From Geek to Goddess (Zodiac Girls) Read online

  “And I’ve brought my imaginary pet,” grinned Lucia Peters. “There wasn’t anything left by the time I heard about it, so I had to be creative.”

  “Heard about what?” I asked. I was mystified. What on earth was going on?

  Ruth squeezed my arm. “Revolution,” she said. “The girls are revolting.”

  “Well that’s a bit harsh,” I said. “I know we didn’t like a lot of them in the beginning, but I wouldn’t go that far.”

  “Girls, GIRLS,” bellowed Mrs Blain above the din. “QUIETEN DOWN.”

  The girls became quieter but the animals carried on squawking or meowing or bleating.

  “RIGHT,” said Mrs Blain above the cacophony. “Who’s going to explain this extraordinary display of… of… outrageous behaviour?”

  Ruth giggled. “It was Tasha’s idea,” she whispered to me. “She said we had to do something to help you.”

  “Is SOMEBODY going to tell me what’s going on?” demanded Mrs Blain.

  Tasha motioned for Ruth to speak up. Ruth went bright red and took a deep breath. “If Gemma gets suspension,” she said, “we all get suspension. We’ve all brought animals for the pet-therapy programme so that Gemma’s not the only one.”

  “Yes,” said Tasha. “If Gemma goes, we all go!”

  My jaw fell open.

  So did Mrs Blain’s.

  So did the goat’s. But for a different reason. I don’t think he liked the taste of schoolbooks and he looked like he was going to be sick.

  A dark shadow appeared at the door and I turned to see Dr Cronus standing there, taking in the scene in front of him. He had a face like thunder as he looked around.

  “If Gemma gets suspended, we all do,” said Ruth again, but this time it came out as barely a whisper.

  “All of you,” said Dr Cronus after a few moments. “In your rooms, NOW. And I don’t want to see one of your faces until we have decided your fate.”

  Oh, God, I thought as I trooped out with the others. If I wasn’t up for expulsion when Mrs Compton-Grime had her say, I certainly was after this little episode.

  “I’m not sorry,” said Ruth later as we sat on the windowsill of our room and stared out at the trees. “I’d do it again if we had the chance.”

  “Thanks, Ruth,” I said, “but I don’t want to get you into trouble for something that was my fault. Or the others. I’m going to take the blame.”

  Ruth laughed. “It was funny, wasn’t it? Did you see that hen poop at Mrs—”

  “Omigod. Quick, down,” I said as I leapt off the sill and pulled Ruth with me.

  “What? What?” she said as she fell onto the floor. “What did you see?”

  “Car,” I said as I knelt up and peeked up to see out of the window.

  Ruth knelt up besides me. “What car? Who?”

  I pointed down into the courtyard where an old Rolls Royce had just pulled up. In the back seat, I could clearly see Matron’s white uniform and the shape of someone next to her, someone with white hair. Ruth knelt up a bit higher as I quickly filled her in on my attempted visit to Chiron House.

  “Oh, God,” she said. “That’s done it.”

  I ducked down further. “I don’t want them to see me. That has to be Mrs Compton-Grime with Matron. What can you see?”

  “It is Matron,” she said. “Definitely. She’s getting out and going round to the other door. She’s helping someone out… One of the old ladies, I can’t see…” she quickly ducked down again. “Matron looked up at the windows.”

  “It has to be Mrs Compton-Grime with her,” I sighed. “Come to demand they take me out. She said she would. And if she is the school’s benefactor, that’s me gone.”

  Ruth peeked. “I can’t see,” she said. “They’re going towards Dr Cronus’s office. I can only see their backs… oh… but… oh, I am sorry, Gemma.”

  I rolled over and lay on the carpet. “Hell and Horlicks,” I said. “That’s definitely me finished.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Surprise visitor

  “Might as well pack my bags, then,” I said gloomily as I pulled my case down from the top of the wardrobe.

  Ruth sat on the end of her bed and kept offering me chocolate. I didn’t have the appetite for it, though. I had a sick feeling in my stomach as I imagined Mum and Dad’s disappointment when they heard the news. I felt so guilty. All the hours they’d spent working so they could give me this opportunity, and now it was like throwing it back in their faces. They were bound to think that I’d done it on purpose.

