.’
‘I never said anything like that!’
‘Well, that’s what it looked like!’ Nic glared at me in such disgust (as did everyone). ‘You’re a fucking sneak. I hate sneaks.’
‘I’m sorry,’ I winced and tried to smile. ‘Did you get an earful?’
Nic curled her lip. ‘Of course not. I’m not some little kid. But get over yourself, the world doesn’t revolve around you. Pete’s my boyfriend and it’s so obvious you’re jealous. You’re just embarrassing yourself.’
My cheeks were like hot coals and everyone was whispering.
‘So what was the plan? Was that little game with Michael supposed to get my attention?’
I quickly explained that Michael was a very interesting person once you got to know him, but Nic pulled the sourest face yet/ever.
‘I bet he never told you he was, like, my stalker for a year. He used to follow me everywhere.’
I was ever so slightly crushed.
‘Let’s not fight,’ I said. ‘I made a mistake and I won’t do it again.’
Nic frowned and pretended to think this over.
‘I wonder if this is a bit of a warning sign. If you’re going to be so weird then maybe I should find someone else to hang out with. I thought we could be friends but maybe I got it wrong. Maybe we should see less of each other.’
I looked from Chantelle to Isabelle to Vicky.
My little world was falling apart. The bell rang and in came Mr McCracken, clutching the register and his battered old briefcase. He told us to sit down but I couldn’t. He was all clean-shaven and crisply-ironed, but as he pulled out his chair I thought I’d faint. He sat down, opened the register and started calling our names. I kept my head down because I knew I was going to start crying. I felt so stupid because I never-ever cried in public. My head was spinning and I didn’t even hear when he got to ‘R’.
‘Rozier? . . . Catherine?’
I looked up and suddenly everyone was staring. All the blood was in my head. I pushed my chair back and it screeched along the floor. Mr McCracken frowned and I didn’t know where to look. So without saying anything, I ran out.
There were dots in front of my eyes when I reached the loos, which were only four doors down. Of course Mr Mac followed me into the corridor, as did Nic and Lisa Collenette. Lisa came because her nose is the biggest part of her body, Nic came because she was (I think) worried. OK, she was probably more worried about what I was going to tell Mr Mac, but even so.
‘Are you OK?’ Mr McCracken pushed the door a little open. ‘Are you still feeling sick from yesterday?’
I clung to the basin. ‘Please go away.’
I think it was at this point that Mr Mac stepped back and saw Nic.
‘Why don’t you try to talk to her?’
Mackers went back to class, taking Lisa-insect with him.
Nic pushed the door open with her elbow and stared at me. She had a medium-sized frown on her face.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said, ‘I didn’t mean – ’ Nic held up her hand as if to stop traffic.
‘What was that he said? Why did he mention yesterday? What does he know about yesterday?’
I swallowed. Nic was still staring at me. She looked more puzzled than angry.
‘Why were you with Mr McCracken yesterday?’
‘Didn’t they tell you?’
Nic cocked her head to one side. ‘Didn’t who tell me? What are you on about?’
It was a pin-drop moment.
‘Mr McCracken was the one who took me back to your house.’