The Alien in the Garage and Other Stories (2 page)

I've got a secret.

I didn't have, this morning. But I do now.

It's a big secret. One that no one else knows.

It's a secret about Lauren.

I heard it at lunchtime, from Danny. And he swore me to complete secrecy.

So don't say anything.

It's definitely true. Danny heard it straight from James, in his maths group. And James heard it straight from Jessica and Amy. He met them in the yard at break. And Jessica and Amy got it straight from Rebecca, who heard it from Charlotte, who lives in the same road as Sophie, who's Lauren's best friend. So it must be true.

But don't say anything.

I don't spread secrets round, of course. Once you tell me something, it goes no further. You could trust me with anything. I knew about Amy's pierced ears before anyone else, because I heard it from her cousin. I knew who was going to be in the football team for the Churchwood match, long before they put the notice up. And I knew when Miss Boyd was getting married. Well, I was passing the staff room and it's not my fault if they leave the door open. But I didn't tell anyone. No one heard any of it from me.

So say nothing.

Lots of people could have secrets, if you stop to think about it. And no one might ever know about them. You see people going into school every morning, and, from their faces, you might think everything was OK. But you can't really know, can you, everything that goes on in their lives? In their homes, their families? Or anywhere else, apart from school? They could be doing anything, after the bell. Or in the mornings, before school starts. Or at weekends. And, if they didn't tell anyone, or if no one found out, then no one would know. Anyone you meet, in class, or in the yard, or on the playing field, could have a secret.

But I bet no one has a secret quite like Lauren's.

It's something that Lauren wouldn't want anyone to know. She only heard the news herself a few days ago. At first, no one knew outside her house. Her Mum and Dad know, of course. Well, they would, wouldn't they? And her big sister still lives at home, so she knows too. There are just the four of them at home. Plus the dog, of course. But I don't suppose the dog knows. At least, if it does, it probably won't tell anyone.

Don't you say anything to anyone, will you?

Lauren's very excited about it. And she would be, wouldn't she? It's not the sort of thing that happens to everyone. I don't think it's ever happened to anyone in our school before. Or likely to again, for a good long time. Sophie was very excited too. Well, she would be, as Lauren's her best friend. And Charlotte was excited as well, when she heard the news. And Rebecca, even though she doesn't really know Lauren that well. And when she told Jessica and Amy, they were very excited. And James, when he heard about it from them at break- time. And I suppose Danny was excited, since he told me in the dinner queue. Difficult to tell though, with Danny. He doesn't show his feelings much.

Don't say a word, will you?

I suppose a lot of people will know before very long. After all, it's not the sort of thing that often happens to people, even in a big town like this. That's why everyone was so excited. It could be in the newspapers. The local ones at least. And on the local news. Maybe the TV cameras will come to school. It's time they did. They haven't been since that politician came to visit. You remember, when I represented our year group, and we stood in the hall for two hours waiting for him to arrive, and when he did, he only had time for a quick look at my fantastic article that went up on the wall, before he shot off again to visit somewhere else. And then the story got cut, and I didn't even get to be on the telly.

This is at least as important as that. And so Lauren could be on the telly. And if the cameras and reporters do come to school, maybe we can be on the telly too. And everyone will know that we're Lauren's friends. Or if we're not, then it's time we started. Before long, everyone could know Lauren's secret.

But the point of a secret is that it should stay a secret. Isn't it? It should be a secret until Lauren wants everyone to know. That's why she only told Sophie. And why Sophie only told Charlotte. And why Charlotte only told Rebecca. And why Rebecca only told Jessica and Amy, and…well, you know the rest.

So don't say I said anything, will you?

I'd love to do what Lauren's going to do. It'll be so good. More fun than anything that happens around here. I don't do anything like that. I just do the football team and the Chess club. And that's not what it was, since they moved it to after school on Thursdays. And outside school, I've got trumpet, and judo. And that's it.

Lauren's going to have some real fun. She could be famous, before long. We could all be asking for her autograph. And she'll be earning money as well. Far more than I'll ever earn. And she'll get to know some really cool people.

