ATTANL- Susy Origins

Chapter Ten

"We should totally do a talent show!" I blurted out.

The prefects around the table stared at me. Even this year's head girl looked at me funny. Prue put down her pen and looked at me, confused.

It was the last week of my first term in year ten. I had cheered up over the holidays, enjoying my holiday to Ibiza and knowing where I stood with Emily. People had forgotten about what Jenna had shouted on the last day in July. Hope and her gang were too indulged in bullying Prue. Prue continued to hold her head up high, roaming the corridors whilst stuff was being shouted at her, left, right and centre. You could tell her neck was hurting and her eyes were filled with tears, but she didn't dare cry- well, not in front of Woodside. She saved that for when we were in our room. She sobbed for hours at a time, in the bath, while reading. It was really taking a toll on her self-esteem. Me and Emily tried to comfort her the best we could, but there is only so much you can do when someone insists they're fine. We tried to encourage her to go and talk to someone about it, report it even, but she was terrified her father would find out.

Patience walked through the locker corridor during one of these episodes. She managed to shut them up and scatter them, but she still had to deal with a crying Prue, tearfully coming out to her older sister. Thankfully, Patience was fine with it and promised to keep it a secret and look after Prue for the remainder of year thirteen. The shouting did get less, but Patience wasn't in her classes to protect Prue, so it was up to me. I argued and shouted with everyone laughing and calling her things, managing to shut the classes up. I even punched Jenna round the face, earning me a detention and Dad getting called. 

I looked up at Emily, her blazer and shirt sleeves rolled up, showing off the watch I got her for her birthday. She was very tanned and had her hair bleached while in Germany. In the half term, she was getting her normal colour put back in. Nothing else had happened between us, apart from the occasional kiss (which got better every time she kissed me) and us mucking around on Facetime in the holidays. I had missed her so much, and it was great to finally be able to see her in person. Emily wasn't a prefect and somehow had managed to persuade Mrs Kay into being let in to the prefect meeting. She smiled at me softly.

"Yeah. Bear with me a second." I stood up. "A talent contest sounds like a good idea. We could have auditions then preform to the school then the parents. We can also have some judges and they can choose who wins. I'm sure we can come up with some kind of present."

The prefects nodded in agreement. 

"I back Susy on this. I think it sounds like a brilliant idea. It might also encourage some of the quieter students to come forward and preform." Prue added. 

I smiled at her. "Thank you." I mouthed to her.

I heard Emily groan behind me. "Sorry Susy, but I'm not doing a talent show."

I bit my lip. "Emily, it's optional." 

"Optional?"

I sniggered. "As in, you don't have to do it."

"Oh that's good. I don't want to make a dummkopf of myself."

"Of course not. Shall we do one?"

Mrs Kay came forward. "I think it's a brilliant idea Susy. Obviously, you'll have to take some time out of your free time to plan it."

I blinked hard. "Yes, that's fine." 

At lunch, I had to lumber up the stairs as I had forgotten to back my German book for my next lesson. As I approached the door, I heard someone sighing and going through things.

I knocked cautiously. "Hello? Who's in there?"
"It's me Susy, come in." Called out Emily. 

I smiled at her as I collected my books off the table. She was rummaging through her suitcases and causing quite an eyesore.