Worry Magic (7 page)

The dream spun in lots of colours like a kaleidoscope. All I got was glimpses  …  Miss Cave smiling. Lois holding her phone and hugging me. Bex sulking. A huge ketchuppy chip. And then the fade  … 

‘Courtney  … '

I sat up so quickly I jarred my neck.

Cave Woman was standing by my chair.

The whole class had frozen, like Cave Woman had brought on an actual mini ice age as she'd crossed the room.

‘See me after the lesson,' she said, quietly.

The bell went right then, but still no one moved. I think everyone was waiting to watch Cave-Woman gnaw on my bones.

And Miss Cave definitely wasn't smiling like she was supposed to be. Maybe the dream hadn't worked!

‘Papers on my desk. Everyone out now, please,' she said.

The room emptied.

Leaving me and Cave Woman alone.

I stared down at my hands.

My tummy was a hard ball, and I seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.

I really was for the high jump now  … 

Cave Woman perched on a nearby desk

‘So what's going on, Courtney?' The coldness in her voice had completely gone.

I looked up in surprise.

And then she smiled.

It was only a little smile, but I swear I'd not seen her smile even once since September. I'd never even seen her teeth.

Oh, lovely magic – you DID do it!

‘What happened back then?' She sounded so different. Kind, even.

‘Um  …  I was just  …  er  …  tired.'

What could I say? –
‘I was just having a quick magic dream in your lesson. You know, like you do.'

I took another sneaky glance at her. She was still looking at me with gentle eyes.

I looked away quickly and blurted:

‘Miss, sorry – it was my fault Lois's phone went off. I texted her.' My voice was trembling as I confessed. I HATED being in trouble. ‘Please! Tell me off, not her. And write to my parents, not hers. It's her birthday, see – please can she have her phone back?'

I didn't dare look at her again. I picked at my nail while she sort of hummed and then sighed.

‘Well, I'm not known for bending the rules, but I appreciate your honesty, so I'm going to let it drop this time,' she said. ‘You can give Lois her phone back as it's her birthday and we'll leave it at that.'

‘Really? Oh, thanks, miss!'

I couldn't believe it. She really had been magicked nicer!

‘And I promise I won't  …  er  …  doze off in your lesson again.'

She nodded, looking at me hard. ‘And please, Courtney, do talk to me again if you're worried about anything. Any time.'

Worried about anything?! Huh, she had no idea.

I nodded back at her.

‘Erm  …  please can I go now, miss?'

She went to her desk and handed me the phone.

I beamed at her, took it, and got out the door as fast as I could.

Wow – and how cool that the magic could even crack a hard nut like Cavey! I just knew it could sort out really difficult stuff  … 

Good job too, with Mum and Dad arguing all the time.

And poor Gran  … 

I ran to the canteen to find Lois.

Lois was standing against the radiator in the corner by herself, looking really sad.

I pushed through the lunch crowd, wondering where Bex had got to.

‘I got it back!' I cried, waving her phone above my head.

‘Oh, wow!' Lois's face lit up. ‘HOW did you manage that?'

‘Skills,' I said, winking at her.

She squealed and hugged me.

Just like my cool dream.

‘Right, come on! Let's get in the lunch queue. I'm having two birthday puddings to celebrate. Maybe even three!' she said, dragging me by the hand.

‘Where's Bex?' I asked. Not that I exactly cared. But she was usually hanging around.

‘She had to go and see Mrs Dexham – she got in trouble in maths this morning or something.'

Good – she was out of the way for a bit then.

Lois had brightened up, chatting away all bubbly while we queued.

‘So can you come to mine after school – for cake?'

When I nodded, she lowered her voice and looked around her.

‘I had to ask you when Bex wasn't here, see. I can't invite her round to mine cos my family aren't keen on her. My mum says she acts too grown up for her age, and Max calls her T-Rex  … '

I tried not to snigger.

‘I tell him to shut up. He can be a bit too mean sometimes,' said Lois. ‘But they love YOU, of course!' she said, prodding me. ‘And maybe after, we can go for a quick swim. Do you want to? I think we're getting takeaway for tea, but apart from that we're not doing much birthday-ish stuff tonight, as it's a school day.'