  When I was almost done, I sat on the end of the bed ready to hear my fate.

  “I’ll really, really miss you,” said Ruth.

  “Me too,” I said, then attempted to give her a smile. “In fact, I’ll be sorry to leave…”

  “Open up the astrology site. See if Hermie has anything to say.”

  I shook my head and lay back on the bed. “It’s all too late.”

  But Ruth went to the desk anyway, switched on the computer and this time, it didn’t crash as she typed in the site address.

  Just as it was downloading, we heard a gentle tap on the door.

  Ruth got up to open the door. She looked surprised. “Oh. Hi,” she said. “Er…”

  “Well? Can I come in?” asked a familiar voice.

  “Yes, of course, come in. Gemma, look who it is,” said Ruth as Mrs Hamilton stepped in and looked around.

  She glanced at me then went over to the window. “Ah,” she said. “This brings back memories.” Then she saw my case on the floor. “Wherever are you going, child?”

  I looked at the floor. “Home, I guess. Expelled.”

  “Expelled? Whatever makes you say that?”

  “Mrs Compton-Grime. I think she’s in with Dr Cronus now…”

  Mrs Hamilton sat on the bed and motioned me to sit up next to her. “Tell me everything,” she said as she patted my hand.

  She listened patiently as I told her my whole mad, sad story.

  “… so you see, they’re bound to ask me to leave,” I sighed as I finished.

  “Nonsense,” she said.

  “Nonsense? How can you say that? After what I’ve done…”

  Mrs Hamilton smiled. “Nothing compared to what I got up to when I was here!”

  “But… I saw Mrs Compton-Grime arrive with Matron. And… and I think she’s a benefactor of our school and what she says goes… and she said… What? You were a pupil here?”

  “I was,” Mrs Hamilton smiled. “And never mind what Mrs Compton-Grime said. It was me who arrived just now with Matron. And it’s me who’s the school’s benefactor. Mrs Compton-Grime hasn’t got two pennies to rub together. She just likes to pretend that she’s very grand.”

  “So… so… what’s going to happen…?”

  But Mrs Hamilton was up again. She’d seen the website on my computer and sat at the desk.

  “What’s all this?” she asked.

  “Ah…” I said. That was the part I’d omitted from the story. “It’s… er… it’s an…”

  “An astrology site,” said Ruth.

  Mrs Hamilton stared at the screen for a few moments, then at me in amazement. “You’re a Zodiac Girl? You are, aren’t you?” She looked back at the screen. “Oh, this explains everything! Oh, this is marvellous. In my day, I got my messages by post, and what a slow process it was. But this, of course, the Internet…”

  “In your day?” I asked. “What do you mean? How did you know I was a Zodiac Girl?”

  She pulled out a pendant from underneath her blouse. It was a tiny silver Zodiac symbol on a chain, similar to mine. “Because I was one!” she grinned as she showed us her pendant. “The water-bearer, see? I’m an Aquarian, so that’s my symbol. I was a Zodiac Girl. Oh, this is too marvellous. I’ve never met another one before. I knew that there were others out there, but I never knew when or where.”

  I nodded. “But… how…?”

  Mrs Hamilton shrugged. “Been going on for centuries apparently…�
��

  “I know, Joan of Arc. Madam Curie,” I said.

  “Yes. I was told that. But they managed to do more… er… good than I did. So. Who’s your guardian?”

  “I’m Gemini, so it’s a motorbike messenger guy called Hermie. Hermie for Hermes, for Mercury. He’s Dr Cronus’s grandson.”

  Mrs Hamilton shook her head. “Hermie? The gorgeous Hermie? No. It’s not possible. He used to bring the post up on his bicycle when I was here. He was oh, about nineteen, maybe twenty, looked like a Greek god. We all had the biggest crushes on him, all of us vying for his attention and trying to get him to give us a ride on his bike. Sadly I never won. Ah but he must be ancient by now. Well, older than me.”

  “No. No,” said Ruth. “He still looks about twenty. I wonder if he’s the same person?”

  “I reckon he is,” I said, “or the same being.” I looked at Mrs Hamilton. “You must have seen him whizzing up and down on his motorbike.”

