All About Mia by Lisa Williamson

Author:Lisa Williamson [Lisa Williamson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781910989128
Publisher: David Fickling Books Ltd
Published: 2016-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

I’m getting into bed when my phone beeps. It’s a text message from an unfamiliar number.

Friends? Sam x

I hesitate before texting back.

Friends. Mx

20

Last lesson of the day the following Friday is Sociology. Our usual teacher is off sick. For a few minutes we all get really excited and think we’ll be allowed to go home early, until some bloke we’ve never seen before sweeps into the classroom and tells us he’ll be taking the class. He’s wearing a super-ugly tie – red with tiny green frogs embroidered all over it, and announces we’re going to spend the lesson practising writing personal statements for our UCAS applications.

‘Kill me now,’ I whisper to Kimmie, who’s sitting on my left.

‘The January deadline may seem like it’s a long way away,’ Ugly Tie Man drones, passing out sheets of lined paper. ‘But take it from me, it’ll swing round faster than you think.’

Five minutes later, I’m peering over Kimmie’s shoulder.

‘What are you writing?’ I ask.

She’s filled an entire side of A4 already whereas I’ve barely written my name.

‘All about my jewellery,’ she says.

Kimmie wants to study jewellery design at university and have her own label one day. I crane my neck to try and see exactly what she’s written, but she’s hunched over her work and all I can make out is the odd word through the gaps in her fingers.

Ugly Tie Man makes his way round the classroom as we work. He stops by our desk and asks to take a look at Kimmie’s statement. As he reads, he smiles and nods through his smeared glasses.

‘Great stuff,’ he says, handing it back. ‘Very passionate.’

Kimmie beams.

He cocks his head to one side so he can read my name off the top of my piece of paper.

‘Mia,’ he says. ‘Having a bit of trouble there, are you?’

I shrug.

He pulls up a chair and sits down next to me. I can smell his breath – coffee and Rich Tea biscuits. Classic teacher.

‘Let’s see if I can’t give you a bit of inspiration. How about you start by telling me a bit about your interests, Mia.’

‘What kind of interests?’ I ask, fiddling with the zip on my pencil case.

‘Well, do you play an instrument, Mia? Or do any sport?’

‘Nope.’

I played the clarinet for about three weeks in Year 7.

‘Are you in any school clubs or societies, Mia?’

I think of Miss Linden bugging me to join the Feminist Society and shake my head again.

‘Do you write or draw or paint, Mia? Sew? Bake, maybe?’

God, he’s really clutching at straws now. Plus, I hate the way he keeps using my name at the end of every question, like he knows me, knows what I’m about.

‘Perhaps you collect something, Mia?’

‘Like what? Stamps? I’m not ninety.’

‘Do you have a part-time job?’

‘I sell sausages,’ I mutter.

Owen, who is sitting in front of me, snorts with laughter. I chuck my pen at his head. It bounces off and rolls under the desk. ‘Ow!’ he cries, clutching his skull with both hands.

‘Oh, calm down,’ I say.

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