Read Online Respect (Mandasue Heller) by Mandasue Heller - Free Book Online
Authors: Mandasue Heller
Tags: UK
Ads: Link
wrong?
Too cold to carry out her threat of staying there all night, and scared that Leon might take off if she left him alone for too much longer, she gave up and went home. Her heart had soared when she’d seen Tracey in the shop just now; she’d been made up to think that her mum was back to pick up the reins. But Tracey’s words had given her an uneasy feeling. She and Mary were usually glued together at the hip, so why didn’t she know where Mary was? Or did she know, and was lying to cover for her? Something was going on, and if her mum still hadn’t turned up by the time Chantelle got home from school tomorrow she was going to go back round to Tracey’s – and keep on going back until Tracey told her the truth.
6
‘Okay, settle down!’ the form tutor, Lynn Foster, called, struggling to make herself heard over the cacophony of chair scraping and excited chatter. ‘Those of you who are coming back for sixth form, remember what I said and try to have a bit of fun during the holidays, because it will be a difficult year ahead. For those who are going straight to college, I wish you the very best of luck. And those of you who are leaving, please try to do something positive with your lives, because you’re all capable if you put your minds to it.’
Aware that her pupils weren’t listening as they noisily pushed and shoved their way out of the classroom, desperate for the freedom that lay beyond the door, Lynn sighed. Then, locating Chantelle at the back, she caught her eye and said, ‘Could you stay behind for a moment, please?’
‘Aw, what’s she want now?’ Chantelle’s friend Immy muttered. ‘Hope she’s not gonna give you one of her epic lectures or you’ll be here all day.’
‘Go on ahead,’ Chantelle said, a sinking feeling already settling over her. ‘I’ll try not to be too long.’
‘I’ll wait by the gate,’ Immy said, flashing the teacher an unimpressed look. ‘But I promised my mum I wouldn’t be late, so I’ll have to go if you’re not out in ten.’
Chantelle nodded, and hung back as the classroom quickly emptied. When they were alone, the teacher closed the door and waved for her to sit down.
‘I’ll try not to keep you,’ she said, taking her own seat and linking her hands together on the desktop. ‘I just wanted to speak to you before the summer holidays, because I’m a little concerned about you.’ She paused now and smiled before continuing. ‘Nothing to worry about – you just haven’t seemed yourself lately, and I wondered if there was anything worrying you?’
Chantelle shook her head and dipped her gaze. ‘Everything’s fine.’
‘Are you sure?’ Lynn probed gently. ‘I know you struggled with your exams, and that wasn’t like you because you usually do so well. If there’s something wrong, I hope you know that you can talk to me?’
Chantelle inhaled deeply and bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. ‘I’m fine,’ she insisted. ‘Honestly. I’m just tired, that’s all.’
Lynn nodded slowly. ‘I understand that; it’s been an arduous few weeks. But you’re one of our brightest students and you don’t usually have so much trouble with tests. I know you’re not the kind of girl who likes to talk about your feelings, but it’s my job to help if you’re having difficulties.’
The teacher stopped talking and Chantelle knew that she was waiting for a response. But she didn’t dare speak for fear of what might tumble out. Everything was a mess, and it was getting worse by the day. It had been three weeks now since her mum had disappeared, and not only was she struggling to keep Leon under control but the money that her mum had left was long gone, so she’d been forced to break into her savings – which she really hadn’t wanted to. Ever since she’d first started high school she’d known that she wanted to go to college so, while her friends spent their pocket money on magazines, make-up and clothes, Chantelle had put every
Too cold to carry out her threat of staying there all night, and scared that Leon might take off if she left him alone for too much longer, she gave up and went home. Her heart had soared when she’d seen Tracey in the shop just now; she’d been made up to think that her mum was back to pick up the reins. But Tracey’s words had given her an uneasy feeling. She and Mary were usually glued together at the hip, so why didn’t she know where Mary was? Or did she know, and was lying to cover for her? Something was going on, and if her mum still hadn’t turned up by the time Chantelle got home from school tomorrow she was going to go back round to Tracey’s – and keep on going back until Tracey told her the truth.
6
‘Okay, settle down!’ the form tutor, Lynn Foster, called, struggling to make herself heard over the cacophony of chair scraping and excited chatter. ‘Those of you who are coming back for sixth form, remember what I said and try to have a bit of fun during the holidays, because it will be a difficult year ahead. For those who are going straight to college, I wish you the very best of luck. And those of you who are leaving, please try to do something positive with your lives, because you’re all capable if you put your minds to it.’
Aware that her pupils weren’t listening as they noisily pushed and shoved their way out of the classroom, desperate for the freedom that lay beyond the door, Lynn sighed. Then, locating Chantelle at the back, she caught her eye and said, ‘Could you stay behind for a moment, please?’
‘Aw, what’s she want now?’ Chantelle’s friend Immy muttered. ‘Hope she’s not gonna give you one of her epic lectures or you’ll be here all day.’
‘Go on ahead,’ Chantelle said, a sinking feeling already settling over her. ‘I’ll try not to be too long.’
‘I’ll wait by the gate,’ Immy said, flashing the teacher an unimpressed look. ‘But I promised my mum I wouldn’t be late, so I’ll have to go if you’re not out in ten.’
Chantelle nodded, and hung back as the classroom quickly emptied. When they were alone, the teacher closed the door and waved for her to sit down.
‘I’ll try not to keep you,’ she said, taking her own seat and linking her hands together on the desktop. ‘I just wanted to speak to you before the summer holidays, because I’m a little concerned about you.’ She paused now and smiled before continuing. ‘Nothing to worry about – you just haven’t seemed yourself lately, and I wondered if there was anything worrying you?’
Chantelle shook her head and dipped her gaze. ‘Everything’s fine.’
‘Are you sure?’ Lynn probed gently. ‘I know you struggled with your exams, and that wasn’t like you because you usually do so well. If there’s something wrong, I hope you know that you can talk to me?’
Chantelle inhaled deeply and bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. ‘I’m fine,’ she insisted. ‘Honestly. I’m just tired, that’s all.’
Lynn nodded slowly. ‘I understand that; it’s been an arduous few weeks. But you’re one of our brightest students and you don’t usually have so much trouble with tests. I know you’re not the kind of girl who likes to talk about your feelings, but it’s my job to help if you’re having difficulties.’
The teacher stopped talking and Chantelle knew that she was waiting for a response. But she didn’t dare speak for fear of what might tumble out. Everything was a mess, and it was getting worse by the day. It had been three weeks now since her mum had disappeared, and not only was she struggling to keep Leon under control but the money that her mum had left was long gone, so she’d been forced to break into her savings – which she really hadn’t wanted to. Ever since she’d first started high school she’d known that she wanted to go to college so, while her friends spent their pocket money on magazines, make-up and clothes, Chantelle had put every
Similar Books
