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Harris and I talked for the first time. She’d joined the running squad even though she was crap at running. I always waited until the changing room was empty before taking a shower. Undressing in front of people has always been a bit of a phobia of mine. The one and only time I’ve ever been invited to a sleepover I didn’t even have to fake a stomach ache to get Mum to call Priya’s mother to say I couldn’t go – I threw up three times from nerves. I could tell Mum was disappointed that I couldn’t go to Priya’s – she probably thought that me being invited was the start of something for me. She wasn’t to know that Priya’s parents had forced her to invite every girl in our class.
    That day after training I was sitting on a wooden bench in the furthest corner of the changing room, waiting. I knew someone was still there, but I didn’t know who. I wouldn’t allow myself to look up in case I had to engage in conversation. I unlaced my trainers painfully slowly, like I was defusing a bomb. The mystery person
still
hadn’t left by the time my Asics were off. I was going to have to get a move on otherwise I’d be late for English. I’d just have to be really quick about it and hope that whoever it was would leave assoon as possible. I took a deep breath and went to pull my T-shirt over my head. The fabric was right over my face when I heard a voice in front of me.
    There was a cough. ‘Hi. I was just wondering where you got your trainers from.’
    I quickly pulled my T-shirt back down, hoping my face wasn’t too red. It was Heather. Barefoot, wearing running shorts and a sports bra and nothing else. ‘Um … that shop on Lothian Road?’ As if I wasn’t entirely sure.
    ‘I don’t know it.’ Of course she didn’t. She’d just moved here.
    Heather was staring at me, waiting. I was clearly going to have to elaborate. ‘It’s pretty decent. They video you on a running machine so they can work out which trainers you need. It’s not cheap – my mum doesn’t understand why I can’t just get a pair from the supermarket or whatever.’
    ‘Oh God, tell me about it. My mum’s the same.’
    This seemed like a natural point to end the conversation, but Heather showed no sign of moving. I wasn’t sure what to do with myself – there was no way I was getting changed right in front of her. She didn’t seem in the least bit self-conscious about standing there in her bra. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest. Mum always says that means someone’s beingdefensive, but I didn’t think that was the case here. In fact, I was pretty sure Heather was standing like that to push her boobs up and make them look bigger than they were.
    I glanced at my watch and saw that the bell was about to go. I was going to be late. Heather took my hand and turned my wrist round so she could see the time. ‘Shit!’ She rushed over to the other side of the changing rooms and whipped off her bra. She carried on talking as she changed back into her uniform. ‘Oh God, I’m going to stink this afternoon. Reckon I’ll be giving Mr Perkins a run for his money.’ She paused to spray copious amounts of deodorant over every inch of her body. I was watching her even though I didn’t mean to. She glanced over. ‘Aren’t you going to be late?’
    ‘Nah, I’ve got a free period next. I thought I’d take my time … maybe wash my hair.’
    Heather stopped for a second and looked at me. She knew I was lying – I was sure of it – but she just nodded slowly. ‘So I was wondering if you need a training partner? Maybe we could run together on weekends or something?’ She was buttoning up her shirt really slowly as she said this.
    ‘Yeah, that would be cool.’ There was no way in hell she’d be able to keep up with me, but I wasn’tbothered. For some reason this new girl seemed to want to be friends with me. Maybe she
was
different from the others. It would be kind of nice to have a friend at school.
    ‘Cool.’ Heather