The Butterfly Club Page 3

  Maddie liked to make up adventure stories. Her favourite was a story about children going up in a special balloon and landing in all sorts of different countries.

  I liked to make up magic fairy-tale stories.

  I wrote about fairy princesses locked up in castles, and evil witches casting spells, and ferocious giants who stamped on all the little fairy people with their huge boots.

  I loved drawing all my fairy-tale people, but I didn’t write down the stories myself. My hand couldn’t keep up with the story inside my head and I forgot how you spelled the words. So I just said it out loud, and Phil or Maddie scribbled it down for me.

  If we were sitting together at the table, then they’d help me, the way they’d always done in the Infants. But now I was on my own. It was horrible.

  I knew we were supposed to write two pages, but by the end of the lesson I’d only managed this:

  Chapter Four

  MISS LOVEJOY WASN’T impressed by my story. She didn’t think much of my multiplication either. She got cross when we started our Ancient Egyptian project because I muddled up my ‘g’s and ‘y’s and ‘p’s, even though she wrote the title out on the board for us.

  I had to squeeze Baby tightly to stop myself crying. I knew how Selma would scoff at me. But after a bit I started to get interested in the Ancient Egyptians. Especially the mummies. Even the ordinary people looked interesting in Ancient Egyptian pictures. They all walked sideways in those days – even their dogs and their cats and their gods!

  At break time Phil and Maddie and I played at being Ancient Egyptians.

  Oh, it was so lovely being with my sisters! They were very kind and comforting, and felt soooooo sorry for me because I had to sit next to Selma Johnson.

  ‘We’ll tell Mum,’ said Phil.

  ‘Yes, she’ll come and tell old Lovejoy that we’ve got to sit together,’ added Maddie.

  At least we could sit together at lunch time. We have our own lunch boxes with cats on, but mine’s red, Phil has pink and Maddie has blue. We had exactly the same for lunch. We had a cheese sandwich with two tiny tomatoes and a carrot stick. Then we had an apricot slice. Last of all we had a shiny red apple, with orange juice to wash it all down.

  Phil and Maddie ate all theirs up. I got a bit full and bored of eating so I left some of mine.

  It didn’t matter. Phil and Maddie ate it up for me, so Mum wouldn’t get cross.

  After lunch we started doing something called ‘Life Cycles’ in a new exercise book. We began with caterpillars.

  ‘Excuse me, Miss Lovejoy, but we’ve already learned all about them in the Infants,’ Alistair boomed.

  ‘Thank you so much for informing me, Alistair,’ said Miss Lovejoy. ‘However, I’m about to refresh your minds and remind you all over again about the wonder of metamorphosis. Who knows what that long word means?’

  Alistair knew, of course.

  ‘It’s when caterpillars spin a cocoon and later emerge as butterflies. It’s brilliant!’ he shouted.

  ‘Indeed,’ said Miss Lovejoy. ‘Right, everyone, look at the caterpillars on your worksheet. Copy one very carefully.’

  We’d painted caterpillars in the Infants, but we were allowed to do any old green blobs. In Miss Lovejoy’s class we had to do it properly, putting in every segment, with the little feet in the right places. We could use our coloured felt tips. We didn’t have to stick with green.

  I very carefully copied a black-and-white-striped caterpillar with a red head. Well, it might have been its red bottom – it was difficult to tell.

  Selma’s caterpillar looked a mess. She’d tried to do a spiky caterpillar, but she drew the spikes in such a hurry that they just looked like scribble.

  ‘Oh dear, Selma, I think you’d better turn over your page and start again,’ said Miss Lovejoy.

  She tutted when she saw Kayleigh’s caterpillar too. ‘Kayleigh, you haven’t looked properly. Caterpillars don’t have feet on every single segment.’

  ‘Mine’s not a caterpillar, it’s a centipede,’ said Kayleigh.

  ‘Did I tell you to draw a centipede?’ asked Miss Lovejoy. ‘No, I did not!’

  She looked at Peter’s caterpillar. She had to look really hard because it was so small, not much bigger than an eyelash. ‘My goodness, Peter, you’re going to have to draw bigger than that. I’m an old lady. You’ll have to consider my eyesight,’ she said, squinting.

  She couldn’t miss Mick’s caterpillar. He’d drawn a huge one, with great fangs and horns and claws.

