Verity (14 page)

I left a few hours later. The rest of her family stil hadn’t returned. No film was
that
long.

Back at home, my Dad was on the warpath.

“Where have you been? I’ve been trying to ring you for ages. I caled Tammie and she said you hadn’t been with her at al. What are you playing at?” I checked my phone. The battery was dead. “Sorry, I didn’t realise my phone was off. Tammie didn’t turn up, so I went over to Amelia’s house instead. I didn’t think you’d mind.”

His face was pink with anger. I had no idea what his problem was. “You know quite wel you need to let me know where you are. I brought Erin back here to have dinner with us, but you weren’t here, and you couldn’t be bothered to even switch your phone on.” I got annoyed too. “I didn’t know the phone was off! For God’s sake, stop overreacting! I was twenty minutes away for a couple of hours. How was I supposed to know you’d want me to be here for dinner? Get a grip!” I stormed out of the room and went upstairs, ignoring him when he ordered me back.

The next morning, Tammie sent me a text saying she was getting a lift to school with Joey. I wasn’t invited. Gran noticed how glum I was over breakfast.

“Something wrong?”

I shrugged. “Not much. It’s just, I feel weird today. Tammie’s going to school with Joey this morning and she pretty much made it clear I’m not welcome.” I decided not to tel her about the row I had with Dad.

“Hmm, wel, you did say they were getting closer. Maybe you should give her a chance to figure out where they’re headed. She’s always having to fight for attention at home, maybe she needs one on one time for a change.”

“Suppose.” I stil felt left out and wasn’t looking forward to getting the bus alone.

I huddled into the corner of my seat on the bus, feeling lonelier than ever. Now that my life was opening up in some ways, other parts of it were slipping away. If I was honest, I resented the way Tammie was ditching me in her attempt to “make progress” with Joey. Who does that? Ditches their friend for a boy? It made me wonder if she had only ever been my friend to get close to him.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn’t even notice Nathan and Amelia sit down until Nathan nudged me.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, sorry, I’m fine, just in a world of my own here.” I sat up straight and tried to focus.

“Where’s Tammie?” Amelia said as she rummaged through her school bag for something.

“She got a lift with Joey this morning.”

She stopped what she was doing to stare at me. “Is that how it sounds?”

I shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

Amelia frowned and stared at me, waiting for me to say more.

“Realy, I don’t care.”

“Wel, I wouldn’t like it,” she decided.

“Her loss,” Nathan said.

I wanted them to leave it alone so did my best to change the subject.

“So. How are my doggy mates today?”

“Pining for you,” Nathan teased.

“I’l bet, they’ve experienced the greatness of me, and now they’re stuck with you. It must be so disappointing for them.”

“Cheeky.”

I grinned at him, but then something seemed to catch in my throat. I lost myself in his eyes, and al I could think about was what it would be like to kiss him right there and then.

“Perdita?” he said quizzicaly.

“Sorry, spaced out there,” I said, shaking my head in confusion. The last thing on my mind had been how much I liked him, yet there I was getting al gooey eyed in front of him. I had to get my act together before I made a complete fool of myself. The weekend before had made me too used to his company.

Both Amelia and Nathan seemed much more relaxed without Tammie around. I’ve always known Tammie could be brash, but I didn’t realise they were uncomfortable around her because of it.

That morning I didn’t share a class with Tammie, so Nathan sat next to me.

“Did you enjoy yourself at the weekend?” I asked him. “I kept Amelia company,” I added, when I saw him look confused.

“Oh. Right. Yep, we drove up North to visit some old friends of the family.” He fidgeted and looked away, but I already knew he was lying. And Amelia too, probably. Weird.

I saw Tammie between classes, but she breezed past me without even saying helo. I folowed her, laughing, thinking she was joking, but she kept on walking. I puled her arm to stop her.

“Hey, what’s the matter with you? Blind today? You just walked straight past me.”

She sighed and turned around, like it was some great effort. The way she looked at me sent a shiver down my spine. Had I done something? Panic set in, the way it always had when we were young. If she wanted me to do something I didn’t want to do, she’d give me that look. As if she was going to withhold her friendship or something. And I’d be so scared of not having a friend, I’d do whatever she wanted.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice quivering.

