In The Rain

Chapter 18

"I wish they would test us on a harder concept though." Jade was saying on Monday morning. She and Perrie were sitting down on the floor with their History text books opened up on their laps.

While paging through, Perrie looked up and frowned at Jade. "Why would you want that for me Jade? Not everyone can be the smartest girl in the world like you you know. I hardly understand what I read last night for this test. How dare you speak of harder concepts."

Jade had to laugh. Perrie was the most dramatic kid her age around. "I'm sorry." She had tried to help the child the night before by coming over but Perrie had fallen asleep and Jade eventually did also. "Do you at least remember the two dates?"

Perrie nodded. "That's all I do. Who would have thought that the numbers would have been the things that stuck." She smiled and giggled.

Jade sighed in content then looked back into her book, deciding to continue reading ahead.

Tommy suddenly stooped between them. "Hey ladies." He said. "You guys are Leigh's friends. Did her mum hit her after the dance on Friday or what?" The students of year six had probably forgotten about what happened on Friday over the course of the weekend but being back at school jogged their memories. He and his friends had been discussing the test but the fact that Leigh was not here made them wonder if she was alright. They sent him to come ask her closest friends so they would have an idea of how she was doing. He knew for sure that he wanted to know.

Jade suddenly remembered all of the Leigh drama. Her stomach hurt instantly as she looked to the empty desk. "I . . . I don't know. We never contacted her. She doesn't have a phone and neither do we."

Perrie suddenly realized something. "Hey, why don't we have phones?"

Jade shushed her. "Did you hear something? Did you see her looking hurt?"

Tommy sighed. "I was just asking because none of us know. Everyone's talking about 'er now." He stood. "Thanks anyway."

The boy walked away and Jade looked at her watch. "Uh-oh. She's late. It's usually ten minutes before the bell goes when she arrives. We only have two."

Perrie fed off the nerves. "Wh-where is she Jade?" Leigh's mother had looked really upset that night. She sounded like she really wanted to hurt Leigh-Anne.

Jade shrugged then gulped. I hope she comes by soon.

When the bell rang everyone got to their seats murmuring about Leigh.

Ms Davis entered cheerily and greeted her class then set her bag on her desk. "You all know what you've got today." She waved the papers high then started distributing.

While everyone was getting their stuff out was when they heard a faint 'good morning' from the door. All heads went that way and they saw Leigh standing in the doorway with her head down.

"Oh hello there Leigh-Anne. You may come in." Ms Davis was trying to hide her suspicion. Leigh-Anne looked like she was hiding her face.

Leigh-Anne walked in, keeping her head low. It had only been when she had come out of her mother's vehicle that she realized that once her classmates saw the bandages on her face they would be even more convinced that she was being abused. She did not want that. She just wanted to attend school in peace and be happy. Why was that so hard?

"What are you hiding Leigh?" Lilly asked watching the girl pass her desk.

"I don't know but I don't like it." One of her friends whispered this in her ear.

Leigh-Anne did not answer and took her seat. She put her bag down and took her stuff out for her test, ignoring everyone and continued trying to conceal herself.