Love Lessons Read online

  I told Mr Raxberry I could babysit on Friday. I announced it as casually as I could, leaving it right to the end of the art lesson, acting like I'd almost forgotten about it.

  'Oh, thanks,' he said, equally casual, as if it was the most ordinary everyday thing in the world. Maybe it was. Maybe half t h e class already babysat for the Raxberry household.

  He told me his address and told me his road was on the number 37 bus route.

  'Fine, no problem,' I said.

  I wondered if he expected me to bus home after all? He had said he'd drive me home, hadn't he?

  Or had I just made that bit up? I couldn't help imagining Mr Raxberry in my head, the way I'd always imagined Jane and Tobias – but I didn't get muddled with them, because they weren't real.

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  Tobias insisted he was real, materializing as I walked across the playground.

  I was supposed to be on my way to the Success Maker centre for an hour's maths coaching, but I was wondering whether to skip the class. I'd discovered t h a t the special tutors there didn't always follow it up if you failed to put in an appearance. In fact they always greeted you with extreme enthusiasm, as if you'd passed a difficult exam simply by setting foot inside their glorified Portakabin.

  I looked longingly in the opposite direction, towards Mr Raxberry's art block. I imagined myself on his map, running along the little red road.

  'You can't go there. He's busy teaching,' said Tobias, pulling me back. 'Talk to me. We haven't spent any time together for ages. Please, Prue.'

  'Oh go away. I'm not in the mood,' I muttered.

  'You be careful. If you keep ignoring me I'll go away altogether, and then where will you be when you're lonely?' said Tobias. 'Watch out. I'm fading a little already.'

  I looked at him. His beautiful face was blurred, his golden curls tarnishing to fawn, his blue eyes barely there.

  I felt a pang, knowing t h a t he was right. All my imaginary friends had faded away as I'd gradually grown out of them. I could barely remember the strange companions of my little girlhood: the white rabbit as tall as my waist, the flock of flower fairies, the tame green dragon 126

  with crimson claws, t h e black and white jumping cow who flew me over the moon . . .

  Even J a n e was fading now, though she had been my constant friend for years. I tried to conjure her up in a panic, but she pressed herself against the corridor walls, her back to me, refusing to show me her face.

  'You see,' said Tobias. 'Watch out, Prue, or you'll lose me too. I'll go for good, I'm warning you.'

  His attitude was starting to irritate me. He was a figment of my imagination. What made him think he could threaten me like this?

  'Go then,' I said rashly. 'See if I care. I can always make someone else up.'

  I turned away from him – and the Success Maker. I s t a r t e d marching back across t h e playground. I decided to hide in the girls'

  cloakrooms until the bell went. I had a book in my school bag. I'd be fine. I didn't need Tobias.

  'Hey, Prue,' he called after me.

  I heard him running – and then he caught hold of me. His h a n d was on my shoulder, clutching it. I turned. There he was, his fair hair tousled, a smile on his face, a real boy, so real I could see the freckles on his nose, smell his shampoo, feel the warmth of his body.

  'Tobias!' I blurted, like an idiot.

  'Tobias? No, I'm Toby,' he said.

  Of course it was only t h a t Toby from my class, Rita's boyfriend, t h e one most of t h e girls fancied.

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  'Oh, sorry,' I mumbled.

  'Tobias!' he said, in a pseudo-posh voice, mocking me.

  'Yeah, right, I know,' I said. I tried to act cool and casual, but sounded like a sad member of the Iggy-Figgy-Piggy club.

  'You're going the wrong way,' he said. 'The Success Maker's t h a t way.' He gestured over his shoulder.

  'Yes, I know.'

  'Aren't you supposed to be going for the maths session?'

  'I don't feel like it right now, OK?'

  He raised his eyebrows. 'Can't say I blame you. I've just been for an English session and it's doing my head in. Tell you what, let's skip everything and go for a smoke.'

  I stared at him. I didn't want to go with him at all. I wasn't even sure what 'going for a smoke'

  really meant. Was it some sort of euphemism?

  But Rita had been particularly mean to me t h a t morning, making stupid remarks, and when I'd tried to ignore her by reading my book she'd snatched it from me and thrown it in a corner, tearing the dust wrapper and crumpling several pages. I'd felt like slapping her, but she was bigger t h a n me, and Aimee and Megan and Jess would start on me too. Going for a smoke with Rita's precious boyfriend seemed an easier way of getting my revenge.

  'Sure,' I said. 'So. Where are your cigarettes, then?'

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  'Not here. Behind the bike sheds,' Toby hissed.

  In every school story I'd ever r e a d t h e rebellious children got up to mischief behind the bike sheds. I looked at him sharply, wondering if this was some elaborate wind-up. He was certainly behaving theatrically, p u t t i n g his finger to his lips as we walked stealthily past the classroom windows.

  I followed him, walking normally. I hummed under my breath to show him he couldn't boss me about. He shook his head at me, but waited until we were away from the classrooms, approaching these infamous bike sheds. I thought he'd tell me off, but he seemed impressed.

  'You are so cool, Prue. You just don't care, do you?'

  I shrugged.

  'Is t h a t why you're here? Did you get expelled from your old school?'

  'I've not been to school, not for years. I went when I was little, but then my dad kept me and my sister at home.'

  I peered at all the bikes in the banal little shed. It didn't really seem like a Den of Iniquity.

  Toby leaned against t h e ripples of t h e corrugated iron wall and fished a squashed packet of cigarettes and a box of matches out of his back pocket. I felt hugely relieved.

  I'd never smoked before and inhaled warily when he lit one for me.

  'You smoke then?' Toby said.

  'Yeah,' I said, blinking because my eyes were 129

  starting to water. I held my chest muscles rigid, determined not to cough.

  'Rita's always nagging me to give up,' said Toby.

  'Well. Rita's always nagging, full stop,' I said.

  'Yeah, I can't stick t h a t in a girl. They go on about how they're mad about you and then they end up mad with you, bossing you about all the time, trying to get you to change.' He paused.

  'Have you got a boyfriend, Prue?'

  I felt my face getting hot.

  'You're blushing! Come on, who is he?'

  'There's no one, really.'

  'Yes there is!'

  'No. Well, there's someone I like.'

  'Ah!' said Toby. He inhaled deeply and then blew expert smoke rings.

  I tried to copy but couldn't quite get the hang of it, though he did his best to show me how to shape my lips and tongue. I started feeling dizzy from inhaling. I leaned back against the wall myself, shutting my eyes for a second.

  When I opened them Toby's face was

  alarmingly close to mine, making me start. His eyes were half-closed, his lips puckered, almost as if he was about to kiss me.

  I moved sideways sharply.

  'Hey, don't r u n away,' he said. He reached out for me but I ducked away.

  'Prue, come on. I'm just trying to be friendly.'

  'Yeah. And what would Rita have to say about that?'

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  'Rita doesn't own me. Sometimes I wonder what I ever saw in her.'

  'Oh come on, she's the prettiest girl in the class.'

  'You're prettier t h a n she is. Listen, I've been thinking. You're not so great at maths and IT, right?'

  'That's putting it mildly.'

  'Well, I'm a whiz at it, honest. It's just I'm rubbish at reading.'