The Trouble with Sauce by Bruno Bouchet Read Free Book Online Page A

pushed by Henry the Octopus. He had thrown them off the computers. Prune had been‘wasting’ valuable study time by reading a website about unicorn sightings. Nathaniel had been trying to read an article on advanced kinematics.
    ‘Get off and give the computer to someone who can do something intelligent with it!’ Henry sneered.
    Jonty ran up, determined to teach Henry a lesson. All his frustration at being alone, shunned and bored boiled over. He was bursting to land a punch on Henry. Bounding up the steps, he flew at Henry, hoping to flatten him.
    Henry simply stepped back into the library and swung the doors shut again. Jonty crashed into the glass and dropped to the ground. Through the doors, Henry looked down at him shaking his head. And there was Boris next to Henry with a smirk on his face.
    ‘That was smart,’ said Nathaniel sarcastically. He put his hand out to help Jonty up. Jonty thought about pulling him down. Nathaniel was so small, it wouldn’t take much. But he didn’t: he was grateful that anyone was speaking to him.
    ‘This school has gone completely crazy,’ he said to Nathaniel and Prune.
    ‘Of course, children wanting to learn would be a strange concept to you,’ Nathaniel said.
    ‘But they’re all ignoring me. It’s like I don’t exist!’
    ‘Welcome to my world,’ Prune said. ‘The whole school’s been ignoring me or teasing me since we started here. This —’ She put her hands out and turned around. ‘This is better, because it’s only ignoring. No names, no tricks …’
    ‘No imaginary study groups,’ Nathaniel added.
    ‘We’ve got to do something!’ Jonty said. ‘It isn’t right.’
    ‘And what do you propose?’ Nathaniel waited for an answer.
    Jonty thought, while Nathaniel stood there with his eyes wide open. ‘I can’t think of anything,’ he admitted.
    Prune pulled her hair away from her face and looked hard at him. She felt a bit sorry for Jonty, but not too much.
    ‘Come on, Prune. It’s time for English. And further educational humiliation,’ Nathaniel said.
    Jonty watched them go. There was no point in his going to English. He probably wouldn’t understand anything and he had more important things to think about. He had to come up with something to do. Croxall thought he was thick, Boris called him a mouse and Nathaniel reckoned he would never think of anything to do about the school. Jonty would prove them all wrong.
    *  *  *  
    English was even worse than Nathaniel expected. Everyone had completed homework on
The role of women in Shakespeare’s middle comedies.
    ‘Excellent work, everyone,’ announced Ms Brown. She sat on the front edge of her desk and beamed. She didn’t have to worry about where she sat now. There were no more drawing pins.
    She handed back their homework. ‘Boris — fascinating insights on Rosalind in
As You Like It —
98 per cent. Anastasia — I liked your feminist approach. 97 per cent. Miranda — you took an unusual angle and it paid off. 88 per cent.’
    ‘What?’ Miranda looked up sharply. ‘What was wrong with it?’
    ‘Nothing,’ said Ms Brown. ‘It was excellent!’
    ‘So why did I only get 88 per cent?’ With a look of fury, Miranda leapt to her feet.
    ‘I need at least 90. Tell me what was wrong with it!’ she demanded.
    Ms Brown swallowed.
    ‘Miranda, sit down,’ Boris said calmly.
    She didn’t move. ‘She thinks she’s smart, but what does
she
know?’ she growled.
    Anastasia joined in. ‘Sit down, Miranda!’
    ‘But —’
    ‘Ms Brown’s giving out the marks as she sees fit,’ Boris said firmly. ‘We are here to learn; not to question results.’
    ‘Here to learn,’ Mike added. But Miranda didn’t move. Clenching her teeth, she stared straight ahead.
    ‘Ms Brown, I think Miranda might need to see the principal,’ Boris suggested.
    ‘Mmm, right — yes, okay,’ Ms Brown said. ‘Whatever you think.’
    ‘I’ll take her.’ Anastasia stood up, grabbed Miranda’s arm and led