  ‘Mine’s not a mini-beast. It’s a great big monster-beast, miss,’ he said proudly.

  ‘Miss Lovejoy. Well, it’s certainly monstrous, Michael. Top marks for imagination and bottom marks for biological accuracy.’

  ‘You what, miss— Miss Lovejoy?’

  ‘Miss Lovejoy means that you’ve done it all wrong, and you have to do it one hundred per cent right when you do biology. Biology means the study of all living things,’ Alistair said importantly.

  ‘What are you – a walking Wikipedia?’ said Mick, and everyone sniggered.

  Even Miss Lovejoy’s lips twitched, though she frowned at him.

  ‘Well done, Alistair,’ she said when she looked at his caterpillar. ‘You will be pleased to know that it’s absolutely one hundred per cent biologically accurate.’

  Then she looked at my stripy caterpillar. ‘Well done, Tina!’ she said. ‘Very well done. My goodness, you’re excellent at art. Your stripy caterpillar is absolutely splendid.’

  She smiled at me and I smiled back, forgetting to be scared. Down on the page my stripy caterpillar smiled too, delighted to be admired.

  Then Miss Lovejoy moved on to the next table.

  ‘Let’s see this caterpillar then, Little Bug,’ said Selma. She snatched my exercise book. ‘Hmm. I don’t think it’s very good at all, do you, Kayleigh?’

  ‘I think it’s totally rubbish,’ Kayleigh agreed.

  ‘What happens when caterpillars get tired of being caterpillars?’ Selma gave me a painful nudge. ‘Go on, Little Bug, what happens?’

  I didn’t want to answer her. I sat tight, clutching Baby under the desk.

  ‘I know what happens – it’s easy-peasy,’ said Alistair. ‘They turn into a chrysalis. They spin all this stuff so that it’s like a duvet all round them.’

  ‘You’re absolutely right. One hundred per cent right,’ said Selma. ‘So let’s give your caterpillar a chrysalis, Little Bug.’ She took her black felt pen and scribbled hard all over my stripy caterpillar, even his little red head or bottom.

  It felt as if she were scribbling all over me too.

  There was a shocked silence at our table. Then Kayleigh laughed a little uncertainly.

  The three boys stared.

  ‘What did you go and do that for?’ said Mick.

  ‘Did you do that for a joke?’ asked Peter.

  ‘It looks a terrible mess now. Whatever will Miss Lovejoy say?’ said Alistair.

  They all looked at me.

  ‘Are you going to tell on Selma, Tina?’

  I wanted to tell. I so, so, so wanted Selma to get into trouble for destroying my beautiful caterpillar. You’re always told to tell on someone if they’ve been mean or nasty. But people in our class don’t like it if you go running to a teacher. You get called Telltale. And if I told tales on Selma, then she’d be even meaner and nastier to me, if that were possible.

  I shook my head and closed my exercise book because I couldn’t bear to look at Selma’s scribble any more. I sank down low on my seat, clutching Baby so hard that she dug a hole in my hand.

  Then, at long last, the bell went for the end of school.

  ‘Right, everyone, put your exercise books in the book bag on the back of your chair. Good afternoon, Class Three,’ said Miss Lovejoy. She looked at us. ‘I expect you all to say Good afternoon, Miss Lovejoy.’

  ‘Good aft-er-noon, Miss Love-joy,’ we said.

  ‘Off you go then,’ she said, making little wavin
g signs with her hands. She picked up her big bag and went out of the classroom.

  Phil and Maddie came rushing up to me.

  ‘What’s the matter, Tina?’

  ‘Did Selma do something?’

  I couldn’t say anything. I just opened the page of my book so that they could see the scribble.

  ‘Oh, Tina! And Miss Lovejoy said it was a very good drawing – I heard her,’ said Phil.

  ‘So Selma scribbled all over your drawing? Well, let’s scribble all over hers!’ said Maddie.

  ‘No, Maddie!’ said Phil. ‘Then we’ll be just as hateful as Selma. Look, I know what we’ll do, Tina. Watch!’

  She took my exercise book and very carefully tore out the scribbled page – and the page it was joined to at the back.

  ‘There! Put the book in your satchel and then you can do another lovely caterpillar at home. How about that?’ suggested Phil. ‘That’s a good idea, isn’t it, Tina?’

  I gave a little nod.

