Everything We Keep, Di Walker [best pdf reader for ebooks txt] 📗

along the paths, knowing, like Agatha, that the Home Group bell had just gone.

Agatha twisted her fingers in her lap. ‘If you want me to, I’ll wait here for a while,’ Katherine said.

Agatha shrugged, ‘No. It’s okay. If I know you’re here I might not get to class.’

Katherine leaned across and placed her hand on to Agatha’s twisting hands. ‘Just remember to keep you head up. I think you’re incredibly brave.’ Agatha looked at Katherine not believing what she just said. Katherine nodded, ‘Really, I do.’

Agatha hands stopped twisting. She got out of the car, grabbing her school bag that was at her feet. ‘You’ll be here? After school?’

‘Yes. I’ll be here.’

Katherine watched Agatha head along the path and into the long grey building. She disappeared right as the bell rang out, and apart from a few late students, running to get to be where they were supposed to be, the school grounds were empty.

Katherine turned on the engine and pulled away, checking her review mirror several times along the long school driveway.

There was the clatter of locker doors shutting, students dodging quickly past each other as Agatha walked at a steady pace. As she approached her locker, no one else was around. The bell had finished ringing, so she was now officially late.

She got to her locker and surprised herself by getting the combination lock open on the first go. Agatha chuckled to herself as she remembered Tully telling her yesterday that it usually takes everyone ages to master their combinations locks. ‘Not me,’ Agatha said to herself.

‘You’re here!’ Agatha turned to see Mr Brown, with the Home Group door open, looking directly at her, his face welcoming, as if he was happy to see her. ‘Trouble with your lock?’

Agatha nodded, ‘I couldn’t get it open.’

‘Don’t worry about that. Everyone has trouble at first. You’ll be right after a couple of days. Got everything?’ He had a smile on his face as he motioned her into the classroom.

Agatha took a deep breath and, closed her locker and walked towards the room. The seat she sat in yesterday was still empty, so she walked to it and sat down. Tully was sitting exactly where she sat yesterday. Agatha kept her eyes to the ground. She didn’t want to see Tully’s face. Faces told her everything she needed to know.

She carefully placed her books on the desk and sat down, then reminded herself to keep her head up, raised her chin, just slightly and looked at Mr Brown.

Ignoring the fact he had a chair to sit on, Mr Brown took up his position on the edge of the table. He checked the attendance roll, and then took a piece of paper from the desk.

‘Okay, folks, here we all are again, and I see here there’s been a change made for our group.’

Agatha sighed. Rita was wrong. Tully’s mum did have the power to move her out of Tully’s class. ‘I doubt they’ll move you Agatha. Imagine if schools had to move a child from a class every time a parent complained!’ Rita had said, the evening before.

Agatha put her hands onto the small pile of workbooks in front of her, ready to leave as soon as the announcement was made. She lowered her head.

‘After recess,’ Mr Brown said, ‘you folks are meant to have Health then Science Theory.’ There was a small groan from the class at the mention of Science Theory. It was quickly becoming the least favourite class.

‘Hang on, hang on I said meant to. However, just for today, you’re going to have a double Science and for those of you who have been waiting to make some chemicals explode, well this just might be your chance.’ Mr Brown smiled at the excited group. Agatha let out the breath she was holding in.

‘Okay folk, settles down. . . ’ Mr Brown held up his hand, ‘I need a quick word with Agatha and Tully before you all go.’

‘You guys are in trouble,’ someone called out.

‘Hey, you don’t know me, but that’s not my style,’ Mr Brown said. ‘If you’re in some trouble, I’m not telling you in front of Home Group, so just relax.’

Hearing Mr Brown say that didn’t help Agatha relax. She had heard teachers say all sorts of things over the years to cover up the serious conversations they wanted to have with students. Agatha approached Mr Brown at the same time as Tully. She gave her a quick glance, too quick to read her face. Agatha didn’t want to know.

‘How you two doing?’ Mr Brown asked.

‘Fine,’ Tully responded cheerfully.

‘Fine,’ said Agatha, aware that Tully was looking at her but not being brave enough to look back.

‘Okay, so there’s a message here from Mrs Sloane.’ He looked back down at the piece of paper. ‘She says to tell you that whatever happens outside of school doesn’t come inside of school. She says she thought the two of you looked like you were getting along really well yesterday, which I agree with, and she hopes that continues. Got it.’

‘Absolutely, Mr Brown,’ said Tully as she grabbed hold of Agatha’s arm. ‘That’s great, don’t you think Agatha?’

‘I’m not sure I . . . ’

Mr Brown leaned in closer, ‘Agatha, you’re not moving classes, you’re not banned from being friends with anyone. While you are here at school you and Tully can be friends with whoever you please and that includes each other. Now, what happens when you folks leave the school grounds, well we have no control over that. Got it.’

Agatha nodded her head, smiled and turned to Tully who was still holding her arm. Tully’s eyes were wide open, and her smile went right across her face. ‘We can be friends, Agatha.’

‘Right now, that’s all settled, you two can get on with things.’ And just as he finished the bell rang for everyone to move to the first class. ‘Have a good day, folks, and don’t forget, double science after the recess break.’ As Agatha walked past him,