Post by Suzi on Aug 11, 2005 13:07:12 GMT -5
This is something I wrote ages ago. This is all i have written. I don't know if I'll ever finish it
Alice closed the back door behind her and slumped down in a chair at the kitchen table.
“How was your day?” asked her mother handing her a cup of coffee.
“Okay” said Alice. She was tired and not really in the mood to talk.
“Did you get into trouble for forgetting your homework?” asked her mother. Alice was a keen horse rider and tended to put riding first. This made her forgetful and she could never find time to do her homework.
“No” she said. “I’ve just got to hand it in tomorrow.” She finished the coffee and got up. “I’m going up to do it now” she said and left the kitchen. She went up to her bedroom and sat down on the bed. On her bedside table there was a telephone. Her mother had complained about how often Alice was using the phone and had finally agreed that the only way she would be able to have the phone when she wanted it was if Alice had her own phone line. Mr and Mrs Linton were both successful lawyers so they could easily afford it. Alice picked up the phone and dialled her friend Julie’s number. Julie answered almost immediately.
“Hi” she said
“Hi” said Alice “Why weren’t you at riding today? Abbey was annoyed.” Abbey was the riding instructor.
“Yeah I knew she would be” said Julie “But I didn’t have time to phone her. My mum suddenly decided we were going to go and visit grandma and she wouldn’t listen when I said I had riding.” Julie put on a voice that sounded uncannily like her mothers “Your grandmother should mean more to you than a bunch of ponies.” She sighed “Mum really doesn’t understand about riding.”
“It’s a pity” said Alice sympathetically. “But think of me. I was stuck being paired up with Brian.” It was Julie’s turn to be sympathetic. “He didn’t ask you out again did he?” she asked
“Yes” said Alice. “He doesn’t seem to get the message that I’m not interested. And he still can’t saddle a horse properly. He’s been riding for five weeks!”
“That’s because he’s not interested in riding” said Julie “He only started to try and get to know you better.”
“Well I wish he hadn’t” said Alice sighing. “I want to go out with Mike in the year above us at school and he hardly knows I exist.”
“It’s hard” said Julie. “But you’ll just have to tell him to leave you alone and then concentrate on Mike.”
“Yeah” said Alice. “I suppose so. Anyway I have some homework to do so I’d better go. See you at school tomorrow.”
“Okay” said Julie “Night” She hung up and Alice replaced the receiver.
The next day at school, Alice met Julie at the school gates. They walked to registration class together. They took their places at the back of the class. A few minutes later, Brian came in and made a beeline for them.
“Oh no” groaned Alice and turned away as he came nearer.
“Hello Alice” he said enthusiastically “Listen. I know you said no last night when I asked you to go ice skating with me, but I suppose it’s not really your thing. We could go somewhere else, anywhere. How about going to the cinema or we could go cycling together.”
“No thank you Brian” said Alice not looking up, but he didn’t move
“Oh come on Alice” he said “There must be somewhere you want to go.”
“There are heaps of places she wants to go” said Julie coming to Alice’s rescue “But not with you. Why don’t you just leave her alone?” Brian looked hurt and opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment their registration teacher, who was also Alice’s older sister walked in.
“Come on Brian” she said grinning “Sit down and leave Alice alone. If she wants to go out with you she’ll tell you.” Alice blushed scarlet and Brian went to sit down looking upset. Jenn, or Miss Linton as she was known to the class, called the register and then sat on her desk looking round at the class.
“There’s an announcement I’m supposed to make” she said “And I have a feeling that some people in this class will be pleased.” She looked at Julie and Alice. “The head did a survey not long ago and found that a lot of students at this school go horse riding regularly. Therefore she has decided that the school will form a riding team which will ride against teams from other schools in gymkhanas and things like that. The idea was thought up because someone was overheard complaining that the school had dancing teams and swimming teams and all that but didn’t have any riding teams.” She looked suspiciously at Alice and Julie, but they were in this instance not guilty. “Right then” said Jenn “Hands up if you want to try out for a place in the team.” Three hands went up. Alice and Julie did of course want to try out but to Alice’s horror, Brian put his hand up as well.
“What’s he doing?” she whispered to Julie “He can’t ride to save his life.”
“Oh come on Alice” said Julie “Do I really have to explain what he’s doing?” She didn’t, because Alice knew only too well. “He won’t make the team” said Julie comfortingly “As you said, he can’t ride to save his life.” This comforted Alice a bit.
Just then the bell rang and Jenn dismissed the class. Alice marched up to her desk with Julie behind her grinning.
“Thank you for embarrassing me in front of the whole class” she said sarcastically. Jenn laughed.
“Lighten up Alice” she said “I bet everyone knew anyway. Now get out. I got the fourth years first period and that boy called Mike. I might have a chat with him.”
