At break time, the second Miss Brennan said we could go outside, I bolted for the door before anyone else had even left their seat. I raced down the corridor, completely ignoring the rule about no running indoors. I had to get outside before anyone else could see where I was going.
Our school has three different yards – one for the three youngest classes, one for the three middle classes, and the smallest one for the two oldest classes. But I didn’t go to the fifth and sixth class yard as usual. I’d seen something in the junior yard that I’d meant to explore – a little gap in the hedge that made me think of the secret passage into Hannah’s garden. I didn’t know if it led anywhere, but this seemed like a good time to find out.
I reached the hedge just before the first of the junior and senior infants got into their yard and squeezed my way through. It was a lot tighter than the way into Hannah’s garden, which had gotten wider with all our trips back and forth. But that meant no one else had been through here recently, which was just what I wanted.
On the other side of the hedge was the high wall that surrounded the school – and that was it. Just a narrow space in between – no magic door to the other side, no secret garden to escape to. But if I’d timed it right, and I was pretty sure that I had, then no one knew I was here. And that was all I needed.
An old packing crate, probably thrown in behind the hedge after some school fête and then forgotten about, made a seat. Not very comfortable, but it would do. Safe at last from all those prying eyes that I’d felt watching me in the classroom all morning, I felt the tears starting to flow down my cheeks. Sitting down, I took out Sadie’s locket and let the chain run through my fingers, pretending she was beside me to make me feel better.
The yard was filling up with kids now, the shouts and cries sounding slightly muffled through the hedge, games of catch being started and clamouring to other kids to join in. I stayed where I was, the hedge a solid green barrier between the real world and me.
‘Meg!’ That sounded like Ruby’s voice. Was she in the junior yard? How did they know I was here? I didn’t answer. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to get warm. In my rush I hadn’t brought my jacket and it was starting to feel a bit chilly.
‘Meg, where are you? Meg!’
Now it was Hannah. I stayed quiet. They couldn’t know where I was – maybe they would give up and go away. I didn’t want to talk to anyone.
Suddenly Laura’s head appeared through the hedge right beside me. I gasped in fright.
‘You guys, she’s here!’ Laura squeezed herself in and sat down beside me, putting her arm around me.
Next moment, Ruby appeared, and by the time Hannah had squished in too the space felt narrower than ever.
In spite of myself, I laughed. ‘Well, this is cosy,’ I said. ‘So much for finding a top secret hideaway. How did you find me?’
‘We knew you wouldn’t have left the school, so we just kept looking,’ Laura said. ‘Then I saw the gap in the hedge.’
‘I hope no one else followed you,’ I said.
‘No, I don’t think so, it’s only the small kids out there,’ Hannah said. ‘Meg, are you OK? We’re worried about you.’
‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘I just don’t want to deal with all this. I can’t face the attention.’
‘It’ll all be forgotten soon,’ Laura said. ‘It’s just one of those things, everyone’s so excited today, but in a few days they’ll have moved on to something else.’
‘Do you really think so?’ I asked, trying to wipe away my tears with my sleeve. Hannah fished around in her pocket and found me a tissue which I gratefully accepted.
‘Definitely,’ Hannah said. ‘It’s like when Aaron won a trip to see an Ireland match and the whole class was talking about it, but by the next day it was old news.’
I sniffed and wiped my nose with the tissue. No one said anything for a minute. Then I said, quietly but feeling determined to ask, ‘How do you think people found out, anyway? You guys didn’t say anything?’
‘No, of course we didn’t,’ Ruby said at once. ‘We promised we wouldn’t, Meg, and we didn’t.’
She looked around at the other two, who were shaking their heads vigorously. Hannah was blushing again but she said, ‘I swear I didn’t, Meg. I’ve been so careful ever since I made that mistake on the first day of school. I even warned my parents not to say anything – that’s why I was so embarrassed when my dad started going on about the acting dynasty the other day.’
‘Oh, that.’ I thought back to what Hannah’s dad had said when I called for her. I’d been too busy feeling jealous of how interested he was in our show to really take much notice of what he’d said about my family.
‘It’s probably just one of those small town things, Meg,’ Laura said. ‘People must know your granny and grandad, and maybe they even saw your mum in the theatre when she used to live in Ireland, before you came back this time I mean. You couldn’t have kept it a secret forever in a place like Carrickbeg.’
