Free Bad by Helen Chapman

Zeke Porter was having a bad day at All Star High. There was going to be a school camping trip and everyone was excited about it. At first Zeke had been excited about it too, but then he saw how much money it cost to go on the trip. It was really expensive. Zeke didn’t have the money, or even anyone he could ask for the money. Zeke put his backpack in his locker and slammed the door shut with a bang.
    Becca Gray was also having a bad day, for just the same reason as Zeke. She couldn’t afford to go on the school camping trip either. Becca got her books from her locker and started to walk to her first class.
    When Zeke walked past Becca he saw that she looked as fed up as he was. Zeke and Becca knew each other because they were members of the same gang. The Gang-Stars always helped each other. They had first met at an under-12s Music Club. It was so great to meet up again at high school that they started a gang.
    Zeke stopped and asked Becca, ‘Are you all right?’
    â€˜I’m fine,’ lied Becca. She really did want to tell someone how she felt. She sniffed and blinked back her tears. ‘It’s just that …’
    She stopped talking.
    â€˜Just what?’ asked Zeke.
    â€˜I’m fed up,’ Becca said. ‘I love being in the Gang-Stars but they don’t know what it’s like being me.’
    Zeke didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what it was like to be Becca either!
    â€˜Being me means being different,’ said Becca. ‘My family doesn’t have much money. I get a special grant that pays my school fees but it doesn’t cover extras like school trips. I really want to go on the camping trip but I can’t afford it.’
    Zeke was surprised. Maybe he
did
know what it was like to be Becca, after all. He got a grant from a charity too, but he had never told anyone about it. He thought Becca was brave to talk to him about it. If she could tell him, then he could tell her. He took a deep breath and said, ‘It’s the same for me. I can’t afford it either. So what shall we do about it?’
    Becca couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She wasn’t the only one without money after all. She cheered up a little bit.
    â€˜What
can
we do?’ she asked. ‘Beg in the streets?’
    â€˜Not beg,’ said Zeke, ‘but we could busk. I can dance and you can do whatever it is that you do, and we’ll earn the money we need.’
    â€˜I study lighting and set design,’ said Becca.
    Zeke pulled a face. ‘That’s no help,’ he said. Then he saw how upset Becca looked. ‘But at least you’ll know which streetlight to stand under, and where to put our collection hat!’
    â€˜Ha, ha, very funny,’ said Becca. ‘And I
can
help. I don’t much like performing, but I can play the flute if I have to. When shall we do it?’
    â€˜Sunday is good,’ Zeke said. ‘Meet me at the school gates at 10.30 a.m. We’ll get a bus into town and then catch a train into London.’
    Zeke was sure that busking would make them money. He could hardly wait. Becca had never busked before and she hoped their plan would work. Everyone was going on the camping trip and she really didn’t want to miss out.

On Sunday Becca and Zeke got to London at midday. Becca followed Zeke through the railway station and down to the Tube.
    â€˜We can get the Tube to Camden,’ said Zeke. ‘You need a permit to busk in most areas, but not in Camden.’
    Zeke seemed very nervous on the Tube train. He kept looking around as if someone was watching him. Becca felt as if she was in a spy movie. Zeke was even worse once they got to Camden. He kept staring at every teenager who walked past.
    They decided to busk near to the Tube station so that lots of people would see and hear them.
    â€˜You start playing while I get ready,’ said Zeke. He unzipped his backpack, took out a hat and put it on