But she'll still have to pass her exams.

I hope it doesn't change her too much.

Don't tell anyone I spoke to you, will you?

Well, that's it. That's my bus stop. I'd better go. Got homework to do. I haven't got far to walk, just to the end of the road, and then…

Oh, what d'you say? Sorry?

I haven't told you what it is yet? What what is?

Oh, the secret?

Lauren's secret?

You want to know what the secret is?

Sorry…afraid I can't tell you that.

It's a secret.

Juniper Class all saw it, that Tuesday morning.

It wasn't something they were likely to have missed.

Liam, the tallest member of the class, saw it straight away. So did Justin, his sidekick. And the rest of Liam's gang. Kimberley noticed it too. And her friend, Sophie. And some of the other girls.

In Nicholas's schoolbag, a mysterious object had appeared.

Normally, most of them hardly looked at Nicholas. He never went round with Liam's gang. They never asked him. He was the quiet one of the class. He always did his homework on time. He never got detention. He was polite to all the teachers. And his schoolbag was always neatly packed, the books and pencil case tidily slotted in.

But today, a new, strange item had appeared. Almost too much for the bag to hold, when packed in with everything else.

On one side of the bag, as it rested there on his skinny shoulders, something unknown was bulging out, for all to see.

The other members of the class were only slightly interested, at first.

“What you got in there?” Liam demanded, as they lined up in the yard before Assembly.

“Pardon?” Nicholas, in his usual place at the front of the line, turned to look up at the tall, blond boy.

“There!” Liam pointed. “In your bag.”

“Oh.” Nicholas didn't sound at all interested. “Nothing.”

Standing behind Liam, Justin shuffled forward to join his leader. He was a stocky, tanned boy.

“Don't look like nothing,” he observed. He reached out a finger and poked the bulge. “What is it?”

“Hey, get off!” Nicholas pulled away. He looked at Liam, slightly uneasily. “It's nothing, really. Nothing much, anyway. Just…something I need.”

Liam looked at Nicholas, rather like a fox might look at a particularly timid rabbit.

If Liam wanted to know what was in the bag, Nicholas would tell him…

But at that moment, the teachers appeared to bring them inside, and Nicholas was saved.

As he moved off, Liam and Justin took another curious look at the mystery object that Nicholas had brought to school. What could it be?

Other members of the class had seen it too.

“What d'you reckon it is?” Liam wondered. He and his gang were sitting round one of the tables in their classroom, half-heartedly doing Maths. He looked at Justin. “Not like him to bring anything special to school. What did it feel like?”

“I dunno.” Justin shrugged. “Soft. That's all, really.”

“Could be something someone gave him.” Ben,

Liam's third-in-command, spoke. He was a thin, sharp- featured boy. On first sighting it looked as if a rat had somehow found its way into a school uniform. “Birthday present or something. People sometimes bring stuff in…”

“It's not his birthday.” Liam provided leadership. “His birthday's in April. I remember ‘cause it was just after my sister's.”

“Wait ‘til break.” Justin clenched a fist. He liked to think of himself as the tough guy of the class, the muscles of Liam's gang. “I'll ask him again.”

“Nah.” Liam looked thoughtful. “I know Nick. You won't get at him that way. No, you've got to be a bit clever.”

Justin looked disappointed.

Liam leaned in closer, and his gang followed him. He lowered his voice.

“Here's what we do.”

Across the classroom, around another table, the girls were having a similar conversation.

“I don't know what it is,” Sophie was saying. “Bet Liam finds out.”

“Him?” Kimberley curled her lip. She was a big, rather bossy girl. If there was a secret to be found out, Kimberley was going to find it first. “He couldn't find out that today's Wednesday.”

“It's Tuesday actually,” Emily, the most timid member of Kimberley's band, put in quietly.

Kimberley ignored her.

“I want to find out.” When Kimberley said she wanted something, there were no arguments. She smiled slightly. “Think I know how.”

