Free Friday Barnes 2 by R. A. Spratt Page A

before the Vice Principal leapt to his feet and glared them into silence.
    At this particular assembly however, something interesting had happened – the assembly hadn’t started.
    Miss Abbercroft tried to fill the time by reading the school announcements. This did not go well. The first announcement was that the escapee from the nearby maximum security prison had still not been caught, which caused a babble of excited mutters amongst the students, mainly from girls wondering what they should wear in case they bumped into him.
    But the second announcement was even more disturbing. The school’s much loved and extremely ancient cat, Purrcy, had passed away. He had fallen asleep on the bonnet of Mr  Henderson’s car. Unfortunately, when Mr  Henderson started his car, he accidentally put it in reverse instead of drive and rear-ended a tree, which caused a large branch to fall off and crush the cat.
    â€˜What a nice way to go,’ whispered Melanie. ‘While he was taking a nap.’
    But the rest of the student body did not see it that way. Many of the girls enjoyed a good hysterical weeping session and saw this as the perfect opportunity to launch forth into one. The announcementshad to be abandoned while messengers were sent out to fetch tissues.
    Friday was, of course, secretly reading a book that she had tucked inside her blazer. It was the fourth book in The Curse of the Pirate King series. She was just getting to a good bit where the Pirate King had his foot caught in a giant clam in rapidly rising tidal waters. Friday was curious to learn if he would cut his own foot off to escape. And if he did, she just hoped he would remember to use a tourniquet before he started cutting into his own ankle with a sharpened oyster shell.
    â€˜What’s going on?’ asked Friday, realising that the entire student body was sitting inside the hall while the staff milled about outside the back entrance.
    â€˜We can’t begin yet,’ said Melanie. ‘Because the Headmaster hasn’t turned up.’
    â€˜He hasn’t turned up?’ said Friday. ‘Where is he?’
    â€˜Nobody knows,’ said Melanie.
    â€˜Barnes!’ yelled the Vice Principal from the back of the hall.
    Friday flinched. Everyone turned to look at her, their eyes zeroing in on her distinctive green pork-pie hat. Friday found herself wishing that an extremelylocalised sinkhole would open up in the floor beneath her, because to Friday, falling into a fissure in the earth’s surface would be preferable to having 300 of her peers staring at her.
    â€˜Get out here now!’ demanded the Vice Principal.
    Friday took a deep breath, stood up and began her walk of shame. She didn’t even know what she was supposed to be ashamed of, so she naturally assumed the worst – that the Vice Principal had discovered something unspeakably heinous that she had no memory of doing.
    â€˜Oh dear, what have you done?’ said Ian as Friday tried to squeeze past him. She could have sworn he moved his knees forward an extra inch to make it difficult.
    â€˜I’m not entirely sure,’ said Friday.
    â€˜Don’t worry, with luck they’ll just expel you,’ said Ian. ‘They won’t call the police this time.’
    Friday ignored him as she continued to edge out of the row.
    â€˜Hello, Ian,’ said Melanie. She was following Friday because she suspected if she stuck close to her best friend she might be able to get out of assembly entirely.
    â€˜Good morning, Melanie,’ said Ian as he gallantly got out of his seat to make it easier for her to pass and even gave a little bow.
    Friday rolled her eyes and ignored him, before warily approaching the angry Vice Principal. The rest of the teaching staff was clustered in a group behind him.
    â€˜Where’s the Headmaster?’ demanded the Vice Principal.
    â€˜I don’t know,’ said Friday.
    â€˜A likely story,’ said