~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~MT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Seven
Miss Bunch acts strangely
The week passed and Katie finally finished her prep. She handed it in to Miss Bunch. "The prep, miss." She said unhappily. The look on Miss Bunch's face, she would never forget. It was such a look of anger that Katie stepped backwards. Then the look cleared and Miss Bunch took it roughly. Katie felt a familiar feeling clam up inside her. Oh dear, she had inherited her mother's terrible anger. Darrell had conquered it, but Katie was still trying. She tried to keep her anger down. It wouldn't do if she blew up at a teacher! "Thank you Katie." Said Miss Bunch, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Katie rushed out the room, scared that she wouldn't keep her anger in. Suzanne was waiting for her outside.
"How did it go?" she asked.
"She took it off me like a wild thing. And her face…as if she was angry I had done it!" Katie said, choking with rage. Suzanne, who had no quick temper like her twin, comforted her. "Look, let's go to Miss Grayling. She can help." She said.
"No," replied Katie, firmly, "I'm going to work this out…we're going to work this by our selves."
The dance lessons that week were no fun. For some reason, Miss Bunch was in a bad mood. She picked on Katie most of the time. The class just thought perhaps she had a lot of prep and she was cranky. But they were wrong! Every bit of prep was going to people who behaved badly in her lessons! And she picked on people she apparently hated. Poor Katie had a real hard time and got another piece of long prep. It wasn't the nicest first term! The others comforted her and helped her with the prep. Then they sat down to talk. "Did you hear, the robber has struck again?" said Isabella, looking up.
"No! What happened?" asked Maisy in surprise.
"Apparently someone's really valuable golden necklace has gone, and they've stolen from the trophy cases." Isabella answered.
Katie's eyes widened. "You mean, all those trophies have…gone?" she asked in disbelief.
"No, just some of the golden medals. Strange, isn't it. Awfully unfair of them. Golly, I hope they don't steal from me!"
There was a silence. "Do you think it's someone in the school?" asked Lizzie.
"They wouldn't dare!"
"They would be caught!"
"Don't be silly!"
Came a volley of remarks. But Katie looked at everyone. "How can we tell? I mean, perhaps it was someone in the school." she said.
"Who are you thinking of?" asked Suzanne.
"No one. I'm just wondering." Katie replied. Rachel stood up. "I'm off to hand in my prep and do the flowers for the classroom." She said, smiling. She bounced out the room.
~~~~MT~~~~
That night, Katie wondered whom it was who was stealing. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Suddenly she heard a sound. She sat up and looked around. At first she could see nothing. But then she caught the door handle moving. It was going slowly round and round. Katie slipped out of bed and went to lock the door. The door handle stopped moving when the person realised it was locked and a noise of metal came. Katie backed away and woke Suzanne up. "What is it?" asked Suzanne wearily.
"There's someone trying to get in the room!" Katie exclaimed in a whisper.
Suzanne looked startled and slid out of bed. "Do you think it's the robber?" she asked. Katie shrugged, her face pale. "No idea." She whispered back.
The sound of tapping came to their ears. "They're trying to break in!" squeaked Suzanne.
"Quick, wake everyone up!" Katie replied.
They woke everyone up in a whisper and soon they were all up and out of bed. "What shall we do?" asked Harriet, looking scared.
"They're almost in, there's nothing to do!" April replied, her voice below a whisper.
"We'll have to stay silent, then we'll be able to see who it is." Said Suzanne.
Rachel and Lizzie looked at the door in silence. Georgina flounced up to the door, feeling important.
"Georgina! Don't!" said Katie angrily.
"Hello!" said Georgina in a loud voice, "Whose there? We know you're breaking in!"
Katie felt an anger creeping over. Oh dear, what with Georgina ruining their plan and Katie's anger about to explode…what would happen now?
