“Olive!”I’m barely through the door when Theresa O’Malley and a few other girls from my lower-sixth English group pounce on me.“We were just talking about you.”
“Oh, really?”I ask, like I should be pleased about that.
“Yeah, we were wondering if you’d be involved in the school newspaper.You know the centenary celebrations got postponed, so we’re planning a special edition for the party in the springand we’re looking for someone who’ll do the sport and hobbies section.Would you be up for it?”
Theresa sounds euphoric, and even though I’m sure she genuinely doesn’t mean any harm, her offer makes my stomach clench.“Why me in particular?”
“Well, you know everyone in the upper sixth, you were on the swimming team and doing A-level PE.So we thought...”Theresa trails off.
“That I’ve got loads of time on my hands now that I can’t swim or do PE anymore?”I suggest.
She glances down.“No—oh, man, I’m sorry if it came across that way.We just thought it would be nice now that you’re in our form.”
I feel like saying,Not for long, but I don’t.
“Think about it, yeah?”Theresa suggests.“But it’s totally OK if you don’t want to.I just thought I’d ask.”
I nod mechanically.“I’ll think about it.”
She smiles, and I should probably chat to her and the others for a bit to settle into my new form, but everything within me wants to join Emma, Henry, Tori, and Sinclair.I link arms with Grace, who’s just come in with Gideon.
“The school newspaper?”Grace asks when I tell her about Theresa’s idea.“That might be cool, though?You really do know someone on pretty much all the teams.I’d be your woman for athletics.”
“And me for rugby,” Gideon adds.“Your man, that is.You know what I mean.”
“Or don’t you want to?”Grace persists as Gideon goes over to a few of the rugby lads and we join Tori and the others.
“I don’t know,” I say.It would mean talking to more people on the swimming team, which I’ve been avoiding up to now.They sent me flowers and get-well cards in hospital, but I haven’t said thank you because I can’t bear the thought of even setting foot in the swimming center while they’re training.However much I miss my team and Ms.Cox.
“Because of the swimming?”Grace asks, like she’s read my mind.
I shrug.“I’m not part of the team anymore.”
“You’ll always be part of the team,” she insists.“I can seriously imagine you as the Dunbridge sports reporter, armed with a camera, asking insightful interview questions.”
“I’ve got enough on my plate with my schoolwork and keeping up with you all.And stop looking at me like that.”
“Looking at you like what?”
“So...knowing.”
“Sorry.”Grace stands up.“What do you want to drink?”
“Don’t mind,” I mumble, watching her back as she disappears into the crowd.
Tori immediately draws me into her conversation, and for a brief moment I manage to forget that I’m not in the upper sixth with them all.She fills me in on all the gossip, and suddenly, it’s just like the old days.
Except that every now and then, my eyes wander to the door as people come into the greenhouse.Colin is never among them, and I’m annoyed with myself for even noticing that.Can I really be surprised that he considers himself too cool for a midnight party?
Even so, when Henry asks Sinclair about him, I prick my ears.
“Obviously I invited him,” he says hastily.“But do you seriously think he’d come?”
“Is he still being an arse?”Tori asks.
“He laughed and told me to enjoy our kiddies’ tea party.”
“I hate him.”I only realize I said that aloud when the others turn to look at me.“No, really,” I add.“He’s such a bawbag.”
