CHAPTER 10:
One Act of Bravery
Holly lay in her bed the following morning. She groaned when her mother came by to wake her up. ‘Come on darling, it’s time to get up. What’s the matter?’
‘I’m feeling sick.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. My stomach is so crook and I had to get up during the night and puke.’
‘Oh dear…’
‘I… I can’t go to school today and I really wanted to.’
‘Are you sure you’re sick?’
‘Yes, Mum.’ She let out another groan. ‘I feel like crap.’
Her mother sighed. ‘Ok. Well I guess I’m gonna have to take the day off then.’
‘Oh no. It’s ok. I’ll be fine.’
‘No, Holly, if my daughter is sick, I’m staying around here to make sure she’s alright.’
Holly figured she would, in fact she was sure her mother appreciated the excuse to take of day off herself. She didn’t want to push her luck anyway in case her mother got suspicious. She forced a smile. ‘Thanks, Mum.’
Her mother left the room and immediately Holly felt relief. She’d brought it. Now all Holly had to do was remain in bed and keep an eye out her window for the mail man. She knew that he tended to come by at around 11am each morning and she hoped desperately that she’d see him come before her mother did.
Her mother entered her room a few times, the first time asking if she felt like something to eat, which Holly declined, as she knew that if she said yes, her mother would probably think she was ok after all. The second time she checked in around 10:30 to see if she was ok. Holly pretended to be asleep.
From then on Holly remained at the window keeping watch. Finally, the mail man arrived and he cycled up to their mail box and dropped in some mail. Holly hoped desperately that the letter from the school was there. She wasted no time and climbed out her bedroom window, still in her pyjamas and rushed over to the mailbox and opened in. To her relief there was a letter from the school there. She quickly took it and tucked it down the side of her pyjama pants. She turned and headed back for her window but froze when her mother’s angry voice called out from across the yard. ‘What are you doing out here?’
Holly did her best to hide her mortification and turned to see her mother standing on the front doorstep. She already had an excuse lined up that she was intending to use if she got caught. ‘I… I just felt like I needed some air.’
‘So what, you climbed out your bedroom window?’ She pointed to the open window. ‘Why didn’t you use one of the doors like a normal person?’
‘Well I – you know - didn’t want you making a fuss.’
Her mother wandered over with a frown on her face. ‘Why would you come out front in your PJs? Wouldn’t going around the back be more appropriate?’
Holly shrugged. ‘Just wanted to come out here.’
Her mother studied her expression for a few moments. ‘I don’t think you’re sick at all, are you? What are you up to? Is someone around here?’ She peered around the yard.
‘No, Mum. Don’t be silly. Nobody’s here. Now I’m feeling kind of queasy again. I’m gonna go back to bed.’
Her mother put on a staunch expression. ‘No you’re not. You’re gonna get ready for school and I’m gonna drive you there. I’m not having you hanging around here when you’re not sick. Especially when I should be at work. Go on, go get your uniform on. We’ll leave in half an hour!’
Holly didn’t argue. She was just glad to get away with the letter from the school. She climbed back through her bedroom window and quickly opened up the letter just to make sure it was the one she was expecting. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found it was. She grinned, slipped it into her school bag and went to take a shower.
She arrived at school just as lunchtime started and she met up with Jacqui, Chelsea and a bunch of other girls who were eating their lunch outside E Block in a quaint garden area with trees and flowers.
‘Hey, Holly, you’re here?’ Chelsea greeted her. ‘Didn’t expect you today. Did you get the letter?’
‘Yep.’ Holly sat down beside them and pulled it out of her bag. ‘I was lucky I got it when I did because as soon as I had it my mother came out and caught me. Fortunately she didn’t know I had the letter tucked down my PJ pants.’
‘That’s a relief,’ Chelsea said.
‘But she figured I was only pretending to be sick so brought me back to school, but that’s ok. I’m just glad she never got hold of this letter.’
‘Nice one, Holly,’ Jacqui said. ‘I’m glad the plan worked.’
Holly tore the letter into little pieces and threw it into one of the rubbish bins. ‘I hope that’s the last I ever hear about that.’
