Text copyright © 2014 Katie L Thompson
All Rights Reserved
Preview Extract: Christmas Without Mum and Dad
“Are you sure you don’t want me to wait? My parents won’t mind waiting a bit longer.”
“Thanks, but I’ll be okay,” I said.
It was almost Christmas and everyone was going home to spend time with their families over the holidays. It was the one time of the year that the boarding school was pretty much empty.
“It’s not a problem. I don’t mind waiting,” Kim was insistent.
“Honestly Kimmy, go home and start enjoying your Christmas holidays. The holiday doesn’t really start till you leave this place, does it?”
“Alright, if you’re sure.” Kim hesitated.
“Go.”
She gave me a final hug before walking across the car park to where her parents were chatting amongst a group of adults.
I sighed.
“Hey.”
I hadn’t seen Jason standing behind me.
“Hey.”
“Your parents aren’t coming, are they?”
“What?” I wasn’t sure if I’d heard him right.
“It’s okay, mine aren’t either.”
For the first time that week, I felt relaxed.
“It’s hard seeing all your friends getting to go home for the holidays, knowing that you’re going to be stuck in this hell hole.” Jason hopped up onto the low wall next to me.
“It’s not a hell hole,” I said.
Jason was from the boarding school across the road. They were run by the same people but they liked to keep girls and boys separate.
“You’re lucky.” He swung his legs while he spoke. “I hate my home.”
“Home?”
“Well it is my home, isn’t it? My parents haven’t wanted to see me for months, almost a year. It’s not like that’s my home, is it?”
I guessed he was right. I wondered where my real home was – I didn’t want to consider the boarding school as home.
“My place is almost empty. I think there’s only three of us being forced to stay over the holidays.”
“Do you at least have a tree?”
“A what?”
“A Christmas tree.”
Jason shook his head.
“Oh.” I couldn’t image Christmas without a tree. That was part of the holiday, wasn’t it?
“Do you?”
I nodded. “Kim insisted that the school got a tree. Funny really, since she’s going home.”
“I bet they have a huge tree at her home,” Jason said in awe.
“We always had a big tree. Though I guess I was smaller then so maybe it wasn’t so big really.”
“Things always look bigger when you’re younger,” Jason agreed.
One of the teachers walked by with a bulging leather satchel. “See you in the new year,” he said.
“Merry Christmas,” I said back, although I didn’t feel very merry.
“Even the teachers get to go home,” Jason said. “I didn’t think they ever left this place.”
I laughed. Jason was a lot of fun to be around. I was glad that I’d have his company over the holidays. If I couldn’t go home, being with Jason was a close second.
“Jason Alderson, come back here.”
I didn’t recognise the teacher that was calling Jason, but Jason obviously did as his face dropped.
“I guess I better go back.”
“Did they know you’d come over here?”
“What do you think?”
I shook my head. Jason was always breaking the rules.
“Bye.” I waved.
Jason winked at me as he walked across the road to where his teacher was waiting for him.
All Rights Reserved
Preview Extract: Christmas Without Mum and Dad
“Are you sure you don’t want me to wait? My parents won’t mind waiting a bit longer.”
“Thanks, but I’ll be okay,” I said.
It was almost Christmas and everyone was going home to spend time with their families over the holidays. It was the one time of the year that the boarding school was pretty much empty.
“It’s not a problem. I don’t mind waiting,” Kim was insistent.
“Honestly Kimmy, go home and start enjoying your Christmas holidays. The holiday doesn’t really start till you leave this place, does it?”
“Alright, if you’re sure.” Kim hesitated.
“Go.”
She gave me a final hug before walking across the car park to where her parents were chatting amongst a group of adults.
I sighed.
“Hey.”
I hadn’t seen Jason standing behind me.
“Hey.”
“Your parents aren’t coming, are they?”
“What?” I wasn’t sure if I’d heard him right.
“It’s okay, mine aren’t either.”
For the first time that week, I felt relaxed.
“It’s hard seeing all your friends getting to go home for the holidays, knowing that you’re going to be stuck in this hell hole.” Jason hopped up onto the low wall next to me.
“It’s not a hell hole,” I said.
Jason was from the boarding school across the road. They were run by the same people but they liked to keep girls and boys separate.
“You’re lucky.” He swung his legs while he spoke. “I hate my home.”
“Home?”
“Well it is my home, isn’t it? My parents haven’t wanted to see me for months, almost a year. It’s not like that’s my home, is it?”
I guessed he was right. I wondered where my real home was – I didn’t want to consider the boarding school as home.
“My place is almost empty. I think there’s only three of us being forced to stay over the holidays.”
“Do you at least have a tree?”
“A what?”
“A Christmas tree.”
Jason shook his head.
“Oh.” I couldn’t image Christmas without a tree. That was part of the holiday, wasn’t it?
“Do you?”
I nodded. “Kim insisted that the school got a tree. Funny really, since she’s going home.”
“I bet they have a huge tree at her home,” Jason said in awe.
“We always had a big tree. Though I guess I was smaller then so maybe it wasn’t so big really.”
“Things always look bigger when you’re younger,” Jason agreed.
One of the teachers walked by with a bulging leather satchel. “See you in the new year,” he said.
“Merry Christmas,” I said back, although I didn’t feel very merry.
“Even the teachers get to go home,” Jason said. “I didn’t think they ever left this place.”
I laughed. Jason was a lot of fun to be around. I was glad that I’d have his company over the holidays. If I couldn’t go home, being with Jason was a close second.
“Jason Alderson, come back here.”
I didn’t recognise the teacher that was calling Jason, but Jason obviously did as his face dropped.
“I guess I better go back.”
“Did they know you’d come over here?”
“What do you think?”
I shook my head. Jason was always breaking the rules.
“Bye.” I waved.
Jason winked at me as he walked across the road to where his teacher was waiting for him.