Growing Yams in London by Sophia Acheampong Page B

had bought them for me as it reminded her of the summer we spent in Brighton as
kids.
    ‘Actually, I’ll let you have them if you tell me what Mum’s up to.’
    ‘OK,’ Delphina said, placing a hand over the bag. ‘Well . . .’
    I could see her grip tightening, so I tightened mine. I don’t trust my sister.
    ‘Makeeda?’ she said, realising I wasn’t quite ready to let go.
    ‘Tell me then.’
    ‘OK, she’s thinking of teaching history . . .’
    ‘Where?’ I said loosening my grip.
    Mum had done a PGCE a year ago and the first thing I did at her graduation was make her promise never to teach at my school. I remember she smiled.
    ‘At some college in Manchester,’ Delphy said, successfully snatching the bag from me.
    ‘You’re lying!’ I said, mortified. ‘That would mean we’d have to move.’
    ‘It’s our stop,’ she said, getting up.
    As we started walking towards Delphy’s school, my mobile beeped with a message.
    Nelson:
Meet me in twenty minutes in McD’s for breakfast. Wealdstone. I haven’t seen u in ages. :(
    This had to be a joke. Although it was on my way to school, I didn’t like the way he asked.
    ‘Who’s that?’ asked Delphy.
    ‘None of your business,’ I said.
    Me:
OK
    I agreed to meet him because I felt guilty about not being able to see him over the weekend.
    ‘Well, tell me about Mum then.’
    ‘She had a meeting with her boss.’
    ‘Is that it? Why did you lie to me?’
    Delphina just shook the bag of lollies in my face and grinned.
    ‘Whatever,’ I said.
    My phone beeped again. This time it was Bharti, but I didn’t open it as Delphina’s tie distracted me.
    ‘Did you tie this yourself?’ I asked.
    ‘Yes,’ she said, pushing my hand away from it. ‘Shouldn’t you see who your text is from? I can do it for you,’ Delphy said, reaching for my phone.
    ‘Nice try, Delphy,’ I said, turning my phone off.
    ‘But there’s nothing wrong with my tie,’ Delphy moaned.
    ‘It’s terrible! If Miss Greenwood sees it, she’ll make you redo it in front of your class.’
    I wasn’t lying. She was a mean woman and I’d seen her do it to a girl in my class when I was Delphy’s age.
    A panicked-looking Delphina stared back at me.
    ‘Come here, then,’ I said and redid her tie on myself, then placed it over her head and tucked it behind her dark green pinafore.
    ‘Thanks, Makeeda,’ she said, smiling. ‘I’m sorry I lied.’
    ‘What are you up to? You never apologise,’ I said suspiciously.
    ‘Do you have change for a pound?’ Delphina asked.
    ‘Yes,’ I said, waiting until she gave me the pound coin first.
    ‘Thanks,’ she said, smiling as she placed the change into a small plastic box.
    ‘Fess up or I’m telling Mum . . .’
    ‘Oh look, there’s Daniel!’ she said, racing off through the school gates.
    I knew she was up to something but I didn’t have time to find out.
    I walked down the road to McD’s to find Nelson in a sweatshirt and jeans, sitting in the corner with Jordan and Laura who were in their school uniform. What are they doing here? I
wondered.
    ‘Hey, Makeeda!’ Jordan yelled, calling me over.
    ‘Hiya!’ I waved to them, giving a smile.
    ‘Morning,’ Nelson said, standing up to kiss me on the cheek.
    At least he and Jordan were pleased to see me. Laura gave me a dirty look. I added my coat to the pile stacked up between Jordan and Nelson.
    ‘How come you’re not going to school?’ I asked.
    ‘Oooh . . . Someone’s in trouble,’ Jordan said, in between mouthfuls of pancake.
    ‘Shut up, Jordan!’ Nelson said. ‘I just didn’t fancy it today.’
    ‘Oh right,’ I said. I thought it a bit weird but, then again, I really didn’t want to look a nerd.
    ‘Hey, how come you didn’t come to Chessington with us?’ Jordan asked me.
    ‘I . . .’
    ‘Makeeda obviously had a better offer,’ Laura interrupted.
    ‘I had a family thing to go to,’ I replied.
    ‘Yeah, Mel told me,’ Nelson said.
    ‘Sounds like you two