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Oct. 29th, 2016 06:54 pmIt had been difficult to find a practice space for Fry to help Tommy prepare for his exam. They can't practice after school because of Tommy's tennis schedule. Nor were you supposed to stay inside the school buildings at lunch time. In the end, they consulted the Miss Havisham Strategy Guide, because Fry remembered something the original author B had said about a secret club space.
Apparently, in March 1957, B had created a secret hideout in Bike Shed 3 by faking a rodent infestation, leaving other kids too scared to enter. After borrowing some of Tommy's brother's hamster's droppings, and showing them to the caretaker, the caretaker put a sign on the door forbidding anyone from entering Bike Shed 3 until it was cleared by Rentokil.
Getting in the practice space undisturbed after that was a breeze, and in afternoon break nobody really noticed. What was harder was actually teaching Tommy, since Fry couldn't easily explain things in different ways, and mostly Tommy was learning by watching Fry do it.
"Tommy, I hate to say this, but these Oaking Past Papers are really hard." Fry admits after they've been doing this a few weeks. "Even for me. They aren't kidding about this being for Gifted And Talented kids, and older than us too."
"I know." Tommy admits quietly. "But Fry? Thanks for helping me out. I don't know anyone else who would do this sort of thing for fun. I learned fractions with you and everything. You're a good friend."
"How are you going to get to the exam?" Fry asks. "Have you told your parents yet?"
"No, I told Mark, he's taking me on his school bus. It's just round the corner from here." Tommy says. "I'll tell my parents after the exam."
They pull out one of the English papers and look at it. Fry has to admit that Tommy is actually answering these better than he has been. Maybe Mr Irons is right when he told Fry not to attempt this himself next year.
"Oh well, I've given it my best shot." Tommy says eventually.
***
Tommy is missing the next day. Fry knows that he's gone for his Gates interview, but doesn't tell anyone. Bradley and Jamal don't even ask where he is. They're far too busy hanging out with Zack, who does approach Fry around mid day, but not to ask the question Fry was expecting.
"Hey, I want a word with you."
"What?" Fry asks.
"Your sister is bullying my sister." Zack says. "Can't you deal with her?"
"Which of my sisters and which of your sisters?" Fry asks.
"Your sister Brooke and my sister Tilly."
"Oh, Tilly Tell-Tale?" Fry asks. "That's what Brooke calls her."
"Don't call her that." Zack glares. "Look, Miss Brimstone is hopeless, you should set Brooke straight."
"Why me?" Fry asks.
"Because you're her brother. And because I'm probably going to be form captain next term, and I'm going to make your life difficult if you don't." Zack says.
"Who said you're going to be form captain?" Fry asks.
"I'm the obvious choice as the leader of this class." Zack shrugs. "And now she's got to know me, Miss Havisham is bound to see that. Now go talk to your sister, I bet she looks up to you."
Fry rolls his eyes and goes to find Brooke. What does height have to do with anything? She's in the playground, surrounded by friends, playing some sort of secret ninja game.
He has to admit it - Brooke has a skill that neither he nor Coral has: she's popular. Every week she's invited to birthday parties or friends' houses, she's always coming home with exchanged plastic trinkets or swapping hair slides (or lice) or all sorts.
He strides through the other nursery children, most of whom are dwarfed by Brooke, except for a boy that Fry thinks is known as Beanie, both of whose parents are over six foot tall and are saved a seat at the back for all school events.
"Brooklyn." Fry interrupts her.
"Alexander." Brooke replies cheekily, jutting her chin out slightly and making a rather intimidating amount of eye contact for a four-year-old.
"Zack says you're bullying Tilly." Fry says.
"Silly Tilly Tell-Tale?" Brooke says. Then, mimicking, adds. "'Miss Brimstone, Brooklyn is standing on the radiator. Miss Brimstone, Brooklyn put the red paintbrush in the blue paint. Miss Brimstone, Brooklyn's got the staple-gun. Miss Brimstone, Brooklyn glued me to a chair.'"
"That's appalling." Fry says, scowling. "Gluing people to things is what I used to do Brooklyn, if you're going to do revenging, get your own ideas. But more importantly..." he tries to decide how to be responsible about this. "Look, Brooklyn, lots of kids are annoying, in fact, pretty much everyone your age, you just have to learn to ignore them."