  ‘I still think it’s a better idea to muck up all Selma’s things.’ Maddie took Selma’s exercise book out of the book bag on the back of her chair and picked up a felt tip.

  ‘Maddie! Don’t you dare!’ said Phil.

  Maddie put them back reluctantly. Maddie is the noisiest of us, but somehow Phil is the boss.

  ‘Come on then. Mum will be waiting,’ said Phil.

  We ran out of the classroom, down the corridor and across the playground. There was Mum, waving at us. We all waved back like anything and then ran over to her. We had a big, big, big hug.

  ‘Hello, my lovely grown-up girlies. How did you get on?’ she asked.

  ‘Oh, Mum, Miss Lovejoy’s so mean! She won’t let us sit together!’ said Maddie.

  ‘I asked her ever so nicely and tried to explain that we have to look after Tina, but she wouldn’t listen!’ said Phil.

  I opened my mouth to say something too – but instead I burst into tears.

  ‘See, Mum! See how upset Tina is! It’s because she has to sit in between the two worst girls in the class. Kayleigh and Selma Johnson!’

  ‘Selma!’ said Mum, sounding shocked. Selma was famous for being hateful. Even the mums knew about her. The only mum who liked Selma was Selma’s own mum, and even she didn’t always seem to like her very much.

  ‘Yes, and Selma scribbled all over Tina’s caterpillar!’ said Phil.

  ‘I wanted to scribble all over Selma’s caterpillar but Phil wouldn’t let me,’ said Maddie.

  ‘Quite right too,’ said Mum. ‘Oh dear, oh dear. Poor little Tina.’

  She picked me up and gave me my own individual hug. Phil and Maddie are too big for proper up-in-the-air hugs, but I’m still little enough.

  ‘There now. Let’s get you home,’ said Mum.

  She carried me part of the way, but I started to get a bit too heavy even though I’m little. So she carried my satchel instead, and Phil and Maddie took turns carrying my lunch box.

  When we got home Mum made us strawberry smoothies and gave us each a gingerbread man. No – it was a gingerbread girl with a skirt and yellow icing on her head like hair. They were all identical.

  ‘Triplets,’ said Phil.

  ‘Like us,’ added Maddie.

  ‘No, wait a minute,’ I said. I’d cheered up a lot now and I was hungry because I hadn’t eaten all my lunch. I nibbled my gingerbread girl’s skirt until half of it was gone. ‘Now they’re like us!’

  ‘There now,’ said Mum. ‘Tell me all about school. Are you girls sitting at entirely different tables then?’

  ‘Yes, and it’s horrid without Maddie and Tina,’ said Phil. ‘Though actually I’m quite lucky, because I’m sitting next to Neera and she’s got lovely long plaits. Mum, do you think we could all grow our hair and have plaits too?’

  ‘I don’t really fancy tackling three pairs of plaits every morning!’ said Mum. ‘Are you sitting next to a nice girl, Maddie?’

  ‘I’m sitting next to a boy! I’m quite lucky because it’s Harry and he’s ever so funny,’ said Maddie.

  ‘Well, I’m ever so unlucky,’ I said. ‘I’m sitting next to Selma, and she’s the worst girl in the world.’

  I was glad for Phil because I knew that Neera was a very nice girl. I’d have liked to sit next to her myself if I couldn’t be with my sisters.

  I was glad for Maddie because I knew that Harry was a very nice boy. I’d have especially liked to sit next to him myself if I couldn’t be with my sisters.

  I drooped against Mum and she gave me another cuddle.

  ‘Don’t worry, Teeny Weeny,’ she said. This was my special private baby name. ‘I’ll go and see Miss Lovejoy tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll let you girls sit together when I explain.’

  But she didn’t sound very certain.

  When Dad came home from work he wanted to know all about our first day in the Juniors. So we told him.

  Then Gran and Grandad Skyped, and they wanted to hear all about our first day too. We had to act it out for them.

  Then we went up to our bedroom. Phil and Maddie played while I spent half an hour redrawing my caterpillar. I tried even harder this time.

  We were very, very tired by bedtime. We didn’t whisper much when Mum put the light out. We all went to sleep. But I had funny dreams all night long. I dreamed that I was a caterpillar and Selma was going stamp, stamp, stamp on me.

  Chapter Five

  THE NEXT MORNING Mum came into school with us again. Miss Lovejoy was in the classroom looking busy, busy, busy.

