Bob’s turn. For a moment, Penelope was concerned that Bob hadn’t been able to find her box of books. But then Bob pulled out something she’d had on her lap, under the table. The something was tatty and dog-eared and definitely not in peak condition. But it was still the same book as Penelope’s own. When We Were Very Young.
‘I just can’t believe we have the same favourite book!’
Even though Bob had said the same sentence three times, Penelope was not at all sick of hearing her say it. She was also delighted to be sitting with Bob under the shady tree, absolutely and totally by themselves.
‘My dad used to do the voices aloud.’ Bob put on a deep voice. ‘ He went among the villagers and blipped them on the head ,’ she said, quoting from one of the poems.
Penelope giggled so much that she ended up lying down and closing her eyes. When she opened them, Rita and Tilly were standing in front of her.
‘Why are you way over here?’ Rita asked in a grumpy voice. She pointed to the benches in the courtyard. ‘Come on.’
Penelope knew Rita wouldn’t have bothered to come and collect her if it wasn’t for Bob. She waited for Bob to get up and go. But Bob stayed exactly where she was, sitting with her legs crossed. ‘We’ll come over a bit later, Rita,’ she said. ‘We’re just talking about our fave book.’
Rita definitely rolled her eyes. She put her hands on her hips.
‘That book,’ she said, pointing at Bob’s dog-eared copy, which lay on the grass next to them (Penelope’s was safely in her locker, inside her tartan book bag), ‘is for babies.’
Penelope sat up very straight. Anger bubbled inside her. SHE WAS SICK OF RITA AZUL MAKING HER FEEL SMALL AND UNIMPORTANT. SHE HAD PLENTY OF THINGS TO SAY ABOUT RITA’S STUPID BOOK, FOR A START. Penelope was pretty sure there would be a torrent of things to say to Rita once she got started.
She looked over at Bob. There was a big frown on Bob’s face. It looked very much as though she was (almost) as cross as Penelope.
No-one spoke. It was definitely only a matter of seconds before Penelope exploded. She could feel each and every one of the symptoms. The thudding in her temples, the rush of blood to her face. Penelope felt her mouth open, ready to let loose.
But then Bob moved. As Penelope realised Bob was getting up, the heat of her anger quickly melted away. Suddenly it felt very cold sitting in the shade. Penelope watched, her mouth still open, as Bob stood up. She felt her happiness start to crumple. She’d had her very own friend for such a short time, but it had already changed her life. Going back to the way things had been would make her Unbearably Lonely. Just the thought of it made Penelope’s heart ache.
Of course Bob was going to go with Rita. No-one wanted to get on the wrong side of Rita Azul. And the other girls over on the benches were waving now.
But the way Bob rubbed her hands together seemed a bit odd. So did the wink she gave Penelope.
In a heartbeat, Penelope knew what to do. She was not going to explode. That would just give Rita another outburst to add to her list. She stood up next to Bob and rubbed her own hands together. Her blood was still bubbling away inside her, but she ignored it.
Then, right at the same time, the two girls tucked the hems of their uniforms into their bicycle shorts and did a handstand against the tree.
It was lucky that the tree had such a big and sturdy trunk, because very soon everyone was doing handstands against it. There were loads of giggles as the girls timed each other, trying to hold their handstand for the longest time. Bob was absolutely and clearly the winner, but everyone else had fun trying to beat her.
It was Penelope’s best recess in a very long time. After a while, even Rita joined in.
Penelope suspected that Rita felt bad about what she’d said. She even told Penelope it was her turn to do the next handstand, when it was actually and obviously Rita’s own
‘I just can’t believe we have the same favourite book!’
Even though Bob had said the same sentence three times, Penelope was not at all sick of hearing her say it. She was also delighted to be sitting with Bob under the shady tree, absolutely and totally by themselves.
‘My dad used to do the voices aloud.’ Bob put on a deep voice. ‘ He went among the villagers and blipped them on the head ,’ she said, quoting from one of the poems.
Penelope giggled so much that she ended up lying down and closing her eyes. When she opened them, Rita and Tilly were standing in front of her.
‘Why are you way over here?’ Rita asked in a grumpy voice. She pointed to the benches in the courtyard. ‘Come on.’
Penelope knew Rita wouldn’t have bothered to come and collect her if it wasn’t for Bob. She waited for Bob to get up and go. But Bob stayed exactly where she was, sitting with her legs crossed. ‘We’ll come over a bit later, Rita,’ she said. ‘We’re just talking about our fave book.’
Rita definitely rolled her eyes. She put her hands on her hips.
‘That book,’ she said, pointing at Bob’s dog-eared copy, which lay on the grass next to them (Penelope’s was safely in her locker, inside her tartan book bag), ‘is for babies.’
Penelope sat up very straight. Anger bubbled inside her. SHE WAS SICK OF RITA AZUL MAKING HER FEEL SMALL AND UNIMPORTANT. SHE HAD PLENTY OF THINGS TO SAY ABOUT RITA’S STUPID BOOK, FOR A START. Penelope was pretty sure there would be a torrent of things to say to Rita once she got started.
She looked over at Bob. There was a big frown on Bob’s face. It looked very much as though she was (almost) as cross as Penelope.
No-one spoke. It was definitely only a matter of seconds before Penelope exploded. She could feel each and every one of the symptoms. The thudding in her temples, the rush of blood to her face. Penelope felt her mouth open, ready to let loose.
But then Bob moved. As Penelope realised Bob was getting up, the heat of her anger quickly melted away. Suddenly it felt very cold sitting in the shade. Penelope watched, her mouth still open, as Bob stood up. She felt her happiness start to crumple. She’d had her very own friend for such a short time, but it had already changed her life. Going back to the way things had been would make her Unbearably Lonely. Just the thought of it made Penelope’s heart ache.
Of course Bob was going to go with Rita. No-one wanted to get on the wrong side of Rita Azul. And the other girls over on the benches were waving now.
But the way Bob rubbed her hands together seemed a bit odd. So did the wink she gave Penelope.
In a heartbeat, Penelope knew what to do. She was not going to explode. That would just give Rita another outburst to add to her list. She stood up next to Bob and rubbed her own hands together. Her blood was still bubbling away inside her, but she ignored it.
Then, right at the same time, the two girls tucked the hems of their uniforms into their bicycle shorts and did a handstand against the tree.
It was lucky that the tree had such a big and sturdy trunk, because very soon everyone was doing handstands against it. There were loads of giggles as the girls timed each other, trying to hold their handstand for the longest time. Bob was absolutely and clearly the winner, but everyone else had fun trying to beat her.
It was Penelope’s best recess in a very long time. After a while, even Rita joined in.
Penelope suspected that Rita felt bad about what she’d said. She even told Penelope it was her turn to do the next handstand, when it was actually and obviously Rita’s own
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