Free Missing Ellen by Natasha Mac a'Bháird

kids, squealing with excitement over hula hoop skirts and those blouses with the huge collars, and showing me photos of Granny and her friends and the kind of hairdos they’d had at the time.
    A period drama would be even more fun. We’d have to see what we had in the acting cupboard that could be taken apart and remade into something else. We’d probably have to make a lot of things from scratch. I might even be able to do a couple of things on my sewing machine, if the school would pay for the material.
    I looked over at Ellen and sighed. I could see there was no way I’d be going to the meeting. She was gazing out the window with this dreamy look on her face, still clutching the mobile with Pete’s text on the screen. 
    Dear Ellen,
    I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I don’t know what more I can say. We’re both hurting, both missing you. That’s all it is. He doesn’t really like me. Not like that. He couldn’t.
    I know what you’re thinking – what about me, what about my feelings? And yes, I have always liked him, but I never meant to act on it. He is yours – whether you want him or not.
    Maggie.
    I was kind of hoping Pete would text to cancel, but when I saw Ellen appear in school the next day with the pink straw bag, I knew it could only mean trouble.
    ‘What’s with the bag?’ I asked, as casually as I could.
    ‘Clothes to change into. I’m meeting Pete at lunchtime, remember?’ Ellen said. Glancing over her shoulder, she opened the bag a crack to show me what was inside. Another new top. Of course.
    ‘I know this is probably a stupid question, Ellen, but why do you have to get changed to meet him?’ A thought struck me. ‘He does know you’re still at school, right?’
    Ellen rolled her eyes at me. ‘Of course he does. I had to tell him in the end. Although I may have said I was repeating my Leaving Cert.’
    I sighed. The repeats don’t have to wear uniform. It’s their only compensation for being forced to spend another year in this place. That, and finally being treated like a grown-upby the staff. Ellen says it would almost be worth repeating. I disagree.
    ‘What did you tell him that for? What if you bump into him some day on your way to school and he realises you lied?’
    ‘Oh Maggie, don’t start with the “what ifs” again,’ Ellen said. ‘I’ll worry about that when the time comes. The more immediate problem is, where will I get changed?’
    I considered this. ‘Not here, anyway. If anyone sees you leaving in your own clothes they’re bound to ask questions.’
    ‘That’s true. I’m supposed to be meeting him in the shopping centre, we’ll just have to get there early and change in the toilets I think.’
    ‘We?’
    ‘Yes. You are coming with me, aren’t you?’ Ellen demanded. ‘You know we’re not allowed leave the school on our own. And I can’t tell anyone else about this.’
    I sighed. It looked like I could forget about the
Romeo and Juliet
meeting. Sneaking around corners with Ellen and minding her uniform while she met Pete was obviously so much more important.
    I felt guilty walking out the school gate. So ridiculous. We hadn’t even done anything wrong. Ellen was flitting between being absolutely hyper and clamming up with nerves. It was kind of exhausting actually.
    We squeezed into a cubicle in the ladies’ toilets, and Ellenstarted to wriggle out of her clothes.
    ‘Oh, I’ve just thought,’ she said, pausing with her shirt half over her head. ‘What are we going to do about you? You haven’t got any ordinary clothes.’
    ‘Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure it’s not me Pete’s coming to see.’
    ‘But I don’t want him to think I’m some kind of saddo, hanging out with one of the juniors,’ Ellen said.
    ‘Oh, thanks a lot!’ I pretended to be offended, but couldn’t help laughing. ‘Don’t worry. I wasn’t planning on coming with you. I’ll just mind your uniform and go for a look around the shops.’
    ‘Oh Maggie,