Gracie Faltrain Gets it Right (Finally) by Cath Crowley Read Free Book Online Page A

Today I look out for signs that Annabelle knows Martin dumped me. Any gossip will start with her. ‘Do you think she knows?’ I ask Jane.
    â€˜I think you’d know if she knew. I’d be more worried about your teachers than Annabelle. Did you do all your holiday homework?’
    â€˜They don’t really expect us to do those assignments.’
    â€˜I think they do, Faltrain. That’s why they have those due dates on top of the assignment sheet.’
    â€˜Yeah, but the marks don’t actually count unless it’s an official assessment task.’
    â€˜If only you used your reasoning powers for good instead of evil you’d be topping the class. Did you tell Alyce what happened with Martin?’
    I shake my head. ‘I want her to know but I don’t want to tell the story again.’
    â€˜I’ll find her before school starts. Are you off for a kick before the bell?’
    â€˜I’ve got fifteen minutes by my watch.’
    â€˜See you in the quad at recess, then. Enjoy your last fifteen minutes of freedom.’
    School might be bad. It might be a dangerous ocean. But at least when you’re swimming with your friends, you’re safe.
JANE
    I look around for Alyce but I can’t find her before the bell. I can see why Faltrain doesn’t want to retell the story. She thought Martin coming back meant he wanted to go out with her again; it’s like the audience clapping for an encore so they can throw tomatoes in your face. It’s ugly.
    But then life can be ugly. Mrs Young proves that in History this morning by setting an oral presentation on the first day back. ‘It’s a major assessment. You have four weeks to prepare but you won’t have much class time.’
    â€˜Hey,’ Corelli says. ‘You want to be my partner?’
    â€˜That depends. Do you know anything about the French Revolution?’
    â€˜I know your other choices are Susan and Jason.’
    â€˜Hearing my two choices I feel the need to chop off my own head.’
    â€˜That’s what I thought you’d say, partner.’
    Mrs Young sends us to the library for research. ‘I’ll meet you in the History section,’ I tell Corelli. ‘I have to email Alyce.’
    I scan a message from her asking everyone in the known universe to donate coats for her winter charity collection and then I send her one in reply. I couldn’t catch you before school. Martin dumped Gracie again. That’s three for three. Meet me at my locker at recess. Jane.
    It takes me a minute to realise what I’ve done. I am a dead person. I always knew Faltrain had ‘felon’ written in her stars. I figured it was Annabelle Orion she was destined to kill, though, not me.
    When Corelli walks over I’m holding the computer plug in my hand after pulling it out from the wall. ‘What are you doing?’ he asks.
    â€˜I’m panicking.’
    â€˜The new millennium thing came and went. The clocks ticked over. Nothing happened.’
    â€˜That’s funny.’ I grab him by the collar. ‘This isn’t the time for jokes. I hit “reply all” and sent an email to everyone in the known universe that said Martin dumped Faltrain for a third time.’
    The good thing about Corelli is that he doesn’t feel the need to look cool. I want someone to panic with me today. ‘Pulling the plug from the wall won’t help.’ He grabs it out of my hands and dives under the table. ‘Are you hiding?’ I ask.
    â€˜I’m plugging it back in.’ He crawls out, and boots up the computer. ‘Log on. Maybe it didn’t send.’
    â€˜Yes, Corelli, and maybe there really is a Santa Claus.’ I type in my username and password. He checks in the ‘sent’ folder. ‘It’s gone,’ he says. ‘I have a little money saved. It’s yours if you want to make a run for it.’
    â€˜Thanks. But I’d have to