Read Online Take My Word for It by John Marsden - Free Book Online

prayed that she wouldn’t ask for it yet. But sure enough, it was, ‘Go for it girls, long and strong remember, this is what we’ve trained for.’ And somehow, from somewhere some energy came. ‘Pain for gain girls.’ MLC were beside us and St Margaret’s across the course. Muirfield were coming again. The MLC number two, I’d never met her but I knew her so well. The pain in their faces, must have been like ours. The boat so smooth but where was the finish line? God let it be soon. Tash was full on: ‘Hard, damn hard. Hard back with those arms. Wind it up. Nearly there, fifty metres, crank it up. Go! Go! Go!’ MLC slipping back slightly, and Muirfield half a length behind I was sure they couldn’t catch us now, but St Margaret’s, why hadn’t anyone warned us about them? ‘HUGE effort girls, HUGE,’ Tash begged us. We gave it. The bell took me by surprise! I looked across the river and couldn’t tell, then I looked at Tash’s face, and I could tell straight away. WOW! You mean it? You’re sure? Oh! We’ve done it!
    Yes, I want to record officially here that Tash, Skye, Stevie, Annabel and I are the Champion Schoolgirl Thirds for this year. It was fantastic, just fantastic. And the Firsts won too—good on them. That means they stayed undefeated for the season. They get to go to the Nationals in two weeks, so there go their holidays. I just wish they had Nationals for Thirds crews. We could have beaten anyone yesterday. I’m so happy about it, especially as it proves that my getting put up didn’t do any harm to the crew. The Seconds came second and the Fourths came fourth, so really we should have come third.
    M AY 1
    Tomorrow’s the last day of Term 1, thank God. I didn’t think it’d ever finish. We haven’t got much Prep and we’re allowed upstairs to pack soon, which is always a good slack. There was meant to be a Debate against St Paul’s tonight but they cancelled.
    Dr Thornley grabbed me this afternoon and told me she wants me to be Captain of the Year 9A Basketball team next term, which is fine, except that we’ve got a match the first Saturday back! With no training or anything! It’s going to be a massive embarrassment but we’re in a town comp and they don’t take a lot of notice of our term dates. Dr Thornley’s arranged for us to have a first round bye, and a second round postponement, because we’ll be on holidays. So our first match will be the other team’s third—not a good situation. Everything just seems a huge anti-climax after Saturday. How can I think about Basketball? I can still feel that boat, so light on the water.
    M AY 4
    I’m glad I brought my Journal with me. I thought it’d be something to do. I knew I’d be bored, but not this bored. If things keep up I’ll be watching ‘Those Around Us’. I went for a run yesterday, and even further today, right up to Bowman’s Hill, then came back, rang Kizzy, rang Chloe, and started getting tea ready. I wanted to make a really good meal for Dad—I was going to do it last night, but he took me out to Mango’s Restaurant, to celebrate end of term and the rowing. He brought along his ‘friend’, Lynette, who was OK. She was trying hard, got to give her credit. She’s good-looking enough, but I don’t think she’s too smart. She’s a lot younger than him. Actually she looked about Chloe’s age. She works as a PR consultant for Troy and Foreshaw: pretty glamorous job.
    I hope this meal works out. I kept sampling everything while I was doing it, and it seems OK. I’ve made avocado and zucchini soup, then chicken wings in honey to follow, then chocolate and rum mousse. I’m full already from all the testing.
    M AY 5
    It’s a year today since I thought I was going to solve all my problems right here in this bedroom. It seems so unreal now. I’ve