clearly and very convincingly. She barely glanced at her notes and used humour to keep the audience engaged. It was perfect. We clapped and cheered loudly.
‘Bloody hell, she’s good,’ Sally whispered.
‘I know.’ I beamed, unable to hide my pride.
‘She gets it from me,’ Charlie announced. ‘I was always able to persuade people that black was white. It’s how I survived in the orphanage.’
‘Pity you couldn’t have persuaded Catherine that water was vodka.’ Sally giggled.
‘You cheeky devil.’
‘Can I go now, Mum? I’ve seen Ali,’ Sarah said. ‘Do I have to stay for all the others?’
‘Yes, you do.’ I laid my hand on her arm to stop her getting up.
‘Come on! There’s five more geeks to speak – it’ll be so boring.’
‘It’ll do you good to listen. It’s educational.’
‘I get it – we shouldn’t treat minorities differently because it doesn’t do them any favours and it just pisses everyone else off. Can I go now?’
Sally shook with laughter beside me. ‘If Ali’s ever stuck for a team member, you should offer your services. You’re very succinct and convincing.’
‘Sit back down and be quiet,’ I warned her.
Sarah crossed her arms and sulked for the next hour and a half.
Ali’s team won and she was singled out for special praise as the best speaker. We all gathered around to congratulate her.
‘I’m seriously impressed. Brains and beauty, you’ll go far,’ Sally said, hugging her.
‘Thanks for coming,’ Ali said. ‘I’m glad it’s over. I was so nervous that we’d lose in the first round.’
David came up with Tracy. ‘You totally nailed it, babe. Well done.’
‘Thanks.’ Ali glowed.
‘Yeah, congrats,’ Tracy said.
Ali smiled politely and then, turning to David, said, ‘The team’s going for a drink to celebrate. Are you keen?’
‘Actually, I’m kind of wrecked. I think I’ll head home. I’ll catch you tomorrow.’
Ali’s face dropped.
‘Hey, I’m driving if you want a lift,’ Tracy offered, while I tried to resist the urge to elbow her out of the way.
‘That’d be great. See you, Ali, have a good time.’ David leant over and gave Ali a peck on the lips.
We all watched him leave with Tracy.
‘Debating’s not really his scene,’ Ali explained.
‘What is?’ I asked, aiming for breezy but sounding angry.
‘Going to gigs and playing guitar in his band.’
‘Oh, God, gorgeous and a guitar player … if only I was twenty years younger.’ Sally groaned.
‘Twenty-five.’ Charlie grinned.
‘Steady on, he’s taken,’ Ali reminded us.
‘Sorry I’m late,’ Paul said, arriving in as the chairs were being stacked.
‘It’s OK, Dad. Mum said you had a crisis in the kitchen.’
‘How did you do, Ali?’
‘She was amazing,’ I said coldly.
‘The star of the night,’ Charlie agreed.
‘A credit to her parents.’ Sally smiled at me.
‘I’m sorry I missed you, Ali. I promise to be here early for the next one,’ Paul said.
‘Fat chance,’ I mumbled.
‘Ava!’ Sally whispered. ‘Be nice, he’s trying.’
‘Dad, you missed David. He’s gone home with Tracy,’ Sarah said. ‘I’d watch her, Ali, she definitely fancies him.’
‘He has the best-looking and smartest girl in the school,’ Paul said, ‘why would he go for second-best?’
‘Oh, puuuurlease, Dad, that’s so corny.’ Sarah made vomiting noises.
‘It’s true, though.’ Paul winked at Ali.
‘Sarah has a point,’ Sally said. ‘I’d keep an eye on that Tracy. I didn’t like her.’
Ali frowned.
‘Hey, don’t worry,’ I said. ‘David came here to support you.’
‘And he sat through some really boring speeches, so he must be mad about you,’ Sarah added. ‘Seriously, Ali, I can’t believe you choose to do this as a hobby. If it wasn’t for Charlie’s DNA, I’d think I was adopted. Now, can we please get out of here? My head hurts from all that talk about minorities.’
