Complicated

chapter five

I was still ill, but I had to go to school because I had an exam. A stupid science exam, which I hadn’t been able to revise for because I’d been so unwell. So I was going to fail this exam. But Mum still made me come to school. At least I could do a retake afterwards.

      It was Friday, so we had extended tutor time. Which was horridly boring. Beside me, Katy babbled on about what had been happening at school while I wasn’t there. All I could think of was how tired I was . . . I hadn’t slept for days . . .

      “Ruby’s finally going out with Theo and . . . Jenni? Jenni, are you listening?” Katy shook me. I spluttered in consciousness, then immediately exploded into a hefty stomach cough. Katy patted me firmly on the back.

      “Sorry,” I wheezed. “I haven’t been sleeping that much . . . ‘cause of the cough . . . and the sore throat . . . and the temperature . . .”

      Even as I was speaking I was beginning to drift off . . . I was just so terribly tired . . .

      “Jenni!” Katy shook me again, this time more violently. “Jenni, are you sure you’re gonna survive the entire day at school without falling asleep? What about your exam?”

      I yawned widely. “I told Mum I won’t pass this exam. There’s no point in me being here. No point at all.”

      Katy sighed and gave up talking to me, instead turning back to the half decorated page in her journal. It wasn’t my fault – even if I relaxed for just a second I quite literally fell asleep. Nearly quarter pf an hour later, the bell went, marking the end of extended tutor time. And the start of the rest of the day . . . which seemed so long . . . and home time seemed so far away . . . why couldn’t I just sleep . . .

      “Jenni! Honestly, you really need to wake up!” Katy pinched me this time, sharp and painful on my shoulder.

      “Ouch, Katy!”

      “Well I had to wake you up somehow!” she retaliated. “Now, hurry up and get to your exam!”

      I was practically sprinting through the corridors; I was late. I was meant to leave tutor time ten minutes early, but I’d totally forgotten about it. Luckily, as I neared the exam hall, it looked like almost everyone had forgotten to leave tutor time ten minutes early. They was a huge crowd of lip-biting, hand shaking, pale faced year nine and ten students, all clutching clear bags packed with pens, calculators, rulers, pencils and rubbers. I dodged my way through the crowd to a group of people I vaguely knew, and babbled on about nerves and revision and how I felt totally and completely sick, but then that was because I really was ill. I spied Theo, Ruby’s new boyfriend, in the crowd, and waved to him. He gave me a suspicious look.

      “Row A,” the examiner at the door finally called. I crossed my fingers, grasping my clear pencil case, and turned to stride up the slope and into the exam hall.

I stepped out of the door in a daze, where the original crowd of year nines and tens were now speaking in loud voices, making up for all the silence in the hall. Smiling and breathing deeply, I started off towards my next lesson, even though it was break time. I was the only person walking away; everyone else was still staying in the safety of the crowd, happily gossiping and talking through the entire exam like a commentary.

      As I passed the changing rooms, I nearly stopped.

      Hidden behind the wall of the changing rooms was Theo, his arms wrapped closely around the body of a girl with thick black hair. They were kissing. As I watched, the girl pulled away and hugged him tightly, and I saw her face. She had dark scarlet eyes and a small, pointed nose like a witch’s.