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Feeling my cheeks burning, I glance over at Shannon, who’s busy filing her nails a couple of desks away, and has obviously missed me as much as a large hole in the head. She leans sideways, sniggers and whispers something to Masher, who’s sprawled behind the desk between us.
    â€˜Shannon, is there something you’d like to share with us all?’ asks Miss Devine brightly.
    Don’t, I think, groaning silently. Please don’t encourage her to ‘share’ anything with us. I close my eyes in disbelief and wait. Three years teaching the likes of Shannon Walters should surely have taught Miss Devine something.
    â€˜I was just wondering how Becky feels getting a new heart and stuff,’ she asks sweetly.
    The whole class turns and stares at me. I can feel myself sinking down into my chair as Miss Devine jumps in and answers for me.
    â€˜I think she’s probably very grateful, aren’t you, Becky?’
    I nod, blushing from the neck up.
    â€˜Yeah, I know that, but I mean, you know, now she’s got a bit of someone else’s body inside her. That’s not very nice, is it? I mean they could be anyone.’
    â€˜Only someone dead,’ chips in Masher.
    â€˜That’s enough, Jake,’ says Miss Devine as Masher and a few of his mates snort with laughter.
    â€˜Well, I’m just saying,’ continues Shannon, as she casually flicks her long, tousled hair over her shoulder, ‘I wouldn’t fancy it if it was me.’
    â€˜Then I think you’re probably very fortunate that it wasn’t you, Shannon. Becky was seriously ill before her transplant.’ Miss Devine throws me an apologetic smile. ‘Right. Let’s move on. Get out your exercise books ready to make a few notes, please.’
    Miss Devine turns back to the white board and starts writing. After exchanging a sideways smirk with Shannon, Masher leans over to me and whispers, ‘Hey, Becky-Mouse, show us your scar!’
    I put my head down and start writing the date in my exercise book, pretending to ignore him, but this to Masher is like waving a red rag to a bull.
    â€˜Your gran told my mum it was this long!’ he announcesloudly so the whole class hears, separating his hands until they’re about half a metre apart. Darren and Wesley start sniggering, which encourages Masher to pull his arms even further apart.
    â€˜No, sorry.
This
long!’ he says, grinning smugly, lapping up the attention from his audience.
    â€˜You’re so immature, Masher,’ says Leah, rolling her eyes at me in sympathy.
    Normally I wouldn’t rise to Masher’s wind-ups, but I still feel upset and annoyed with Shannon and those emotions are turning to pure anger as they bubble up inside me.
    â€˜Shut up, Masher,’ I hiss furiously. ‘You’re not funny.’
    â€˜Unlike you, freak girl,’ Shannon says, with an angelic smile on her face.
    Miss Devine turns round from the white board. ‘Thank you Shannon, that’s quite enough,’ she says firmly. ‘And you can stop waving your arms about, Jake Crombie. Detention tonight, both of you.’
    â€˜Oh . . . what?’ chorus Masher and Shannon. ‘That’s not fair, miss!’
    I exchange glances with Leah, who’s doing her best to control the smirk on her face, then catch Shannon’s eye. If looks could kill, I’d be vaporised on the spot.

19
    â€˜Just ignore Shannon and Masher,’ Leah is telling me as we hurry through the rain across the wet playground to the dining hall.
    â€˜She’s a cow and he’s a complete twazzock,’ Alesha adds dismissively.
    â€˜Yeah, and Alesha should know all about Masher,’ Jodie says mischievously. ‘She went out with him.’
    â€˜One rubbish date!’ retorts Alesha, pretending to be outraged. ‘And probably the worst mistake of my life so far.’
    â€˜Was it that bad?’ I ask.
    Alesha shudders. ‘Two hours