A Seriously Sassy Mini-Story for Sassy Gang Members
All morning there's been this nasty rumour going round our class.
Apparently Hannah Harrison in S3 has put the word out that she's looking for me.
APPARENTLY when Hannah Harrison puts the word out she's looking for someone it's NOT good news.
Actually I feel quite sick about it. Remember, Hannah's the girl who wanted to use my head as a toilet brush? Plus she's tried to trample me in the corridor several times. And I really don't know why.
Cordelia says it's cos she's jealous of me. But Taslima, who's always so sweet and so determined to see the best in everyone, says we shouldn't jump to conclusions. Tas says that maybe Hannah isn't looking for me at all, that maybe someone's just started up a nasty rumour to try to freak me out. (I immediately wonder if it's Megan. That would be so like her, wouldn't it?)
The thing is, whether or not it's true, in the interests of Sassy-preservation - cos an untimely death at age 13 is NOT part of my life plan - I've insisted that Cordelia, Taslima and me hide out during the lunch break. So we skulk round to our fave step at the firedoor at the back of the school - you know, the one we used to retreat to when we'd just started high school and were a bit freaked by the bigness of it all. Hannah and her girl gang always go down the chippy where they can hang about chatting up boys and smoking, so we should be safe enough out here.
I've just popped a grape in my mouth and we're having a giggle discussing whether or not Magnus is
a. A complete waste of space or
b. Worth having around cos he is rather lovely to look at, or
c. we don't get round to. Cos suddenly Tas sits up straight, a shocked look on her face. Cordelia follows her gaze and her green eyes narrow.
And that's when I see her.
On the far side of the playing fields. Flanked by her private army.
Oh no! My heart sinks as Hannah spots me and comes charging across like a lion who's just sniffed out a grazing wildebeest with LUNCH printed across its forehead.
I try to swallow the half-chewed grape, but it won't go down. My stomach clenches. My legs are shouting RUN RUN RUN, but another bit of my brain is shouting SASSY WILDE ALWAYS STANDS HER GROUND. Which is kinda stupid, cos if I hang around there won't be a whole lot of Sassy Wilde to stand her ground. Just a sad little pile of dismembered body parts and a disembowelled psyche.
Hannah is almost right up to me now. I jump to my feet and stuff my hands deep into my pockets so no-one will see they're shaking. She stops a few yards away. Her girl gang stops with her.
Cordelia gets up and positions herself at my side, and I instantly feel stronger. Cordelia gives off really strong vibes, like a protective force field.
'Sassy Wilde,' Hannah smiles. But I can't tell if it's the smile of a psychopath who's at last found the perfect victim, or a real smile.
Then she takes something from her pocket. I watch, every sense alert as she carefully unfolds a sheet of paper.
'That's you, isn't it?' she says, holding out a photo of me and Phoenix Macleod at the Wiccaman Festival. Phoenix's face is inches from mine and it looks like we're about to kiss. I recognise it instantly. It's one of the fashion shoot photos we did together. Hannah must have downloaded it from the Internet and printed it out.
'Yeah, that's me.' I try to sound super-cool, but I think my voice wobbles a bit.
Hannah's smile fades. 'Did you know that I'm like Phoenix Macleod's biggest fan ever?' Her voice has an aggressive edge. My blood pressure shoots up and my heart starts palpitating alarmingly.
'Yeah,' says the girl next to her. 'Hannah's got all his CDs and everything.'
'And she's gonna marry him.' Another girl adds.
'Yeah, well, that photo's not quite the way it looks…' I stammer, trying not to spit half-chewed grape all over it. 'I mean, it's not like we actually kissed or anything. It was all staged. It means nothing.'
Hannah looks at me, her smile fading. Then she turns to one of her girl gang and puts her hand out. The girl roots inside her bag and I'm thinking, oh no, what if she pulls out a knife? You hear about all these school stabbings and things. And my knees are going weak and I'm thinking maybe I should punch her first, you know like a preemptive strike, when the girl at last finds what she's looking for and pulls out a pen and passes it to Hannah and Hannah says, 'So, Sassy, will you sign it?'
I pull my hand from my pocket and take the outstretched pen.'Course I will,' I say, faking confidence. 'No problem.'
'Will you put To Hannah on it?' she asks, and there's something in her voice I didn't expect to hear. Something kind of unsure, vulnerable. 'And Best Friends Forever.'
'Yeah, if that's what you'd like,' I reply, my voice steadying. Someone tugs a battered chemistry book from a bag and gives it to me to lean on. I scribble 'to Hannah, Best Friends Forever' then sign my name with a shaky flourish.
Hannah takes the piece of paper and smiles at it, folds it carefully and slips it into her pocket. 'One day when you're famous that's gonna be worth something, isn't it?'
I don't know what to say. My mouth's dry with nerves. 'I suppose so,' I mumble at last.
'Cool,' she says, 'I'll be able to tell everyone we were mates.' Then she saunters off, her girl gang trailing in her wake. At last I gulp down what's left of the grape.
'Well,' Taslima smiles. 'Looks like you've got a new best friend!'
'Yeah,' I say miserably. 'But what's she gonna think if I never get famous?'
'I wouldn't worry about that,' Cordelia says, looking all distant and mysterious. I've got this hunch that you will. Just one problem, really.'
'Well?' I prompt. 'What is it?'
'I'm just not sure what you're gonna be famous for.' Cordelia smiles wickedly.'I guess we'll just have to wait and find out.'
AND SO WILL WE ALL – UNTIL CRAZY DAYS COMES OUT IN JULY!
and get details of the March Competition!