‘Yeah, yeah – that's cool.' I smiled. This was working out exactly as I'd hoped.

But the moment I thought that, of course Bex arrived.

She came over, but as soon as she saw Lois was with me, she got on the longest donkey face ever.

‘Courts got my phone back off Cavey!' said Lois, hugging me again. ‘It's a miracle!'

Bex looked like this was the worst news she'd had all year.

‘Oh,' she said, flicking her hair and looking away. ‘But it was still pretty stupid of you to TEXT Lois in an actual lesson, Courtney  … ' She wanted to keep the argument going. She wanted Lois to be angry with me so much.

‘Never mind now,' said Lois. ‘I got it back! And anyway, I really should've put it on silent – what a numpty.' She grinned at me.

‘Yeah, but  … ' Bex started again.

‘Oi, stop pushing in!' said some boys behind us in the queue to Bex. ‘Go to the back!'

‘Oh, get over it!' Bex made a rude sign at them, and turned to Lois.

‘So you wanna meet up after school? Maybe go to the cinema?'

Lois went pink and stammered –

‘Um, well  …  I've sort of planned stuff with Courts and  …  er  …  my family, but  … '

The boys in the queue started a chant at Bex: ‘BACK, BACK, BACK!'

Bex gave me a shrivelling look. And without another word, she turned away and humphed off out the dining room.

‘Uh-oh again,' Lois said. ‘Oh dear  … '

‘Hmmmm,' I said, biting the inside of my cheeks to stop myself grinning. I didn't want Lois to think I was being mean, but really I was so happy inside.

We got chips and chocolate pudding. Lois got TWO puddings off the dinner lady when I said it was her birthday. We sat by ourselves at the end of a table, giggling and talking in silly voices. Then she made a funny face at me as she dipped a long chip in ketchup and stuffed it in her mouth.

A extra-long, ketchuppy chip.

Exactly
like in my dream.

On the way back to her house after school, me and Lois stopped off at the park cafe as a treat. There was the usual group of older girls from school sitting outside, drinking Diet Cokes.

Me and Lois got enormous birthday hot choccies with flakes and whizzy cream, and sat outside too.

‘And then cake at mine after – whoop!' said Lois. She was such a sugar-plum fairy – she loved sweet stuff.

It was starting to get dark, but it wasn't cold. Someone was having a bonfire somewhere and it smelt lovely and smoky. We cuddled our hot choccies and chatted on as the light faded.

Then across the dusky park I spotted a boy on a bike riding along the path towards us. A tall boy with glasses.

It really looked like Kyle.

Yep, it was definitely him – he had this funny way of riding, which made his elbows stick out. I never knew why he did that. He was just weird.

‘Oh, look out – it's my brother,' I said.

But what was he doing out? He had karate tonight.

I felt a little worry niggle in my tummy. Maybe something had happened at home? I knew I should've gone straight back  …  I hadn't been worrying nearly enough.

I sighed quietly to myself.

This worry magic was so epic. But honestly, I was starting to feel that I couldn't EVER go out in case something happened that needed magicking better  …  I needed to be on worry-guard all the time.

Kyle wobbled past us.

‘Kyle!' I yelled. He looked round in surprise, then did this rubbish skid and stopped. He backed his bike up.

‘Hey,
Kyle
,' called out one of the older girls nearby.

He went as red as a human can ever go without actual face paint. He always did near girls these days. Such a wuss.

‘Y'right,' he grunted, in a trying-to-be-cool kind of voice. Except he was panting a bit from pedalling so fast, so it came out like an odd hiccup.

Total fail.

He fidgeted with his bike handlebars, and raised his eyebrows at me, opening his mouth to say something, and then shutting it again.

‘Why aren't you at karate?' I said. ‘What's happened?'

He half shrugged and stared at me hard – like he was trying to mind-meld with me so he didn't have to actually speak.

The girls were sniggering now.

