The Yearbook Committee Read Free Page B

defeated. ‘I wanted my drink before they closed.’
    â€˜And I told you to wait, and come next week with Elliot.’
    I busy myself tidying up the bags of popcorn on the counter, trying to avoid the conversation.
    â€˜But I always have it on Thursday,’ he says, tears in his eyes.
    â€˜Fine,’ she says, throwing her hand into her purse. ‘Get him a large of whatever he wants,’ she says to me.
    â€˜Ah, he’s already paid,’ I tell her.
    â€˜Then where’s his drink?’ she asks, looking at me like I’m stupid.
    â€˜Um, my colleague just went out to get strawberries because —’
    â€˜Oh, I don’t have time for this,’ she says, grabbing his arm. ‘Come on, Sammy. We’ll come back tomorrow.’
    â€˜No! Only Tuesday and Thursday!’
    The mother glares at me and I feel stuck.
    â€˜Sammy, mate,’ I say, ‘I’m really sorry, but we’re out of strawberries. Can we make you a Berry Bravo tomorrow?’
    â€˜No! No! No! Supposed to be on Tuesday and Thursday!’
    By now, his voice has gotten louder and his mother looks even more frustrated.
    â€˜Oh God,’ she says. ‘People are looking.’
    â€˜My colleague’ll only be a few minutes,’ I tell her.
    â€˜She better be,’ she snaps. ‘What kind of juice bar doesn’t have any fruit?’
    I shrug helplessly and turn around to see Dionne running down to the store just as the tantrum reaches its peak.
    She quickly washes the strawberries and makes his drink. I hand it to him.
    He’s immediately placated.
    â€˜That mum was some piece of work,’ I tell her after they leave. ‘She left him alone to try on clothes, and then she didn’t want him to have his drink because she was in a rush.’
    â€˜Some people shouldn’t have children,’ she says scornfully.

    When I get home, I see that nothing has changed. The lights are off and the curtains are still drawn. The TV blares from the living room, but she’s not watching. I try not to think of the energy cost.
    I switch on the kitchen lights and see there are two empty yoghurt tubs in the bin. At least she’s eaten something.
    I check the messages on the answering machine. There’s one from her boss, asking if she’s ready to come back. ‘You’ve had a lot of time off,’ the lady says cheerfully. ‘We miss you.’
    I make a mental note to think up another excuse. Meditation retreat in Bali?
    Inside her room, Mum is in her usual spot, sitting on the bed, staring at the wall.
    â€˜I’m home,’ I tell her.
    â€˜How was work?’ she asks, not moving.
    â€˜Good,’ I answer.
    â€˜Good,’ she says, nodding. ‘Good, good.’
    I kiss her goodnight and go to bed.
    But I don’t sleep. Things are far from good.

Tammi
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Tammi Kap is listening to ‘Hard out Here’ on Spotify. #hardouthereforabitch #LilyAllen #Bestsongever #girlpower #pressure #teen #girl

    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Lauren Pappas likes this.

    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Lauren Pappas Such a lil drama queen.
    â€˜Do you know what sucks?’ my best friend, Lauren, asks from her seat at the table, her too-short skirt riding up her thighs. ‘The HSC starts two days after my eighteenth. I’ll probably rock up to the English exam hungover or still high, and I won’t even have anyone to brag about it to because everyone will be paying attention to their stupid studies so they can get a stupidly good ATAR and get into a stupid university and live stupid successful lives.’
    â€˜Take a breath, ranty,’ Ryan says, leaning over to grab a handful of her chips. ‘And maybe buy a thesaurus. If I were you I’d bemore worried about failing English because the only describing word you know is ‘stupid’.’
    â€˜It’s called an adjective, you