Black Butterfly

Chapter 7. Team work

Monday arrived really quickly, Sally knew weekends were so short. She set her alarm quite early at 7:30 am. She decided to put her hair in a plait just like Tommy did for her but she wasn't really good at plaits. 'It looks nothing like the plait which Tommy did for me!' she thought, this was her third attempt. She was embarassed to ask her mum, Sally hated plaits but today she took an interest in them.

'Okay, this will have to do!'

She hurries up getting dressed and just eats a small biscuit on the way out.

"Sally? For crying out loud it's only 8:05 am, you've got plenty of time! Have a proper breakfast before you go." Nagged her mother.

"No mum, I need to um.. do something, I'll have something to eat at school. Bye, love you-u-u-u-u!" She managed a risky escape.

Her tummy rumbles but she tries to ignore the starvation. She walks and walks.

"Sally? Hey, wait for me!" It was Tommy, he runs up to her. He looked more mature and smart wearing his new school uniform.

"What's up?" He asks.

"Tommy, you still got that black mascara on you and you're wearing bracelets again."

"So what? This is the closest that they'll see me looking smart. I'm not changing myself for those ignorant toads."

"They can suspend you, all the teachers are strict about the uniform rule. Come with me." She drags him by the arm and they go somewhere private where no one can see them.

"Bracelets. Off. Now."

"Seriously? You're driving me mad now."

"Does this face look like it cares? Take it off now, please, for me?"

"Alright, hold on." He pulls the bracelets off him and puts it in his bag. "Happy now, Ms Baldykins?"

"BALDYKINS? THE SURNAME IS BALDIN." She pushes him hard into a bush.

"Woooah! Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I guess." She gives him his hand.

"You're quite strong for a girl," he says.

"Stronger than Amanda Gortner?" She smirks.

He lost his shine and enthusiasm.

"It was her, she beated you up?"

"Look, I'm fine, Sally. She can treat me like her slave but she can't murder me to death."

"Why didn't you tell me? I know, she treats almost everyone like her slave."

"I just didn't want you to worry about me. You're all that I have.. I mean you're kind of like my only... um friend? "

"Tommy, I can't see you upset either. I'm here for you, okay?"

"Oh um, alright!"

"You still got that mascara on you."

She pulls out a spare old tissue from her coat pocket, she hadn't used it yet, "Here, take this and wipe it off!" She hands him the tissue but he would not take it.

"Well.. You know Sally that I can't really see the mascara and I don't want to wipe it all over my face so could you please do it for me?"

She had no option so she went along with it, "Stay still!" She wipes it gently as she can, her heart began beating again. She could see sweat coming from Tommy's forehead! She ignored the sweat and focused on getting rid of his mascara. "There, done!" Tommy looked much more different without the mascara, 'Wow, he's so fit and almost looks like a new person!'