She sat back down with them and they began to chat about more light-hearted topics. As usual, the conversation revolved around boys. This time it was about which of the new ones were the cutest and which ones were to be avoided. It was cool that almost all of them were known by at least one of them. The only one no one knew was Tucker Pyles because he was from a completely different school.
‘Don’t know why he didn’t just stay there,’ Jacqui said. ‘Just our luck he had to come to Te Arawa. I mean, he has to be the fattest most ugliest guy I’ve ever seen in my entire life.’
‘That’s for sure,’ Holly agreed.
‘And then there’s Pete Cook,’ Jacqui continued. ‘He’s been hovering around us like a bad smell a lot in the last day or so. Don’t know why he bothers because he isn’t gonna score with any of us. He has to be one of the biggest dorks in the entire school. And that Rick Maverick isn’t much better.’
‘Rick’s ok,’ Holly said. ‘He’s not a dork like him.’
Jacqui gave her a weird look. ‘If you say so.’
Holly decided to move on to another name. ‘So what about Sheep? Chelsea, I get the feeling you have a thing for him.’
Chelsea blushed. ‘Yeah, I like him.’
‘Sweet.’
Jacqui snickered. ‘Brown vs Shepherd? No chance. He’s not into your type.’
‘We went for a walk after school on Monday night.’
‘Oh bull crap, don’t give me that.’
‘We did!’
‘Oh sure and why didn’t you tell us about that yesterday?’
‘I… I was going to but…’
‘But what?’
Holly examined the expression in Chelsea’s eyes. It was as if she still wasn’t convinced she wanted to talk about it. ‘Did he do something?’
‘No… well yes… Oh, it was nothing really.’
Holly felt concern now. ‘What did he do?’
‘Well we went over to the cemetery into the trees there and he came onto me.’
Jacqui blurted. ‘Oh that is such a load of crap!’
‘It’s true!’ Chelsea insisted. ‘But I… I kind of freaked and did a runner.’
The girls around them laughed. Jacqui however seemed appalled. ‘You what?’
‘Yeah,’ said Holly, equally as surprised. ‘Why would you take off when clearly you like him so much?’
‘I… I wasn’t ready. It was happening too fast.’
Jacqui let out a groan. ‘Oh God, you are so lame. Here’s this hot guy, who you want, who comes on to you and you reject his advances? What kind of an idiot dork are you?’
Chelsea’s cheeks reddened even more. Holly wanted to stick up for her, but didn’t want to take the opposing side of her friend, so she said nothing.
‘I just wanted to talk to him, nothing more.’
‘Oh God, you are just so so lame,’ Jacqui said. ‘Look, if a guy you fancy comes on to you, you let him, alright? You don’t just get freaked out like some little eight year old and go running for the hills.’
Holly decided to say something now. ‘So, Chels, what are you gonna do now? He’s gonna think you aren’t in to him. You are still into him, aren’t you?’
‘Yes, of course I am,’ Chelsea said. ‘Hopefully we can hang ou
t at the beach.’
‘Oh darling,’ Jacqui said. ‘You do realise there are going to be a whole heap of sweltering hot girls, all who will look far superior to you in a bikini who he will be more interested in. Especially after you just resisted his advances like you did. You’ve blown it.’
‘Maybe there’s still a chance,’ Holly said.
‘Yeah, well if there is she just better get her act together and make the moves on him, otherwise she’ll miss out for sure, especially seeing as Sheep doesn’t know some of the girls who are coming, because they’re from Akato. Girls like Mandy Evans. I’ve already seen the way Sheep looks at Mandy.’
‘Everybody looks at Mandy that way,’ Holly said. ‘They always have. She was like – you know - the hottest chick in our year at Akato.’
‘Not from what I hear,’ Jacqui said. ‘Most of the Akato guys I’ve spoken to said you were.’
Holly couldn’t believe that at all and figured her friend was just trying to give her an ego boost. ‘Yeah, whatever, Jacqui.’
‘It’s true!’
‘Yeah, yeah…’ Holly brushed off the thought as nonsense. Then she noticed that Chelsea now stared at the ground looking troubled. Holly really hoped that things would work out between her and Sheep.
