Dreams at Silver Spires by Ann Bryant Page A

started.”
    He didn’t ask any more questions, but I was left feeling embarrassed about not seeming to have anyone at all in the club, and I decided to have a proper talk to the others later about getting more people to join. I’d kind of forgotten about that important point in my excitement over starting work in the garden. Maybe I could put up posters. That would be better than making an announcement in assembly, because it would mean I wouldn’t have to put up with hearing Juliet sniggering about me with her friends. I remembered how she’d laughed at the idea of a gardening club and I thought she and all her friends would laugh even more if they saw the tiny plot of land I’d got. But I shouldn’t think about that now. So I pulled my mind back to my pile of weeds…and felt a wave of hopelessness coming over me.
    This was nothing like my proper plan. I wanted a great big compost heap in a great big garden with every single scrap of biodegradable waste from the whole school on it. It was just so frustrating that so much good stuff that could be recycled was being thrown away instead.
    The cameraman had stopped filming me and gone, thank goodness, so I just stared at my tiny plot as Tony’s words ran through my mind.
    I take my orders from the powers that be…the domestic bursar.
    I didn’t even know who the domestic bursar was. In fact, come to think of it, I didn’t even know what domestic bursar meant. But at that moment, I felt a sudden big determination to talk to him or her.
    Yes, that’s what I’d do. I’d get my proper plan into action.
    The following lunchtime I was full of energy. Once again I was bolting my food so I could get out to my precious garden, because today was a really lovely day. The sun was shining and that made all six of us happy.
    â€œIf the sun is still shining after school then I will help in your garden, Emily,” said Antonia, smiling.
    â€œMe too,” said Nicole. “And isn’t this the day when Stan’s going to show you his photos? I’m dying to see a picture of how it all looked fifty years ago.”
    â€œSsh!” I said, looking round. “I don’t want Juliet to hear us talking about the garden. She’ll only take the mick.”
    â€œWhat is a mick?” asked Antonia, looking confused. “And why will Jet take it from you?”
    It’s so sweet when Antonia doesn’t understand expressions that we all take for granted, and Nicole quickly explained, as she always does. Then Sasha pointed out that I had nothing to worry about, because Juliet was over the other side of the hall, at a table near the counter.
    â€œAnd it’s perfectly obvious why,” said Izzy, rolling her eyes as she nodded at the cameraman who was standing only about a metre away from where Juliet was sitting.
    There are three different cameramen on the team, we’ve realized. And most of the time they carry their cameras on their shoulders when they’re filming. But occasionally they actually set up a tripod. That’s what they did for the party. And right now there was one tripod with a camera pointing towards the counter, filming what people were choosing to eat, I supposed.
    â€œI was thinking about what you asked, Ems,” said Bryony. “Perhaps one of the dinner ladies would know about the domestic bursar. You can find out who it is and where their office is.”
    â€œYes, I’ll ask someone when I take my plate back,” I said, feeling grateful to Bryony, because I’d told her my plan but I’d been wondering where to start. But just then I heard someone at the next table saying that she had to go to a netball practice and when I glanced at my watch I couldn’t believe how quickly the time had gone by. Unless I rushed around at a hundred miles an hour, I wouldn’t be able to do a few things at the garden ready for after school, like I’d