Chapter 2

After the summer

This is the next chapter, it's a bit pointless, but I hope you like it anyway :D

Thrusting a lazy arm out of bed, I thumped my alarm clock, trying to stop its relentless ringing. When it still didn't cease, I grabbed it and shook it, telling it to shut up otherwise it would be sorry. I'd always hated this alarm clock. It'd been a present from a neighbour, a gift to say how sorry they were about the disappearance of my dad. That's why I hated it.

Finally, I shoved it under my pillow and whacked and punched until it eventually did as it was told.

"Hey, why are you attacking your pillow?" Conor yawned as he entered my bedroom, uninvited.

"Just trying to make my alarm clock shut up," I replied, crawling out reluctantly from the safety of my duvet.

"Hmm…well, sorry to disturb you," my brother said sarcastically. However, suddenly he grabbed my hand. "Ready for normalness, Sapphy?"

"Ready for normalness," I agreed, squeezing his hand. It was the first day back at school after the summer holidays, the perfect time for a new start.

"Good." There was a pause. "I'm here for you, Saph." I smiled lovingly at my big brother. Although he was constantly irritating, at times he could be more loving and caring than my own mother.

"Race you to the bathroom," he challenged, switching back to his usual silly self, his stupid grin wide on his face. I sighed. The signs of brotherly love never lasted long.

"So what've you been up to in the hols, Saph?" Sitting on a desk was Janey, my best friend, looking up at me expectantly with heavily outlined eyes.

"Oh, you know, not much," I replied, perching on the desk too. "Just redecorating, clearing out stuff, pretty boring really. You went to Spain, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Janey answered, grabbing my arm to check her tan with mine. Seeing that she was browner, she grinned. "It was boiling. We sunbathed every day, stayed in this amazing villa with a pool, went shopping…" Smiling back at her, I felt good inside. It made me feel so ordinary to listen to Janey nattering on about her holidays, and that was a good thing.

"Kath's here!" Janey suddenly squealed, rushing over to my other best friend.

"Hiya," Kath greeted, hugging us both.

"Love the hair," I complimented.

"Thanks, Saph." Kath twiddled a strand of her beautiful braided hair, which was embellished with little beads and coloured string. Snapping open her compact mirror, she began to reapply her make up. "I got it done in South Africa when I was staying with my aunt. Mr Grant's gonna go mad, but still, that's the point!"

Kath was right about that. Mr Grant, our geography teacher, did get a bit narked, but Kath was good at getting round people.

"Miss Bernardo," Mr Grant said, addressing Kath, sauntering over to her desk. I hope you know that your hair is unacceptable and totally non-regulation?" Kath smiled.

"I thought you might say that," she told him. "But actually, sir, my hair is very…geographical."

Raising an eyebrow, Mr Grant scoffed, "And how exactly is your hair, which is under no circumstances tolerated at this school, geographical?"

"Well, I got it done in South Africa by the Bokhari. The Bokhari is an aboriginal tribe who live deep in the Veldt forest. I've been doing lots of research on the Veldt, and it turns out that the Bokhari have been living there for thousands of years. And also, sir, I also managed to put together a little project about the Veldt while I was there on holiday." Mr Grant looked a bit stunned at Kath's speech, but took the project from her all the same.

"Hmm…" he pondered. "Well, seeing as you've done extra curricular work during the holidays, I'll let you off this time, but just this once. After this, no more hair braiding, understand?" Kath nodded, before adding cheekily,

"But admit it, sir, it does look amazing."

"Hmph, I'm not admitting anything, Kath Bernardo. Now get on with your work."