The Boyfriend Bet (6 page)

“Not bad.” I said as I place the hat on the breakfast
bar.

“Whatever do you look like?” Mum was back. She was laden
with about a million carrier bags that looked like the contents could feed a
small army. “Shall I call Yvonne?” Mum sighed as though I was a terrible
inconvenience to her.

“Yes.” Of course I wanted Mum to call her - I didn’t want
to keep it like this did I? I could hear Mum muttering loads of things like ‘I
told you so’ and ‘nobody ever listens to me’ as she put down her million bags
and tried to retrieve her phone from her giant handbag.

“Put them away then.” Mum signalled to the shopping as
she put her phone to her ear and then she went out of the room as she started
her annoyingly smug conversation with Yvonne. I heard something about how I’d
stupidly tried to bleach my hair but as a teenager I knew it all and wouldn’t
take her advice and now I looked like an orangutan, apparently!

I could see Bex and Sarah sniggering as I was putting
away shopping in the kitchen cupboards. I don’t know why Mum insisted on
leaving the room to have a ‘private’ conversation if she carried on talking so
loudly, especially when she was slagging me off...rude or what?

“She’s coming round on Thursday night, so I hope you
haven’t got dancing but that’s the only time she’s free.” Mum threw her phone
down.

“Thursday!” I spat. I was expected to walk around like
this until Thursday night? I could feel the hysterical panic rising up inside
of me. “I can’t go to school like this!” I was almost shouting now and Mum was
giving me a look, her eyebrows raised.

“Erm, yes you can young lady, I don’t think having orange
hair is an illness and anyway it’s completely your own fault.” Mum said in her
very irritating told-you-so voice.

“I can’t wait until Thursday!” I was nearly frantic.
Sarah and Bex were just watching on.

“Well if you went to a salon it would cost you twice as
much and I expect that you don’t even have the money to pay Yvonne?” Mum looked
at me as I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head. “I’m only going to pay
Yvonne to do it as I don’t want to look at that mess either.” She nodded at my
head. Mum was really sticking the knife in now and she knew I wasn’t going to
argue because it was true, I had next to no money and I was going to have to
rely on Mum to bail me out of this one. I listened to Mum whinge on about how I
should take her advice more often and I should think myself lucky that she was
going to pay for me to have my hair fixed. Sarah and Bex thought the whole
thing was completely funny even though I would go as far as saying it was
totally their fault.

I still felt a bit sick when I thought about going into
school on Monday - how could I possibly get away with walking around for four
whole days and think that nobody was going to notice my hair? Mum had made it
clear that I am to be eternally grateful that she is paying, but I’m actually
quite mad that she is going to force me to go to school looking this
horrendous. Four whole days!

I went dancing the next day with a baseball cap on and
then hid indoors for the rest of the day. Annoyingly it was a nice, warmish day
considering it was the beginning of November, and I was cooped up inside. I
could hear giggling at one point and when I went into Peter’s bedroom to look
out into the back garden I could see Ella parading around out there in teeny
tiny shorts and a very tight top, knowing all too well that she would be
clearly seen from next door. She was trying to make out she was exercising or
something. I personally thought she was going to get pretty cold soon, as she
didn’t look like she was putting much hard work into it to keep warm either!

I flopped down on my bed, trying to read to take my mind
off my shit life but that didn’t work. I should have never even got my hopes up
over Riley Jackson. People like me just do not get boys like Riley and to add
to the humiliation, I may well soon have to go to school with pink hair as well
if Ella gets her way. So, against all the odds I’d once got Sam, but look where
that had landed me. Maybe that was a lesson I should have learned when Sam
cheated on me...that I shouldn’t expect anything better.

I had consistently made myself look like an idiot,
wrecked my hair, and now I am going to be forced to go to school tomorrow when
that is the last thing in the world I want to do. So, Riley’s already seen the
hair but the rest of the school hasn’t and I certainly do not want Sam to see
it. I’m sure the look I was trying to achieve was ‘hey, look what you’re
missing’ not reassuring him that he’d had a lucky escape.

