The Chain (A Catherine Diary) - Stamfield. Complete

Chapter 84

84

We reached the cafeteria and we immediately spotted Carla standing and waving her hand in our direction. We maneuvered our way though the tables, it always amazed me why there were as many students in the cafeteria after college, as there were during lunch. Some students were even seated against the wall, for lack of chairs.

'I kept two seats for you', Carla said as we approached.

I glanced at the queue for the coffee machine and chose to avoid it and sit down, Gemma didn't look too pleased ending up seated between Pat and Monica.

'Where's Sherry?', I asked.

'She had to go home', Monica said, 'anyway, now we have our star player here', she was referring to Gemma, 'we need to discuss how we can improve'.

'Don't be stupid',Pat said, 'it's obvious we need to practice more, but each time I suggest it, we seem to change the subject'

'That's because some of us have lives', Jane added and then seemed to regret saying it.

'Well, if you didn't let in so many goals maybe we wouldn't lose so badly'

Carla leant into me, 'you had any luck with the pendant', she whispered, but not quiet enough, as the girls stopped arguing and turned in her direction.

'What's it with you and this pendant?', Pat asked, she had this way of being so insensitive.

Carla stared at her angrily, but not her usual aggressive anger, more one of hurt. Her face darkened and her eyes glazed and for a brief second I thought she was going to cry. Instead she rose to her feet, 'you wouldn't understand Pat', stating her name as though it was a derisory word.

She walked off, more from embarrassment, than anger. I got up, looked Pat in the eyes and said, 'you can be such a bitch, sometimes'

Pat looked stunned and if I was honest, she didn't really deserve that, but my words came from a deep dark part of me that had already predetermined Pat to be a foe. I stormed off after Carla, leaving the rest of the girls staring at Pat and feeling awkward about being in the middle of whatever was going on.

As I walked off I heard Monica say to Gemma, 'don't leave, we haven't finished discussing the next match'

I caught up with Carla as she was exiting the cafeteria.

'Carla', I said, for lack of anything constructive to say.

She slowed, for me to walk along side her.

'I need to get that pendant back', she said, turning towards me, a tear was running down her cheek and for the first time I started to realize the gravity of the situation, 'I've been back to the caretaker three times to see if he found it or it was handed in....nothing. I checked the route I took over and over, again...nothing. I don't know what I'm going to do if mum realizes I lost it. Every time I see her, I avoid her and if I have to talk to her I wear a high neck top'. I looked at Carla, she was wearing a sleeveless lightly knitted collared top, it looked good on her, I normally wouldn't have given it a second thought. 'I'm sure mum probably thinks I'm covering a hickey, but eventually she'll become suspicious and want to see if I'm covering anything up. God, I'm so scared, what will I do?'

I didn't have any answers, but I had a good feeling about today. I was optimistic Jack and I would find the pendant on Dwayne's chain.

'I'm still working on it, Carla. Have faith'.

She chuckled. 'Faith...I pray for many things Catherine and I'm still waiting for any of my prayers to be answered', there was no humor in what she said, 'if you don't mind I just need some time alone'

I didn't get a chance to argue with her, she just turned and walked away. I watched her disappear in the crowd and as she went out of vision, Dwayne came into vision and he was clearly wearing his pendants.

On impulse I followed him, he was with two other boys, one of which I recognized as being the other boy from the changing rooms. He was bulky and I could see why he played rugby, but I wondered if he was any good at football, he certainly didn't look the footballing type.