with tiny pearls. When she sat down, Annie saw she was wearing tan leather boots with high heelsl Annie's skirt and jumper suddenly seemed very drab, and her feeling of envy was mixed with alarm. The outfit would drive Ruby Livesey madl
'Who the hell does she think she is, coming to school tarted up like a bloody mannequin!' said Ruby for the fifth, possibly the sixth, time.
Christmas dinner was over and they were in the gym watching the dancing; Mr Parrish was playing his Frank Sinatra records. Sylvia Delgado had been up for every dance, but not a single boy had approached Ruby or her gang, though some girls danced with each other. Annie felt a stirring of interest in the opposite sex. She hated dancing with girls, particularly Ruby, who insisted on being the woman and it was like pushing a carthorse round. It was particularly irritating to see Marie floating past, always in the arms of a different boy.
'I hate her!' Ruby spat. 'If it wasn't for her, those boys'd be dancing with us.'
The logic of this escaped Annie, as there was only one Sylvia Delgado and eleven of them. As far as she was concerned, the party had turned out to be a wash-out. She couldn't wait for it to be half past three when she could throw away her paper hat and leave - not that she intended going home. They were going shopping; Ruby might well get on her nerves, but was infinitely preferable to her silent mam.
was almost dark by the time they reached jrloo, and freezing - the road led straight down to liver Mersey. Little icy spots of rain were blowing le biting wind which gusted under their skirts and leir sleeves, penetrating the thickest clothes, ispite the cold, they were happy. Every now and , they would burst into song, 'White Christmas', ; saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus', though it d in a giggle after a few bars when their jaws
mie had recovered her good humour. It was :ult not to when there were decorations every-e, and coloured lights, and the shops were packed happy people. There was a lovely atmosphere, and elt heady with excitement.
irols could be heard along the road, and they came churchyard, where five black-cloaked nuns were ling around a large crib with almost life-sized es, singing 'Away in a Manger' at the top of their ous soprano voices. A large crowd had stopped to with them.
mie paused, entranced. The scene was like a stmas card. The churchyard was surrounded by -tipped holly trees strung with sparkling lanterns, the vivid colours were reflected over and over le gleaming, thorny leaves. The white starched dresses of the women were like giant butterflies, sring slightly as if about to soar away. Above it all, Irops of rain could be seen against the navy-blue blowing this way and that like tiny, dancing stars, .nnie watched, a real star appeared, which seemed : winking and blinking especially at her. The other were already some distance ahead. 'Let's sing some Is,' she called.
ley stopped. 'It's bloody freezing,' Ruby com-led.
'Just one,' pleaded Annie. 'After all, it's Christmas.'
'Oh, all right, just one.'
The nuns began 'Silent Night', and everyone joined in. Annie was singing away when Sally Baker nudged her. 'See who's over there!'
Sylvia Delgado was standing at the back of the crowd, staring wide-eyed, as if as entranced as Annie by it all. She wore a thick suede coat with a fur collar which looked incredibly smart.
Annie only half heard the message being passed along the line of girls. 'See who's over there!' She felt annoyed when her arm was grabbed and someone hissed, 'Come on, quick! Let's get out of here.'
'Why?' she asked. 'The carol hasn't finished.'
A man's voice shouted angrily. 'Look what someone's done to this poor girl!'
Ruby and the gang were nowhere to be seen. Puzzled, Annie left the church and saw them running down the road, laughing. They disappeared into Woolworth's and were still laughing when she caught up with them.
'What happened?' she demanded.
'Ruby pushed Sylvia Delgado right into the
'Who the hell does she think she is, coming to school tarted up like a bloody mannequin!' said Ruby for the fifth, possibly the sixth, time.
Christmas dinner was over and they were in the gym watching the dancing; Mr Parrish was playing his Frank Sinatra records. Sylvia Delgado had been up for every dance, but not a single boy had approached Ruby or her gang, though some girls danced with each other. Annie felt a stirring of interest in the opposite sex. She hated dancing with girls, particularly Ruby, who insisted on being the woman and it was like pushing a carthorse round. It was particularly irritating to see Marie floating past, always in the arms of a different boy.
'I hate her!' Ruby spat. 'If it wasn't for her, those boys'd be dancing with us.'
The logic of this escaped Annie, as there was only one Sylvia Delgado and eleven of them. As far as she was concerned, the party had turned out to be a wash-out. She couldn't wait for it to be half past three when she could throw away her paper hat and leave - not that she intended going home. They were going shopping; Ruby might well get on her nerves, but was infinitely preferable to her silent mam.
was almost dark by the time they reached jrloo, and freezing - the road led straight down to liver Mersey. Little icy spots of rain were blowing le biting wind which gusted under their skirts and leir sleeves, penetrating the thickest clothes, ispite the cold, they were happy. Every now and , they would burst into song, 'White Christmas', ; saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus', though it d in a giggle after a few bars when their jaws
mie had recovered her good humour. It was :ult not to when there were decorations every-e, and coloured lights, and the shops were packed happy people. There was a lovely atmosphere, and elt heady with excitement.
irols could be heard along the road, and they came churchyard, where five black-cloaked nuns were ling around a large crib with almost life-sized es, singing 'Away in a Manger' at the top of their ous soprano voices. A large crowd had stopped to with them.
mie paused, entranced. The scene was like a stmas card. The churchyard was surrounded by -tipped holly trees strung with sparkling lanterns, the vivid colours were reflected over and over le gleaming, thorny leaves. The white starched dresses of the women were like giant butterflies, sring slightly as if about to soar away. Above it all, Irops of rain could be seen against the navy-blue blowing this way and that like tiny, dancing stars, .nnie watched, a real star appeared, which seemed : winking and blinking especially at her. The other were already some distance ahead. 'Let's sing some Is,' she called.
ley stopped. 'It's bloody freezing,' Ruby com-led.
'Just one,' pleaded Annie. 'After all, it's Christmas.'
'Oh, all right, just one.'
The nuns began 'Silent Night', and everyone joined in. Annie was singing away when Sally Baker nudged her. 'See who's over there!'
Sylvia Delgado was standing at the back of the crowd, staring wide-eyed, as if as entranced as Annie by it all. She wore a thick suede coat with a fur collar which looked incredibly smart.
Annie only half heard the message being passed along the line of girls. 'See who's over there!' She felt annoyed when her arm was grabbed and someone hissed, 'Come on, quick! Let's get out of here.'
'Why?' she asked. 'The carol hasn't finished.'
A man's voice shouted angrily. 'Look what someone's done to this poor girl!'
Ruby and the gang were nowhere to be seen. Puzzled, Annie left the church and saw them running down the road, laughing. They disappeared into Woolworth's and were still laughing when she caught up with them.
'What happened?' she demanded.
'Ruby pushed Sylvia Delgado right into the
Similar Books
