Growing Yams in London by Sophia Acheampong Page B

me.
    ‘Whaat?’ I said, confused.
    She turned off the Bunsen burner and took the tongs and test tube from me. I noticed it had changed to a weird shade of orange, unlike the test tubes everyone else was holding which were pale
egg-yoke colours.
    ‘I can’t believe you overheated the solution! That’s it, I’m splitting you three up! You’re a danger to yourselves and my equipment,’ Mrs Connelly
exclaimed.
    ‘Sorry, Miss,’ we chorused, desperately trying not to laugh. Luckily the bell rang signalling the end of the day.
    ‘Clear off the lot of ya!’ Mrs Connelly shouted, but most of the class were already out of the door.
    ‘Hey, are you two coming to the netball trials?’ Mel said.
    ‘Er no,’ I replied.
    ‘Hey, wait up!’ Laura screamed, as she ran up to us.
    ‘What are you doing here?’ Mel said, smiling.
    ‘I wasn’t going to miss the trials. I would’ve been here earlier, but I couldn’t be bothered to go to history or science. So I hung out with Jordan and Nelson. They
finished early today.’
    Nelson? What was she doing with him?
    ‘Ready?’ Laura asked Mel.
    ‘Yeah, I was just trying to convince these two to come along,’ Mel said.
    ‘Oh,’ Laura said, surprised.
    ‘The last time we were on the team, I got disqualified for elbowing the Wing Defence in the eye and Makeeda sprained her ankle chasing that girl from St Mary’s,’ Bharti
said.
    ‘Don’t remind me!’ I said, wincing.
    Every time I thought about that particular match, I recalled the agony of landing in a funny way and thinking I was going to die from the pain.
    ‘Oh yeah, I remember your starring moment ruined by a sprained ankle!’ Mel said, laughing. She hooked her arm in mine and made me run ahead of the other two.
    ‘So how are things with Mr DJ?’ she asked.
    ‘OK. We’re meeting up at the weekend.’
    ‘Ah huh, the second date! Excited?’
    ‘Well, not really – more nervous . . .’ I began.
    ‘Hey, did I tell you I heard that Nelson once dumped a girl for being a poor kisser?’ Laura called from behind us.
    ‘What?’ Bharti said, horrified, looking at me.
    ‘That’s rubbish! He’s not like that!’ Mel said.
    ‘Well, it’s what I heard!’ Laura added, staring directly at me, her eyes shining.
    The others waited for me to reply, but I had nothing to say. I was in shock. What if Laura was right? I mumbled my goodbyes and almost ran out of school.
    ‘Hey, wait up!’ Bharti called, huffing and puffing for breath. ‘What was all that about? You know Laura’s just winding you up.’
    ‘I know but . . .’
    ‘Makeeda, what’s up?’
    ‘I’m worried that Nelson will dump me on our second date.’
    ‘Er, why?’
    ‘Because . . . because . . .’ I couldn’t think of what to say.
    ‘Because you have bad taste in nineties rock music, which you always deny? Or because of your weird sardine, onion and ketchup sandwiches?’
    ‘Shut up!’ I said, laughing.
    ‘Don’t worry about it. You’ll be fine. Mercury comes out of retrograde tomorrow.’
    ‘Really?’
    ‘Yes, so you should be OK!’ she said, unconvincingly. ‘Although . . . I foresee dark clouds brewing above Laura,’ Bharti added.
    ‘Really?’
    ‘Nope, she’s a Gemini – they’re always lucky!’ Bharti said with a smile.
    We kept talking till we saw a good-looking boy waiting at the bus stop. He was about Nelson’s height and had the same school uniform on.
    ‘Ohmigod! I think I’m in love,’ Bharti whispered.
    Then we both shut up. Judging by the silly grin on her face, Bharti was locked in a fantasy world with our unknown companion, whilst I was still concerned about my second date with Nelson. Laura
could actually be right and Nelson could be using this second date to dump me for being a poor kisser! My mind drifted between Nelson and my history essay. There was no way Mrs Hipman was going to
make me write about someone else. I’d never got into an argument with a teacher before, but there was something about