The Summer Gang

Secret meeting

It was a wonderful day, as warm and soft as chicken feathers. Unfortunately it was also a Monday, and the huge clock above the school entrance was already showing quarter past nine as Charlie came speeding in to the school playground.
"Oh no," she muttered as shoved her bike into the rusty bike stand and yanked her school bag from the basket. She raced up the stairs and through the empty assembly hall.
On the staircase she nearly ran over Mr Mower, the caretaker.
"Whoa!" He spluttered, nearly choking on his cheese sandwich.
"I'm sorry," mumbled Charlie, as she rushed on. Two more corridors and she stood, panting, in front of her classroom. Behind the door there was a deadly silence, as usual when Mrs Rose was teaching. Charlie took a deep breath, then she knocked and opened the door. "Sorry Mrs Rose," she mumbled. "I had to feed the chickens."
Big Olly stared at her. Gorgeous Izzie arched her eyebrows, and Freddie the class idiot, flapped his arms and crowed. Very funny.
"Well, thats an original excuse for a change, " said Mrs Rose, pursing her lips as she put a little cross in a little note book.
Glum-faced, Charlie went to her seat. She stuck her tongue out at Fred and sat down next to Xa (short for Alexandra), her very best friend.
"You've got straw in your hair," whispered Xa. "Why did you have to feed the chickens? Is Grandma Slater sick?" Charlie shook her head and yawned. "Gone to her sister's. And now I have to get up an hour earlier every day to feed her chickens. A whole hour! Can you imagine?"
"That's enough whispering back there," called Mrs Rose, as she began to draw mysterious sums on the board. Xa and Charlie ducked their heads down until their noses nearly touched their books.
"But at least I had an idea," whispered Charlie.
"Yeah?" Xa looked worried. Charlies ideas are worse than the flu. And she always had new ones. "Send Hannah and Izzie a message and tell them to meet us in the bathroom at first break for a secret meeting." Charlie hissed out of the corner of her mouth.
"Oh no, you not with that gang thing again are you?"
"Just write!" Screeched Charlie.
She had invented a secret code but Xa was the one to master it.
"Right, could I have someone at the board please, any volunteers?" Asked Mrs Rose.
"What's the password again?" Asked Xa. "Duh its chicken." Said Charlie. Mrs Rose was looking in their direction. "Done," said Xa. "How about you Charlotte?" Said Mrs Rose.
"Oh no, there's no point, really" replied Charlie.
"Charlotte, to the front, please."
She stood up and went to the front of the class. She took the note from her desk and dropped it into Izzie's lap. But hidden behind Mrs Rose's round glasses are a pair of eagle-sharp eyes
"Isobel, could I have that piece of paper?" Izzie's face went white and gave the paper to Mrs Rose.
'Nagaggsvsh gshansfsjj sbhsjsvsgshs shisbdbdbd. Sghsbvahshs.'
"What on earth is this,"
"Thats Charlies stupid secret code." Said Freddie. He was grinning so broadly I would swear his ears would have fallen off. "Well if its secret than it should remain secret," said Mrs Rose dropping the paper in Izzie's hand. "Charlotte please begin," said Mrs Rose. The rest of the lesson was not very nice for Charlie but as least the secret code had given Freddie something to puzzle over.

"This is a stupid place to meet," moaned Izzie. Three of them were squashed into one single toilet cubicle. "its the only place where the boys won't spy on us." Replied Charlie. "Whats there to spy on?" Asked Izzie. "I'm sure the boys have better things to do.
"Really"
Someone knocked on the door and whispered "chicken. Chiiiickeeeen."
Charlie unlocked it and Hannah squeezed in. Now things were getting cramped. "I've got an idea," said Charlie.
"Well if its anything like the last one count me out," replied Izzie.
"If being in a gang is such a waste of time why are you even here?" Hissed Charlie. "Maybe she wants to make a potion and turn our faces green," replied Izzie giggling and gave Hannah a nudge. Charlie replied with an icy stare and rubbed her nose. She always did that when she was angry or embarrassed. "Lets just get to the point." Said Xa. "My grans gone to visit her sister and I'm looking after the house for a week or so, and I was thinking maybe we can hang out there and you know become a real gang. We could meet a few times."
"Sounds nice," said Hannah giving a side ways glance at Izzie. Things were only ever alright once her friend agreed to it. "I don't think I can make it that often. I have to babysit my little brother."
"What would you know," mumbled Xa. Charlie didn't have any siblings. Her mother drove a taxi and was hard ever around. And her father, well, he wasn't around at all, and it was best not to even mention him.
"And what are we going to do in this gang." Asked Izzie. "Well what do you usually get up to?" Asked Charlie.
"Me I just sit around at home, unless I'm slaving away at my gran's. Xa does nothing but look after her little brother. And Hannah's not exactly having one mega adventure after another as far as I know, right?"
"Actually I have ballet and guitar lessons." Replied Izzie smugly.
"Wow thats really exciting," mocked Charlie. "I'm sure you can't bear to miss those for one week."
"Of course I can." Izzie's eyes narrowed. "But to do what?"
"Well... we'll see." Answered Charlie. "You can't plan an adventure like a ballet lesson or something. They're there, waiting, around a corner, and then, suddenly, wham! - they happen.
The other three looked at each other. Their heads were filled with excitement. Charlie had done it again. Hannah gave Izzie a tentative smile. "I'd like to give it a try," she said.
Izzie shrugged. "Fine. One week. Then we'll see."
Hannah beamed at her with relief.
"I'm in," said Xa. "I just have to bring my little brother with.
"Good," Charlie took a deep breath. "So we meet this afternoon, after school, agreed?"
"Fine by me." Said Izzie. "But I'm not putting that stupid t-shirt on from last time, it makes me look fat."
"Well we have to wear something that looks the same since we're a gang. Maybe we can come up with something this afternoon," said Charlie. "And don't forget the password."
"Chiiiickeeeen," warbled Izzie, rolling her eyes. "And now could someone explain to me why we had to discuss all this in the loo?"