Ways to Be Me by Rebecca Westcott

Author:Rebecca Westcott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 2021-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

“That was SO hard,” sighs Layla as they walk out of the hall on the fourth day of the tests. “I only managed to answer half the questions, and I think I probably got most of them wrong.”

“I bet you didn’t,” Tally tells her loyally. “Everyone always thinks that they’ve done worse than they really did.”

“That was a nightmare!” says Lucy, catching up with them. “I didn’t even know what the first question was going on about.”

“Me neither,” moans Ayesha. “I just added up all the numbers and hoped for the best. How about you, Tally?”

The three girls turn to look at her enquiringly. Tally quickly runs through the list of possible responses in her head. Should she tell them that she doesn’t care about the stupid tests? Or that she found the test quite easy so that they think she’s clever? That’s what she’d usually do, but the way they’re staring at her makes her think again.

“Oh, yeah – total nightmare,” she groans. “I barely answered any of the questions and I definitely got most of them wrong.”

The girls nod in agreement and Tally relaxes her shoulder. It was the correct thing to say, which at least means that she’s got one answer right today.

“Never mind,” Lucy tells her, slipping her arm into Tally’s. “At least if one of us fails, we’ll all fail!”

“Yeah!” laughs Ayesha. “Miss Balogun said that Kingswood Academy will use these tests to figure out which set we’re in for year seven. I guess we’ll all be in bottom set together, then!”

Layla rolls her eyes. “Don’t even talk about year seven,” she says. “I don’t want to think about it yet. We’ve still got plenty of time left before we have to leave – and there’s the summer production still to come, don’t forget.”

“Your dance is really good,” Tally tells Lucy as they make their way towards the playground.

Lucy flicks her hair back and smiles. “Thanks! Your lights are pretty good too.”

“I still think you should have been Little Red,” says Layla. “You’d have been amazing, Tally.”

Tally can still remember the reaction she got when she said exactly the same thing on the day that Miss Balogun gave out the roles. It seems that it’s OK for Layla to say it for her, but it isn’t OK for her to say it about herself, which doesn’t really make much sense. Not when it’s the truth.

Although the truth doesn’t seem to have much of a place when it comes to being the Tally they all seem to prefer.

She shakes her head. “I wouldn’t have been as good as Carrie. She’s the best person to play Little Red. I’m happy doing the lights.”

The lie hurts, but the look of approval on the faces of her friends goes a little way towards easing the sting.

“I honestly didn’t think you’d be so chill about it,” Lucy says, squeezing Tally’s arm. “I don’t know what it is, but you’re kind of easier to be around these days, Tally. No offence or anything.

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