A small disturbance, going on not far away, attracted their attention. Tucker was there, with Pete and a couple of year-nine students. He was being handed large volumes of food and it appeared to be under protest by those he was taking it from.
‘What’s going on over there?’ Holly asked.
‘I don’t know,’ Jacqui replied. ‘Looks like he’s taking their food.’
‘Oh wow… what a tough guy. Stealing people’s food.’ Holly watched on with contempt.
When Tucker saw the girls, he made a beeline towards them, balancing sandwiches and cakes in one hand and scoffing down a filled roll with the other. ‘Hey you!’ He glared at Holly.
Holly shrunk back as he wobbled over to them. He didn’t even look at Jacqui who he had threatened the day before. ‘What do you want?’
‘Got any food?’ he asked munching away. ‘I’m hungry.’
‘What do you need more for? You’ve got heaps in your hands.’
‘This is my breakfast. I need some morning tea too.’
‘Well, don’t expect any from us.’
‘Yeah, you fat moron,’ Jacqui said. ‘Why don’t you just rack off, you lousy piece of crap?’
A glare appeared on Tucker’s flabby face. ‘I’m gonna teach you a lesson!’ He grabbed Jacqui by the sleeve of her uniform, but she pulled away, whacking his arm aside. Cakes and sandwiches went showering everywhere.
‘Get your hands off me you creep! Don’t you dare touch me again!’
Holly rose to her feet and took her friend’s side. ‘Yeah, rack off jerk! Only a coward would threaten a girl.’
‘Right, that does it!’
He screwed up his fist and drew it back, aiming it in the direction of Holly. She recoiled in horror and her feet seemed to become rooted to the ground. She could hardly move or breathe. Was this boy really going to hit her?
‘Leave her alone, Tucker!’ From seemingly out of nowhere, Mav stepped in front of him. ‘She’s right. You are a bloody coward. Only a coward would hit a girl!’
Tucker’s face reddened as he lowered his fist. Then he directed a psychotic glare towards Mav and spoke with venom in his voice. ‘This has nothing to do with you, ubbhead!’
Mav had no jokes to deliver. His eyes widened now as if he’d just figured out what danger he was in and he fidgeted with his hands. Holly knew this was so unlike Mav standing up to bullies like this. He was normally the passive type and for a moment she felt warm and pleasantly surprised that he would stand up for her in this manner. Nevertheless, seeing his expression now told her that he was far from confident.
Tucker’s glare turned to one of intrigue. ‘Wait a minute…’ And then his glare returned, ‘I do know you, don’t I? Yeah… I know you. You were that ubbhead at the beach the other week. The one who made fun of me! You remember what I said I would do to you if I saw you again?’
Mav’s eyes widened even more, but he didn’t move, seemingly paralyzed. Holly had no idea what Tucker was talking about, but Mav seemed to.
Suddenly Tucker lunged forward, taking a swing at Mav’s head with his free hand. Mav ducked under it and in a lightening quick move, dived into him, tackled him around the waist, and brought him crashing to the ground. Both boys grappled with each other, trying to gain the upper hand and exchanging blows whenever they could. A crowd quickly assembled around them, cheering Mav on.
Holly found herself being shunted to the back, but she had to see what was going on. Surely Mav would not be able to take on a guy the size of Tucker?
‘Get him, Mav!’ Pete yelled out and swung his first through the air.
Holly pushed through a gap. Both struggled, each trying to over power the other. They rolled repeatedly and Tucker ended up on top. Mav, pinned underneath, couldn’t move or breathe. Tucker sent blows to his face and chest. Mav could do nothing to retaliate. All Holly could do was stare in horror.
She finally found her voice. ‘Stop it!’ she shouted. ‘Stop it right now!’ She tried to reach in and pull Tucker off Mav, but had no luck. He was just way too big and heavy.
Then came a saviour - Wal, of all people, appeared. He shoved Tucker off with a burst of power and stood between both of them as the huge bully rose slowly to his feet, his face red with anger. The two big boys faced each other down, their eyes ablaze and scowls on their faces. ‘You wanna try that on me, scum bag? Go on!’
