Free Take My Word for It by John Marsden Page A

it’s not quite that easy. Ann’s not back from holidays, Kate reckons she’s going on exeat, and Sarah says she’s got Osgood-Schlatter’s. I said, ‘Well you’ve got to have a note from Matron,’ and Sarah went off at me, saying, ‘You’re not a teacher.’ OK, I know that, but if the teacher won’t act like a teacher, what are you supposed to do?
    We’re going to get thrashed anyway, I know that, but it’d help if people made a bit of an effort.
    There’s so much happening already. We’ve got another debate in a couple of weeks, there’s a huge History assignment on the Crusades that we’re getting tomorrow, and there’re auditions for the School Play soon, too—I wouldn’t mind having a go at that.
    Meanwhile Marina sits there like an island, while we storm around her. I wonder how much of all these details she takes in? She probably sees more than we think. She writes in her Journal quite a lot, probably about us. God knows what she thinks of us. It’s a madhouse tonight.
    M AY 26
    This Crusades assignment is enormous. I don’t see how we’re going to get it done. Title page, three maps, time line, half a dozen essays, three biographies, illustrations, bibliography, index. Mr Journal, I don’t like your chances this term.
    Went and had a good talk to Skye Wills tonight. We hardly ever seem to penetrate the holy land of the Year 11 cubicles, but sometimes I’d rather talk to them than the Year 9’s. Skye especially. She said they went to Spectacle Beach for most of the holidays and half the school was there. That’s what I hate about this place. Unless you dress a certain way and talk a certain way and go to certain places for the holidays you’re out of it. Skye said she saw the Firsts on TV—they came third in the Nationals. I was annoyed with myself for forgetting to watch, but TV doesn’t play much part in my life, so I never think to look at the programme guide.
    Skye knows the Fallon-Whites so we had a good goss about them. She really likes them. I can relate to that. She said Mrs Fallon-White had cancer years ago, but she came through it, but that’s why they didn’t have any more children—she couldn’t. I was shocked—Peter never told me that.
    Nothing else is very interesting. Cathy’s got a man, a guy called Guy. Marina’s birthday is soon, according to Miss Curzon, so we’re going to get presents for her and give her an extra good day. She seems OK after the holidays—I don’t know where she went. I wonder how different this dorm would have been without her in it. Honestly, when she was coming here, I didn’t know what we were getting. I remembered the court case from the papers—it wasn’t that long ago—but you never think people will step out of the news into your own life. I thought she’d be, I don’t know, more psycho, screaming and having nightmares and chucking fits. She’s the opposite of that though. She goes on with her life in quite an organised way now—she gets herself ready in the mornings and is on time for everything. But she doesn’t look at us—she looks at what she’s doing, or into the distance, thinking her own thoughts. You try to say hello but she won’t meet your eye. I’m beginning to think she’s very strong actually, even if she is frustrating to deal with. She’s stronger than me in some ways. I gave up, she hasn’t.
    Cathy reckons she’s going to invite her home for mid-term. Good on her—I hope she does. Cathy’s family’s really nice—they took me out for lunch one day last year.
    Well, there’s not much to do. I can’t start the Crusades assignment till I can get to the library for some books. I could do the Title Page I suppose. Mr Ross is on duty—I might ask him for some paper. Hope we get a good supper