“Don’t you dare” said Alice and left the classroom quickly. “She is the most annoying person I have ever met” she said to Julie “Well, apart from Brian anyway.”
“Oh come on” said Julie “Jenn is fun. She’s just teasing you. I’d love to have a Math teacher for a sister. She could do all my homework for me.”
That afternoon, the girls had a riding class, so they had told their mothers they would walk to the stables right after school. They went to their lockers after last period and got out their riding things. To Alice’s disgust, Brian hurried up to them.
“Are you going to the stables now?” he asked. Alice considered this a stupid question even for Brian. They both carried riding clothes and hard riding hats. It didn’t exactly make them look like they were going to a disco.
“Yes” she said tonelessly and, dodging around him, kept walking. To her annoyance, Brian didn’t take the hint and ran after her.
“Great. I’ll walk with you then.” He fell into line with the two girls. Alice looked at Julie and rolled her eyes. She was not unkind and she did not want to tell Brian to get lost. It seemed she would have to put up with him. Julie, understanding how Alice felt, spoke to Brian.
“Brian, we would rather walk alone” she said firmly. Brian’s face fell and he looked at Alice. Annoyed though she was, Alice felt sorry for him.
“No it’s okay Julie” she said sighing “He can walk with us.” Brian grinned.
“Thanks” he said and tried to take Alice’s bag from her.
“I can carry it” said Alice getting exasperated and Brian, for once taking the hint, let go.
Brian never stopped talking all the way from school to the stables. He spoke mainly of himself, but every few minutes, asked Alice a question, trying to get her to talk. She replied with “yes” or “no” as much as she could and when she couldn’t, she kept her answers as short as possible. Brian completely ignored Julie, who walked along looking straight ahead the whole time. Alice hoped she had not upset Julie. She had been trying to help after all.
At last, they reached the stables and Alice headed quickly for the girl’s locker room, with Julie behind her. Brian went off in the direction of the boy’s locker room and at last they were left in peace.
“Why did you say he could come with us?” asked Julie. “Now he thinks you like him. You’ll never get rid of him now.”
“I felt sorry for him” said Alice sighing again. “I know how it feels when the person you really like ignores you. Look I’ll phone him later and tell him, ok.” Julie nodded, though she still looked doubtful. They got changed quickly and went to get their horses. Alice owned a horse of her own, but it was kept in livery at the stables as their garden was nowhere near big enough for a horse. Her horse was a bay named Spritzer and Alice loved nothing better than spending time making her look her best.
Alice closed the back door behind her and slumped down in a chair at the kitchen table.
“How was your day?” asked her mother handing her a cup of coffee.
“Okay” said Alice. She was tired and not really in the mood to talk.
“Did you get into trouble for forgetting your homework?” asked her mother. Alice was a keen horse rider and tended to put riding first. This made her forgetful and she could never find time to do her homework.
“No” she said. “I’ve just got to hand it in tomorrow.” She finished the coffee and got up. “I’m going up to do it now” she said and left the kitchen. She went up to her bedroom and sat down on the bed. On her bedside table there was a telephone. Her mother had complained about how often Alice was using the phone and had finally agreed that the only way she would be able to have the phone when she wanted it was if Alice had her own phone line. Mr and Mrs Linton were both successful lawyers so they could easily afford it. Alice picked up the phone and dialled her friend Julie’s number. Julie answered almost immediately.
“Hi” she said
“Hi” said Alice “Why weren’t you at riding today? Abbey was annoyed.” Abbey was the riding instructor.
“Yeah I knew she would be” said Julie “But I didn’t have time to phone her. My mum suddenly decided we were going to go and visit grandma and she wouldn’t listen when I said I had riding.” Julie put on a voice that sounded uncannily like her mothers “Your grandmother should mean more to you than a bunch of ponies.” She sighed “Mum really doesn’t understand about riding.”
“It’s a pity” said Alice sympathetically. “But think of me. I was stuck being paired up with Brian.” It was Julie’s turn to be sympathetic. “He didn’t ask you out again did he?” she asked
“Yes” said Alice. “He doesn’t seem to get the message that I’m not interested. And he still can’t saddle a horse properly. He’s been riding for five weeks!”
“That’s because he’s not interested in riding” said Julie “He only started to try and get to know you better.”
“Well I wish he hadn’t” said Alice sighing. “I want to go out with Mike in the year above us at school and he hardly knows I exist.”
“It’s hard” said Julie. “But you’ll just have to tell him to leave you alone and then concentrate on Mike.”
“Yeah” said Alice. “I suppose so. Anyway I have some homework to do so I’d better go. See you at school tomorrow.”
“Okay” said Julie “Night” She hung up and Alice replaced the receiver.
The next day at school, Alice met Julie at the school gates. They walked to registration class together. They took their places at the back of the class. A few minutes later, Brian came in and made a beeline for them.