“Nothing.” She looked bored.

“Seriously, what’s up with you?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Apart from you wrecking my head, you mean?”

“What did I do?” She roled her eyes at my words, and I began to feel annoyed. I hadn’t done anything wrong. “Tammie, I asked you a question. I don’t know what you have to be angry about.
I
should be the angry one after you left me waiting yesterday.”

“Oh, get over it. It’s no big deal, for God’s sake.”

“It
is
a big deal, I went over to Amelia’s in the end, and my Dad flipped ‘cos you told him you hadn’t seen me at al.”

“Eh, don’t blame me because you can’t do what you’re told, Perdy.”

“Are you for real?” I couldn’t believe what she was saying.

“You’re such a child sometimes. Throwing your toys out of the pram because we didn’t invite you,” she sneered.

“But you
did
invite me!”

“So I changed my mind. Is that so bad?”

“No. Not realy,” I said, subdued. Maybe I was over-reacting.

“Wel, then.”

“Alright, I’m sorry. But why didn’t you get the bus with me? Or even ask me to get a lift with you?”

“Christ, you’re realy doing my head in. Do you invite me when you go to Amelia’s house? Do I moan at you when you spend al your time giggling with
her
?” Tammie’s eyes glittered with anger.

“No, but....”

“See?” she said, sounding triumphant.

“But that’s different! I can’t invite you to someone else’s house!”

“And I can’t invite you to get a lift in someone else’s car so stop whining Perdy.” She looked so exasperated that I took a step backward. I couldn’t understand why she was no angry with me. Amelia ran over to us, completely oblivious to what was happening.

“Oh, great, it’s your new buddy.” Tammie roled her eyes.

Amelia and I exchanged baffled looks.

“Look, Perdy,” Tammie continued. “I get that you’re jealous. And I know you’re totaly spoiled and think everything should be al about you, al of the time. But you have to understand the world does not revolve around you, alright?”

“What’s going on?” Amelia asked. I struggled to find words.

“Perdy’s going mad because Joey and I want to spend time together.” Tammie looked so smug, she reminded me of Dawn.

“I’m not!” I protested. “You’re the one who blanked me before. I don’t know why you’re so annoyed with me.”

“Whatever.” Tammie walked away.

“Tammie, wait!” I caled after her. She ignored me. Tears slid down my cheeks. Tammie had been my friend forever, and suddenly she was acting like she didn’t care about me. I didn’t even know why. I stil couldn’t see why she was angry with me; it made me sick to the pit of my stomach.

“What a cow.” Amelia shook her head in disgust.

“I don’t get it,” I said, struggling to figure out what had just happened.

“She’s just a cow. Come on, let’s go,” she said, tugging on my arm.

I shrugged her off. “Don’t say that, she’s my friend, alright?”

Amelia’s eyes widened in surprise. “But Perdita, she just spoke to you like crap. You don’t need that. Why would you want to be her friend?” Tears fel again—this time frustrated, angry tears. “Why don’t you just mind your own business?” I snapped. “Keep out of it.” She looked so hurt, I was instantly contrite. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean....’

“Oh, forget it,” she said and walked away in a huff.

I spent the entire day alone. It seemed like the whole world was mad at me. Nathan glared coldly at me as he sympathised with his sister later that morning. Tammie sat next to Joey in every class. Al day I felt sick and unwelcome.

At lunch, Joey and Tammie were already at our table. They both stood and left as soon as I sat down. My stomach churned again, al I wanted to do was cry. Joey hadn’t even looked at me. I stil had no idea why Tammie was mad at me, never mind Joey.

I spotted Nathan and Amelia walk into the lunch room together, deep in conversation. I knew I was the one to blame. I turned on Amelia because I was upset with Tammie and cost myself a friend. I decided I couldn’t face yet another cold shoulder, so I snuck outside and spent my lunch break feeling miserable.

At home, Dad was stil angry with me. He banged doors and pointedly ignored me, leaving me shivering inside. I tried ringing Tammie, but she didn’t answer. I rang Amelia that evening, prepared to grovel.

“Please don’t hang up on me, Amelia. I know you’re mad at me, I deserve it. I just want you to know, I’m sorry. I swear, I didn’t mean it.”

“It’s okay, I know.”

“You’re not mad?”

