No Rules by R. A. Spratt Read Free Book Online

high-calorie food to cheer themselves up, specifically chocolate.’
    â€˜Are you usually this challenging of authority?’ asked VP Pete, rapidly resembling a hippie less and less.
    â€˜Yes, she is usually rude,’ said Melanie, ‘but she doesn’t mean to be. She’s just stating facts. She doesn’t realise that the truth is often socially unpalatable.’
    â€˜Well, you’re wrong on the last point,’ said VP Pete. ‘I never eat chocolate. Dairy doesn’t agree with me.’
    â€˜Ah, too much cake and biscuits, then,’ said Friday. She’d clearly guessed right this time, because VP Pete blushed red with anger.
    Another man bustled out of the office, and as he hurried around VP Pete he bumped straight into Friday, knocking her over.
    â€˜What are you doing there?’ asked the man. He was the same height and colouring as VP Pete, but he was much thinner. He seemed very angry.
    â€˜I was just standing,’ said Friday, picking herself up from the ground.
    â€˜Hello, Mr Abercrombie,’ said Melanie. ‘Friday, this is Lizzie and Max Abercrombie’s dad. He’s the president of the school council.’
    â€˜So you’re Friday Barnes?’ snapped Mr Abercrombie. ‘Well, you’re exactly what’s wrong withthis school. You’re not going to get away with your behaviour any longer.’
    â€˜What behaviour?’ asked Friday. ‘My intelligence? My helpfulness?’
    â€˜Don’t try to play your clever word games with me,’ said Mr Abercrombie. ‘I’m keeping a close eye over what happens at this school from now on. I’ll be watching you. We’ve finally got rid of that Wainscott menace –’
    â€˜Ian?’ asked Friday. ‘I wouldn’t have thought a man in your position would even know about him.’
    â€˜Oh, I know about that boy,’ said Mr Abercrombie. ‘His father was a member of the school council. It was only after he went to jail that we realised he’d defrauded us of $50,000 by claiming he would arrange to have the gym repainted, when really all he did was clean it with a high-pressure hose.’
    â€˜And you didn’t notice right away?’ asked Friday. ‘Wasn’t the lack of fresh paint a clue?’
    â€˜That’s not the point!’ said Mr Abercrombie. ‘The point is the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. We’re better off without his kind. We’ll be getting rid of a few more bad apples before this situation is sorted out. You mark my words.’
    â€˜I have no need to mark your words,’ said Friday. ‘I am perfectly capable of remembering them. Irrational tirades always stick in my mind.’
    â€˜I’m watching you,’ Mr Abercrombie said menacingly before he stormed off. VP Pete went with him.
    â€˜He was really angry,’ said Friday.
    â€˜He’s probably still cross about having his signature forged on those termination letters,’ said Melanie.
    â€˜Barnes, is that you and Pelly out there?’ called the Headmaster.
    â€˜Yes, sir,’ said Friday. ‘Mr Poshoglian got exasperated with us and sent us to talk to you.’
    â€˜Did he?’ said the Headmaster. ‘He always was the vindictive type. Would you come in then? I can’t wait round all day while you chit-chat.’
    â€˜Yes, sir,’ said Friday, heading into the office.
    â€˜The door, Miss Pelly,’ said the Headmaster.
    Melanie closed the door behind her.
    â€˜So you met the president of the school council?’ asked the Headmaster.
    â€˜Yes, he seemed to have a lot of anger issues,’ observed Friday.
    â€˜Do-gooders always do,’ said the Headmaster. ‘Highcrest Academy isn’t the only institution hegraces with his organisational zeal. He’s chairman or treasurer of half a dozen charities and boards.’
    â€˜And we met VP Pete,’ said