It made the morning pass more quickly, and she was looking forward to playing tennis during the lunch break.
Maddy had often walked down to the tennis club with Jennifer to watch everyone playing. Maddy liked playing sports. She played net ball all the time. She was dying to have a go at tennis. It looked like fun. Jennifer had explained to her how it was played and scored.
The lesson was over at last. It was time for morning recess. As soon as she walked out, Maddy knew immediately that Bronwin had managed to let the entire school know that she had cheated Mr. Brown at draughts!
She stared through everyone and kept walking briskly, pretending to be going somewhere. She only had to keep walking for fifteen minutes, and the dreadful morning break would be over.
âDid you?â Rowena asked as she caught up with her.
âReally cheat Mr. Brown?â Katrina caught up with both of them. âOur goody-goody Bronwin couldnât wait to tell us all about it.â
âYes, and so what?â Maddy snapped.
âWish I had been game enough to do it,â Katrina said wistfully.
The anger and resentment inside Maddy evaporated. Gratitude and warmth spread through her. At least Katrina wasnât going to look through her with the cold contempt that was so hurtful.
âIt was a pretty dreadful thing to do, though,â Maddy admitted. Because she didnât feel so resentful and angry anymore, she realized that she was sorry about cheating. âI just lost my temper because he was such a sneaky player.â
âEvery single one of us has been tempted to cheat when playing with Mr. Brown,â Rowena said. âHe is so insufferable when he wins all the time.â
âYouâre the only person in the school who keeps on playing draughts with him,â Katrina said. âNo one else bothers. I reckon you deserve a medal for putting up with him for so long.â
âBut not for cheating,â Rowena warned.
Maddy felt happier. It was wonderful that Katrina and Rowena were still her friends after knowing the worst.
âFace it,â Katrina said. âWeâve all been tempted after playing with the unbeatable champion of The Walkley Elderly Citizens Retirement Home.â
âThat is not funny.â Maddy tried not to laugh. âI had to handwrite this groveling letter of apology. It just made me sick.â
This set Rowena and Katrina off. They laughed so much they started to stagger. Somehow it was a nice sort of laughing at Maddy and not a bit nasty. When the morning break was over, Maddy went back into the classroom feeling a lot better.
It had been stupid to cheat Mr. Brown at their game, but that was all it was, just something stupid she had done. She was sorry she had done it and would never be so stupid ever again.
At lunchtime, she met up with Katrina and Rowena again, and they grabbed their racquets from the lockers. She didnât know if it was her imagination, but everyone seemed friendlier and less aloof.
Only Selina looked through her as if she didnât exist. Maddy shrugged, but she felt hurt. Selina was supposed to be her special friend, after all. She had no right to be so nasty because she had been irritable and snubbed Linda just once.
âWeâll finish lunch fast,â Rowena warned. âAnd be first over at the courts and check which court weâve got and who weâre playing.â
Maddyâs lunch was dainty white salad and tuna sandwiches, a piece of homemade fruit cake, and an apple. She bolted it down without even noticing how nice it was. Although they were early, they still had to push their way through the crowd to reach the notice board. Everyone else had the same idea of arriving early.
âBother!â Rowena groaned. âIâve got to go to the third court and practise my backhand with all the other duds.â
âWeâre listed as down in doubles with Bronwin and Linda,â Katrina said
Maddy had often walked down to the tennis club with Jennifer to watch everyone playing. Maddy liked playing sports. She played net ball all the time. She was dying to have a go at tennis. It looked like fun. Jennifer had explained to her how it was played and scored.
The lesson was over at last. It was time for morning recess. As soon as she walked out, Maddy knew immediately that Bronwin had managed to let the entire school know that she had cheated Mr. Brown at draughts!
She stared through everyone and kept walking briskly, pretending to be going somewhere. She only had to keep walking for fifteen minutes, and the dreadful morning break would be over.
âDid you?â Rowena asked as she caught up with her.
âReally cheat Mr. Brown?â Katrina caught up with both of them. âOur goody-goody Bronwin couldnât wait to tell us all about it.â
âYes, and so what?â Maddy snapped.
âWish I had been game enough to do it,â Katrina said wistfully.
The anger and resentment inside Maddy evaporated. Gratitude and warmth spread through her. At least Katrina wasnât going to look through her with the cold contempt that was so hurtful.
âIt was a pretty dreadful thing to do, though,â Maddy admitted. Because she didnât feel so resentful and angry anymore, she realized that she was sorry about cheating. âI just lost my temper because he was such a sneaky player.â
âEvery single one of us has been tempted to cheat when playing with Mr. Brown,â Rowena said. âHe is so insufferable when he wins all the time.â
âYouâre the only person in the school who keeps on playing draughts with him,â Katrina said. âNo one else bothers. I reckon you deserve a medal for putting up with him for so long.â
âBut not for cheating,â Rowena warned.
Maddy felt happier. It was wonderful that Katrina and Rowena were still her friends after knowing the worst.
âFace it,â Katrina said. âWeâve all been tempted after playing with the unbeatable champion of The Walkley Elderly Citizens Retirement Home.â
âThat is not funny.â Maddy tried not to laugh. âI had to handwrite this groveling letter of apology. It just made me sick.â
This set Rowena and Katrina off. They laughed so much they started to stagger. Somehow it was a nice sort of laughing at Maddy and not a bit nasty. When the morning break was over, Maddy went back into the classroom feeling a lot better.
It had been stupid to cheat Mr. Brown at their game, but that was all it was, just something stupid she had done. She was sorry she had done it and would never be so stupid ever again.
At lunchtime, she met up with Katrina and Rowena again, and they grabbed their racquets from the lockers. She didnât know if it was her imagination, but everyone seemed friendlier and less aloof.
Only Selina looked through her as if she didnât exist. Maddy shrugged, but she felt hurt. Selina was supposed to be her special friend, after all. She had no right to be so nasty because she had been irritable and snubbed Linda just once.
âWeâll finish lunch fast,â Rowena warned. âAnd be first over at the courts and check which court weâve got and who weâre playing.â
Maddyâs lunch was dainty white salad and tuna sandwiches, a piece of homemade fruit cake, and an apple. She bolted it down without even noticing how nice it was. Although they were early, they still had to push their way through the crowd to reach the notice board. Everyone else had the same idea of arriving early.
âBother!â Rowena groaned. âIâve got to go to the third court and practise my backhand with all the other duds.â
âWeâre listed as down in doubles with Bronwin and Linda,â Katrina said
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