‘That’s true,’ I admitted. ‘I just thought with having a different surname from my mum’s family people mightn’t make the connection right away. Howard is my dad’s surname, of course, and he’s not famous. Not yet anyway!’
‘We’re just going to have to tell people to stop making morons of themselves,’ Hannah said decisively. ‘Flocking around you like you’re some kind of superstar! It’s ridiculous.’
‘Or maybe you should just try to get used to it!’ Laura said. ‘I mean, when Star Club gets famous, we’re all going to be surrounded by reporters every time we walk out the door! We’ll be like that Daisy person Maeve was talking about.’
‘That’s right,’ Ruby giggled. ‘We’ll have to have our hair and make-up done just to pop down to the shops.’
‘Yes, and everyone’s going to want to get our autographs, and take selfies with us,’ Hannah said. ‘We should really start practising our poses now. Which do you think is my best angle?’
The girls started messing around, posing in different positions, and making me laugh. I felt bad for even thinking one of them could have told people about my parents when they’d promised not to. Laura was probably right – it was just a small town thing.
All of a sudden I realised that everything had gone quiet in the yard outside the hedge. I parted a few branches and peeped out. The yard was empty!
‘We must have missed the bell,’ I said. ‘I’m so sorry, I’ll have got you all in trouble.’
‘This was more important,’ Laura said at once.
‘I’m sure Miss Brennan will understand,’ Hannah said.
Even Ruby, who hates getting into trouble, was nodding.
‘We’d better go,’ I said. ‘Do I look like I’ve been crying?’
‘No,’ said Hannah and Ruby together, but Laura said, ‘Yes’ and then the other two admitted that yes I did a bit.
‘You can splash your face with water when we get in,’ Hannah said.
She led the way out. We ran as quickly as we could through the infant yard, not looking to see if anyone was watching us out the classroom windows. The others waited while I ducked into the bathroom to wash my face. I examined my eyes in the mirror. Still a bit red, but they’d have to do. I grabbed some toilet paper and stuffed it up my sleeve in case I needed it, then we hurried down the corridor to our classroom.
I waited for Miss Brennan to start scolding, prepared to take the blame and defend my three friends who were just looking after me. But to all of our surprise Miss Brennan just said, ‘Into your places quickly, girls, and take out your history copies please. We’re doing some brainstorming for our School Centenary projects.’
We didn’t need to be told twice. I wondered what was going on. Did Miss Brennan realise I just needed to get away for a few minutes? I looked up at her as she passed by my desk, checking over everyone’s work, and she gave me the tiniest wink.
* * *
After school, I was on my way out the side door with Hannah and Ruby when I realised I’d forgotten the book I needed for my project.
‘I’d better go back and get it,’ I said. ‘Otherwise I won’t be able to do my homework.’
‘We’ll wait for you,’ Hannah said.
‘No, you guys go on,’ I told her, knowing Hannah’s mum would want her home to help out.
I didn’t wait for her to answer, turning quickly back towards our classroom. I knew Miss Brennan wouldn’t be there, as she had headed towards the office after seeing us out, but the classroom would still be open because she’d asked Tracey and Jamie to stay behind and put away the art things. I should be able to grab my book quickly and maybe even catch up with the others.
Outside the classroom door, I caught the sound of voices. I was about to go in, but I stopped dead when I heard my own name.
‘So you knew about Meg’s family already then?’ That was Jamie’s voice.
‘Of course,’ Tracey said. ‘Meg tells me everything.’
‘But I thought I heard you saying you were upset she hadn’t told you.’
Tracey laughed. ‘No, you must have misunderstood. Of course I knew already. I’ve been over to Meg’s house loads of times, and her mum is always so nice to me. She’s not like you’d imagine a famous actress to be, you know? She’s so friendly and down to earth. And her dad is great fun, always goofing around. They’re so glad Meg and I are friends. They’re planning on inviting me to their next film premiere. It would be nice company for Meg to have someone her own age there. That’s what her mum said, anyway.’
‘Wow, lucky you.’ Jamie seemed to be hanging on her every word.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How could Tracey make up all that stuff? Why would she lie like that?
‘Anyway, we’d better get going, that’s everything done now,’ Tracey said.
Not wanting her to know I’d overheard, I turned and ran. My project could wait. This was all just too weird.