Why was I still thinking of Sam anyway? I dunno, life
would have been so easy if my boyfriend-stealing-sister wasn’t around. I’d
still be with Sam, I’d still be deliriously happy and I certainly wouldn’t be making
a complete and utter fool of myself over the boy next door. I wouldn’t have
looked at him twice because Sam was enough for me, he was everything to me.
Obviously I wasn’t enough for him and obviously he’s a lying, cheating ass, but
that doesn’t make me not feel anything for him anymore. Even though I don’t
want to, it’s not like there is a switch you can just turn off, is there?

I had the worst sleep possible. I’d just been dreaming
that Riley Jackson had publically declared how much he secretly loved me (as
if) and as he grabbed hold of me, my black trilby hat fell off in front of
everyone and my orange hair was in the hat and I was bald. I should have
realised it wasn’t going to work out for me, even in a dream!

I desperately patted my head as I woke up. Phew, I still
had hair, even if it was orange .I realised I could have done with perhaps
waking up a good ten minutes earlier (at least) and after running down the
stairs I found a very made-up Ella who had obviously been up for hours by the
looks of it. Well if looking good meant you had to get up at some crazy time in
the morning, then I’m not sure I could be all that bothered.

“Hurry up, Charley you’re late for school and don’t think
you’re getting out of it!” Mum was huffing as she looked like she was wrestling
Peter into the lounge. Seems I wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to go to
school.

“Let me go!” Peter was yelling so loudly and was trying
to prise Mum’s hands from his arms where she seemed to be desperately trying to
control him. Great, didn’t we know Peter was home!

“Ella you’re going to school not a fashion show!” Mum
shouted over Peter’s shrieks.

Ella had made an extra effort today and no prizes for guessing
why. I had a feeling Mum wasn’t going to win because Peter was currently
screaming that he didn’t want to wear his school shoes and it was taking all
her effort to pacify him whilst Ella just sat there applying even more make-up,
without a care in the world.

I wandered off to get ready for school. I could still
hear screaming even though I was in the bathroom upstairs, and some banging,
which I could only assume meant that Peter was now in full on tantrum mode.
Peter has massive tantrums even though he’s seven. Mum says it’s not his fault
because he has ADHD but that didn’t seem to have stopped Mum from shouting at
him.

 It’s bad enough living in a crazy house but when
you have nowhere to escape to, not even a space you can call your own, it’s twice
as bad. I finished scraping my hair back into a messy low bun, anything to get
it out of the way. I stared at my reflection in the mirror - the hair really
was bad. I was so nearly a blonde haired, blue eyed girl but no, Sarah had to
muck that one up, didn’t she? I sighed as I went to find the hat. I definitely
needed it.

“NO! Don’t want to!” Thud, thud! Peter was lying on the
floor and kicking the lounge door. I stepped over him. I had better things to
do than to worry about Peter and his shoe tantrum.

“Put them on now!” Mum was screaming so loudly but still
I just blocked it all out and found my hat sat in the kitchen where I’d left
it. Mum was now forcing a shoe on the foot she had hold of. I sighed, grabbed
my bag off the floor and pulled it. How was I supposed to know that the straps
were wrapped around the feet of the stool Ella was sitting on STILL doing her
make-up?

Well, I thought the world had come to an end! Ella had
mascara smeared all across her face and was now screaming at me. Mum stupidly let
go of Peter’s foot to see what the commotion our end was and then Peter, quick
as a flash, whipped off the shoe that Mum had spent the last twenty minutes
forcing on.

“Charley what did you do that for?” Mum said just as Ella
pushed me. You’d think she was Peter’s age or something. “And don’t push her!”
Mum was losing it big time and she’d just noticed Peter was waving his shoe
around in his hand. “PUT IT BACK ON!”

“NOOOOO!” Peter screamed. He was so angry that I think if
he had been a cartoon character his head might have exploded or something. He
stood up, lifted his arm and threw the shoe across the room.

I didn’t even have time to duck. It hit me cleanly on the
side of my face, catching my left eye. “Ow!”

“Serves you right!” Ella pushed past me because obviously
mascara across her cheek was way more serious than someone just having a shoe
thrown in their face. I could feel a little bit of warm blood trickling down my
cheek.

