Free Worse Than Boys by Cathy MacPhail

I’ve not always been happy about the direction that friendship was taking, but you were friends.’
    ‘Not any more!’ Erin snapped.
    Mrs Tasker snapped back at her. ‘You’ll have your chance to speak, Erin.’ Then she went on, ‘Now,because one of you has inadvertently let something slip about the other …’
    This time it was me who jumped to my feet. ‘No. That’s the whole point. I didn’t let anything slip.’
    ‘I’m sure it wasn’t deliberate, Hannah,’ Mrs Tasker said, as if she was making things better. But this wasn’t what I wanted at all.
    ‘Erin has to know that I didn’t tell anyone. Honest.’
    Erin tutted and sucked in her cheeks and looked out of the window.
    Mrs Tasker only looked at me for a moment as if she was considering whether what I said could possibly be true. ‘Well, that is something for Erin to think about too.’ Yet I could see that she didn’t believe me. I could see that in her eyes. She didn’t blame me. She was sure it was accidentally done, but she had no doubt I had done it anyway. What chance did I have of convincing Erin?
    ‘Why don’t you speak to Erin now … have your say, and you, Erin, I want you to listen to all Hannah has to say without interrupting.’
    I poured out my heart then, and Erin did listen. Her lips were pursed and her face was grim, but she listened.
    I spoke till I had nothing else to say, till I was justrepeating the same thing over and over. ‘It had to be someone else, Erin. Had to be.’
    ‘But who?’ Mrs Tasker asked.
    My eyes flicked from Erin to the teacher, trying to convince them both. ‘I thought at first it was Lauren’s sister. She was a waitress at Erin’s sister’s wedding,’ I explained.
    ‘She’s deaf,’ Erin said flatly.
    ‘I know, but what if one of the other waitresses overheard us and she told Lauren’s sister. She could have used sign language or something. Then Lauren’s sister tells Lauren and, zoom, it’s all over the school by next day. That’s the only explanation.’
    Erin didn’t say anything at first. She kept her eyes fixed on the floor. It was Mrs Tasker who spoke. ‘Well, Erin, that seems a perfectly reasonable explanation. Hannah has sworn it wasn’t her. Has she ever let you down before?’
    Erin still didn’t look at me, but she shook her head. ‘No,’ she said.
    ‘Well, are you willing to shake hands on that?’
    Erin still didn’t say anything. I couldn’t stop myself. ‘Please, Erin, this has been horrible for me.’
    ‘Horrible … for you?’ Erin said, as if she was shocked.
    ‘Horrible for you too, I know that.’
    Mrs Tasker leant over and touched Erin’s hand. ‘Come on, Erin. Think of all the good times you’ve had together. All the years of friendship you’ve shared.’
    Erin looked at me at last. I couldn’t fathom her eyes. She held my gaze for a long time before turning to our teacher. ‘All right,’ she said. Her voice was barely a whisper.
    It was as if the sun had burst into the office. ‘All right.’ Magic words. My hand was shaking as I held it out to her. Mrs Tasker nodded and smiled. ‘Go on, Erin.’
    Erin took my hand. Hers was cold and clammy and limp. I shook it so hard I thought it would fall off. ‘Oh, thanks, Erin. Thanks. You won’t be sorry. I’ll be the best friend you ever had from now on.’
    I knew I was on the verge of tears, felt them welling up in my eyes. But I didn’t want to cry. I was too happy to cry.
    Mrs Tasker stood up and sighed. A job well done. ‘Now, you two girls run along to class. I told your teacher you’d both be a little late.’
    She stood at her classroom door watching us as we walked off, side by side. I couldn’t stop babbling. ‘OhErin, everything’s going to be so good now. You’ll see. We’ll get Lauren back for it, don’t you worry.’
    Erin stopped walking and turned to me. She glanced at Mrs Tasker’s door. It was just closing. Erin’s face twisted into an ugly grin. ‘Did you really think I