  She shook her head. “No. No I haven’t. But then, so many people pass us by at Chiron House as if we’re invisible in there. Then again, as you know, I haven’t been there long. I used to live in my own house until… well, until it became clear I couldn’t manage it anymore.”

  “We think Dr Cronus may be Saturn. I don’t suppose he was here in your day.” said Ruth.

  Mrs Hamilton nodded. “Oh yes, Old Cronus we used to call him. He was here all right. I’ve just been in having a chat with him. He looked old then. I just thought he was one of those people who always looked ancient. And he still does. I didn’t know that he was Hermie’s grandfather though. Well I never!” She clapped her hands. “But this is too exciting! Another Zodiac Girl. No wonder so much has been going on! I didn’t know what had hit me when it was my time. It changed my whole life, and I’ll certainly never forget it.” Then she laughed. “And they will certainly never forget me.”

  “Why? What happened?” asked Ruth.

  Mrs Hamilton smiled mischievously. “I burnt down the science lab. Didn’t mean to. Of course I didn’t. It was Uri. He was my guardian. Uri for Uranus. He rules Aquarius. I was a very shy child. Timid as a mouse. He told me I had to experiment. I realized later that he meant in life – not in the chemistry lab!”

  Ruth and I gasped.

  “Yes,” continued Mrs Hamilton. “Uranus brings the unexpected. It’s symbolised by a bolt of lightning sometimes. Tee-hee. What I did was certainly unexpected. Mixed a few chemicals together in the spirit of discovery and trying to do what Uri had instructed me to, when kabang, blast and kerpow. No more science lab. Luckily no one was hurt but I was expelled and sent to school in Switzerland. Uri told me that I was to make a difference and I did! Not in the way I expected though. That’s why later in life, I became a benefactor to the school. I wanted to make up for my… er… somewhat explosive time here.”

  Ruth and I both laughed.

  “So, Gemma Whiting,” continued Mrs Hamilton, “all I can say is, don’t you worry. It took me a while but I made it right in the end. Am making it right. This school would have closed long ago without my help. Sometimes it’s a mystery in life, but good can come from disaster. If I hadn’t felt indebted to the school, I would never have felt the need to help keep it going.”

  “So you think I might get expelled, and maybe later, when I’m rich or famous, I’ll come back and give them some dosh?”

  Mrs Hamilton burst out laughing. “Oh no. Nothing like that. We all have our individual paths to tread. No. With you, I don’t think it’s going to take quite so long to find your calling.”

  She had a mischievous glint in her eye again. Oh dear, I thought. She blew up the science lab. What on earth does she think I’ll end up doing?

  Chapter Eighteen

  Awards

  It was the evening before the last day of term and everyone was ready for the performance of Bugsy. The school had been decorated for Christmas and a tall tree covered in red bows and baubles stood in the hall and the corridors were strewn with ivy, holly and tinsel. Some of the Year Elevens had made decorations out of cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peel and had hung them from ceilings so that everywhere smelt as well as looked festive.

  The show was due to start at seven thirty but everyone, pupils, parents and guests alike, had been asked to be in their seats in the assembly hall for seven for a short prize-giving ceremony.

  “Well, we made it to the end of term,” I said to Ruth as we filed in and took the seats that Tasha had saved for us on the left-hand side of the hall.

  “Yeah, phew!” she said. “And you were so sure that old Cronus was going to expel you. That time seems like ages ago now.”

  “I know. You know what was weird though? He never said anything more about it.”

  “Maybe Mrs Hamilton put in a good word for you,” suggested Ruth.

  “Maybe. But even if she did I can’t believe Cronus would listen. You know what he’s like. Maybe he thought he’d let me see the rest of term out and then it will be like, Happy Christmas, oh and by the way, you’re expelled.”

  “No way. Surely he wouldn’t be that mean?” said Ruth as she waved to my mum and dad who were seated half way back on the guest side of the hall. She’d become good friends with them since the beginning of term plus she was going to be spending Christmas holidays with us as her parents were still abroad and her alternative would have been staying at the school with Dr Cronus and other pupils who had parents out of the country. On the row behind Mum and Dad, Hermie was seated with Nessa and Joe. Hermie saw me and gave me the thumbs-up.

