“Not as easy as bunches.” William replied. “Mum got sick of doing them for me so showed me how to do it myself.” he said.
On the way home in the minibus, Andrew moaned about how boring the dance class is but William surprised his friend by admitting that he enjoyed it; especially the ‘freestyle’ dancing at the end. “Yeah but it’s the boring ballet stuff I hate.” Andrew replied.
William said it felt silly at first but after a while he ‘got into it’. “You won’t tell anyone will you?”
“What… that you enjoy ballet?” Andrew snorted.
“Well we have to do it… may as well try to enjoy it.” William retorted.
“We’re only here for one more week remember.” Andrew said. “All I’m doing is keeping my head down, doing as I’m told so I can get back to normality sooner rather than later.”
“Yeah I know.” William agreed.
Andrew was dropped off outside his home and trotted up the path toward his front door. It opened as the minibus departed. “Oh!” his mother said. “You’ve got plaits.”
“Er yeah… Wendy did them.” Andrew replied. “I mean… William.” he corrected. “I hope I don’t make that mistake when we go back to Cromwell Road.” His mother grinned and asked if they always use each other’s girl names. “Only at school.” Andrew replied. “Can I keep them in for a bit?” he asked.
“Course… they look nice.” she said.
After completing his homework, Andrew asked if he could change and his mother said he could. “I’ve put something out for you.” she added as he headed to his room. On his bed lay a beige drop waist pinafore dress, a mustard yellow blouse with long pointed collars and bishop style sleeves, and a pair of mustard yellow tights. He sighed at the ensemble and mumbled “one more week” before donning it.
Meanwhile, William is packing up his homework and his mother tells him to change out of his school uniform. “In a bit.” William replied. “Can I watch some telly first?”
“If you want.” his mother replied, before telling him to make sure he’s changed before supper time. William caught the last few minutes of Blue Peter, followed by Newsround, Inch High Private Eye and The Wombles… then he changed out of his school uniform and into his own clothes. He spared a thought for his friend Andrew and wondered what he’d be wearing this evening. He opened his wardrobe and hung his school pinafore and blouse away, putting it next the the ‘Sunday’ dress he’d worn yesterday. He cast his mind back to last Monday when he and Andrew skipped school and ended up in Mrs Arkwright’s garden, knocking down the old gazebo, sweeping leaves and clearing the debris from her stagnant pond. Neither had any idea that she was in fact a truant officer, not did they have any idea of the consequences. Compared to Andrew, William’s got it easy and he can’t help but feel more than a little guilty.
When William boarded the minibus on Tuesday morning, he was in for a huge surprise since there, sat next to Andrew is Ronald Hunter… a notorious thug from Cromwell Road and said to be the hardest boy in the year. “Well well well… William Dowson.” Ronald said. “Don’t you look nice.”
“Quiet Ronald.” the teacher who drove the minibus said. “Ignore him Wendy.” she added as William sheepishly found a vacant seat.
Ronald sniggered. “Just wait ’til I tell the guys about this!” he blurted. Andrew frowned.
It was tense and silent journey to school. A group of five prefects and two teachers awaited the minibus and surrounded Ronald as he alighted, before escorting him inside. The next time he was seen was during morning break. Ronald’s head hung low. The cocky bravado he display in the minibus is nowhere to bee seen. Wearing the St Felicity’s uniform, Ronald is sent to join the skipping group where the prefects introduce him as Veronica. William asked how he’d ended up at St Flick’s and Ronald said he’d attacked one of the teachers who’d intervened in a fight that had broken out. “How long you here for?” William asked.
“As little time as possible.” Ronald growled. “This place is full of faggots!” he spat.
“Language Veronica!” Anne, his chaperone snapped. “Additional days are easy to earn and you’re going the right way about getting them.”
“My name’s NOT Veronica!” Ronald barked. “It’s Ronnie!”
“Well is says Veronica on your handbag, and it’s Veronica in the register… so for as long as you’re here, your name’s Veronica.” Anne stated. “Isn’t that right Wendy?”
William gulped and said “Yes.”