3 Nerys and the Big Car

3 Nerys and the Big Car As Peanut bit into the apple, an enormous silver car with blacked-out windows turned into the road and sped towards them. Peanut and Rockwell instinctively stood to attention as it glided to a halt. The rear window slid open to reveal a face Peanut knew well. ' Hiya, lovely. Peanut grinned. It was Nerys, her mother's PA at the accountancy firm. Peanut liked her. She was the only one at Mum's work who spoke to her like a normal person rather than a baby. Peanut had no idea how old Nerys was. Her hair was the sort of lilac colour that immediately places a person in

the seventy-something bracket, but her face was remarkably unlined, except for a few small creases at the corners of each eye. Smile lines. Nerys smiled a lot. 'Your mam sent me to fetch you. She got a teletext message from the school saying you were in detention, so here I am. I don't know, those teachers are always grizzling about something, aren't they?' Nerys opened the car door. 'Now then, lovely, I'm gagging for a cup of tea. So, hurry up, get yourself in here and we'll be back at the office quicker than you can say Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrob-wllllantysiliogogogoch.' Nerys's pale eyes flicked over towards Rockwell. 'Would your little friend like a lift somewhere?' 'Oh-oh,' spluttered Rockwell. ' Th-th-thank you, but no

Er, madam. Er, m'am. Er, Y-your Highness. I've got my skateboard. I'll see you in the morning, Peanut.' And with that he kicked off and disappeared down the street. Aw, he seems nice,' said Nerys, as Peanut climbed in. 'I'm glad you're finally making friends at St Hubert's.' Rockwell's not my friend. He's only being nice to me cos he's been told to by the school and he doesn't want to get in trouble. Anyway, I don't want to make friends at St Hubert's. Peanut's eyes filled with tears. ' "Friends" implies that I'm having a nice time and don't mind staying. And I am definitely not staying.' She looked out of the window. 'It doesn't matter

anyway. Dad will come back home soon. He'll sort everything out with Mum, and then I can go back to my old friends at Melody High. Nerys frowned. 'My dearest girl, don't forget that your mam only sent you to St Hubert's because she wants what's best for you. She loves you, y'know Don't give up on this school just yet, lovely. Things can always change.' She turned to the man in the front seat. ' Drive on, Hammond...'