“Why am I bleeding?” I glanced at Peter’s shoe that was
now on the floor by my feet. What was it made of, lead or something? My whole
eye was throbbing.

“It’s only a little cut Charley, and it was your fault.”
Mum raised her eyebrows at me, totally disregarding the fact that I was
bleeding (even if it was minimal).

“Thanks.” I muttered as Mum went back to wrestling with
Peter, just as the door bell rang.

“Oh for goodness sake!” Mum spat as she had no choice but
to let the wriggling Peter out of her grasp. “Whoever it is, they’re going to
get a mouthful. What an inconvenient time!” Mum was muttering to herself as she
stood up to answer the door.

I stood rooted to the spot, clutching my face for dear
life. I could be bleeding to death for all anyone else cared. Mum opened the
door and her muttering immediately stopped. “Hello!” Mum said in a very over
the top kind of way; the kind of way that sent out the message that she was
absolutely thrilled at whoever had popped round at this most ‘convenient’ time
in the morning. “Come in.”

And then I saw Riley’s dad step into our lounge. I was
still stood by the breakfast bar that separates our lounge from the kitchen,
just staring at Mum’s immediate change in mood. She suddenly seemed to be a bit
flustered as she patted her hair down, aware that she hadn’t spent much time on
it this morning.

I didn’t find out exactly what he had come round for
because as soon as he took one look at me, he look horrified. “What happened? I
think she needs some ice on that,” he stared back at Mum. Maybe he thought with
all the shouting and banging she had walloped me one.

“Oh yes, I’ll get something from the freezer.” Mum went
into motherly protective mode and strode to the fridge-freezer. Funny, she
didn’t give a shit about me until someone else had voiced their concern. “Peter
threw his shoe across the room and Charley just happened to be in the way.” Mum
offered the explanation, without noticing that Peter had done a runner and was
nowhere to be seen and his school shoes were abandoned on the floor.

Mum wrapped a tea-towel around a freezer pack and then
pressed it onto my face as though I was five and couldn’t hold it for myself.
“Yeah thanks,” I muttered sarcastically as I pushed her hand away. Bloody hell,
it was really stinging!

“What did you pop round for anyway Simon?” Mum now turned
her back on me. Wow, she was on a first name basis already.

“I just wondered if I could borrow a cup of sugar?” Simon
smiled.

“Of course!” Mum was so over the top in her reply that I
had to leave the room. And everyone thinks that I’m embarrassing. I went and
checked out my face. It was already quite swollen and it looked as though my
eye was bruising already, along with the dried up blood. And to think I do not
get any sympathy around here.

“Simon’s going to give me and Peter a lift to school as
we’re so late now. Do you want one?” Mum was now frantically running a brush
through her hair as Simon waited in the lounge.

“Erm...no.” I shook my head.

“Peter!” Mum shouted up the stairs, just as she was
standing right next to my ear, Great, I was nearly deaf now as well as half
blind. It’s a wonder I’m still sane living here. “Well you make sure you get to
school.” Mum stared at me. Ella had already left and I knew I would be pushing
it to get there on time, even if I left now.

“You want me to go looking like this!” I hissed, whilst
pointing to myself in horror.

“Well you’ve got a hat,” Mum took the hat from my hand
and plonked it on my head. “And wipe that blood off your face and put some
sunglasses on, it’ll be fine.” Mum smiled. Was she for real?

“Write me a note then.” I demanded. “I’m not taking them
off all day and I’ll need a note.”

“Are we ready?” Simon was now standing in the hall and
Peter was stomping down the stairs. I noticed he was wearing his football
trainers but Mum didn’t say anything.

“Just got to write Charley a note,” Mum said.“For
sunglasses.” Mum bounced back through to the lounge for a pen and some paper.

“And the hat!” I demanded. Simon looked even more
confused than he did when Mum first announced she was going to write me a note
to wear sunglasses. He must be regretting moving house to find an insane family
living next door. Mum just smiled a little too sweetly at me and actually went
and wrote me a note!

 Mum thrust the note in my hand and then grabbed
Peter. Simon was already outside. “Do I look alright, I mean, half decent?”

“No.” I said blankly.