This was overload for Kyle. ‘If you want to talk to me, you have to come,' he muttered. Then he chucked his bike around and cycled off into the middle of the footie pitch. He waved at me to go over.

Lois looked at me, and we both laughed.

Poor old Kylsie and his tomatoey face.

I staggered up, sighing. ‘I s'pose I'd better go and find out what's going on.'

Kyle was riding in a slow circle, glaring over at me.

‘Wait right there,' I said to Lois. ‘I'll be back!'

But as I jogged over to Kyle, my heart got faster.

Please don't let it be something bad about Gran.

‘What's up?' I huffed.

‘Nothing,' said Kyle. I could tell he was hesitating – like he didn't want to tell me. ‘Just  … '

‘Just what? Why are you out?'

He stopped by the fence.

‘Mum sent me to the shop to buy stuff  … ' he sighed. ‘Cos she's got Zac and Mercedes round there, instead of them going to after-school club.'

I threw my head back. ‘Zac and Mercedes? No WAAAY!'

Zac and Mercedes lived six doors up with their loud mum, Lou. They were annoying times ten billion. Zac was about three and screamed all the time. Mercedes was six, as mouthy as her mum, and actually thought she was Lady Gaga. She was always doing these wiggly dances – and her mum even let her have spray tan sometimes.

I was shaking my head. ‘But why?'

Kyle rolled his eyes. ‘Because Mum's got it into her head that she could do some childminding to make some extra cash.'

‘Childminding? What do you mean, they'd be round ours ALL the time?' I said.

‘It's a nightmare already,' said Kyle, pulling his brakes on and off. ‘They've wrecked the place. Mum begged me to miss karate, and sent me up to the shop for a load of biscuits to shut them up. They've already eaten all Dad's orange Club biscuits. And his diet bars.'

He rolled his bike forward and back.

‘So I gotta get to the shop now,' he said. ‘But it's gonna take more than biscuits to shut those two up.'

‘And I'd better go straight home,' I muttered, half to myself. ‘Try and tidy up or Dad'll have ten fits about the mess.' My mind was already loop-the-looping with all the trouble this would cause.

‘Courtney – don't be an idiot  …  just stay out with Lois.'

‘No, Kyle! WHY do you think you can tell me what to do all the time?' I walked away from him, back towards the cafe. ‘I'm not five!'

‘Well, suit yourself  … ' he called after me.

I heard him cycle away  … 

Good, bog off, rubbish brother  … 

But I was SO glad he had told me what was happening  … 

Except now I was going to have to tell Lois I couldn't stay out with her.

On her birthday.

Lois was still waiting for me, shivering a bit with two empty hot choc glasses in front of her. She looked at me with wide eyes as I hurried up to her.

‘Is it your gran?' she asked, nervously.

‘No, no  …  it's  …  um  …  complicated. But I'm SOOO sorry,' I cried, ‘I just have to go. Please don't hate me. We can have our birthday swim and cake on Saturday to make up for it, yeah?'

‘Yeah, yeah – no probs,' she said, sounding surprised. Then she looked down, and I could tell she was a bit upset too.

‘I'm so sorry,' I said again. ‘See you tomorrow.' Then I gave her a quick hug, and broke into a run across the park.

I had to get back and get tidying. And try and talk Mum out of this.

If not, I'd have to sort it out with worry magic. FAST.

I nearly tripped over onto my face as I came through the door.

A big box of our old toys and games was upside down in the hall – Mum had obviously been in the attic.

The telly was blasting from the lounge. I could see Mercedes in there, prancing around to a Girls Aloud song. All arms in the air and bum-wiggles, and wearing some kind of weird, too-tight, leotard-dress thing. It was
wrong
.

There were clothes, games pieces, books, shoes and broken biscuits all over the floor.

I stepped between things, and went straight into the lounge and switched the telly off.

Mercedes put her hands on her hips. ‘Aww, why d'yer do that,
Courtney
?'

‘Because it's junk,' I said, ‘and it's making my ears burst.'

‘Right, I'm telling!' said Mercedes. She swung her bunches at me, and pouted off to the kitchen. I could hear her whining on to Mum.

