Birdy by Jess Vallance

Author:Jess Vallance [Vallance, Jess]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781471404764
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Published: 2015-07-01T23:00:00+00:00

20

I didn’t see Bert much over the rest of the holidays as her parents took her away to her aunt’s house somewhere in the countryside for New Year so I was pleased to be reunited with her when school began again in January. The days were cold and dreary as they always are in the middle of winter but January plodded by peacefully enough, Bert and I passing the time snacking and chatting at the back of lessons, huddling together for warmth as we trekked across the field on the way home. Then in registration one morning a few weeks later, we found Pippa Brookman parading around the classroom, handing out some sort of flyer.

‘An Outing to Oz!’ she was calling breezily. ‘A unique twist on the classic tale! Join in! Take part! It’s all for charity!’

I swiped one of the flyers that’d been left on a desk.

An Outing to Oz: A Musical

A modern retelling of the much-loved story,

written to raise awareness of the treatment of the elderly in our society.

All profits to charity.

Put your name down for auditions!!

I made a snorting noise. ‘Another one of Pippa’s noble charity efforts. Great. What would the old folks do without her?’

I passed the flyer to Bert.

‘I love The Wizard of Oz!’ she said, looking down at it. ‘Don’t you? It’s just magical, I think. Gosh, I’d love to have the chance to be in it.’

‘It’s not The Wizard of Oz, Alberta,’ Pippa called across the classroom. ‘It’s An Outing to Oz. Similar, but with some important differences. Come along to the meeting if you want to know more!’

‘I wouldn’t touch any of Pippa’s projects with a barge pole,’ I sniffed. ‘It’ll just be another excuse for her to show off and polish her massive ego.’

Bert shrugged and sat down on the edge of a desk, her legs swinging underneath her. ‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘This is different I think. Sounds like it’s an official school idea this time, not just one of Pippa’s plans.’

I raised my eyebrows but we couldn’t say any more about it because Mr Hurst had come in to take the register and was calling for everyone to sit down.

As I made my way to my chair, Pippa snatched the leaflet I was holding out of my hand. ‘No need for you to get too interested, Frances,’ she hissed. ‘We wouldn’t want to put the punters off.’

I glared at her and looked around to see if Bert had heard what she’d said, but she was busy looking for something in her bag.

Bert disappeared after third period so I queued in the canteen and sat at a table in the corner on my own, picking at the crust of my pizza and wondering where she could’ve got to. She was gone for most of lunchtime but eventually, ten minutes from the bell, she turned up, rosy-cheeked and smiling.

‘Where have you been?’ I said, trying not to sound too grumpy.

‘Oh, I’ll tell you,’ she beamed. ‘Just let me get some grub first.

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