Pieces of My Heart by Sinéad Moriarty

recognized, it had actually made him even more obsessed with the place. Running a successful pub and a kitchen serving high-quality food meant there was always a crisis – highly strung chefs walking out, staff calling in sick, kegs leaking, food deliveries not turning up … There was always something.
    I changed out of the jeans and jumper I’d worn to the office and put on black trousers and a cream cardigan with black velvet trim.
    ‘Is that what you’re wearing?’ Sarah asked, coming into my bedroom and flopping onto the bed.
    ‘Yes, why?’
    ‘It’s a bit conservative.’
    ‘I’m going to a school debate. What did you think I’d wear? A mini?’
    ‘No, but you’ve got a good figure. You should dress a bit funkier. More edgy.’
    ‘I don’t even know what dressing edgy means.’
    ‘Think Madonna meets Kate Moss.’
    ‘Think mother of two not making a show of herself at her daughters’ school.’
    ‘Madonna has four kids.’
    ‘She’s a pop star who wears corsets and thigh-high leather boots. I run a kids’-party-planning company. Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m never going to look like Madonna. Now, come on, let’s go or we’ll be late.’
    Ali was the captain of the debating team this year. She had been on the team the year before when they won the all-Ireland championship, so she really wanted to do well again. That night the team’s first debate was against Brookfield College and she was very nervous.
    When Sarah, Charlie and I arrived, Sally was already there waiting for us. She waved us to the front row, where she had saved us four seats. ‘Where’s Paul?’ she asked.
    ‘Some drama in work.’ Sarah rolled her eyes. ‘Mum’s furious – don’t get her started.’
    ‘Thank you, Sarah,’ I said. ‘He’s going to try to make it later.’
    I smiled at Ali, who was busy talking to her team-mates. I gave her the thumbs-up. She smiled back, nervous but excited.
    ‘So, is David the one in the middle?’ Sally asked, looking at the debating team.
    ‘He’s not a debater!’ Sarah squealed. ‘He’s way too cool for that.’
    ‘There’s nothing wrong with debating.’ I didn’t like her slagging Ali’s hobby.
    ‘There.’ Sarah pointed to David, who was sitting in the back row with his feet dangling over the chair in front.
    ‘Wow, he’s gorgeous,’ Sally approved. ‘Very Johnny Depp circa 1989.’
    ‘Yeah, he’s cute,’ I agreed.
    ‘And cool,’ Sarah added.
    ‘Who’s that sitting beside him?’ Charlie asked.
    ‘That’s Tracy, the new girl I was telling you about, Mum.’
    ‘The one who looks like a model?’ I asked, turning around.
    ‘Yes, isn’t she fab?’
    Tracy was tall and very thin, with high cheekbones, long, poker-straight black hair and almond-shaped blue eyes. She was very striking and angular, but not soft and pretty like Ali.
    ‘She’s all right, but she’s not as gorgeous as Ali,’ I said.
    ‘She’s a matchstick and no man wants that,’ Charlie assured us.
    ‘She seems a bit flirty,’ Sally noted. ‘We’ll have to keep an eye on her.’
    Tracy was leaning over, whispering something into David’s ear.
    ‘She flirts with everyone,’ Sarah explained. ‘The guys all love her.’
    There was a clink of a glass and the chair of the debate stood up to introduce the two teams. ‘Welcome, everyone, to this evening’s debate between Brookfield College and Hodder College. The motion this evening is “Should minorities be treated differently?” Brookfield is for and Hodder against. The winners of this evening’s debate will be chosen by their oratory style and their ability to convince the audience that they are right and not simply by their statistical analysis of the problem. Hodder will begin. Each speaker has fifteen minutes to put their point across.’
    Ali went first. She was wonderful. I had goosebumps of pride. She held very good eye contact with the audience and her opposition, used her hands to emphasize key points and spoke