All five gunked people looked completely stumped by this. Although, to be honest, they already looked quite stumped just by being covered in cake-mix stew. Ryan, looking up at last, looked quite surprised himself.
“Here’s the thing,” Mr Carter continued. “Ryan has been under a lot of … pressure recently. Things haven’t been quite … right in his world for a little while. It’s all been very topsy-turvy and confusing. Hasn’t it, Ryan?”
Ryan looked at him. Without any sarcasm, he answered in a small voice. “Yes.”
“And on top of this, his mother is ill. Very ill. I don’t want to talk about it too much – it’s a private thing, of course – but I know it’s been causing Ryan an awful lot of pain and he’s very, very worried about her.”
Silence fell upon the hall and the stage after he said this.
“Aren’t you?”
“Yes,” said Ryan in the same small voice.
“And sometimes when we’re very, very worried about something we do stupid, angry things. Don’t we?”
“Yes. Yes, Mr Carter,” said Ryan.
Mr Carter nodded and turned back towards the stage, looking particularly at the two OFFHEAD inspectors.
“Look, I know that you’re cross because you’re covered in cake-mix stew, but you know what? Cake-mix stew will come off. What won’t come off, I don’t think, are really bad things happening to you.”
There was a silence again here, but not a complete silence because in it could be heard a little murmuring – murmurs of agreement, of people in the room saying, “Yes” and, “That’s right” and, “Good point”.
“Because, Mr Mann, Miss Malik,” continued Mr Carter, “I think we’re all in the business – aren’t we? – of trying to make life better for kids. And when life is tough for them the one thing I guess we should have is understanding. And maybe a bit of mercy. So that’s why, because I know he’s ashamed about what he did anyway, I am not going to punish Ryan Ward.”
No one said anything for a tiny moment. And then, very, very slowly, a ripple of applause started at the back of the hall. It got louder and louder as all the children, the Oakcroft pupils as well as the Bracket Wood ones, joined in. It got louder still as they rose to their feet and began stamping and cheering.
And then Dionna, onstage, turned to the audience and began to sing, “OH! HEADMASTER CAR-TER!”
Mr Carter looked around and suddenly, everyone joined in.
“OH! HEADMASTER CAR-TER!”
Even the Oakcroft children. Even Miss Gerard and Mr Barrington. Even, as the head teacher looked round onstage, Miss Malik, and then, a bit more reluctantly and uncertainly as if he wasn’t quite sure but finally decided to do it anyway, Mr Mann.
“OH! HEADMASTER CAR-TER!”
And even Ryan Ward.
“OH! HEADMASTER CAR— This is a bit weird, I have to tell you …” he said “—TER!”
Mr Carter smiled. There were three people who weren’t doing it, of course.
“RIGHT, TOBY, BELINDA! THAT’S ENOUGH! LET’S GO!” one of those three people shouted. Still covered in the pink cake-muck, she, Toby and Belinda left the stage and made their way towards the door.
“Actually, Bells,” said Toby, licking a finger, “it’s surprisingly treats.”
“Oh, shut up, you posh himbo!”
“Sorry about everything, Mrs Valentine-Fine!” called Mr Carter after them.
“OBE!”
“Which stands for OLD BATTLEAXE EEURGHH!”
They stopped in their tracks and turned round. Mrs Valentine-Fine OBE, if it was possible, looked more furious than ever.
“WHO SAID THAT?”
A hand went up quickly from a person onstage.
It was Ryan Ward.
Well, it was Mr Carter. Inside Ryan Ward. And he seemed very proud and pleased with himself.
Mr Carter, or the man who seemed to be Mr Carter, shrugged. He was clearly not going to punish Ryan Ward for that either. So Mrs Valentine-Fine OBE raised herself up to her not very full height, said, “BAH!” and left the assembly hall.