The It Girl: Team Awkward. Katy Birchall

      What’s wrong with you?

       Nothing‘s wrong with me. I‘m concentrating, Jess.

      No one concentrates this hard while Miss Brockley writes on the board in a language no one on the planet understands.

       Yes they do. She‘s writing important words that we need to know for our end of term exams. And some people on the planet do understand French.

      Some people like who?

       Well, I‘m going to take a long shot and say that French people probably understand French.

      Can you please tell me what’s wrong with you, so that we can hurry up and get to the bit where I tell you you’re ridiculous and then you realise that it’s actually fine? Are you worried about sports day? I told you I’d explain the whole Puffin thing to you. You don’t need to worry, the school’s just split into two teams.

       Sounds weird to me – but no, I’m not worrying about sports day quite yet, although no doubt the fear will begin to loom soon.

      Did Miss Duke say something weird? Was it something to do with the way you walk?

       No, it wasn‘t a big deal, she just wanted to . . . Wait. What? What‘s wrong with my walk?

      Nothing.

       Jess! What is wrong with my walk?

      Seriously, nothing. Stop passing notes. I’m concentrating.

       Now I really am panicking. Why would you ask me if the headmistress wanted to see me about my walk?!

      Geez, you’re such a drama queen. You just walk a bit funny, that’s all. Kind of . . . slumpy. I just wondered if she thought you had a problem or something that needed looking at. You know, in a caring way. Now tell me what’s bothering you. You have a funny look on your face. Is it Connor?

       Forget what I’m thinking about Connor, now all I can think about is my ‘slumpy walk’.

      Aha! So you were thinking about Connor! Spill.

       It‘s nothing. I saw him this morning.

      When?! What did he say???

       When I came out of Miss Duke’s office. I walked straight into them.

      Them? Who is THEM?

       I mean him. Him. I think Miss Brockley is looking this way. Wait, no, she‘s looking past me. Hah, she definitely is. I‘m so stealthy at this. She’s none the wiser. What a dodo. Anyway–

      ‘What do you mean, you have detention?’

      Why does Dad always have to make tiny things into such big deals? For example, that time when we went on holiday to the middle of nowhere in Ireland and as a joke I hid the hire car keys in a bush to make him panic. I couldn’t have predicted that I wouldn’t be able to remember which one I had hidden them in. I didn’t stop hearing about that for days.

      And now here he was all angry at me because I’d had the courtesy to ring him to tell him I’d be late home for supper.

      ‘I got caught passing notes with Jess in French.’

      ‘And they gave you detention? That seems pretty extreme,’ Dad huffed. ‘Let me come in and have a word with them.’

      ‘In the note I called Miss Brockley a dodo for not realising I was passing notes.’

      There was silence on the other end of the phone, and then a long-drawn-out sigh.

      ‘Fine. Come home straight afterwards, we have people round this evening.’

      ‘Who do we have coming round? Actually, never mind,’ I said hurriedly as Jess mouthed ‘lunch’ at me. ‘Got to go, Dad, see you at home.’

      ‘Bye, Anna,’ he said grumpily. ‘Try not to insult too many teachers this afternoon.’

      I rolled my eyes, said goodbye and then hung up before heading to the dining room.

      ‘Why are you two always late?’ Danny grumbled, coming up behind us.

      ‘Duh, she’s an It Girl,’ Jess grinned. ‘It’s fashionable to be late. Anyway, Anna had to make a call.’

      ‘Don’t look too impressed,’ I said as Danny raised his eyebrows at me. ‘It was my dad.’

      But as I sat down with my tray next to Danny I suddenly realised the whole room was staring at me and a spatter of giggles was coming from Sophie’s table.

      ‘What?’ Jess asked them, hands on hips. ‘Haven’t any of you seen a celebrity before? Play it cool, guys.’

      There was an uncomfortable pause, and then everyone started talking again. I smiled gratefully at Jess. ‘Thanks.’

      ‘Whatever,’ she said, picking the mushrooms off her chicken. ‘They were probably just staring because of your walk. Nothing to do with any plant pots.’

      ‘Danny,’ I said, ‘do you think I walk funny?’

      He shrugged. ‘Maybe a little. Not really. I’m not sure I’ve noticed.’

      ‘How would you describe Anna’s walk?’ Jess asked, picking up her glass of water. ‘If you had to use a word to describe her walk, what would it be?’

      ‘I don’t know.’ Danny looked thoughtful. ‘Slumpy?’

      ‘For goodness’ sake!’ I said as Jess raised her eyebrows victoriously at me. ‘That’s not even a thing!’

      ‘It is a thing. You have a slumpy walk,’ she said, with a smug I-told-you-so smile. ‘Will you tell me about seeing Connor this morning?’

      ‘Jess!’ I glanced around me nervously. ‘Stop talking about him so loudly.’

      ‘He’s not in here, I already checked.’

      I craned my head to look carefully around the dining room. ‘You’re right. I wonder where he is.’

      ‘You should know that,’ Jess teased. ‘He’s your boyfriend.’

      ‘How has your morning been, Danny?’ I asked, attempting to change the conversation.

      ‘Oh you know, the usual, teachers trying to frighten us with exam talk,’ he sighed. ‘I watched such a good nature programme last night though. Did you know that a scorpion will attract a mate by taking her pincers in his and then commencing a dance of courtship?’

      ‘Well,’ Jess looked bemused, ‘that’s interesting, Danny. Has Connor done that to you yet, Anna?’

      ‘Done what?’ I played with my food.

      ‘Taken your pincers in his before commencing a dance of courtship.’

      ‘We did dance together at the Beatus dance last term,’ I shrugged.

      ‘Yeah, but all of us were dancing together then,’ Jess pointed out. ‘And he was doing a meerkat impression. I’m not sure that counts as a dance of courtship. We’ll have to consult Marianne. But tell us what happened