Mum came in, looking hot. Lots of her hair had frizzed out of her ponytail.

‘Oh hi, Courts,' she said, wiping her arm across her forehead. ‘Please could you let Mercy do her dancing, darling? Just for a bit.'

Mercedes cocked her head at me with this
ha-ha
look on her face, and put the telly back on LOUD.

‘Mum!' I cried, turning the telly down again. ‘But Dad'll be back soon.'

My chest went tight at the thought. Dad really wouldn't deal with this mess.

‘Well, he'll have to put up with it for today,' she said, pushing her hair back, all flustered. ‘He wants me to find some work, and, look – I'm
trying
 … ' Then she lowered her voice. ‘And it's just a trial session, but to be honest it's not going as I hoped  … '

You don't say, Mum  … 

Zac stomped into the room, holding a plant. He cackled like a cartoon baddie, and emptied the plant and mud all over the carpet.

I gawped. This wasn't childminding – it was evil goblin-minding.

‘Oh, I'll take that, sweet pea, shall I?' said Mum, hooking the pot out of Zac's hand. ‘Good boy – well done.'

She turned aside to me and whispered out of the corner of her mouth. ‘They'll be gone by seven – I can't get rid of them quicker.'

‘Seven?!' My heart skipped. ‘But Dad will definitely be here by then!'

‘I can't help that, but you just go to your room and I'll deal with them.' She shooed me towards the door. ‘And don't you start
worrying
.'

DON'T worry? How was I supposed to do that?

No, I was going to worry really WELL and then the magic might come. It looked like magic might be the only way out of this trouble.

‘It's fine, Mum. I'll stay and help,' I said.

The porch door opened just then and Kyle appeared in the hall. He dumped his bag of shopping on the hall table and ran straight upstairs. Really, he was like a ghost brother, melting into the walls at any sign of trouble. So feeble.

Mum just shook her head, turned back to the wrecked room and tugged her hands through her hair.

‘OK, everyone – let's all tidy up together!' she cried, all brightly. ‘Whoop, whoop! Best Tidier-Upper gets a sticker!'

She started moving about the room, picking things up.

‘
Tidy, tidy all the toys! Put them all away  … 
' she sang to the tune of
Row Your Boat
in a new, chirrupy, playgroup voice. ‘Come on, everyone! Join in with the Tidy-up Song while you work!' She was just trying way too hard.

Mercedes obviously didn't think ‘everyone' meant her, and just plonked her bum down in front of the telly to watch another music video. And, as for Zac, it was like he'd heard the word TIDY but his awkward little brain had reversed it. He took a board game out of a cardboard box, and shook everything out of it, behind the sofa.

‘Oh dear, dear,' said Mum weakly, sinking down onto the chair. ‘“Tidy” means we put things
back
in the toy box, Zackie.'

‘He might do it if you give him some money,' said Mercedes, her eyes still on the telly. ‘Mum gave him a two-pound coin yesterday to stop biting me, and he did.'

Oka-a-ay, so you had to PAY Zac to stop behaving like an orc.

‘Oh, no!' said Mum, looking shocked. ‘I'm sure Zackie would help me for this
lovely
train sticker,' she continued, picking up a sheet of stickers.

‘NAAAA train! DIGGER!' he yelled. He snatched the sticker sheet out of Mum's hand and spat on it.

Mum's mouth dropped open. She looked at him like he was about to chew her head off, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Really, this was hopeless.

I looked at my watch. I needed to do something fast or the house would never get tidied.

‘OK, Mum, I'll take them outside to play for ten minutes, and you clear up,' I said, firmly.

She turned to me with grateful eyes.

‘Really? Oh, thanks so much, Courts, love, she said. ‘I'll call Kyle down to help you, and  … ' she whispered, ‘
I promise they won't come again.
'

I nodded. At least she was seeing some sense.

Mum stuffed Zac and Mercedes into their coats and cooed them out of the back door. Kyle came slumping out too, wearing just short sleeves and a big scowl. He clearly didn't want to muppet-sit any more than me.

