Read Online Fifteen Love by R. M. Corbet - Free Book Online Page B

and chess pieces go everywhere. The guy gets up and brushes himself down without an apology – but then Will grabs his board.
    â€˜Better help him pick them up, don’t you think?’ says Will.
    The guy looks at the spilt chessmen, then over at his mates.
    â€˜You knocked into me,’ says Yorick, getting down on his knees. ‘You should help me pick them up!’
    The guy looks at Yorick and laughs. Instantly, two of his mates ride over and start circling them. Will and Yorick are surrounded, but instead of looking scared, Will is completely cool. He’s either being very stupid or very brave.
    I am dreading what will happen next, when Vanessa calls out to them.
    â€˜Hey, guys! Don’t you know who this is? It’s Will Holland, the famous tennis star!’
    Will looks surprised. The skater boys keep circling. Finally Vanessa has a chance to get even with Will for whatever made her so angry the other day, but instead she says, ‘For your information, Will is a legend at our school. If you want him to sign that board, you should give him a pen. Otherwise, just be good boys and do what he says.’
    With the chessmen safely back in their box, Yorick is satisfied and Will gives back the skateboard. The other boys make a gap for the two of them to come over to us.
    â€˜Are they always that obedient?’ Will asks.
    Vanessa smiles. ‘They’ve been well trained.’
    â€˜Cyborgs!’ Yorick laughs. ‘Replicants!’
    Vanessa’s smile is hard to pick. It’s not her typical boy-smile by any means – not from her super-vixen repertoire, at least. Vanessa’s smile is simple and matter-of-fact. It’s sweet, like the girl next door. Vanessa is flirting with Will, by not flirting!
    Will looks at me, meaningfully. ‘If you make a mess, you should clean it up.’
    I look away. With Vanessa and Renata there, I don’t know what to say.
    â€˜Poor Mia.’ Vanessa shakes her head. ‘She looks like Long John Silver with those crutches. She should walk around with a parrot on her shoulder. Arh! Shiver me timbers! ’
    Vanessa does the pirate voice and Will plays the parrot.
    â€˜ Polly want a cracker? ’
    Renata looks puzzled. Yorick looks lost. Then Vanessa does the parrot voice and Will falls about laughing. ‘ Polly want a Tim Tam? ’ ‘ Polly want a Wagon Wheel? ’
    If it doesn’t sound very funny, that’s because it isn’t!
    I pick up my schoolbag and limp off up the street. When I look back, Vanessa and Will are still at it, imitating each other like two stupid parrots, laughing uncontrollably.
    WILL
    To relax after training, Dave and I go to the pool. Ken and Lyn thought Dave would never swim again after his accident. He knew how to swim before the accident, but for almost a year after he wouldn’t go anywhere near water. Even having a bath would upset him. But then slowly Dave learned to confront his fears. He started off in the baby pool, then graduated with a lifejacket. Now Dave is nuts about swimming. He’d swim every day if you let him.
    Dave gets into the pool unassisted. He grabs hold of the handrails, pulls himself up out of his wheelchair, lowers himself into the water and away he goes.
    â€˜Hey, Will! Look at me! I’m the Thorpedo!’
    With his head up out of the water, his arms splashing wildly and legs trailing limply behind, Dave swims lap after lap without stopping. Dave could swim for hours – he’s amazingly fit and strong in his upper body. Getting him out of the water, though, can be a challenge.
    â€˜I don’t want to, Will! Just five more minutes! Ten more, at least!’
    â€˜But there are chips, Dave. Remember?’
    Afterwards, I sit in the café and watch while Dave studies the vending machine, reading out loud while he tries to make up his mind. ‘A1: plain chips . . . A2: chicken chips . . . A3: salt-and-vinegar . . . A4: Texas barbecue .