Read Online Party at Silver Spires by Ann Bryant - Free Book Online Page A

You’re one of the scholarship girls, aren’t you?”
    There was the smallest of silences while my heart thudded horribly and then a Year Eight girl was calling to Miss Stevenson from across the room.
    â€œCan you get this lamp to work, Miss? The switch is really stiff.”
    I looked down as Miss Stevenson hurried off, the Year Ten girls behind her. Then I heard Izzy draw in her breath slowly. “You got a scholarship, Nicole? Why didn’t you tell us?”
    â€œI…I…didn’t really think…”
    â€œYou brilliant thing!” said Bryony, patting me on the back.
    â€œWell that explains everything!” said Emily.
    Sasha’s eyes sparkled. “We’re sharing a dorm with a scholarship student! Whoa! I can’t wait to tell everyone.”
    Then Antonia spoke. “What ees scholarsheep?”
    â€œIt’s nothing special really,” I said quickly.
    â€œYes it is. It’s when you’re so clever that you don’t have to pay any school fees!” Emily answered her. “My parents would give anything for a daughter who didn’t cost them a bean!”
    â€œMine too,” said Sasha. “I might even have got a bigger allowance if my parents didn’t have to pay fees.”
    I glanced at Antonia and our eyes met for a split second. She wasn’t smiling or scowling or anything, but it still made me feel odd because I didn’t know what she was thinking. And she never said a word. All of the others had made some kind of comment about my scholarship that showed they were happy for me. But as usual where I was concerned, Antonia had stayed silent. Maybe she hadn’t understood. But she must have done. Emily had explained it clearly.
    â€œActually…I don’t really want people knowing about my scholarship. They might think I’m kind of…geeky,” I said carefully.
    â€œOh, you’re so modest,” said Izzy. “But don’t worry, we’ll keep quiet about it if that’s what you want.” She looked round the table at the others. “Won’t we?”
    They nodded. All except Antonia.
    Izzy bit her lip. I could tell she was embarrassed.
    â€œYou won’t tell anyone about Nicole’s scholarship, will you, Antonia?” she said, leaning forwards and speaking slowly, to make sure Antonia had understood.
    Antonia gave a small shake of her head, then asked whose turn it was to deal. But we never went back to the game, because one of the Year Eights said something about the party just then, and her comment was like a match that turned a small flare into a big fire, as suddenly everyone was discussing what they were going to wear and how great this common room was going to look when it was decorated. The excitement was infectious. It spread into every nook and cranny, except for the lonely place where I was sitting. I so wanted to look forward to the party too, because I knew it would be brilliant. But I couldn’t feel a single shred of happiness about it – only a sickly dread that I wouldn’t fit in, with my plain ordinary clothes amongst all the glitz and the glamour.

Chapter Six

    On Tuesday after school, everyone from my dorm was going to some club or other and although I hadn’t planned on going to one, I didn’t want to be on my own, so I thought I might join Bryony and Emily at running club. Being alone would only make my head fill up with sad thoughts, like it had done the night before in bed.
    I hadn’t been able to sleep for ages because I’d got myself into such a state. My mind had been going over and over conversations and things that had happened since I’d been at Silver Spires, and I’d kept on coming back to my thoughts about being the only girl in my dorm with a scholarship and also that I should swap dorms so Antonia could be happy. Perhaps I ought to go to Mrs. Pridham and ask if there was anyone who wanted to swap with me after