16.

As Biddy and Penny entered the disco, Steve Bailey, a former pupil who was trying to make it as a DJ, was crooning into his mike in a mid-Atlantic accent.

‘OK, groovy guys and gorgeous girls, this is for all you beautiful wallflowers out there. It was a big hit a couple of years back for Kajagoogoo. They sure aren’t the same now without the wonderful Limahl at the helm, but I hope you won’t be “too shy-ai” tonight to get up on the dance floor.’

Biddy didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. She’d never heard of Kajawhatever, and she’d no idea who or what Limahl was. But as she listened to them sing about a girl who was tongue-tied and short of breath and very, very shy, she thought the DJ was playing this song just for her.

Biddy looked at Miss Jordan and smiled, shyly. The music made her want to move, but she didn’t know what to do.

‘Oh, I love this one, don’t you?’ the teacher shouted in Biddy’s ear. ‘Come on, let’s dance.’

And before Biddy knew what was happening, Miss Jordan had dragged her into the middle of the floor and was making all kinds of odd moves. As Biddy looked nervously around, she realised that everyone else was dancing the same way. For a second she panicked, her terror that she wouldn’t be able to dance like all the normal people in the assembly hall quickly replaced by a gut-wrenching worry that she might get into trouble for trying to do it beside a teacher. Or worse, that Miss Jordan might get in trouble for trying to help her. She glanced anxiously around again, biting into her lip, and spotted Mrs Hobart dancing with the head girl and boy. And there was Mr Boyd dancing with a group of girls she recognised from her year. OK, she thought, her breathing easing, we won’t get in trouble. Miss Jordan was still doing her funny dance, so Biddy tried her best to copy her, knowing how stupid she must look.

In actual fact, she didn’t look any more ridiculous than anyone else, and as she danced, the music began to seep into her bones. She closed her eyes and felt like she was flying.

Biddy had never heard music like this before. They didn’t have a record player in the house and her father only ever listened to Radio Four, so the only kind of music Biddy was familiar with was classical or Big Band Swing. She liked it well enough, but it didn’t make her feel like this.

As Kajagoogoo faded out, Wham!’s ‘Wake me up Before You Go-Go’ blasted in, and the dance floor was suddenly packed. Biddy felt herself being pushed further into the middle of the throng, but a momentary flash of panic turned to relief when she realised that Miss Jordan, who was also being shoved, seemed oblivious to the crowd and continued dancing. Biddy threw her head back and lost herself in the music. Next came Madonna’s ‘Material Girl’. Miss Jordan cupped her hands and shouted in Biddy’s ear, ‘I love Madonna, don’t you?’

‘Yes,’ Biddy shouted back, nodding furiously, ‘I love her too.’

She’d heard of Madonna. She knew what she looked like and she knew she was a singer. And she’d heard of Wham! too. She’d caught snippets of arguments between girls in the classroom, or the canteen, or the library, debating which one was cuter: George, or Andrew. But she’d never actually heard any of their songs. And now she had, she loved them all. She loved Kaja-whatever, and she loved Wham!, and she definitely loved Madonna. She grinned at Miss Jordan, and actually laughed out loud. I can be normal, she thought, as she moved her body to the music with increasing ease. I can. I can do normal things like drink Coke, and buy jeans, and wear a bra and dance. I can have fun. This is fun, and I like it. Maybe I’m not a complete weirdo after all.

Penny Jordan laughed too. She was thrilled to see Biddy relaxed and enjoying herself, and she wasn’t a bad wee mover too. The girl actually had some natural rhythm; who’d have thought it? Now all she needed were some friends. That would be her next mission. Perhaps she’d invite someone else along to the baking session in a couple of weeks. Maybe Karen Robinson? She seemed like a nice girl, and didn’t appear to be part of Alison’s entourage. She’d witnessed her helping Biddy up from the floor last week after Alison had ‘accidentally’ bumped into her whilst going for a goal shoot. But maybe she was moving too quickly?

Penny was lost in her happy thoughts, and Biddy was lost in the music. Neither of them noticed that Julia and Jackie were suddenly dancing beside them. And they didn’t see Alison join them a few moments later. And they were totally unaware of all the winking and thumbs-up signs and nudging that was going on between the girls.

‘That Madonna sure is one hot chick,’ crooned Steve as ‘Material Girl’ faded out. ‘Talkin’ about hot things, let’s turn the temperature up a little bit with some lurve tunes for all you cool young couples out there to smooch to.’

At the back of the room, some of the teachers shuffled uncomfortably as the DJ spouted on in his cringing pseudo-American accent. This was a school disco – not an 18–30’s Club Med outing. Penny, realising that she really shouldn’t be on the dance floor when the slow songs came on, tried to signal to Biddy that she was going to sit down, but Biddy couldn’t make her out. Penny took her elbow, drawing her closer.

