Horrid Henry and the Soccer Fiend (3 page)

Slowly Horrid Henry closed Peter’s diary. He knew Peter’s diary would be bad. But never in his worst nightmares had he imagined anything this bad.

Perfect Peter hadn’t mentioned him once. Not once.

You’d think I didn’t even live in this house, thought Henry. He was outraged. How dare Peter
not
write about him? And then all the stupid things Peter
had
written.

Henry’s name would be mud when people heard Peter’s diary in the assembly and found out what a sad brother he had. Everyone would tease him. Horrid Henry would never live down the shame.

Peter needed Henry’s help, and he needed it fast. Horrid Henry grabbed a pencil and got to work.

That’s more like it, thought Horrid Henry.

Much better, thought Horrid Henry. Now that’s what I call a diary. Everyone would have died of boredom otherwise.

Henry carefully replaced Peter’s diary in the bookcase. I hope Peter appreciates what I’ve done for him, thought Horrid Henry.

The entire school gathered in the hall for the assembly. Peter’s class sat proudly on benches at the front. Henry’s class sat cross-legged on the floor. The parents sat on chairs down both sides.

Mom and Dad waved at Peter. He waved shyly back.

Miss Lovely stood up.

“Hello moms and dads, boys and girls, welcome to our class assembly. This quarter our class has been keeping diaries. We’re going to read some of them to you now. First to read will be Peter. Everyone pay attention, and see if you too can be as good as I know Peter has been. I’d like everyone here to copy one of Peter’s good deeds. I know I can’t wait to hear how he has spent this last week.”

Peter stood up, and opened his diary. In a big loud voice, he read:

“MONDAY:

“Today I drew a picture of my teacher, Miss Lovely.”

Peter glanced up at Miss Lovely. She beamed at him.

“I drew her with piggy ears and a great big giant belly. Then I turned it into a dartboard ”

What??! It was always difficult to read out loud and understand what he had read, but something didn’t sound right. He didn’t remember writing about a pig with a big belly. Nervously Peter looked up at Mom and Dad. Was he imagining it, or did their smiles seem more like frowns? Peter shook his head, and carried on.

“Miss Lovely gave me a gold star for reading.”

Phew, that was better! He must have misheard himself before.

“Miss Lovely is my worst teacher ever. She should really be called Miss Lumpy. Miss Dumpy Lumpy—”

“Thank you, that’s quite enough,” interrupted Miss Lovely sternly, as the school erupted in shrieks of laughter. Her face was pink. “Peter, see me after the assembly. Ted will now tell us all about skeletons.”

“But—but—” gasped Perfect Peter. “I—I didn’t, I never—”

“Sit down and be quiet,” said the principal, Mrs. Oddbod. “I’ll see you
and
your parents later.”

“WAAAAAAAAAA!” wailed Peter.

Mom and Dad stared at their feet. Why had they ever had children? Where was a trap door when you needed one?

“Waaaaaaaa,” whimpered Mom and Dad.

Naturally, Henry got into trouble. Big, big trouble. It was so unfair. Why didn’t anyone believe him when he said he’d improved Peter’s diary for his own good? Honestly, he would never
ever
do Peter a favor again.