“Oh no” groaned Alice and turned away as he came nearer.
“Hello Alice” he said enthusiastically “Listen. I know you said no last night when I asked you to go ice skating with me, but I suppose it’s not really your thing. We could go somewhere else, anywhere. How about going to the cinema or we could go cycling together.”
“No thank you Brian” said Alice not looking up, but he didn’t move
“Oh come on Alice” he said “There must be somewhere you want to go.”
“There are heaps of places she wants to go” said Julie coming to Alice’s rescue “But not with you. Why don’t you just leave her alone?” Brian looked hurt and opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment their registration teacher, who was also Alice’s older sister walked in.
“Come on Brian” she said grinning “Sit down and leave Alice alone. If she wants to go out with you she’ll tell you.” Alice blushed scarlet and Brian went to sit down looking upset. Jenn, or Miss Linton as she was known to the class, called the register and then sat on her desk looking round at the class.
“There’s an announcement I’m supposed to make” she said “And I have a feeling that some people in this class will be pleased.” She looked at Julie and Alice. “The head did a survey not long ago and found that a lot of students at this school go horse riding regularly. Therefore she has decided that the school will form a riding team which will ride against teams from other schools in gymkhanas and things like that. The idea was thought up because someone was overheard complaining that the school had dancing teams and swimming teams and all that but didn’t have any riding teams.” She looked suspiciously at Alice and Julie, but they were in this instance not guilty. “Right then” said Jenn “Hands up if you want to try out for a place in the team.” Three hands went up. Alice and Julie did of course want to try out but to Alice’s horror, Brian put his hand up as well.
“What’s he doing?” she whispered to Julie “He can’t ride to save his life.”
“Oh come on Alice” said Julie “Do I really have to explain what he’s doing?” She didn’t, because Alice knew only too well. “He won’t make the team” said Julie comfortingly “As you said, he can’t ride to save his life.” This comforted Alice a bit.
Just then the bell rang and Jenn dismissed the class. Alice marched up to her desk with Julie behind her grinning.
“Thank you for embarrassing me in front of the whole class” she said sarcastically. Jenn laughed.
“Lighten up Alice” she said “I bet everyone knew anyway. Now get out. I got the fourth years first period and that boy called Mike. I might have a chat with him.”
“Don’t you dare” said Alice and left the classroom quickly. “She is the most annoying person I have ever met” she said to Julie “Well, apart from Brian anyway.”
“Oh come on” said Julie “Jenn is fun. She’s just teasing you. I’d love to have a Math teacher for a sister. She could do all my homework for me.”
That afternoon, the girls had a riding class, so they had told their mothers they would walk to the stables right after school. They went to their lockers after last period and got out their riding things. To Alice’s disgust, Brian hurried up to them.
“Are you going to the stables now?” he asked. Alice considered this a stupid question even for Brian. They both carried riding clothes and hard riding hats. It didn’t exactly make them look like they were going to a disco.
“Yes” she said tonelessly and, dodging around him, kept walking. To her annoyance, Brian didn’t take the hint and ran after her.
“Great. I’ll walk with you then.” He fell into line with the two girls. Alice looked at Julie and rolled her eyes. She was not unkind and she did not want to tell Brian to get lost. It seemed she would have to put up with him. Julie, understanding how Alice felt, spoke to Brian.
“Brian, we would rather walk alone” she said firmly. Brian’s face fell and he looked at Alice. Annoyed though she was, Alice felt sorry for him.
“No it’s okay Julie” she said sighing “He can walk with us.” Brian grinned.
“Thanks” he said and tried to take Alice’s bag from her.
“I can carry it” said Alice getting exasperated and Brian, for once taking the hint, let go.
Brian never stopped talking all the way from school to the stables. He spoke mainly of himself, but every few minutes, asked Alice a question, trying to get her to talk. She replied with “yes” or “no” as much as she could and when she couldn’t, she kept her answers as short as possible. Brian completely ignored Julie, who walked along looking straight ahead the whole time. Alice hoped she had not upset Julie. She had been trying to help after all.
At last, they reached the stables and Alice headed quickly for the girl’s locker room, with Julie behind her. Brian went off in the direction of the boy’s locker room and at last they were left in peace.
“Why did you say he could come with us?” asked Julie. “Now he thinks you like him. You’ll never get rid of him now.”
“I felt sorry for him” said Alice sighing again. “I know how it feels when the person you really like ignores you. Look I’ll phone him later and tell him, ok.” Julie nodded, though she still looked doubtful. They got changed quickly and went to get their horses. Alice owned a horse of her own, but it was kept in livery at the stables as their garden was nowhere near big enough for a horse. Her horse was a bay named Spritzer and Alice loved nothing better than spending time making her look her best.