Read Online Wicked! by Jilly Cooper - Free Book Online Page B

boffin.’
    They were interrupted by screams and yells; next minute, Kylie rushed in in high excitement. ‘Quickly, miss. Feral and Monster are killing each other in classroom G.’
    Not yet wired up, with no thought of summoning back-up or enlisting help from other staff, Janna hurtled down the corridor.
    ‘Christ, she’s fast,’ gasped Pearl as she and Kylie Rose panted after her.
    Half Year Nine E was standing on desks, cheering on the protagonists; occasionally they got so heated, they started punching each other. Graffi was grinning broadly and offering two to one on Feral winning. Paris lounged against the wall pretending to be reading David Copperfield , but watching and waiting to jump to Feral’s aid.
    Young Lydia, suffering a baptism of fire in her first lesson, cringed in a corner, a book called Dealing with Disruptive Students in the Classroom sticking out of her pocket.
    Janna promptly pummelled and shoved the audience out of the classroom, but they rushed round outside and continued to peer in through the window, applauding and egging on their heroes.
    ‘C’mon, Feral.’
    ‘C’mon, Monster.’
    Monster was as huge as a sea lion; Feral, lithe as a panther, prowled round, taunting him, hitting Monster in the eye, which started bleeding, then skipping out of the way as Monster tried to punch him in the stomach. Now they were locked, throwing blows, Feral wincing as he was crushed by Monster’s brute strength. Noticing Feral’s hand stealing down his jeans, followed by a flash of silver, Janna dived between them.
    ‘Stop it,’ she screamed over escalating shrieks and yells. Next moment Feral’s knife was thrust in her face, halting within an inch of her nose.
    ‘Pack it in, Feral,’ repeated Janna, ‘and you too, Monster.’
    Chivalry was not in Feral’s code, but he admired guts. The rest of the class crept back in through window or door.
    ‘You have a very sexy mouth, Feral,’ observed Janna. ‘If occasionally you raised it at both corners, and showed your beautiful teeth in a smile rather than an animal snarl, you could look very attractive. And please give me that knife.’
    Feral put down his knife and started to laugh, so everyone else did too.
    ‘She’s OK,’ muttered Pearl.
    ‘I said she was nice,’ said Kylie.
    ‘You’re wasted on Larks, miss,’ observed Graffi, ‘you should be refereeing Man U or Arsenal.’
    Janna turned to a quivering, ashen Lydia. ‘All right, love?’
    ‘F-f-fine.’ Then, with hero-worship in her eyes: ‘You’re the bravest person I’ve ever met.’
    Phil Pierce and Mike Pitts, who were waiting in the passage, were not of the same opinion.
    ‘You stupid fool,’ said Phil. ‘You could have been killed. Why in hell didn’t you call for back-up?’
    ‘I forgot my radio mike,’ said Janna, jolted by his rage.
    ‘Well, for God’s sake, don’t forget it again. This school is not the place for suicide missions.’
    Back in her office, Janna was greeted by a smug Rowan.
    ‘I’ve been trying and trying to page you. Both the Bishop of Larkminster and Mrs Kamani from the corner shop have been on the phone complaining about the Wolf Pack playing football and shoplifting. Evidently Pearl raised her skirt and distracted Mrs Kamani’s young son while the boys helped themselves. Next time she’s going to press charges.’
    It was after six-thirty. People had been banging on Janna’s door all day, wanting a piece of her or to give her a piece of their minds. News of her breaking up a fight had whizzed round the building, opinion dividing sharply as to whether she had been incredibly brave or glory-mongering.
    Crispin Thomas, ringing from S and C Services, no doubt tipped off by Mike Pitts or Cara, was in the latter camp.
    ‘Feral could have been up on a murder charge and the school brought into disrepute because of your thoughtless irresponsibility,’ he snuffled in his asthmatic, pig-like voice. ‘And what’s this about singing football songs in