 Mum was scowling at me as she was manhandling Peter
through the front door. “Now behave, don’t say anything embarrassing.” Mum was
hissing at him.

Sunglasses and hat on, I reluctantly grabbed my jacket
and bag and left the house, firmly clutching my note for dear life. Yes, I did
feel like a complete fool walking to school with my hat and shades. I must have
looked ever so dodgy, maybe even more stalkerish than normal.

I was right about being late. I hate that feeling as you
walk into the much too silent school. Everyone was either already in classes or
assembly. I was supposed to be in assembly so on the plus side I thought I
could sign in late and give boring assembly a miss.

No such luck! Mr Harrison walked through the school
office just as I was signing in and demanded that I take a seat at the back of
the hall. My protests of how I really didn’t want to disrupt assembly fell on
deaf ears and he actually escorted me into the assembly hall.

And worst luck ever, Mrs Davenport was taking assembly
today and it really is bad luck because she hardly ever takes assembly. I
wondered if we were all in trouble or something. It was also unusually quiet,
probably because everyone was too scared of Mrs Davenport singling them out
because she loves doing that. There was none of the usual whispering or
fidgeting which didn’t help me at all because as soon as Mr Harrison had
pointed a seat out at the back for me, all I could hear was the heavy double doors
slam shut behind us.

“Miss Wallis, how nice of you to join us,” Mrs Davenport
smiled sweetly as she looked at her watch. It seemed like hundreds of heads
turned to look at me, hiding at the back with sunglasses and hat still firmly
intact. It’s a wonder Mrs Davenport could even recognize me but of course she
did, the old witch.

“Lose the hat and the ridiculous glasses.” The old bag
continued her onslaught against me. Thankfully she then carried on with her
talk, whatever it was. She was lecturing everyone about something or other but
then again, isn’t she always?

“Charley Wallis, are you deaf or just stupid?” Mrs
Davenport was peering over at me again and I could hear a low hum of laughter.
“I think I said lose the hat and the glasses.”

“I have a note.” I said this so quietly I doubted if
anybody even heard me.

“Pardon?” Mrs Davenport raised her voice.

“I have a note.” I repeated ever so slightly louder this
time.

“Bring it up here.” She signalled for me to come right
away. “I am intrigued.”

Nooooo! There was nothing for it but to take the note up
to her in front of everybody. I was surely going to be torn to shreds. I walked
in the most awkward way to the front. I was so stupid that in my rush to leave
the house I hadn’t even read the note to see what Mum’s made up circumstances
were that justified me wearing a hat and dark glasses at school all day. What
if she questioned me about it and I knew nothing about it...oh my god, help me
now!

I swear I could have cried there and then, my stomach was
churning as I saw all eyes upon me. “Give it to me,” Mrs Davenport demanded,
her arm outstretched, waiting for me to place it in her hand. She practically
snatched it out of my grasp and unfolded the note and then gave it a little
shake to straighten it up, before deciding to read it out loud!

“Charley is wearing sunglasses to school today as she has
an awful case of pink eye and her eyes are subsequently sensitive to light.”
Mrs Davenport wrinkled her nose up and the giggles had already started. “She is
also wearing a hat as she has recently discovered she is suffering from
alopecia and it’s very embarrassing. Many thanks, Charley’s Mum.” Mrs Davenport
was now frowning at me as all of Year Eleven had erupted into a fit of
laughter.        

“You expect me to believe your mother wrote this juvenile
note?” Mrs Davenport mocked me but I knew that she doesn’t like being lied to
and I was going to kill my mum.  I mean, whatever possessed her to sign
the note ‘Charley’s mum’? I might as well have just forged the bloody note
myself. I would have done a better and rather more convincing job than that!

“Take them off now!” Mrs Davenport threatened. As much as
she scares me, the thought of taking my hat off and revealing my hideous hair
to everyone was even more terrifying.

“No.” I said as my heart was thudding loudly against my
ribcage while the whole hall fell silent once again. Mrs Davenport’s eyebrows
were raised in surprise. No one normally dared defy her, not unless they were
up for total and utter humiliation. I sort of swallowed and even my saliva
seemed to get stuck in my throat. I wondered if I would ever live it down if I
just turned and ran away?