“Have you tried to find out who her real mother is?” Jamie asked the next day when I had told her about my trip to the principal’s office.
“I didn’t know where to start. How do you find out something like that?” I bit on my pen in thought.
“You look through their records, of course,” Jamie said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“I’m not going to break the law to find out something like that. There’s got to be another way.”
“Why are you so interested anyway? Who cares who her real mother is?”
“Because why would she care so much if I knew who her real mother is if it wasn’t someone I knew?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Maybe it’s Hester Borone!” she said dramatically, laughing after she’d said it. I gave her a playful shove. “Or maybe it’s your mum.” I considered the idea for a moment but decided it was the most ridiculous idea she’d ever had.
“Ellie, do you know what class we’re in?” Jamie asked like it was a trivia question. I nodded.
“Forensic science.” I gasped after I’d said it, realising what her point was. “Jamie, I like your thinking!” I put my hand in the air.
“Yes, Ellie?” Mr Johnson came over to our table. “Have you finished the questions?”
“No, sir, it’s just that… Well, you might think it’s stupid, but is there a way of finding out who someone’s related to without looking at their personal records or getting a DNA test on several people?” There was a short pause, where his face dropped and he made a tiny gasp. It was only there for a split second, but it was unmistakable.
“No, Ellie, there isn’t.” He walked away, not letting me say another word.
“See? You’ll just have to go without knowing,” Jamie said, getting back to her questions.
“He was lying. I could tell.” Jamie rolled her eyes.
“Can’t you just let it go? Who cares who her real mother is?”
“I do, Jamie. Her real mother is the reason she hates me so much. Isn’t that worth finding out at least?”
“No! Who cares why she hates us? There’s nothing we can do about it, even if we do find out her real mother is. Just drop it!” The bell had gone, so Jamie picked up her books and quickly strode out of the classroom. I walked up to the front of the room to talk to Mr Johnson. He sighed and looked up.
“I already told you, Ellie,” he said.
“Mr Johnson, I think you’re lying to me.”
“Why do you want to know anyway?”
“Because there’s something I want to find out,” I said, trying not to give anything away. Mr Johnson rubbed his eyes.
“Ellie, why do you want to find out about whom Nellie-May’s real mother is?”
“Who told you?” I asked accusingly. There was another short pause which Mr Johnson tried to cover up, but I had noticed it.
“Mr Murray did. He had a feeling you’d ask me.”
“Why does everyone have a problem with me finding out who her real mother is? Is it so bad that I want to find out why my worst enemy hates me?”
“No, Ellie. It’s just that no one else cares.” I opened my mouth in shock.
"What kind of teacher are you? Oh, I know the worst kind.” I ran out of the room before he could even think to give me a detention.
What was everyone’s problem? Why was it such a big deal that I wanted to find out a small detail about my enemy’s past?
I felt like screaming so loudly that China could hear me. Why did everyone have to be so frustrating, especially Jamie? I really needed to talk to her. Not to mention, I could tell that Mr Murray didn't tell Mr Johnson. Otherwise why would he have made those pauses? It was just lucky for him that I had talked to Mr Murray, or it would have made it even more suspicious.
It started to rain so I ran faster towards the lockers. I shoved everyone out of the way, earning myself some death stares, but I didn’t care.
I grabbed my stuff when I got to my locker and walked home as quickly as I could. My mother was good for many things, listening being one of those, and I needed to vent.