Break came.

Juniper Class, along with everyone else, filed out into the yard.

Break time was normally a time Nicholas hated. He would either be standing in a corner on his own, or surrounded by the other kids, Liam's gang especially, who would take the mickey out of him.

For some reason, today things seemed to be different. As soon as he went outside, there were Liam and his mates. But they seemed oddly friendly.

“You all right, Nick?” Liam gave Nicholas a grin, which was rather scarier than his usual look. “Come round with us?”

Nicholas allowed himself to be led away to the playing field, where Liam and co. usually met.

“Like a crisp?” Justin never liked delays on the food. He ripped open the bag and held it out to Nicholas. “New kind. Roast beef and parsnip flavour. They're dead nice.”

“Oh.” Uncertainly, Nicholas took one. “Thank you.”

“Have some chocolate, too.” Ben shared his own snack with the newest member of the gang.

They stood on the rough grass in silence for a moment or so.

“We were wondering what was in your bag,” Justin said abruptly. “Aaargghh!”

He grabbed his ankle at a sudden pain.

“Oh!” Liam smiled angelically, and moved his foot. “Sorry.” He addressed Nicholas. “Don't listen to him. He's a professional idiot. We just thought we'd like to talk to you. No sense, you always standing there on your own.”

“It's nothing anyway,” Nicholas put in. “Nothing interesting.”

“‘Course not,” Liam agreed. He gave Justin a look that said:
You're dead
.

There was another awkward silence.

Eventually Liam spoke again.

“Hey Nick…I'm…having a few mates round to mine, after school. You can…come along, if you like.”

“Oh.” Nicholas shrugged. “Thanks.”

“And bring your schoolbag,” Justin finished. “Ow!”

He doubled up in pain, at another correction from his leader.

Over by the hopscotch grid, an argument was taking place.

“I don't see why it has to be me!” Emily was saying wildly.

“He likes you,” Kimberley said firmly. “You get on with him.”

“I don't even know him that well!” poor Emily protested.

“You're the only one.” Sophie stuck up for her leader, as ever. “He's not going to fancy Kimberley, is he?”

Kimberley shot her a look.

“But on a date!” Emily cried.

“Not a date exactly,” Kimberley said. “Just invite him over to yours, for tea. Today.”

“I've got Guides tonight!” Emily objected.

“All right then,” Kimberley said. “Tomorrow. Get him to yours, straight from school. Then all you've got to do is find the moment…and search his bag.”

Kimberley sniffed.

“Teach him to be so secretive.”

Emily looked dumbfounded.

Not for the first time, she was starting to think Kimberley was just a bit mad.

Nicholas suddenly seemed to be popular everywhere. After school, everyone stared in amazement at the sight of him leaving at the centre of Liam's gang, in pride of place. Very few boys made it there.

The stories went around the school quickly, as they always did. Nicholas had been round to Liam's, with the rest of the gang, for pizza. He'd been invited to Liam's birthday party, at World of Go-Cart. And the next morning, another story was round the Breakfast Club before you could say “toast”.

Emily had asked Nicholas on a date.

Or at least, for tea.

“And remember,” Kimberley said to her firmly. “We're relying on you.”

Emily was nervous.

Nicholas would be arriving at any moment.

And she was desperately hoping he wouldn't come.

She stood in the narrow hallway of her home, looking at her watch. Normally, it would have been fun, having someoneround for tea. She'd always quite liked Nicholas. Hewas one of the quieter ones in the class, like her. She'd found some board games for them to play. And Mum was in the kitchen, cooking them fish fingers and chips. Yes,this should have been fun.

But it wasn't going to be fun for Emily. Because Emily had a mission to fulfil. Somehow, at some point during the evening, she had to get Nicholas out of the way and search his schoolbag for the mysterious object. And Emily had no idea how she was going to do it.

She'd tried and tried to think out a plan. But she wasn't Kimberley, and nothing had come.

She shot out of her skin as the doorbell rang.

That was him.