‘You’re dead, ubbhead!’
Mr Reaper broke through the crowds of students. He didn’t see Mav bruised and battered on the ground, only Wal and Tucker about to take each other on. ‘Break it up you two!’ he growled, grabbing them both by the shirt. ‘Both of you in my office. Now!’
‘But!’ Tucker started to say.
‘Now!’ the Reaper demanded and hauled them both away in the direction of the office block.
Everybody else just stood there, bewildered while Mav continued to lie on the grass, wiping blood from his mouth. Some of the spectators wandered off, seemingly disappointed that they did not get to see Wal and Tucker battle it out. Even Holly would have loved to see that, but right now her main concern was Mav.
She dropped down beside him and touched his shoulder. ‘Are you all right?’ She could see that he wasn’t. He’d taken a real battering from Tucker, but he offered a weak smile. ‘I’m ok.’
Holly stared at him, now in awe. To think he had taken a beating to protect her like that. ‘I’ve never seen you stand up to anyone like that before.’
‘Standing up?’ Mav asked. ‘I thought that I was lying down.’ He smiled and flinched, stung by a cut on his lip.
‘Even with a cut lip he jokes.’
‘With a cut lip my jokes are going to end up even more warped.’
Jacqui stepped forward. ‘Is that possible? Hey, nice try, Mav. Pity you didn’t waste that creep.’
‘There wouldn’t have been any point. He’s all garbage as it is.’
‘That’s the truth.’
Holly examined his bleeding mouth. ‘I should take you to the school nurse. You should get it cleaned up, you know?’
‘It’ll be okay,’ Mav assured her. ‘Besides, she’d only ask questions.’
‘True.’ Holly continued to gaze at him. Even though he had red marks on his face from Tucker’s punches and he was bleeding, there was something so alluring about him right now. Could one act of bravery make a guy like Mav more desirable than before?
Her thoughts were interrupted when Pete crouched down and patted Mav on the back. ‘Good try, Mav. Good try.’ He turned his eyes to Holly. ‘Hi, Hol.’
Holly felt irritated by his interruption and didn’t much care for the shortening of her name either, ‘Don’t call me Hol.’
‘Sorry, Holly. So what do yo
u think of Te Arawa College so far?’
She glared at him in disbelief. ‘You want to ask me that now?’ She took Mav’s arm. ‘Why don’t you make yourself useful, Pete and help me get him up?’
Without argument, Pete aided her in helping Mav to his feet.
‘I should go get washed up,’ Mav said.
Holly gazed into his hazel eyes, not wanting him to go. She wanted to talk to him and not just as some school friend, but as something more. Then a thought came to mind; a way that she could make that happen. She could invite him to the beach get-together on Saturday. ‘Mav, wait…’ She suddenly began to feel very nervous. What if he didn’t want to hang out with her? What if he saw her as just another class mate, someone he’d known for years and had not even the slightest romantic inkling for?
‘What’s up?’ Mav asked.
‘I…err… a group of us are going to the beach on Saturday. Would you like to come along?’
Mav raised an eyebrow. ‘You want me to come to the beach with you?’
Holly felt very small and began to wish she hadn’t asked now. How could she have let herself get so carried away just because he’d stood up for her? ‘Well… yeah, we could hang out.’
She noticed Mav’s eyes flicker over to Pete who stood there now with his head hung low. ‘Umm…’ He tucked his shirt in and forced his eyes back to Holly. ‘I ah...’ He cringed and rubbed his swelling lip. ‘I’m not too sure if I can make it.’
Holly felt her heart sag. ‘Oh.’
Mav winced. ‘It’s just that Pete and I kinda had plans.’ Once again he gazed across at Pete who raised his head now looking a little surprised.
Holly now began to wonder if he was just making excuses. It was so hard to tell with him, so she decided to make sure. ‘It’s ok, you can bring him.’
Jacqui snorted, but Holly didn't acknowledge her.
‘Ok, then.’ Mav said. ‘I’ll come.’
‘Sweet!’ Holly felt a major relief course through her and she couldn’t help but smile. ‘It’ll be so much fun.’
CHAPTER 11:
Don’t mention the D Word