Caught Out by Annabel Howarth

Amy was so startled by the door to the Ladies’ toilets as it swung shut, that she almost smudged her eyeliner.

‘You won’t believe who’s just walked in,’ said Katie to Amy’s mirror image, as she approached her.  Katie looked back at her, smiling quizzically and shook her head.  ‘Only Sophie flippin’ Pearson!’

Amy’s face fell.  She and Katie looked at each other through the glass, shoulders hunched.  ‘Did she see you?’ asked Amy.  She turned from the mirror and studied the area from where she stood.  She spotted an open window above one of the toilets.  ‘Do you think you could climb through that?’ she said.

‘What?  Are you kidding?  In this skirt?’

Suddenly they both froze and then turned to each other, as they heard the outer door to the toilet area slam and the inner door handle squeak.  Katie quickly grabbed Amy’s arm and yanked her into the cubicle with the open window.  She locked the door, and they both stood on the toilet seat, balanced awkwardly.  They held their breath for what seemed like an eternity, and tried not to look at each other for fear they would burst into a fit of giggles.  

Finally came the sounds of a toilet flush, running water, the hand dryer, and once more the squeak and slam of the doors.

The girls relaxed and stood down from the toilet seat, a little stiffly.

‘I thought you said nobody came here,’ said Amy.

‘I know.  I was sure of it.  I’ve been here a few times before and not seen any of that lot from school.’

‘Well, I’m for it, if she sees me like this.  You know she makes my life hell at school.  She’ll eat me for breakfast.’

Katie nodded.  ‘I guess we’re just going to have to wait it out a bit and hope she goes.’

‘So much for a good Friday night out,‘  said Amy, as she started to pace the floor.  ‘Did you see who she was with?  Are they all there?  What about Lucy Robertson?  Is she with her?’

‘I didn’t see,’ said Katie.  ‘She’s usually not far behind though.  I certainly wouldn’t mess with her.  Did you know she has a black belt?’

‘It’s not that I’m worried about.  Did you hear about Sophie being done for cyber bullying?’

‘Oh, yes, I did.  What happened to that poor girl?’

Another interruption as a door slammed, and the pair ran into the cubicle again, giggling this time.  They sat on the ledge just above the toilet.  Katie pulled a hip flask from out of her bag.

‘What on earth are you doing with that?’ laughed Amy.  ‘That’s desperate, but...give it here.’  She took a swig and handed it back.  ‘Just what I need, a bit of Dutch courage.‘  Katie drank some down too.

‘What do you mean, Dutch courage?’

‘Come on,’ said Amy as she stood up on the ledge, ‘I’m not staying here all freaking night.’

Amy felt a blast of cold air as she poked, first her head and then her arms and shoulders, through the window.  Her hair flew about over her face.  She leant her arms down to touch the flat roof just below the window and managed to pull the rest of her body and legs through the gap, walking her hands across the roof.  There was a slight thud as she landed.  She crouched and looked at her wet, slightly muddied hands, rubbed them together, then stood and called, in a loud whisper, to Katie through the window.

‘It’s alright.  I did it.  Come on.  Your turn now.’  She helped Katie through the window and they tottered across to the edge of the flat roof.  Amy could see the dimly lit main road to her right.   The side road they were in was all in darkness. 

Amy sat herself on the edge of the roof, then swung herself round.  She could feel from the draught between her legs that her skirt had ridden up, and as she reached down to touch the ground, she heard a voice out of the darkness.

‘Is that you Miss Jenkins?‘  Amy froze.  She knew that voice.  ‘Oh, please! No!’ she thought, ‘Sophie blummin’ Pearson!’  Her mind raced ahead.  She pictured Sophie’s mocking face behind her.  ‘What an opportunity for her!’ she thought.  ‘My bottom will be exposed on Facebook and Instagram throughout the school by midnight tonight.  My P45 will be on my desk by Tuesday morning.  Hold it together Amy.’

Amy slowly turned to face her executioner in the eyes, only to find two pairs of wide surprised eyes staring back at her.  The other pair of eyes did not belong to Sophie’s usual side kick, Lucy Robertson.  A smile grew on Amy’s face as she took in the  slightly disheveled couple stood before her: the unbuttoned blouse; the messy hair; the untucked shirt.  Amy quickly composed herself, pulled her mobile phone from her pocket and held it up to her captive audience.  It flashed as she took a photo.  ‘Oh, hello, Sophie,’ she said. ‘Fancy seeing you here.  Isn’t this Jack? Lucy’s boyfriend?  Lovely to see you Jack.  Does Lucy know you are here?’  Sophie and Jack shuffled their feet and looked at the ground intently.

‘Sophie, I wonder if you are thinking what I am thinking?  How about we all pretend that this encounter never happened?‘  Amy said as she waved her phone in front of her.

‘OK, Miss,’ came the meek reply.

‘Come on, Mrs Dixon,‘  Amy called up to Katie, who was dangling her legs over the edge of the flat roof.  ‘I think it’s time for us to go.’

Katie jumped down, and the two of them slowly walked to the end of the dark path. As they rounded the corner, Katie whispered, ‘Did you really get a picture of them?’

‘I seriously doubt it, but they don’t need to know that.   Come on, let’s run. I need a drink!’