Centre Stage: A Novel

me.
    ‘I’ve got to talk to you about Harriet —’ I broke off. It was too late. Harriet was coming out of the toilets.
    ‘Hi, Harriet!’ Ally exclaimed. ‘Shall we go and get the bus?’
    ‘I’m not getting the bus today. I’ve got a dentist appointment and Dad’s collecting me by the school gates,’ Harriet replied. Her voice was flat but Ally didn’t seem to notice. What a surprise. She was probably still thinking about the party.
    ‘Come on, then, we’ll walk with you to the gates,’ Ally said. We started heading out of school. ‘So I bet you can’t wait until the quiz competition?’
    Harriet shrugged.
    Ally looked surprised. ‘Are you OK?’
    Harriet nodded. Ally smiled at her. ‘Best of all it means you’ll get to see even more of Ben.’
    ‘No, I won’t,’ Harriet said flatly.
    I looked at her. ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘I thought you said he was going to be captain,’ Ally said.
    ‘He is,’ Harriet muttered.
    ‘So, that means you’ll see lots of him,’ Ally said slowly as if Harriet was mad.
    ‘No, I won’t!’ The words burst out of Harriet. ‘Because I’m not going to be on the team.’ She stared at us defiantly. ‘I’ve decided I’m going to turn down my place.’

Chapter Fourteen
    Ally and I stared at Harriet.
    ‘What?’ I gasped.
    ‘But why?’ Ally spluttered at almost the exact same time. ‘You’ve been talking about getting on the team all term.’
    ‘Well, I’ve changed my mind,’ Harriet said.
    ‘Is it because of Kelly and the others?’ I asked quickly.
    Harriet didn’t answer.
    ‘Harriet!’ I exclaimed. ‘You can’t turn the quiz team down just because of some stupid comments.’
    ‘What’s Kelly been saying?’ Ally demanded.
    ‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ Harriet said sharply.
    ‘This is stupid, Harriet,’ I protested. ‘You can’t be serious.’
    ‘I can and I am,’ she said. ‘Anyway it’s not up to you, Sophie. It’s my decision.’
    ‘But…’
    ‘I said it’s my decision!’ she exclaimed, her voice rising. A look of relief suddenly crossed her face. ‘There’s my dad.’
    She half ran to the car, leaving Ally and I staring after her.
    ‘Has she gone mad?’ Ally exclaimed. ‘What’s up with her?’
    Confusion and unhappiness surged through me and erupted in a flash of anger. ‘Like you care!’
    Ally stared at me. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
    ‘I keep trying to talk to you about Harriet!’ I exclaimed. ‘I’ve been trying to tell you about her being bullied — but you’re always too busy to listen. All you want to do is talk about Nathan or Eve. Sometimes I don’t know if you even want to be friends with Harriet and me any more!’
    Ally looked at me, open-mouthed. ‘What? You think I don’t want to be friends with you?’
    ‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘Do you?’
    Ally’s eyes flashed angrily. ‘If you even have to ask that question, Sophie, then I don’t know if I do.’
    ‘Fine!’ I snapped. ‘Then go off with your other friends. See if I care.’
    ‘Right,’ said Ally furiously. ‘I will!’ And she stormed off up the path to the bus stop.
    My anger faded almost the second she marched away. What had I done? I hadn’t meant to argue with her. I’d just been feeling upset and confused about Harriet. I started to run after her. ‘Ally!’ I called but she ignored me.
    I hesitated and then slowed down. When Ally was in a mood she was really in a mood and it was best to let her calm down in her own time. I trudged slowly to the bus stop feeling miserable. I hated arguing with her — and what about Harriet? Was she really going to turn the quiz team down? My head swirled. She couldn’t; she’d wanted to get into the team so much and she’d been so happy. She couldn’t turn it down just because of Kelly and the others.
    When I reached the bus stop Ally turned her back on me, and when the bus arrived she pointedly sat down beside someone else.
    I sighed and sat down near the front. I would deal with Ally another time. Right now, my thoughts were with Harriet.
    By the time we reached Ashton I had decided that I would go round and see Harriet. I waited until I thought she would be back from the dentist and then headed over to her house.
    ‘Hi, Sophie,’ Mr Chase said, opening the door in an old T-shirt and jeans. ‘Come to see Harriet?’
    I nodded.
    ‘Harriet,’ Mr Chase called. ‘Sophie’s here!’ He turned back to me. ‘She’s in her bedroom. Why don’t you go