“Of course not. I looked for you at lunch, but you weren’t around. I could
never
stay angry with you.” She sounded oddly adamant, but I was just relieved I stil had a friend somewhere. We talked about what had happened with Tammie that morning.

“Look,” Amelia said, after I filed her in on everything. “She was probably in a bad mood and took it out on you. I think she was bang out of order, but I’m going to keep out of it because I know you realy like her. So tomorrow, we go speak to her and get it sorted. She’l have calmed down by then. She’s probably feeling just as bad as you.”

Tammie didn’t get the bus the next morning. For the second time in a row, Nathan sat beside me for the entire journey. I felt better with him next to me.

Tammie sat with Joey in our first class. I stayed in my usual seat and pretty much sulked. Everything was changing. It was as if I had been asleep for a few weeks, and now I was struggling to catch up. Tammie was effectively freezing me out for no reason other than to spend more time with my cousin.

I tried to apologise to her between classes. Her friendship meant more to me than my pride. Or at least, I thought it did. We had been friends for years, that had to be worth something, right? I wanted to be a good friend, but the more I thought about it, the more sure I was that Tammie was the one in the blame. Stil, I missed the familiarity—we had been through a lot together. Maybe that was enough to overlook how she was acting. Despite trying to talk me out of it, Amelia joined me for moral support.

“Look Tammie, I know we had a row, but can’t we forget about it now? We’re best friends, it’s sily to avoid each other over nothing. I’m sorry I brought up you going out with Joey instead of me.”

I regretted it the instant I saw how disgusted she looked.

“Aw, I don’t care, Perdy. Would you ever get some dignity or something?”

“What?”

“Stop crawling after me. I’m not interested. Get it now? Joey and me, we don’t need you tagging along anymore. Stick to your new little friends, alright?” She glared at Amelia.

“What the hel is your problem?” I said, too astonished to respond in any other way.

“Back
off
, I said.” She shoved me, forcing me backward. Too stunned to react, I gaped at Tammie, waiting for her to laugh. She didn’t.

Amelia stepped toward Tammie, but I couldn’t hear what she said. I was too busy freaking out inside my head. I didn’t recognise Tammie anymore. She looked Amelia up and down then stormed off.

“Are you alright?” Amelia said.

I nodded, stil stunned. “Did that just happen?”

“Oh, yeah. It definitely happened. Told you she’s a cow.”

I spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what was going on. I couldn’t think of anything that would make my best friend suddenly hate me.

Nathan joined me at lunch. It was nice to have someone to talk to when Tammie and Joey sat down and ignored me. They instantly huddled together like they had lots of secrets to share. Paranoia weaved itself around me, I was sure they were whispering about me.

“Cheer up.” Nathan nudged me.

“Consider me cheered,” I said, but I felt comforted by his presence.

Things took a turn for the worse when Dawn decided to sidle over to the table.

“Oh, my God, Nathan. You have to walk me home today.”

“I do? Why’s that now?” His tone was even, but he looked like he was hanging on to his last thread of patience.

“Didn’t you hear? I got attacked last night!” For an instant, the fear in her voice sounded genuine.

“Attacked? Realy?” I could tel Nathan already disbelieved whatever story she was going to come up with.

She nodded. “This gigantic dog came after me last night, snarling at me with these
huge
teeth. It was terrifying, I swear. It ran straight at me then at the last second it, like, skidded to a stop and ran off.”

“Maybe it caught your stench.” Tammie smiled sweetly at Dawn who scowled at her then turned back to Nathan.

“You know I don’t like dogs, and you’re used to them, so maybe you could come with me, please? It was like a wolf, for real.” Nathan’s whole body tensed up, but Amelia turned up before Dawn could get an answer from him. Dawn didn’t wait; she told him she would see him later. Amelia took over the conversation, so I didn’t have to think. Or talk for that matter. I was in a daydream when Aaron sat down beside me. He touched my back lightly, giving me what he thought was a charming smile. I edged away; I didn’t like him, and I didn’t want his hands anywhere near me.

“So, ladies,” he said, looking at me and Amelia. “You’re both coming to my party on Saturday night, right?” Amelia and I exchanged horrified looks. I couldn’t think of anything less fun. “Um, I don’t think....”