  “Have you seen Sara preening herself?” asked Ruth as she glanced over the cast from the show who were seated in the front of the hall so that they could get backstage quickly when the prize giving was over. “She’s probably hoping for one of the awards tonight but there are only three to be given out according to Mrs Blain so she’d be lucky if she got one.”

  I glanced over to where Ruth had been looking. It was the first time all the cast had been in full costume as even though there had been a dress rehearsal the week before, Mrs Woods had a superstition about not wearing costume until the night of the show and so wouldn’t let anyone get into their outfits until tonight in case anything happened. They looked great, Sara in particular, and I couldn’t help but feel a stab of envy. She had her hair slicked back into a bun at the back of her head and had pulled a kiss curl out over her forehead just like Jodie Foster had in the film. She was wearing full make up, a gorgeous grey silk slip of a dress and around her neck, she had a baby pink feather boa. She saw me looking at her, blew me a kiss and gave me a fake smile. I smiled back. I didn’t care any more about her horrid treatment. I had real friends now and that was what mattered.

  Dr Cronus got up onto the stage and the hall grew quiet in anticipation.

  “I’d like to welcome everyone,” said Dr Cronus as he looked out at the rows of people in front of him. “I’m so happy to see so many of you have turned out for our end of term show and so I won’t keep you long. I’d just like to say that we’re very lucky to have a most esteemed guest with us this evening. She’s been a tremendous support to our school both in the past and in the present so I’d like you all to give a very warm welcome to the honourable Mrs Hamilton.”

  I almost got the giggles as Dr Cronus giving anyone a warm anything was a stretch of the imagination, as was the idea of him being happy to see everyone there. He looked his usual glum self as he stood there on the stage.

  A moment later, Fleur was seen helping Mrs Hamilton up the stairs to join the headmaster.

  She stood at the podium and looked around her. “Good evening,” she said. “As an old pupil of the school, I can’t tell you what a great pleasure it is to be back here. It always brings back many happy memories and many… many er, shall I say, not so happy ones. School days can be a rollercoaster for all of us. Good times, bad times. But I’m not here to bore you with my reminiscences. I’m not here to talk about the past. I’m here to talk about the future. As you know
there have been various projects happening around the school to raise funds. The school play…”

  At this point, I saw Sara sit up a little straighter as though she was waiting for an acknowledgement. She also reached up to her neck, gave it a good scratch and a bit of her hair came out of its clip at the back.

  Ruth must have noticed too because she nudged me. “Looks like Sara’s feather boa might have fleas,” she giggled. “She’s been scratching herself since she sat down.”

  “… I look forward to seeing it immensely in a moment so I won’t keep you too long,” Mrs Hamilton continued. “And of course there’s the Outreach programme.”

  Ruth nudged me while Sara turned and sneered.

  “Yes. The Outreach programme which I believe got off to a… how can I put this? A… hair-raising start but there are plans to keep it developing and I do hope that more of you will be inspired to take part. Now. To the awards. It’s always been the tradition at Avebury to give praise where it’s due, encouragement where it’s deserved and admonishment where it’s needed. I can’t say how pleased I am to be here in person this year to give these awards out myself. It’s one of the perks of being one of the school’s benefactors. So let’s get started. The first award goes to the pupil who has done the best academically so far and that goes to Sophie Johnson in Year Eleven. Well done and come forward Sophie.”

  A dark-haired girl I didn’t know made her way forward to the stage and was given a huge box of chocolates and a mini iPod.

  “Well done,” said Mrs Hamilton as she shook Sophie’s hand. “Now for heaven’s sake, lighten up and get a life, girl. Chill a bit. A happy life means a balance between hard work and pleasure.”

  Everyone looked at each other in amazement, especially the parents. This wasn’t like prize giving in my old school.

  “Next,” said Mrs Hamilton. “An award for the most lazy girl in school. Maisie Pickford come forward.”

  Maisie Pickford went bright red but made her way up onto the stage where she was given an arm-load of study books.

  “And you, young lady. You have a brain,” said Mrs Hamilton. “Now use it.”