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‘Would you like one?’ I ask.
Miss Hanlon shoves her hand into her pocket. ‘I’ve no change, I’m afraid. And my wallet is in the staff room.’
‘I won’t tell if you don’t.’
‘I think my guilty face would give me away. I’ll get one later when I have some money. But thank you, Heather.’
‘Hey, Mam,’ Kayla’s voice carries through the air to tap me on the shoulder. ‘I scored six baskets. Jack could only manage five and he was on his feet and jumping.’
‘You played?’ I say, as Jack and Kayla come into view. Kayla looks exhausted and I instantly worry but I try to hide it. Jack is flushed butsmiling and Aiden has beads of perspiration dotted around his hairline and his face is redder than Kayla’s hoodie. ‘Good game?’ I say, changing tack, trying to sound breezy.
‘The best. Even though Jack used to play in college he’s pretty rusty now.’
‘Hey,’ Jack says, trying to sound offended but his wide grin and kind eyes contradict him.
Miss Hanlon places her hand on my shoulder. ‘Heather, would it be okay to get you guys to take your seats now? I’ve reserved the row up front for your family. I’m short a seat for your partner though but I’ll get one of the students to grab another. It’ll just be a moment.’
I blush and drop my eyes to the ground. I can feel Jack looking at me and I wonder what he makes of Miss Hanlon assumption that we’re a couple. I don’t correct her and neither does he and I wonder if that’s just because it would be awkward or because we are both rather enjoying her error.
‘This way, this way,’ she says, ushering us towards the front row and she catches the attention of a passing senior student and asks them to fetch another chair.
‘Where are Dad, Molly and Charlotte?’ Kayla asks.
‘Here. We’re here,’ Gavin says, suddenly behind us.
The hall begins to become very noisy as it fills with people taking up seats behind us. Kayla stays in her wheelchair and Jack expertly tucks it in at the end of the row so she simply looks like she’s sitting beside us all. I take the seat next to Kayla and Jack sits next to me, which feels both awkward and lovely and I hope my feelings aren’t written all over my face.
Gavin is next to Jack with Molly on his knee. She’s stroking a very shiny plastic medal and she’s showing it to everyone nearby.
Charlotte is missing and it takes me a minute to realise that she’s crouched on her hunkers on the far side of Kayla’s chair. They’re whispering and giggling and there’s lots of hand movements and excitement. I wonder what on earth they’re talking about. I haven’t seen Kayla look this happy in weeks. Aiden joins their conversation and two girls from Kayla’s class are bending down to show Kayla something on their phones. And they’re nodding emphatically as they point at their screens.
My niggling curiosity about their conversation switches into concern quite quickly as Kayla soon appears to be overwhelmed and becomes emotional. The noise in the hall is horrendous as the large crowd filing in behind us natter.
‘Jack, Jack,’ I whisper, tapping him gently on the arm.
‘Hmm,’ he says, turning to face me.
‘Is Kayla okay? Do you think she’s okay?’
Jack leans around me to get a better view of Kayla and the small group surrounding her. He turns back smiling. ‘She looks good. Happy. Today has been good for her, hasn’t it?’
‘Yeah,’ I say, unsure. Something is definitely going on and I hope she’s as okay as she’s pretending to be.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to today’s extra special Sports Day,’ a voice carries over the speakers and a hush falls over the hall as the principal takes to the stage.
FIFTY
KAYLA
Miss Hanlon is staring at me and smiling. I haven’t seen her this excited since we got new hoops and nets in the gym last year.
Mrs Maloney, the principal, is waffling into the microphone about the extension the school is building next year. ‘And the planning application has just gone in to the council,’ she says. Everyone claps as if it’s fantastic news. I guess it is. ‘If all goes to plan we hope to have a new, bigger sports hall and five new classrooms built in the next two years.’
There’s more clapping as my stomach knots and I realise the new building is something I won’t ever see. I’ll be long gone by then.How weird.
Just as I’m zoning out, unable to listen to Mrs Maloney drone on anymore, I hear my name and I’m shook.
‘Perhaps you could join us on stage, Kayla?’ Mrs Maloney says, pointing towards me.
