Charlie Franks is A-OK by Cecily Anne Paterson

Author:Cecily Anne Paterson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cecily Anne Paterson
Published: 2018-05-30T04:00:00+00:00

15

Chapter 15

I put my ribbon back in my bag for school, but this time I put it right at the bottom of everything. There was no way it was going to fall out again. But there was also no way I was going to leave it behind. I needed it with me, whether something happened with Baylor or not.

Coco stroked my arm on the bus. ‘It’ll be okay. Just be cool.’ She looked out the window. ‘Oh, here we are.’ Her head started craning around behind her. I guessed she was trying to see if Baylor had arrived yet.

‘Also, be nice,’ she said. ‘You know, like …’ She took a breath in and let it out, like she was trying to explain something to me. ‘Like, try to fit in, okay?’

I gave her a look. ‘I’m Charlie Franks. I’m fine. Just let it be.’ I shrugged her hand off me and jogged off the bus.

Nothing happened.

At least, nothing happened that I noticed. There were no fights, no raised voices, no tears, no anythings. I said ‘hi’ to everyone and smiled, made sure I had shoelaces to tie and books to organise. At recess I ate with them, then went to play soccer, and at lunch I sat listening to their conversations about clothes and selfies and makeup and boys until the bell went.

Nothing.

Baylor was normal, as far as I could see, so I shrugged my shoulders and tried to shut Coco up. She was still trying to get in my ear and tell me to ‘do something about it’ and ‘fix it’ and ‘fit in’. Finally, after about three trips to the bathroom in which she pretty much whispered non-stop to me, I told her to lay off.

‘There is no problem, Coco. Seriously. It’s fine, I’m fine, we’re all fine. I did nothing and it’s all gone away. Chill out.’

At home, I dumped my bags, cleared my head from school mode and headed out to ride with Cupcake down at Ness’s place. She and Tessa were out for the afternoon, and James was with Coco as usual. Jumping was all I wanted to think about, and Cupcake was the only one I wanted to communicate with. We cleared a high rail ten times in a row and only quit when Cupcake was even more sweaty than me.

‘Are you good?’ I asked her. ‘Are you too hot? We’ll have to work harder at the next show.’

From across the side of the stall, Fozzles must have heard me and made a nickering noise. I poked my head around to say hello and she nuzzled into my cheek. Her tummy looked seriously huge. Was she going to keep stretching and stretching until the foal just burst right out of her? My skin felt weird just thinking about it.

Mum was also looking pretty massive when I went back in to the house for dinner. She was up and eating with us, but had to run to the bathroom during dessert, so she went back to bed after.

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