Read Online Run, Zan, Run by Cathy MacPhail - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cathy MacPhail
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Saved in the nick of time. Ivy glared at her, and mouthed, ‘I’ll get you, Cassidy. That’s a promise.’
Ivy was going to find it hard to keep that promise, for Katie was never alone now. She was always surrounded by friends, or adoring fans, as Miss Withers sneeringly called them. It would be difficult to pick on anyone when they were always in a crowd. Wasn’t that what Zanhad said? Stick together. It was the ones who were always on their own who were at risk. The ones who were different.
It was break time and Katie and her friends stood at the bike sheds, laughing and talking. Through the crowds Katie glimpsed Ivy, heading in her direction, and she steeled herself for a confrontation.
Without Zan?
She was almost relieved when she realized it wasn’t her Ivy was headed for. It was Teresa Henderson. Teresa Henderson was always alone. No one ever bothered with her. She was dirty. She had really bad breath. There was always an unwashed smell about her, and when you touched her hand (which no one ever did willingly) it was always cold and clammy. She was standing alone in the playground. She had both hands shoved in her mouth, managing to chew ten nails at once. It was probably the only time they got washed, Katie thought, and she was angry at herself for thinking that. She was as bad as the rest. She avoided Teresa Henderson, just like everyone else. Including Ivy.
So … why was Ivy heading for her now?
Teresa looked up as Ivy stopped in front of her, and blinked nervously several times. Ivy began to talk to her,prodding her with her finger so that Teresa stumbled back. And as Teresa listened, she cowered. Katie knew a cower when she saw one. She had cowered herself often enough when Ivy threatened her. Of course, she’d had no trouble from Ivy. But that didn’t mean to say no one else had. Bullies move on to fresh pastures. It was Teresa’s turn now. Teresa. She wouldn’t ask a teacher for help. People like Teresa expect to get bullied. People like Teresa wouldn’t ask anyone for help. Unlike amiable, happy little Nazeem, Teresa wouldn’t believe anyone would want to help her. And wasn’t it true? Not one soul in that playground, except Katie, was even glancing in her direction. Ivy could bully and threaten her as much as she wanted. It was only Teresa Henderson, after all.
‘Look over there,’ Katie said. One of the girls around her turned to see. Teresa was passing over some money now, hurriedly.
The girl laughed. ‘Ivy’s taking a chance. She might catch something!’
They all laughed at that. All except Katie. ‘You sound as if you’re on Ivy’s side.’
‘Oh, come on, Katie. It’s only dirty Teresa Henderson.’
Katie looked round them all. The look on her facemade them stop laughing. ‘It was only me a few weeks ago.’
She looked over again to where Ivy and Teresa stood. Teresa was trying to laugh now, trying to please Ivy with a smile, just as Katie used to do. She suddenly knew she had to do something.
This time she was alone. No Zan. Here, in the playground, no hope of Zan coming to the rescue. She still had to do something.
She wasn’t alone, she reminded herself. Her friends were here. She looked round them and wondered how long they would remain her friends if Ivy beat her now.
‘Are you coming?’ she asked them.
‘Over there?’
‘To help wee dirty Teresa?’
‘Are you coming, or aren’t you?’ Katie repeated. ‘If we stick together, no one can get us. Can’t you see that?’
They weren’t going to come. It was written all over their faces. They were afraid, scared still of the Ivys of this world. She was going to have to go over there herself. A little part of her began to panic. Now she’d said it, she’d have to. Why couldn’t she ever keep her mouth shut? She tried one last time.
‘If we all go over there together, Ivy’s not going tobother anyone again. If she sees we’re going to help all the dirty wee Teresas in the school, who’s left for her
Ivy was going to find it hard to keep that promise, for Katie was never alone now. She was always surrounded by friends, or adoring fans, as Miss Withers sneeringly called them. It would be difficult to pick on anyone when they were always in a crowd. Wasn’t that what Zanhad said? Stick together. It was the ones who were always on their own who were at risk. The ones who were different.
It was break time and Katie and her friends stood at the bike sheds, laughing and talking. Through the crowds Katie glimpsed Ivy, heading in her direction, and she steeled herself for a confrontation.
Without Zan?
She was almost relieved when she realized it wasn’t her Ivy was headed for. It was Teresa Henderson. Teresa Henderson was always alone. No one ever bothered with her. She was dirty. She had really bad breath. There was always an unwashed smell about her, and when you touched her hand (which no one ever did willingly) it was always cold and clammy. She was standing alone in the playground. She had both hands shoved in her mouth, managing to chew ten nails at once. It was probably the only time they got washed, Katie thought, and she was angry at herself for thinking that. She was as bad as the rest. She avoided Teresa Henderson, just like everyone else. Including Ivy.
So … why was Ivy heading for her now?
Teresa looked up as Ivy stopped in front of her, and blinked nervously several times. Ivy began to talk to her,prodding her with her finger so that Teresa stumbled back. And as Teresa listened, she cowered. Katie knew a cower when she saw one. She had cowered herself often enough when Ivy threatened her. Of course, she’d had no trouble from Ivy. But that didn’t mean to say no one else had. Bullies move on to fresh pastures. It was Teresa’s turn now. Teresa. She wouldn’t ask a teacher for help. People like Teresa expect to get bullied. People like Teresa wouldn’t ask anyone for help. Unlike amiable, happy little Nazeem, Teresa wouldn’t believe anyone would want to help her. And wasn’t it true? Not one soul in that playground, except Katie, was even glancing in her direction. Ivy could bully and threaten her as much as she wanted. It was only Teresa Henderson, after all.
‘Look over there,’ Katie said. One of the girls around her turned to see. Teresa was passing over some money now, hurriedly.
The girl laughed. ‘Ivy’s taking a chance. She might catch something!’
They all laughed at that. All except Katie. ‘You sound as if you’re on Ivy’s side.’
‘Oh, come on, Katie. It’s only dirty Teresa Henderson.’
Katie looked round them all. The look on her facemade them stop laughing. ‘It was only me a few weeks ago.’
She looked over again to where Ivy and Teresa stood. Teresa was trying to laugh now, trying to please Ivy with a smile, just as Katie used to do. She suddenly knew she had to do something.
This time she was alone. No Zan. Here, in the playground, no hope of Zan coming to the rescue. She still had to do something.
She wasn’t alone, she reminded herself. Her friends were here. She looked round them and wondered how long they would remain her friends if Ivy beat her now.
‘Are you coming?’ she asked them.
‘Over there?’
‘To help wee dirty Teresa?’
‘Are you coming, or aren’t you?’ Katie repeated. ‘If we stick together, no one can get us. Can’t you see that?’
They weren’t going to come. It was written all over their faces. They were afraid, scared still of the Ivys of this world. She was going to have to go over there herself. A little part of her began to panic. Now she’d said it, she’d have to. Why couldn’t she ever keep her mouth shut? She tried one last time.
‘If we all go over there together, Ivy’s not going tobother anyone again. If she sees we’re going to help all the dirty wee Teresas in the school, who’s left for her
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