24

Disaster

On Wednesday morning Nadima walked into class with two huge tubs full of Turkish Delight. They were so big she couldn’t even get them in her school bag. She’d had to use one of those extra-strong supermarket bags. As soon as she’d dumped them on our table, the nosey parkers of 7R were all over her like chocolate sprinkles on a strawberry trifle.

‘Oooh, what’s in there?’ asked Liam, his eyes lighting up greedily.

I beckoned him closer. ‘Can you keep a secret?’ I asked.

He nodded eagerly.

‘Well, so can I!’

‘Bet it’s something to eat,’ said Ryan, making a grab for the bag.

‘Oi! Hands off!’ I gave him a friendly shove. ‘You’ll find out at break.’

Then Kara came over, followed by the others.

‘Is it your birthday?’ she asked Nadima casually.

‘No. Is not birthday,’ replied Nadima, confused.

‘She thinks it’s birthday cake,’ I explained slowly to Nadima with a grin.

‘Ah,’ said Nadima, nodding.

‘I was right! It is cake!’ cried Kara gleefully.

‘No. Is not cake,’ said Nadima flatly.

Kara’s face was a picture. I bit my lip, trying not to laugh.

‘Well, what is it then?’ she demanded crossly.

‘We’ll tell you at break,’ I said.

‘Oh, come on!’ begged Chloe.

‘What’s the big secret?’ asked Lily.

‘If I told you that, then it wouldn’t be a secret, would it?’ I replied, with impressive logic.

‘Aren’t we all a little bit big for secrets?’ said Kara witheringly.

I just shrugged.

When the bell rang for break, Nad and I threw our books into our bags and literally ran to set up a table to sell our Turkish Delight. I’d chosen a brilliant spot – by the bench outside our form room. We quickly dragged a table outside. Then Nadima arranged the chunks of Turkish Delight in pyramids on the lids of the tubs. At first there were loads of kids all pushing and shoving to see what it was we were selling.

‘What’s that?!’ asked some oik rudely.

‘It’s Turkish Delight!’ I said, offering him a chunk. ‘Try it!’

‘No way! It looks weird!’ he said.

‘Yeah, like soap or something,’ added his mate. Some of the kids laughed.

‘But it tastes lovely – honest! I shoved a chunk into my mouth to prove it. ‘Just try it. And it’s cheaper than chocolate!’ I added.

‘I’m not surprised,’ said someone else, obviously trying to be funny.

I glanced at Nadima. She looked really upset. I don’t know how much she understood what they were saying – but it was pretty obvious from their faces what was going on. Nobody would even try it.

And then Kara and everyone turned up.

‘So this is the big secret?’ she said. ‘Turkish Delight.’

‘Yeah, want some? Only 50p a bag,’ I said.

She shook her head. ‘I can’t stand it,’ she said. ‘It’s all gooey.’

‘But this isn’t! It’s home-made. It’s not like the stuff you get in the shops.’

Kara wrinkled her nose – rudely, I thought.

‘Lil?’ I said, offering her a piece. She pulled a face. ‘I’ve just had some crisps.’

By now Nadima’s face was flushed and I could see she was either angry or trying not to cry – probably both.

I suddenly saw it from her point of view. It wasn’t just bags of sweets the kids were dissing – it was her whole background. Back home in Syria her family did this for a living. But the kids in our school were literally sneering at her Turkish Delight. Honestly, how ignorant can you get? She was upset and I was furious – especially with Kara and Lily. How could they be so mean? It wouldn’t have killed them to just try a piece, would it? Even if they were only doing it to be polite. Nadima was trying so hard to be friends with everyone, and then they turn round and are just downright rude to her.

It was a disaster. We didn’t sell any. Not a single piece. We couldn’t even give it away. I can’t tell you how rubbish I felt.

And then, just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, guess what? It got worse.