"I have twenty friends, you have three, that means I'm twenty lots better at friending than you." Brooke says, running off with her friends.
Fry tuts with exasperation as she goes.
"Six point three times better, Brooklyn. Your maths is terrible!"
Apparently, in March 1957, B had created a secret hideout in Bike Shed 3 by faking a rodent infestation, leaving other kids too scared to enter. After borrowing some of Tommy's brother's hamster's droppings, and showing them to the caretaker, the caretaker put a sign on the door forbidding anyone from entering Bike Shed 3 until it was cleared by Rentokil.
Getting in the practice space undisturbed after that was a breeze, and in afternoon break nobody really noticed. What was harder was actually teaching Tommy, since Fry couldn't easily explain things in different ways, and mostly Tommy was learning by watching Fry do it.
"Tommy, I hate to say this, but these Oaking Past Papers are really hard." Fry admits after they've been doing this a few weeks. "Even for me. They aren't kidding about this being for Gifted And Talented kids, and older than us too."
"I know." Tommy admits quietly. "But Fry? Thanks for helping me out. I don't know anyone else who would do this sort of thing for fun. I learned fractions with you and everything. You're a good friend."
"How are you going to get to the exam?" Fry asks. "Have you told your parents yet?"
"No, I told Mark, he's taking me on his school bus. It's just round the corner from here." Tommy says. "I'll tell my parents after the exam."
They pull out one of the English papers and look at it. Fry has to admit that Tommy is actually answering these better than he has been. Maybe Mr Irons is right when he told Fry not to attempt this himself next year.
"Oh well, I've given it my best shot." Tommy says eventually.
***
Tommy is missing the next day. Fry knows that he's gone for his Gates interview, but doesn't tell anyone. Bradley and Jamal don't even ask where he is. They're far too busy hanging out with Zack, who does approach Fry around mid day, but not to ask the question Fry was expecting.
"Hey, I want a word with you."
"What?" Fry asks.
"Your sister is bullying my sister." Zack says. "Can't you deal with her?"
"Which of my sisters and which of your sisters?" Fry asks.
"Your sister Brooke and my sister Tilly."
"Oh, Tilly Tell-Tale?" Fry asks. "That's what Brooke calls her."
"Don't call her that." Zack glares. "Look, Miss Brimstone is hopeless, you should set Brooke straight."
"Why me?" Fry asks.
"Because you're her brother. And because I'm probably going to be form captain next term, and I'm going to make your life difficult if you don't." Zack says.
"Who said you're going to be form captain?" Fry asks.
"I'm the obvious choice as the leader of this class." Zack shrugs. "And now she's got to know me, Miss Havisham is bound to see that. Now go talk to your sister, I bet she looks up to you."
Fry rolls his eyes and goes to find Brooke. What does height have to do with anything? She's in the playground, surrounded by friends, playing some sort of secret ninja game.
He has to admit it - Brooke has a skill that neither he nor Coral has: she's popular. Every week she's invited to birthday parties or friends' houses, she's always coming home with exchanged plastic trinkets or swapping hair slides (or lice) or all sorts.
He strides through the other nursery children, most of whom are dwarfed by Brooke, except for a boy that Fry thinks is known as Beanie, both of whose parents are over six foot tall and are saved a seat at the back for all school events.
"Brooklyn." Fry interrupts her.
"Alexander." Brooke replies cheekily, jutting her chin out slightly and making a rather intimidating amount of eye contact for a four-year-old.
"Zack says you're bullying Tilly." Fry says.
"Silly Tilly Tell-Tale?" Brooke says. Then, mimicking, adds. "'Miss Brimstone, Brooklyn is standing on the radiator. Miss Brimstone, Brooklyn put the red paintbrush in the blue paint. Miss Brimstone, Brooklyn's got the staple-gun. Miss Brimstone, Brooklyn glued me to a chair.'"
"That's appalling." Fry says, scowling. "Gluing people to things is what I used to do Brooklyn, if you're going to do revenging, get your own ideas. But more importantly..." he tries to decide how to be responsible about this. "Look, Brooklyn, lots of kids are annoying, in fact, pretty much everyone your age, you just have to learn to ignore them."
"I have twenty friends, you have three, that means I'm twenty lots better at friending than you." Brooke says, running off with her friends.
Fry tuts with exasperation as she goes.
"Six point three times better, Brooklyn. Your maths is terrible!"