It was really quite dark out, so Mum put the garden floodlight on. I pulled my coat round myself, and watched Zac loon about, shouting at birds.

Well, THIS was fun.

‘You HAVE to play with us now – your mum said,' said Mercedes, standing in the middle of the lawn with her hands on her hips. ‘And I want to play Teenagers at a Party.'

Kyle sniggered and walked up the garden, shaking his head. Obviously no help at all, as usual.

‘Can't we just do some drawing or something – on the picnic table?' I said. ‘I'll go and get my felt tips. I've got glitter ones somewhere.'

‘NO-O-O!' squeaked Mercedes. ‘I want to play teenagers. Or I'm going in.'

Going In was not in my plan. The house was trashed enough already. And now Dad had put a padlock on his Shed after the whole Derek thing, there was less to mess up outside.

‘OK,' I sighed. ‘You start.'

And – OMG – she didn't need asking twice.

‘Yeah, yeah, WHOOP WHOOP!' she sang. ‘This party is well siiiick, man. And let's give a big shout-out for DJ Bants. Safe!' Her voice had gone all American, and she was doing more of those cringey bum-wriggles around the garden.

Me and Kyle stared at her.

‘
Someone
watches too much telly,' said Kyle.

‘You have to dance too!' she said, pointing at me. ‘And you can be the DJ,' she said to Kyle.

‘Great  …  enjoying this,' said Kyle. ‘Looks like you're dancing, then, Courts. Do it!

I gave him a cold stare. I was not moving even a toe.

Mercedes twirled up the garden, doing weird ballet-ish pirouettes. I couldn't be sure, but I didn't really think teenagers did that, let alone at a party  … 

It was only then that I realised that Zac had gone quiet. Too quiet  … 

I spun round and there he was, ploughing his feet through Dad's veg patch – right across the neat lines of leeks, and then back again.

Noooo! Trust him to find something to mess up.

‘NO, Zac! Get off there,' I yelled, running over.

‘Vrooooooooom,' he yelled, throwing me a toothy grin. Vrooooom-vroooom all through Dad's artichokes.

‘And Zackie can be the DJ's big, yellow digger,' sang Mercedes, her bunches bouncing wildly.

I caught Zac's hood, but he yanked away from me, and fell flat on his back, breaking off two of Dad's broccoli plants.

‘WAAAAAAAA,' he wailed, getting up and waddle-running towards the house. ‘I want my mummy. And I need a pee pee  … '

Mercedes stopped dancing for a second.

‘He waves his widdle around if he goes by himself,' she said, cheerfully, ‘and the pee splashes on the walls.'

Zac was holding onto his trousers and hopping from foot to foot at the back door.

‘You go after him,' I said to Kyle. This was d
efinitely
a boy's job.

Kyle made a face, but bounded over and took Zac in.

I sat on the bench and watched Mercedes' strange dancing-and-singing show. Her singing got louder and more out of tune, and then she moved onto wonky handstands with wildly kicking legs.

Brrr, it was freezing  … 

I hoped Mum was hurrying up with the tidying and doing a good job. Dad didn't rate her as a tidier – she hated housework.

Zac came waddling back out of the house just then, with his trousers half pulled up.

All by himself.

No sign of Kyle-the-babysitter.

And as he trip-trotted across the lawn, I looked closer  …  and my heart nearly stopped.

Zac was holding Henners.

Dad's darlingest little Henners.

No! He must have got him out of his bathroom cage!

KYLE! So useless!

I jumped to my feet.

‘Mercy! Look at my Mickley Mouse,' Zac lisped, gripping Henners so tight I was sure his ratty eyes were popping out. But Mercedes was too busy in her World of Stupid Handstands to listen.

‘ZAC, be gentle! Stand still!' I ordered, walking towards him slowly in case he threw a wobbler and dropped Henners on his head.

Kyle appeared in the doorway. He took one look at Zac and Henners, and went white. He knew he'd messed up big time. The babysitting fail of the year.

‘Oh, well done  … ' I began, looking at him all daggers. But I stopped mid-sentence.

Because right behind Kyle was Dad.