  ‘Ah, Mrs Maynard. Again,’ she said.

  ‘I’d like to have a little word with you about my girls, Miss Lovejoy.’ Mum’s voice was very steady but her hand had gone damp. I knew because I was holding it.

  ‘That would be lovely,’ said Miss Lovejoy, in a voice that clearly said, No it wouldn’t. ‘However, I’m a bit tied up preparing for the morning’s lessons. I’m generally around after school to have a chat with parents. Perhaps you’d like to catch me then.’

  ‘Yes, but I just wanted to ask you if the girls can sit together today. I believe you’ve seen for yourself that they really need to be together, especially when it comes to reading. It gives Tina so much more confidence if she can be with her sisters,’ Mum said bravely.

  ‘I dare say,’ replied Miss Lovejoy. ‘But she’s not going to be with her sisters for the rest of her life, is she? I think it’s about time Tina learned to stand on her own two feet. It will be good for Philippa and Madeleine to make some new friends too.’

  ‘Yes, but surely it’s a bit soon, especially for Tina.’

  ‘I think it’s high time, especially for Tina,’ said Miss Lovejoy. ‘Now, I really must get on with my work.’

  Mum still didn’t give up. ‘Then if the girls really can’t sit together, I wonder if Tina could move to another table.’ She lowered her voice. ‘She’s a bit frightened of Selma. I’m sure she’s a lovely girl, but she can be rather . . . intimidating.’

  I hadn’t heard that word before, but I knew what it meant.

  ‘I understand your concern, Mrs Maynard,’ said Miss Lovejoy. ‘But Tina has to learn to get along with everyone and to fight her own battles. We can’t keep her wrapped up in cotton wool for ever.’

  Mum went pink. Dad sometimes says that too. Mum would like to keep me wrapped up in cotton wool.

  Maybe bubble wrap would be better! Then I could give it a little pop every now and then when I was bored.

  ‘I did try to make it clear that Tina’s rather delicate, Miss Lovejoy.’ Mum’s voice was almost as scary as Miss Lovejoy’s now.

  Phil and Maddie and I stared at our mum and our teacher. They were getting really angry. Oh goodness, what if they had a fight?

  ‘I appreciate that Tina’s health might still be delicate, but I rather think you’re underestimating her,’ said Miss Lovejoy. ‘Now, Mrs Maynard, I wouldn’t dream of advising you on how to treat your daughters at home. I’m sure you don’t want to advise me on how to deal with the children in my
class at school.’

  At that moment the bell rang.

  ‘Oh my goodness, there’s the bell!’ said Miss Lovejoy. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go and fetch the register. Good morning.’

  ‘The old witch!’ Mum whispered. ‘Maybe I’ll go and have a word with your head teacher.’

  ‘Oh, Mum, don’t! It wouldn’t be any use. I think even Mrs Brownlow is scared of Miss Lovejoy,’ said Phil.

  ‘Oh, Mum, better not say anything or we’ll get into trouble big-time,’ said Maddie.

  ‘Oh, Mum!’ I said. I couldn’t manage any more.

  ‘My poor, poor, poor girls!’ Mum tried to give us a quick hug, but children had started coming into the classroom. Maddie and Phil wriggled away, embarrassed. I stayed where I was. I needed all the hugs I could get!

  Then Mum had to go and we started the second day of school. It was worse than the first. Well, some of the lessons were quite interesting. We did some more about the life cycle of the butterfly and learned all about cocoons.

  Selma stared and stared and stared when I opened my exercise book and she saw the beautiful black and white caterpillar with the red head (or bottom).

  ‘What’s happened to all the scribble, Little Bug?’ she asked.

  ‘Did you manage to rub it all off?’ said Kayleigh.

  Even the boys stared.

  ‘How did you do that?’ Selma nudged me again with her pointy elbow. ‘Hey, I’m talking to you!’

  ‘I magicked all your scribble away,’ I said.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I just looked at the page and used my secret magic power and made the scribble vanish.’

  ‘You never!’ said Selma – but she looked as if she might believe me.

  ‘OMG!’ said Kayleigh. (Mum hates that expression. She won’t let us say it. It sounds very grown-up.)

  ‘Wow!’ said Peter.

  ‘Holy cow!’ said Mick. (I don’t think Mum would like that expression either.)