She paused for a moment. Took a deep breath. Then she stepped forward and opened the door.

She stopped and stared. Then a wonderful feeling of relief spread through her.

Nicholas stood there. In ordinary clothes. Dark trousers, and a rather awful plaid shirt. And there was no sign of his schoolbag.

“Sorry I'm late,” he said, with his usual politeness. “I stopped off at home to change. Dump my stuff.”

Emily could have hugged him, but she settled for a smile. “That's cool. Come on in.”

And Nicholas came in.

Emily's smile was getting bigger and bigger. This was going to be a fun evening, after all.

The next morning was not quite so fun.

Kimberley and Sophie stood on the netball court with Emily, looking like the Ugly Sisters confronting Cinderella.

“I knew it!” Kimberley was saying furiously. “I knew you'd mess it up.”

“It's not her fault he didn't bring his bag,” Sophie ventured.

Kimberley incinerated her with a glance.

“Now that boy Liam's going to find out first!” She made the discovery of what was in Nicholas's bag sound as important as a bid for the Olympics. She paused. “We'll have to think of something else.”

“Oh, well…” Emily started to move away.

Kimberley stared at her, like a general finding half his army had gone off for tea.

“Where are you going?”

“Talk to Nicholas.” Emily gave Kimberley a big smile. “I'd love to stop and talk, but…” She turned away from the bigger girls. “See you.”

Kimberley stared, dumbfounded, as Emily walked away and left her standing there.

Sophie stifled a smile.

Most of the class went to Liam's party.

Nicholas sat on a bench, enjoying a hot dog amidst the noise and frenzied activity of World of Go-Cart.

On the go-cart track, Justin had somehow managed to crash his car into Kimberley's, and a furious row was going on.

Watching the scene, sitting next to Nicholas, Emily smiled slightly.

She turned to him.

“I enjoyed the other night,” she said quietly.

“Yes.” Nicholas gave her a brief smile. “Me too.”

Liam came over and sat down next to them, taking a break from driving. The birthday boy had sweat on his brow and ketchup round his mouth. He was looking a bit cross.

“I still think Justin had right of way!” He looked at his classmates. “Having fun?”

Kimberley came storming over to them.

“I don't care what he says, that Justin was driving straight at me!” She glared at Liam. “We're meant to be on go-carts, not dodgems!”

She grabbed Emily by the arm.

“Come on. We need to sort this out!”

Helplessly, Emily allowed herself to be led away towards the track.

Liam grinned. He shuffled closer to Nicholas. He paused, rather awkwardly.

“Nick…” he said slowly.

“Mm?” Nicholas looked at him innocently.

“That thing,” Liam went on. “In your bag.”

“I told you!” Nicholas insisted. “It's nothing!”

“No!” Liam replied hastily. “I know. ‘Course not. But…” He hesitated. “You will let us see it. Sometime. Won't you?”

Nicholas was silent for a moment. Then he shrugged.

“OK. If you really want to. It's not much though, really.”

Liam looked delighted – and quite relieved.

“Cool!”

He got up and paused to slap Nicholas on the back, nearly sending him onto the floor.

“See you later then, mate. Glad you could make it.” He swaggered off, to join his friends. There was a look of triumph on his face.

Nicholas sat a little longer, watching the track. Contentedly, he finished off the hot dog.

It was Monday evening. Almost a week since Nicholas had first brought the mystery object to school.

Nicholas stepped into his bedroom and closed the door. He swung his schoolbag down from his shoulder, and placed it on the floor.

He started to unpack it.

It had been a good day at school. One of his best ever. Liam and the gang had let him right to the front of the queue for lunch in the canteen. Kimberley and Sophie had presented him with a slightly awful collage they'd made in Art. And Emily was coming for tea with him tomorrow night. He was getting on very well with her.

The bulging object in his schoolbag had turned out to be very useful. Everyone now wanted to know what it was.

Smiling slightly, he reached into the bag, found the mystery item, and pulled it out.

The spare pair of socks Mum had given him for PE.