The Piano Year

Alarming

So now I don’t know what to do...do I tell Rhea that I like Josh and she should stay away from him? It’s just awkward... Ivy’s plan sounded stupid, didn’t it? But it’s sort of like what mine is...

Wednesday 5th February

Have you ever done something totally outrageous – what? Define “outrageous”...

4pm: I was feeling pretty anxious about Joshua earlier – what if he really did like Andrea? Then what would I do? Imagine seeing them kissing and walking around hand in hand. So I decided I would have to confess to Rhea. It was scary. But I kept telling myself, ‘it’s OK – she probably already knows...’

“I, umm, sort of actually like Josh...” I said quietly. She stared at me as if she had to check the expression on my face and burst out laughing.

“Jade! You think I hadn’t guessed? The way you look at him... Well, I’d thought you’d been acting well or something but I did wonder. Well, don’t you want to just ask him out quickly? I mean, he’ll do anything for you!” she grinned.

“Yeah, but only because he wants to laugh in my face afterwards...” I sighed. “I don’t know what to do...”

“Fall for somebody else? What about Fabien? He’s kinda cute...and he’s Josh’s best friend so he’d be mega jealous!” Andrea laughed.

“Fabien?” I scoffed. “No way! And, anyway, he fancies you!” I froze. I’d said too much. This is what happens when people tell me their secrets...

“He does?” Rhea gasped. Her cheeks turned pink and a small smile crept across her face.

“Yeah. He wanted me to set you two up coz...” I paused and decided not to admit that I’d only befriended her for that reason. “Coz...we’re such good friends!”

“Oh right! Did you agree?” Rhea giggled.

I didn’t know what to say. Suddenly I spotted Josh in the background and knew this was my chance to solve two problems at once. Well, delay one and possibly make another worse... But at the time it was the best thing I could think of.

“JOSH!” I yelled and rushed over to him. He spun around and I noticed he had tears in his eyes. “Josh...Are you OK?”

He nodded and walked quickly away. Luckily, I am good at walking fast so I caught up with him. I grabbed his arm and I turned him to face me.

“You’re not...” I said. “Do you want to talk about this?”

“Not with you,” he muttered. I sighed but decided not to give up. I leant forward and planted a kiss on his lips – a fleeting kiss but it was a kiss all the same. I watched as the colour rose to his cheeks.

“Sure?” I asked him, fluttering my eyelashes.

“Yeah,” he said and walked off quickly. Rhea was catching up with me. She was literally legging it down the corridor and Josh was almost out of my sight. I suddenly knew what I had to do...

Without a second thought, I hit the fire bell button and the bell was ringing loudly throughout the school. I noticed a security camera up in the top corner of the corridor – I’d been caught. But I had no time to think about it... Students came flooding out of the classrooms and blocked Rhea’s route towards me and I raced after Josh. I spotted him plodding slowly outside and pulled him into the music room and pulled the keyboard in front of the door.

“What the hell are you doing Jade?” he yelled.

“You need to talk, don’t you?” I smirked.