In The Rain

Chapter 24

The next week on Friday, Jesy was walking to her school one morning on marching legs.

"When you walk like that it makes you look dumb and slow." Johnny was walking backwards in front of her. Jade and Joe were ahead of him.

Jesy just watched him. "Three, two-"

Johnny tripped over a fire-hydrant and screamed when he landed on his back.

Jesy clapped. "Idiot! Who's slow now?" She ran passed him but he held her leg. She stopped and stepped on his chest then ran way ahead.

"Jade she's a monster! Ahhh!" Johnny cried while trying to get up.

Jesy stuck out her tongue then passed Jade and Joe. "Catch yah later!"

Jade warned her to be careful but of course, Jesy ignored her. "If you fall I'm the one who's going to feel guilty."

Johnny came up to her side. "You never felt guilty when I fell just now. Do I hear favouritism!?"

Jade smacked him upside the head and they heard Jesy laugh from way up.

"Dumb-dumbs always get what they deserve John. Bleh!" She stuck her tongue out again then ran faster.

They don't call me the girl Usain Bolt for nothing. She was speeding and taking sharp corners, making people complain. No one actually called her that.

"And she's here!" Jesy hopped in front of Leigh's school gate. She took a deep breath then held her bag straps while waltzing in.

For the whole week, Jesy had gone to Leigh's house to keep her company at lunch time until six. She had been missing school and practice but . . . she did not care. The drama teacher had said that she was not worried about her learning her lines but wanted her to come at least on Saturdays so Jesy was doing that.

Every day, Leigh had looked happier and happier to see her. The girl's sister had not been around lately since she was with her father so Leigh was even more lonely at night. From what Jesy understood though, Leigh was not suffering. She had her toy and her thoughts of Jesy. Now if that isn't sweet then I don't know what is. The only bad thing was that they could not get up to anything wild. Leigh only moved her arms and upper body. Her mother had left all of her food in her room in special containers. Jesy had asked Leigh how she used the bathroom and Leigh had said that she only got up for that. She looks so cute in her little pyjamas though. All Leigh wore was pyjamas all day. Jesy looked forward to seeing the little characters on each one each day. The one of yesterday had been Jesy's favourite though. It had been a light green shorts and top with a bunny saying 'Feed me' on it. Where does she even get them?

Jesy walked through the halls proudly even as she got weird stares. She waved at teachers who tried to stop her for questioning then went to where she felt was Leigh's class. It had year 6-A on the door. 'A' must mean the smartest right? Leigh's smart. She went in.

"So the whole time she's been racist?" A girl asked as the kids spoke of the latest gossip around.

Mrs. Evans had been allegedly fired earlier that week. The kids were not sure if she really was but she had been seen leaving around late afternoon by the footballer boys with a box filled with her stuff.

"I knew it." Jade snapped her fingers. She had been leading the discussion. "Never liked her." She and Perrie were at their desks and kids surrounded them. "She gave me a rotten look once and never called me when I raised me hand."

Perrie gasped. "But Jade, aren't you white?"

Andre shook his head. He was sitting on Jade's desk. He had been hanging around these girls for a long time and he grew to like them. The class was actually less divided because of all the Leigh drama so his buddies sometimes came to eat with them. Even Lilly was being nicer . . . kind of. "Didn't she explain during sharing time that she's quarter Egyptian, quarter Yemini and half white?" Shouldn't Perrie know that since she was Jade's bestie?