43

Kara

Let’s just say that school wasn’t the most enjoyable place for the next week or so. Nadima was now totally one of Kara’s gang. They didn’t exactly exclude me. But I didn’t feel comfortable being with them. So I started hanging round with Liam and Ryan. There are other girls in 7R (obviously), but to be honest I was happier being with the boys. Comes of having The Brothers, I suppose. Nadima didn’t ignore me. But she didn’t try to start a conversation – or tell me anything the way she used to.

Sometimes we were forced to talk to each other. Like in drama. We tried to sort of plot a basic storyline for stealing the Crown Jewels – which I drew, like a cartoon. But it was a rubbish idea to start with and it’s not like either of us could actually write the story down, is it? So our drama lessons were a complete waste of time. But then, what was new about that?

So school wasn’t exactly a joy – but it was bearable – until the Wednesday of the second week.

Kara came bouncing into class first thing, before registration, and announced to everyone that she was having a sleepover on Saturday night.

‘Brilliant! Can I come?’ grinned Ryan.

‘No! It’s girls only!’ snapped Kara.

‘That’s discrimination!’ announced Liam.

She ignored him, but then, with a gobsmacking lack of tact, she handed out invitations to every single girl in the class except (yup, you’ve guessed it) me.

Then she came over and, pulling a ‘sad face’, she said in a big, loud voice, ‘Jaz, I’m really sorry about this. I would invite you, you know I would, but I don’t think I can invite both you and Nadima – and it would be really mean to exclude her, wouldn’t it?’

Lily looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her up. The rest of the class were busy shooting sneaky glances in my direction to see how I’d take it.

So I just looked Kara straight in the eye and said loudly, ‘No, it’s fine! I completely understand. Of course you should invite Nadima.’

Kara gave me one of those fake aren’t you lovely? kind of grimaces and said, ‘Thank you,’ before flouncing off and sitting back down next to Nadima. Nadima looked over at me … but I looked away, burning hot and horribly aware of how red I’d gone.

‘Are you OK?’ asked Lily, when she sat down next to me for registration.

‘Course I am! Why would I want to go to Kara’s party anyway?’ I replied.

I managed to put a brave face on it all day, but as soon as Mum got home I dissolved like chocolate in a microwave. I slumped over the kitchen table and bawled my eyes out.

‘Oh, come on, sweetie,’ Mum sighed, putting her arm round me. ‘Try not to let it upset you.’

The Brothers rallied round of course.

‘Sounds like that Kara’s a ghastly piece of work,’ said Matt, slopping out some spag bol into a bowl for me. (Wednesday – his turn to cook.)

‘Horrible!’ agreed Dan, through a mouthful of pasta.

‘Loathsome and vile,’ threw in Gus.

‘Despicable, detestable and dreadful,’ said Matt.

‘Hideous, odious and horrible,’ announced Gus.

‘You can’t have horrible, I’ve already said that,’ said Dan.

‘OK, Hideous, odious … and obnoxious!’ said Gus.

‘Oh, good one, Gus!’ said Mum.

‘I thank you!’ said Gus, and then he shoved a forkful of spag bol into his mouth, deliberately slurping up a single strand of spaghetti so that he plastered his chin with sauce, trying to make me laugh. It didn’t work.

‘Come on, Jaz – man up!’ he mumbled.

‘Yeah!’ said Dan, pretending to give me a super-slow-motion punch to the jaw.

‘All the girls in our class fell out in Year 7,’ said Matt. ‘Nobody was talking to anybody and you needed a degree in diplomacy to make it through break. I don’t think they started talking to each other again until Year 10.’

‘Must’ve been lovely and quiet,’ said Dan.

‘Bliss!’ Matt grinned.

‘Huh, girls!’ exclaimed Gus, rolling his eyes. ‘The most toxic life form on planet earth!’

‘Oi, what about me?’ I protested.

‘You’re not a girl. You’re an honorary Brother,’ replied Gus.

Which made me laugh.

‘Attagirl!’ said Mum.