“No, mum. No one likes a second-hand bike,” Kalen sniggers.
“Well, I can’t say I’m upset. I’m glad I didn’t get round to ordering my hat yet.” The class goes wild. “Go to the headmaster, Miss Rossi, your outburst and language will not be tolerated in my class.”
“You know what?” I cry angrily, getting to my feet. “I don’t need to put up with this crap!”
I storm out to uproarious laughter. It’s only when the door slams shut behind me that I let the humiliated tears stream down my face. As I storm down the corridors towards Monty’s office, I fume. The fucking bitch. Fuck her. And fuck Kalen too. I’ve done nothing to deserve what he just did to me.
When I get to the headmaster’s office, I’m a mess. Monty is waiting by the door for me and ushers me straight in. I take a seat, and as much as Ireallydon’t want to, I sob.
“Amelie, what’s happened?” Monty asks, aghast. I don’t answer, I just let everything out: I cry because it’s all just too much. Maggie, her vendetta against me, Kalen’s cruelty and refusal to forgive me, the twins blowing hot and cold. I cry because it really fucking sucks having to pretend that Sawyer is nothing to me and because I’m so hurt by Smalls. “I miss home. I miss my family.”
Monty passes me a tissue and tells me that everything will be okay. It’s only when he starts speaking that I realised I just blurted out the end of what I was just thinking and feeling. Did I just spill my guts about Sawyer? I stare in horror at Monty, but he doesn’t give anything away.
Monty changes the subject, talking about how well I’m doing in school and how happy he is with me. I tell him about Maggie and what just happened in class. He purses his lips - I can see he’s trying to mask his anger - and tells me he will sort it, properly this time.
“Amelie, I’m sure you know that Christmas is fast approaching.” I nod. It’s just over eight weeks away now. Todayit’s a painful reminder of everything I’m going to miss out on. How alone I really am. “How do you feel about that?”
“Honestly? I want to go home.”
“Amelie-” Monty begins reproachfully but I interrupt.
“Not for good. I know I have to do my three years. I accept that now, but, please sir, I would give anything to have Christmas back home with my family. I promise I’ll come back.”
Monty shakes his head apologetically.
“I’m really sorry, Amelie, I am. But I can’t do that.”
“Don’t give me some BS about kids not being allowed home! I know Elsie is going to her parents’ house!”
“I wasn’t about to lie to you, Amelie. I can’t let you go home for personal reasons, not academic ones… Your mother has talked about this non-stop since you arrived. She’s been planning this for months. It would destroy her if I let you go.”
It’s bullshit. It has to be. Why would Laura give a fuck about having me around for Christmas? We’ve not had family meals for weeks but she hasn’t reached out to see me. No, there’s something else going on. I just don’t know what it is.
“Listen, Amelie, I might have a...compromise,” Monty begins. I listen. “I will think about flying your family over for Christmas if you can continue to behave yourself.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your word?” I ask, suspiciously.
“How about we book the flights right now? You’ll be needing four, yes?”
I nod, still not daring to believe.
“Laura won’t like it,” I say.
“You leave your mother to me.”
“And I just have to keep getting good grades?”
“Good grades, yes, and maybe try a little harder with your mother.”
“And you’ll book the tickets?”
“I promise. You can even call your dad and brother to tell them at the next family meal.”
I agree to his terms and he even shakes on it. He dismisses me but tells me not to go back to my SELF class - it’s nearly over anyway - and to head straight to next period. As I wander the corridors, I can’t help but think over what just happened in Monty’s office. I’m sure there’s an ulterior motive - there has to be - but I can’t figure out what it is. I guess there’s no harm in going along with it, for now at least anyway. I’m just going to try not to get my hopes up too much.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Amelie
