done,” Jesus suggested.
In the end they agreed with him, just to shut him up. Drago volunteered to sculpt a head out of clay.
After school, Velvet didn’t feel like listening to Hailie and Roula chatter on about the latest reality TV show, so she told them she had to return a library book. She waited five minutes, and then walked slowly to the railway station. She needed time to think.
For as long as she could remember, Velvet had known exactly where her life was going. She’d had it all planned out: a successful secondary education at St Theresa’s, Law at Melbourne Uni, with perhaps a year off to travel overseas after graduating with honours. But things had changed. Now she had no idea how her life was going to turn out. If she got accepted into Endeavour High, she’d have to change schools and be the new girl all over again. Perhaps Law wasn’t the right choice for her. She’d only wanted to do it because her Aunt Evelyn was a lawyer. Velvet admired her single-woman lifestyle: nice apartment, lovely clothes, overseas trips every year. Travel was definitely out of the question for Velvet now that her parents wouldn’t be paying for it. And then there were her feelings for Taleb, which she still hadn’t got used to. Distracting emotions had never featured in her imagined future. Her life had become complicated.
It was the distracting emotions that she had to deal with first though, as Taleb rode up, got off his bike and started to walk along side her.
“You had a lot to say this afternoon,” he said. “Not that that’s unusual.”
“It doesn’t seem fair that Richard’s been made into such a bad guy.”
“It’s only a school play. It’s hardly going to change the world.”
“I suppose not, but if there was just something that we could do to help put the facts straight.”
Taleb smiled at her.
“What?”
“You take everything way too seriously.”
She wasn’t about to admit to Taleb that the play was pretty much the most important thing in her life at that moment.
“You take your music seriously.”
“I guess so.”
They had reached the railway station. Taleb got on his bike. “See you tomorrow at band practice.”
He rode off and Velvet walked up to the station and sat down. She was immediately pounced on by Hailie and Roula who had been watching from behind a billboard.
“Did he ask you out?”
“No!”
“What did he say?”
“Nothing. Just stuff about the play.”
The train arrived.
“I think he likes you.”
“He does not.” Velvet got onto the train. “What makes you say that?”
“He
smiled
at you,” Hailie said. “I’ve never seen Taleb smile before.”
C H A P TE R 17
On the last day of term, Mr MacDonald strode into T6 looking very pleased with himself. “I’ve got an announcement to make.”
“You’re not going to re-cast the play, are you?” Velvet asked.
“No.”
“Have you been transferred to a proper school?” Peter asked.
“No. I’m not going anywhere.”
“You’ve won Tattslotto and you don’t have to teach anymore?” Drago said.
“You’re miles off. It’s to do with the play.”
“Hailie’s decided not to sing?”
“That’s not funny, Jesus.”
“Come on, sir. We give up.”
“I’ve got some money for costumes.” Mr MacDonald grinned from ear to ear. It wasn’t a pretty sight.
“Yeah, how much?”
“A hundred and fifty dollars.”
“Wow. Where did you get it from?”
“School funds.”
“You mean Slinky gave us a hundred and fifty bucks?”
“Not willingly. He tried to tell me there were no funds allocated to cultural studies, but Mrs Mangalis looked it up in the budget. He couldn’t deny it then.”
“Yay, Mrs Mangalis.”
“So, this afternoon I thought we’d go on a little excursion.”
“Seriously?” Roula’s interest in the play suddenly increased.
“We don’t have to watch a real Shakespeare play, do we?”
“No, Jesus.”
“What then?”
“I thought we could go and check out
In the end they agreed with him, just to shut him up. Drago volunteered to sculpt a head out of clay.
After school, Velvet didn’t feel like listening to Hailie and Roula chatter on about the latest reality TV show, so she told them she had to return a library book. She waited five minutes, and then walked slowly to the railway station. She needed time to think.
For as long as she could remember, Velvet had known exactly where her life was going. She’d had it all planned out: a successful secondary education at St Theresa’s, Law at Melbourne Uni, with perhaps a year off to travel overseas after graduating with honours. But things had changed. Now she had no idea how her life was going to turn out. If she got accepted into Endeavour High, she’d have to change schools and be the new girl all over again. Perhaps Law wasn’t the right choice for her. She’d only wanted to do it because her Aunt Evelyn was a lawyer. Velvet admired her single-woman lifestyle: nice apartment, lovely clothes, overseas trips every year. Travel was definitely out of the question for Velvet now that her parents wouldn’t be paying for it. And then there were her feelings for Taleb, which she still hadn’t got used to. Distracting emotions had never featured in her imagined future. Her life had become complicated.
It was the distracting emotions that she had to deal with first though, as Taleb rode up, got off his bike and started to walk along side her.
“You had a lot to say this afternoon,” he said. “Not that that’s unusual.”
“It doesn’t seem fair that Richard’s been made into such a bad guy.”
“It’s only a school play. It’s hardly going to change the world.”
“I suppose not, but if there was just something that we could do to help put the facts straight.”
Taleb smiled at her.
“What?”
“You take everything way too seriously.”
She wasn’t about to admit to Taleb that the play was pretty much the most important thing in her life at that moment.
“You take your music seriously.”
“I guess so.”
They had reached the railway station. Taleb got on his bike. “See you tomorrow at band practice.”
He rode off and Velvet walked up to the station and sat down. She was immediately pounced on by Hailie and Roula who had been watching from behind a billboard.
“Did he ask you out?”
“No!”
“What did he say?”
“Nothing. Just stuff about the play.”
The train arrived.
“I think he likes you.”
“He does not.” Velvet got onto the train. “What makes you say that?”
“He
smiled
at you,” Hailie said. “I’ve never seen Taleb smile before.”
C H A P TE R 17
On the last day of term, Mr MacDonald strode into T6 looking very pleased with himself. “I’ve got an announcement to make.”
“You’re not going to re-cast the play, are you?” Velvet asked.
“No.”
“Have you been transferred to a proper school?” Peter asked.
“No. I’m not going anywhere.”
“You’ve won Tattslotto and you don’t have to teach anymore?” Drago said.
“You’re miles off. It’s to do with the play.”
“Hailie’s decided not to sing?”
“That’s not funny, Jesus.”
“Come on, sir. We give up.”
“I’ve got some money for costumes.” Mr MacDonald grinned from ear to ear. It wasn’t a pretty sight.
“Yeah, how much?”
“A hundred and fifty dollars.”
“Wow. Where did you get it from?”
“School funds.”
“You mean Slinky gave us a hundred and fifty bucks?”
“Not willingly. He tried to tell me there were no funds allocated to cultural studies, but Mrs Mangalis looked it up in the budget. He couldn’t deny it then.”
“Yay, Mrs Mangalis.”
“So, this afternoon I thought we’d go on a little excursion.”
“Seriously?” Roula’s interest in the play suddenly increased.
“We don’t have to watch a real Shakespeare play, do we?”
“No, Jesus.”
“What then?”
“I thought we could go and check out
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