Free An Education by Nick Hornby Page A

nonplussed.
    Well, are you the girl going to Paris or are you not, because . . .
    MISS STUBBS comes into the classroom carrying books and essays. She sees the SMALL GIRL and shoos her out while the other girls follow. As JENNY comes past, she whispers discreetly into her ear.
    MISS STUBBS
    Jenny, the headmistress wants a word with you. The legend of Mr Rochester may have travelled further than you intended.
    JENNY looks at her, startled and a little sick.

60 INTERIOR: HEADMISTRESS’S OFFICE/ CORRIDOR - DAY
    The office is dark, wood-panelled, foreboding, apparently designed to put all visitors ill-at-ease.The HEADMISTRESS would probably choose to be wood-panelled if she could. She’s tweedy, bespectacled, severe. There is a knock at the door. She doesn’t look up from her paperwork.
    HEADMISTRESS
    Come.
    JENNY enters, looking young and frightened.
    Ah. Miss Mellor.
    JENNY tries to look at her with all the courage she can muster.
    We’re all very excited about your forthcoming trip to Paris. Our excitement, indeed, knows no bounds. Some of us can talk of little else.
    JENNY looks at her feet.
    An older man, I understand? A word of warning, Miss Mellor. There may well have been the odd sixth-form girl who has lost an important part of herself - perhaps the best part - while under our supervision. These things happen, regrettably. If, however, we are made aware of this loss, then of course the young lady in question would have to continue her studies elsewhere, if, that is, she still has any use for A-levels. Do I make myself clear?
     
    JENNY
    Can I go now?
     
    HEADMISTRESS
    If you would.
    JENNY turns round and walks out without saying another word.

61 INTERIOR: JENNY’S HOUSE - EVENING
    GRAHAM, JENNY and her father are at the dinner table, sitting in the dark.
    JACK
    ( shouting to MARJORIE)
    What are you doing in there?
     
    JENNY
    Well, I imagine she’s lighting the candles on my cake.
     
    JACK
    You’re seventeen, not two hundred and fifty.
    There is an awkward pause.
    GRAHAM
    Thanks for inviting me.
     
    JACK
    It was Marjorie’s idea, not mine. Not even Jenny’s, come to that.
    GRAHAM looks stung.
    JENNY
    ( appalled )
    Dad!
    MARJORIE kicks the door open with her foot and comes in holding a birthday cake with seventeen candles burning on it. She puts it down carefully on the table.
    JACK
    Blow them out, before the house burns down.
    JENNY closes her eyes, blows out her candles, just as -
    GRAHAM
    Make a . . . oh, OK. Don’t worry . . .
    Everyone applauds as JACK gets up to turn the lights on. We can see that by JENNY’S side is an unopened, carefully wrapped present - clearly a book.
    MARJORIE
    Who’d like a piece?
    In truth, the cake is a rather sorry and unappetising specimen.There isn’t enough icing on the top. She cuts a couple of slices which immediately collapse.
    GRAHAM
    It doesn’t matter . . .
     
    JACK
    Come on. Presents.
    Without any real enthusiasm, JENNY opens the present.
    It’s a new Latin dictionary.
     
    JENNY
    Oh. Thank you. I needed a new one.
     
    GRAHAM
    ( crestfallen )
    Oh dear. Snap!
    GRAHAM hands over a wrapped present exactly the same size and shape as the dictionary.
    The doorbell rings. JACK goes to answer it, and immediately the house is energised: it’s DAVID.
    From the hallway:
    JACK ( out of sight )
    Good grief.You should see this!
    DAVID enters.You can hardly see him for all the parcels and flowers he’s carrying.
    DAVID
    It’s a special day.
    JENNY, delighted, moves the dictionaries to make way for DAVID’S presents.
    JACK
    Makes your dictionary look a bit feeble, eh, Graham?
     
    GRAHAM
    Gosh!
    GRAHAM looks pained. MARJORIE notices.
    MARJORIE
    And ours, too, come to that.
     
    DAVID
    And these are for you.
    DAVID gives MARJORIE a basket of beautiful roses.
    MARJORIE
    Oh, David.
     
    DAVID
    ( to GRAHAM)
    Hello, young man.
     
    JACK
    David, would you like a drink?
     
    DAVID
    I’d love one.
     
    GRAHAM
    I’d best be going. I’ve got a stack of homework to do.
    GRAHAM