Give Me Truth by Bill Condon Read Free Book Online Page A

flowers.
    â€˜Thank you.’ She clutches them to her chest as if they’re the only flowers she’s ever been given. Maybe they are. ‘This is a lovely gesture … Lanny.’
    For once he’s not the boy, the lad, he’s not Mr Pringle. I’m amazed that she knows his name.
    â€˜Woohoo!’ cries Megan.
    Lanny struts around like a rock star.
    â€˜Thank you, fans, thank you. Who wants an autograph?’
    â€˜That will do.’ Miss Boyle deposits the flowers on a deskand stands very straight. ‘We have had our entertainment for today. Now I would like you all to try very hard to come to your senses. And as for you, young man’ – being called Lanny didn’t last for long – ‘I appreciate the flowers, but they won’t save you if you’re late again. Do you understand me?’
    â€˜Yes, Miss.’
    â€˜Very well.’
    Miss Boyle takes him by the shoulders and positions him in front of me. ‘Your job,’ she says to him, ‘is to react to what is said to you by Cyrano.’ Now she faces me. ‘And your job, Cyrano, is to give this unfortunate creature hell.’
    She claps her hands once more and off I go.
    â€˜It’s time you learnt, you pug-nosed, flat-headed, plate-faced scoundrel – ’
    â€˜What did I do?’ Lanny interjects, earning scorn from Miss Boyle and laughs from the rest of us.
    I enjoy calling him names – ‘You puerile wreck!’ – but then I come to the hard part at the end of the speech, when I have to hit him. I look at Miss Boyle, pleading with her to let me off.
    â€˜You won’t break any bones, girl. Slap him.’
    I tap him lightly on the cheek.
    Miss Boyle is close to having a convulsion.
    â€˜No! No! No! The audience will never believe that,Caitlin. Forget your feelings. It’s your duty as an actor to whack him one. Do it!’
    â€˜Go on, Caitlin!’ urge my fellow actors – the rats. David’s voice is in there, too. Lanny looks anxious. For good reason.
    I whack him one.
    â€˜Geez,’ he says, wincing. ‘That’s the last time I bring anyone flowers.’

Paul Myers didn’t matter. Each of us had long ago decided we came from different planets. But Lanny was another story. It’s been me and him against the world ever since I can remember.
    I see him under the school tree, trying desperately to do his maths homework in the five minutes before class. Same as always. This time I don’t offer to help.
    â€˜Hope I gave you a real good laugh.’ I snarl it without stopping or looking at him.
    â€˜Aw, don’t be like that, Dave. You know we were only muckin’ around.’
    I don’t slow down.
    â€˜You would have done exactly the same to me.’
    I march back to him. ‘No, I wouldn’t. You know why?Because you’re supposed to be my friend. Friends don’t do that.’
    I take off again before he can return fire. Not that there is anything he could say in his defence.
    I don’t need friends.
    Â 
    In class, Lanny sits behind me. He whispers my name but I ignore him.
    â€˜What’s up with you, Dave? You can at least talk to me, can’t you?’
    I stare at Grogan’s back as he scribbles on the board. He drones on but his back is all that I can think about. If I concentrate, I can put Dad into Grogan’s white shirt. It’s not too much of a stretch. But it wouldn’t be maths Dad was teaching. He’d spin around and spread out his arms – ‘This is our potential!’ he’d say.
    Then he’d bring two fingers close together – ‘And this is how much of it we use!’ Dad is president of the public speaking club. Hear him talk and you think you’re invincible. ‘Set your goals high! Aim for the stars!’ And you know he is.
    â€˜Dave.’
    Lanny’s foot connects with the back of my chair.