Cathy Hopkins - [Mates, Dates 04] by Dates Mates, Sleepover Secrets (Html)

next week at school. I think the heatwave had affected everyone’s
brain.
    It started in science,
when Mr Dixon asked if anyone knew the formula for water.
    Gabby Jones put her
hand up. ‘HIJKLMNO,’ she said proudly.
    ‘Er, can you tell me
why?’ he asked.
    ‘Yesterday, sir,’ said
Gabby, ‘you said H to O was the formula for water.’
    ‘H 2 O,’ he
sighed, then wrote on the board.‘H 2 as in the
number
O. OK,
last question about water. What can we do to save water in a water shortage?’
    ‘Put less in the
kettle sir,’ said Lucy.
    ‘Excellent. Anyone
else?’
    ‘Don’t use the
hosepipe,’ I said.
    ‘Another good one. Any
others to help our water supply go further?’
    Jade Wilcocks’ hand
shot up. ‘Dilute it, sir,’ she said. Mr Dixon shook his head but I could see he
was trying not to laugh.
     
    Then it was into the
school hall for a film about the cosmos and all the planets and stars.
Afterwards, Miss Watkins asked us questions to see if we’d been paying
attention as I think some girls used the hour in the dark as an excuse to have
a kip.
    ‘What is a comet?’
asked Miss Watkins.
    I knew the answer to
this and put my hand up.
    ‘Star with a tail,
miss.’
    ‘Correct. And can
anyone name one?’
    Candice Carter, who
was one of those I saw nodding off, stuck her hand up. ‘Mickey Mouse, miss,’
she said, as everyone cracked up.
     
    But the best was in RE.
Again, it was poor .Miss Watkins taking the class and she asked if anyone knew
what God’s name was.
    This time it was Mo
Harrison who put her hand up.
    ‘Andy, miss.’
    ‘Andy? Why on earth
would Andy be the name of God?’
    ‘It’s in all the
hymns, miss,’ said Mo. ‘Andy walks with me. Andy talks with me… There are loads
of examples.’
    ‘No, Mo,’ Miss Watkins
said, turning to Nesta who was crying with laughter. ‘Nesta Williams, seeing as
you clearly find it so funny. What do
you
think the name of God might
be?’
    ‘Er, not sure,’ said
Nesta, looking caught out. ‘What do you think?’
    ‘I don’t think,’ said
Miss Watkins.‘I
know
!
    ‘I don’t think I know
either,’ giggled Nesta.
    The whole class got
detention but it was worth it. I felt like I’d spent the whole morning laughing
my head off.
    We never did get to
know what God’s name was.
     
    ‘How are you getting
on with the mag?’ asked Izzie as we sat doing our lines in detention in the
lunch break.
    ‘So-so. I’ve got some
ideas, but need to get them down on paper,’ I replied.
    ‘Come over to ours at
the weekend,’ said Lucy. ‘I’m sure Steve would like to see you again and he can
help. And so could me and Izzie and Nesta.’
    The offer of help was
tempting. Less than two weeks to go until the entries were due in and there was
going to be a lot of competition. Intense discussions and hushed conversations
were going on everywhere.
    ‘I could do a
horoscope page for you, if you like,’ said Izzie.
    ‘That would be
brilliant,’ I said. ‘And I may do a piece about Battersea Dogs’ Home.’
    I showed Lucy and Izzie
the Polaroids of Mojo. Soon, everyone wanted to look, so they got passed round
the class. Everyone ooed and aahed until it got to Wendy Roberts.
    ‘Arrr,
sweet
,’
she said loudly. ‘TJ’s new boyfriend. Hey, TJ. Is this
all
you can
pull? He needs a bit of a shave.’
    A few girls giggled
half-heartedly, but as though they felt they had to rather than because they
thought Wendy was hilarious. Why was she being so horrid to me? Was it because
Sam had liked my answer and not hers? Or because she’d got a low mark after
copying my homework? It wasn’t my fault I was crapola at maths. I racked my
brains for something funny to say back so it would look like I didn’t care, but
I couldn’t think of anything quick enough. Bummer and bananas, as Hannah used
to say. Why can I never come up with the right words when I need them?
    After detention, we
all trooped out to the playground for the last ten minutes of lunch. I ate