‘I’m whacked,’ she said into her ear. ‘I need a rest. And I’d better go and chat to some of the other teachers. Why don’t you go and get yourself a Coke and a packet of crisps or something at the tuck shop? I’ll see you later, OK?’ She grinned at Biddy, giving her the thumbs-up sign.

Biddy nodded and dropped her head, reality crashing in. She completely understood that Miss Jordan couldn’t spend the whole evening with her, but for the last ten minutes or so she’d been in a place that felt like heaven, and she didn’t want to leave. What was she supposed to do now? There wasn’t anyone else here she could talk to. Maybe she should just go home. As Miss Jordan turned to go, Biddy saw that someone was blocking her way. It was Jackie McKelvey. Instinctively Biddy turned around and saw Alison standing behind her. Even in the semi-darkness she could make out the twisted smile on her face. Biddy recognised that smile, that look, and she knew that something bad was coming.

‘And to start off the sloooww session, it’s Mister Peabo Bryson and Ms Roberta Flack with their big hit from back in 1982. And we have a very special request for two groovy young sweethearts out there in the crowd: Penny Jordan and B.W. who are joining with Peabo and Roberta in celebratin’ their luurve tonight. Well, P.J. and B.W., get smoochin’ and have a luurvelee night.’

Penny froze. ‘Shit!’ she whispered.

Biddy’s head began to spin and the sickness started to stir. She must have misheard the DJ. She thought he’d said something about her and Miss Jordan. But he couldn’t have. Could he?

Over by the door, Georgina took her cue and switched on all the lights. Biddy looked around, panic rising in her chest. The music was still playing, but everyone was pointing and whispering and sniggering in her direction. What was happening? What had Alison done? She looked at Miss Jordan, tears welling up in her eyes, unable to read the expression on the teacher’s face.

Peabo and Roberta sang on. But nobody was dancing. Everybody, every single person in the room, was looking at Miss Jordan and Biddy Weir standing facing each other in the middle of the hall. Alison smiled at Georgina as she joined her, Julia and Jackie on the edge of the circle that had somehow formed around the teacher and the pupil.

‘Knew she was a lezzie, but didn’t realise she was into little girls,’ Alison whispered to Jane Stewart, a sixth-form prefect who was standing, shocked, beside her. Jane gasped, her hand shooting up to her mouth, and stared at Alison in horror. Then she turned and relayed the astonishing truth to her own group of friends. Georgina, Julia and Jackie all whispered the same juicy snippet of gossip to someone standing beside or behind them, and within seconds the whole hall was gasping and murmuring.

‘Give her a kiss then, Miss,’ a boy bellowed from the crowd.

‘Hey, Miss, do you fancy me too?’ screeched a girl, to wails of laughter from her friends.

‘Well, well, well. Turns out our resident weirdo is also a raving dyke,’ laughed Alison.

Penny closed her eyes and lowered her head. She wanted to move, to get both herself and Biddy out of the hall, but for some reason she felt glued to the spot. Sam’s words of warning rang in her ears.

Biddy started to shake. She had no idea what was going on, no idea what Alison was talking about, but she knew it wasn’t good. In fact, it was definitely worse than not good. And this time it wasn’t just aimed at her, but also at Miss Jordan. Lovely, kind, thoughtful Miss Jordan. And it was all her fault. She wanted to lie down on the floor and curl up in a ball with her hands over her head. She wanted to die.

‘Did you two have a nice time together in the staff loo earlier?’ Alison shouted, just as Mr Duncan arrived to see what all the fuss was about. ‘Oh, and is anyone else invited to the baking party in your house, Miss Jordan? Or is it private – just for Biddy?’

More gasps ricocheted around the room. Penny looked at Mr Duncan and shook her head. Biddy crossed her arms over the top of her head and started to moan a low, deep groan.

Alison glanced at the clock. Ten past nine. She saw Clive hover by the door and held his gaze, tossing her head slightly. He smiled at her and pushed through the double doors. She knew her work here was over. The damage was done. Whatever happened next was out of her hands, but she’d a feeling it would be good. Well, good for her, anyway.

‘I’m going outside for some air,’ she whispered to Georgina. Georgina winked at her friend. She was the only person who knew about Alison and Mr Patterson and Alison knew she wouldn’t jeopardise the privileged position she was in by blabbing about it to anyone else.

‘Make up something if you need to,’ Alison whispered. ‘I’ll be back before ten.’

And off she went through one set of doors to Clive Patterson’s store room in classroom 10, while Mr Duncan ushered a shaking Biddy Weir and an ashen-faced Penny Jordan through the other.