Split Second by Sophie McKenzie Read Free Book Online

rang and Jas and I arrived for History, Nat was nowhere to be seen. Jas frowned as she gazed around the room. ‘I hope he’s not bunking
off again,’ she said. ‘He’s spent half the term arriving late and leaving early. Not that he ever gets into real trouble over it. Nat’s good at talking his way out of
things.’
    I raised my eyebrows. Smart and rebellious. I was liking the sound of Nat.
    History was fun. The teacher was one of those people who like to make everything relevant to today, and all chatty and friendly with the class. I was amazed by how disciplined everything was. Of
course there was a bit of backchat and a few students messing around, but the vast majority did their work and everyone paid attention when the teacher insisted on it.
    Rosa wandered over at the end. I hadn’t even noticed she was in the room, having sat down at the front with Jas before class started.
    ‘Where did you get to at break?’ Rosa asked, looking miffed. ‘I waited for you in the canteen, but you didn’t show up.’
    ‘Oh.’ I racked my brains. Had I said I’d meet Rosa there? I was pretty sure I hadn’t. ‘I didn’t realise.’
    Rosa made a face. ‘Really? But
everyone
goes to the canteen at break. You have to eat then because lunch for year 11 is so late.’
    I resisted the temptation to point out that I’d had no way of knowing that.
    ‘I wanted to take a look outside,’ I said. ‘Work out how all the buildings fitted together. Jas from my Maths class showed me.’
    Rosa wrinkled her nose. ‘Jas?’ she said. ‘She’s a bit weird.’
    I bristled. So far, Jas was the only person I’d met at Newbury Park that I’d really liked. ‘Why d’you say that?’ I asked.
    ‘Well she’s totally anorexic for a start. Hardly eats a thing. And she wears odd clothes out of school.
And
she works really hard at everything.’
    I thought about what Jas had told me earlier.
    ‘I don’t think being a little bit skinny, trying to make sure you don’t let your parents down by working hard and having an individual taste in clothes make you weird,’ I
said.
    Rosa pursed her lips, her eyes hardening. ‘Fine,’ she said. ‘Just remember I told you she was odd. And her brother’s really arrogant.’
    ‘You mean her twin brother?’
    ‘Yeah, Nat. He’s in our house.’ As Rosa spoke, a look of hurt flashed across her face. ‘Acts like he’s God’s gift to girls. Just cos he’s good-looking
he thinks he can get away with being rude.’
    ‘Thanks for the tip,’ I said, letting an edge of sarcasm creep into my voice.
    Rosa looked like she wanted to say something else, but thought better of it. We agreed we’d meet up later, then I shoved my timetable away and headed outside to find my Spanish class.
Luckily it was next door.
    I settled myself into a desk at the back. I tried to focus, but my thoughts drifted to Jas’s twin brother. None of the guys in my Spanish set looked particularly attractive to me, but then
Rosa’s idea of ‘good-looking’ might well be completely different to mine. Or perhaps Nat didn’t do Spanish.
    Either way, I was intrigued.
    The lesson itself was hard – far more difficult than I was used to – and I soon forgot about everything else. After Spanish, came PE with the other girls from my year. I didn’t
have any gym kit but Gail had given me some spare things of Rosa’s. I did okay with the handball and running activities. I’ve always been well-coordinated and love that feeling you get
when you run hard and your muscles warm and loosen. I noticed that while Rosa appeared to be enjoying herself too, poor Jas was in agony. Hopelessly uncoordinated, she was the last to be picked by
the team leaders and dropped more balls than she caught.
    She offered me a rueful smile as we headed off to the Science lab. The setting for Science subjects followed the Maths sets which meant, again, no Rosa. It was a relief, to be honest. I’d
just had to deal with her bringing over another