‘Well, the Farewell to the Upper Sixth would be the perfect opportunity,’ Olive says.
Henry sounds concerned: ‘It’s kind of a major occasion.’
‘All the better,’ says Tori.
‘Yes, we could start on Monday, when Mrs Sinclair gives the news,’ says Olive. ‘As a little taster of what we’ll be wearing for the Farewell.’
Grace straightens. ‘I’m in this time. How about you, boys?’
‘It’s breaking the rules,’ says Henry.
‘Maeve would love it,’ I say. ‘It was so important to her.’
‘She would love it,’ he agrees. ‘So does this mean we’re wearing skirts?’
‘We’re wearing skirts,’ I confirm. ‘For Maeve and for equal rights.’
Emma jumps up and measures Henry’s hips, then her own. ‘I’ve got one that’s too loose. I bet it would fit you.’
‘We’ll take care of the Insta,’ Tori tells Grace and Olive. ‘Put up all the key information so everyone can join in.’
‘Yes.’ Henry sounds properly excited now – it’s cute. ‘Maybe the others really will join in. That would be just what Maeve always wanted. Everyone can wear whatever they like.’
Emma turns back to the cake. ‘Well, I’d say that’s worth another slice, wouldn’t you?’
31
TORI
The new Instagram profile I’ve set up with all the information about our campaign got almost a hundred followers just over the weekend. After the morning assembly – at which a surprising number of girls wore beige or dark blue chinos, and the boys were in pleated skirts – the photos I shared in the story were reposted so often that we passed the thousand mark in just a few days. People at other boarding schools say we’ve inspired them to protest against their dress codes too, and total strangers assure us of their virtual support.
And it’s working. The teachers look stunned when they first see us, but it doesn’t take them long to give us appreciative nods and whispers of off-the-record support.
Mr Acevedo looks particularly proud as we pass him after the assembly in which Mrs Sinclair informs us that she was unable to persuade the governors, and that this has to be the last time we break the rules. If only she knew that this was just the start.
Charlie was coy at first when he tried on one of my skirts yesterday evening. I can’t blame him. It must feel weird to be unrestricted down below when you’re used to wearing trousers all the time, but he didn’t moan much, or make fun. Unlike Valentine and his pals, who – obviously – think the whole thing is ridiculous.
Val spends the whole of assembly, and later on at breakfast, laughing about us with his gang. I’m too excited by how many people have joined in the campaign to be annoyed. Girls in every form have left their skirts in their wardrobes and worn ordinary trousers with their blouses and blazers. The lads are a bit more reluctant, especially in the lower forms, but that’s OK. There’s another assembly next Monday when we can make our protest before the grand finale – the Farewell to the Upper Sixth.
But we might not even need to, as I notice when we meet Charlie’s mum later in the corridor. Her eyes run over Emma, Olive and me, then come to rest on Henry and her son. It would be untrue to say that I’m not at all afraid of her reaction, seeing that none of us have changed, like she told us to at assembly. But I’m not prepared to back down again.
‘Mrs Sinclair,’ Charlie greets her, and I wonder how he can keep such a straight face.
‘Good morning, all of you,’ she says. ‘You know that I have to issue another reminder of the official dress code, right?’
‘I would like to speak to you about that,’ Henry says, ‘as school captain, on behalf of everyone at the school. Tori will back me up.’
Mrs Sinclair sighs. ‘Fine. You two come and see me in my office after study hour. Although I can tell you now that nothing about the situation is going to change.’
‘With all due respect,’ Henry gives her his politest school-captain smile, ‘we’ll see about that, Mrs Sinclair.’
SINCLAIR
I suspect it’s thanks to the media attention that, after a lot of back and forth, Mum psyches herself up to announce a gender-neutral uniform policy – against the will of the governors. It doesn’t mean us boys are about to start wearing pleated skirts,but we could if we wanted to. And the girls are now allowed to wear trousers, even on formal occasions.
The Instagram profile that Tori set up for our campaign went sufficiently viral for Mum to be interviewed by the local press.
Something must have happened, though, which I notice at dinner at home on Saturday evening: she looks anything but happy.
