The Red Cardigan by J.C. Burke Page A

know.’
    He stands there, his silence forcing Evie to babble on. He loves a game, she thinks.
    â€˜Could I, I mean I know it’s, well, what I really need is a week’s extension.’
    â€˜You’ve got three days, Evie. I want it by Thursday. End of discussion.’
    â€˜Thank you, sir.’ Perhaps I should get down and kiss his feet, she thinks. That’d spin him out. She settles for another ‘thank you’ and crawls out of the art room.
    Â 
    Alex is in the canteen queue.
    â€˜There you are,’ Evie says.
    â€˜The brats raided the fridge before I got a chance to make my lunch,’ Alex groans.
    â€˜No pushing in,’ says one of the CGs from Year 12.
    â€˜I’m not buying anything,’ Evie replies.
    The girl mutters something. Alex spins around.
    â€˜What did you say?’
    â€˜Nothing.’
    â€˜Crap. I heard what you said.’
    Evie shakes her head. ‘Leave it, Al.’
    â€˜What a bitch.’
    â€˜Don’t go there, Alex.’
    â€˜God, sometimes I really hate this place.’
    Evie nods. She wonders what the girl said but asking Alex right here, in the canteen line, will only invite trouble. Evie could do without the attention.
    â€˜Those CGs think they rule. Anyway, more importantly, did you hand your major work proposal in?’
    â€˜No.’
    Alex’s jaw drops. ‘Are you mad?’
    â€˜It’s not finished.’
    â€˜It’s not finished?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜But that’s all you’ve been doing the past few weeks!’
    â€˜I know, I know.’
    â€˜So, what’s the story, glory?’
    â€˜Alex, I desperately need your help.’
    â€˜How?’
    â€˜I need you to sit for me again. I can’t finish the initial drawings with only your photo, it just isn’t working and Powell won’t –’
    â€˜Evie, I’ve got –’
    â€˜It’s just for the next three days. The oldies will go spasticif they find out I haven’t handed it in. Please, pretty please? I’ll be your best friend.’
    â€˜You already are.’
    â€˜Be even better.’
    â€˜Well, I definitely can’t do it on Wednesday, I’ve got hockey, and you’ll have to come to my place tomorrow because I have to mind the brats.’
    â€˜What about this arvo? At my place?’
    â€˜Today? Yeah, should be okay.’
    â€˜Thank you. I owe you majorly, love.’
    â€˜I know, love.’
    Evie waits while Alex orders at the counter.
    â€˜A ham and pineapple pizza pocket and a hot chocolate, please.’
    Evie notices a canteen mother looking at her, a buttery knife poised in the air. Another mother whispers something in her ear. Evie knows it’s the woman who insisted her mother resign from the art committee. ‘It makes the school look bad,’ she had said. They look at Evie like a couple of magpies, then nod in unison. The first mother goes back to buttering the sandwiches. The second mother stares for that extra second. Evie quickly looks away. She’s been back at school twelve weeks and she knows now to expect this.
    Â 
    At first, Evie doesn’t think the situation with Antonia is complicated. She wishes she could give an explanation, make it simple and straightforward; her mother would prefer that. But Evie doesn’t understand what happened. Soshe’ll pretend it was nothing, just like her mother pretends that the little girl at the pin was nothing.
    Their first session with the school counsellor reveals the situation with Antonia is complicated, very complicated.
    Evie sits on a chair facing the counsellor. Her parents sit behind her. She doesn’t like not being able to see her mother’s face. She has only her voice to guide her.
    â€˜Tell me about what happened, Evie,’ the school counsellor almost whispers.
    â€˜I’m … I’m not really sure, Mrs O’Leary.’
    â€˜Please, call me