‘Did you learn anything?’ Paul
‘Bloody hell, she’s good,’ Sally whispered.
‘I know.’ I beamed, unable to hide my pride.
‘She gets it from me,’ Charlie announced. ‘I was always able to persuade people that black was white. It’s how I survived in the orphanage.’
‘Pity you couldn’t have persuaded Catherine that water was vodka.’ Sally giggled.
‘You cheeky devil.’
‘Can I go now, Mum? I’ve seen Ali,’ Sarah said. ‘Do I have to stay for all the others?’
‘Yes, you do.’ I laid my hand on her arm to stop her getting up.
‘Come on! There’s five more geeks to speak – it’ll be so boring.’
‘It’ll do you good to listen. It’s educational.’
‘I get it – we shouldn’t treat minorities differently because it doesn’t do them any favours and it just pisses everyone else off. Can I go now?’
Sally shook with laughter beside me. ‘If Ali’s ever stuck for a team member, you should offer your services. You’re very succinct and convincing.’
‘Sit back down and be quiet,’ I warned her.
Sarah crossed her arms and sulked for the next hour and a half.
Ali’s team won and she was singled out for special praise as the best speaker. We all gathered around to congratulate her.
‘I’m seriously impressed. Brains and beauty, you’ll go far,’ Sally said, hugging her.
‘Thanks for coming,’ Ali said. ‘I’m glad it’s over. I was so nervous that we’d lose in the first round.’
David came up with Tracy. ‘You totally nailed it, babe. Well done.’
‘Thanks.’ Ali glowed.
‘Yeah, congrats,’ Tracy said.
Ali smiled politely and then, turning to David, said, ‘The team’s going for a drink to celebrate. Are you keen?’
‘Actually, I’m kind of wrecked. I think I’ll head home. I’ll catch you tomorrow.’
Ali’s face dropped.
‘Hey, I’m driving if you want a lift,’ Tracy offered, while I tried to resist the urge to elbow her out of the way.
‘That’d be great. See you, Ali, have a good time.’ David leant over and gave Ali a peck on the lips.
We all watched him leave with Tracy.
‘Debating’s not really his scene,’ Ali explained.
‘What is?’ I asked, aiming for breezy but sounding angry.
‘Going to gigs and playing guitar in his band.’
‘Oh, God, gorgeous and a guitar player … if only I was twenty years younger.’ Sally groaned.
‘Twenty-five.’ Charlie grinned.
‘Steady on, he’s taken,’ Ali reminded us.
‘Sorry I’m late,’ Paul said, arriving in as the chairs were being stacked.
‘It’s OK, Dad. Mum said you had a crisis in the kitchen.’
‘How did you do, Ali?’
‘She was amazing,’ I said coldly.
‘The star of the night,’ Charlie agreed.
‘A credit to her parents.’ Sally smiled at me.
‘I’m sorry I missed you, Ali. I promise to be here early for the next one,’ Paul said.
‘Fat chance,’ I mumbled.
‘Ava!’ Sally whispered. ‘Be nice, he’s trying.’
‘Dad, you missed David. He’s gone home with Tracy,’ Sarah said. ‘I’d watch her, Ali, she definitely fancies him.’
‘He has the best-looking and smartest girl in the school,’ Paul said, ‘why would he go for second-best?’
‘Oh, puuuurlease, Dad, that’s so corny.’ Sarah made vomiting noises.
‘It’s true, though.’ Paul winked at Ali.
‘Sarah has a point,’ Sally said. ‘I’d keep an eye on that Tracy. I didn’t like her.’
Ali frowned.
‘Hey, don’t worry,’ I said. ‘David came here to support you.’
‘And he sat through some really boring speeches, so he must be mad about you,’ Sarah added. ‘Seriously, Ali, I can’t believe you choose to do this as a hobby. If it wasn’t for Charlie’s DNA, I’d think I was adopted. Now, can we please get out of here? My head hurts from all that talk about minorities.’
‘Did you learn anything?’ Paul
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