What on earth is she wearing?
Mrs Nolan (aloud):
Ella. What exactly do you think you’re wearing?
Ella (thinking):
Oh god. No. No no no. They can see me.
Daisy (thinking):
Is that a poster? Like an actual poster?
Daisy (aloud):
Wow. That’s a bold statement.
Imara (thinking):
What even is that? Did she wrap a sign around her waist?
Imara (aloud):
Why is she wearing that ridiculous sign?
Mrs Nolan (thinking):
This has to be a joke. She’s not even wearing a skirt.
Mrs Nolan (aloud):
That is not proper uniform. And you are not dressed appropriately to be wandering the corridor.
Where is your skirt?
Ella (thinking):
Say something. Say anything.
I can’t. I can’t speak.
Daisy (thinking):
She’s actually wearing it. That pink thing. Wait—
Daisy (aloud):
Is that a poster?
Imara (aloud):
It’s definitely a poster.
Mrs Nolan (thinking):
She looks terrified. But I still have to do something. She can’t go around like this.
Mrs Nolan (aloud):
I don’t care what’s happened. You can’t walk around in… in whatever that is.
This is a school, not an art installation.
Daisy (thinking):
Okay, that was actually kind of funny.
Daisy (snorting):
Heh.
Imara (thinking):
Wait… I think there’s something written on it.
Imara (aloud):
Wait—read the poster. What’s it say?
Daisy (thinking):
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
This is golden.
Daisy (barely holding back laughter):
“I’M A BIG GIRL NOW (BUT STILL WEAR PULL-UPS!)”
Imara (thinking):
No way. That’s hilarious. I need a photo of this.
Imara (aloud):
Hold still, just for a sec—
Mrs Nolan (thinking):
No. Not acceptable. They’re making it worse.
Mrs Nolan (aloud):
Daisy. Detention for laughing when you should be showing better judgment.
Imara. Detention for using your phone in the corridor.
Daisy (thinking):
Wait, what? That’s not fair—
Daisy (aloud):
Sorry, Miss…
Imara (thinking):
Ugh. Worth it though.
Imara (aloud):
Putting it away, Miss.
Mrs Nolan (thinking):
And Ella…
Oh Ella.
What happened to you?
Mrs Nolan (aloud):
Ella. Detention for your state of undress. This is unacceptable.
Ella (thinking):
Just die. Just disappear. Please.
Mrs Nolan (thinking):
At least let me fix this. Poor girl’s blouse is all twisted.
Mrs Nolan (aloud):
Let me adjust this for you.
Ella (thinking):
No—don’t—don’t—!
Mrs Nolan (thinking, pausing):
Wait. That’s…
Is that padded?
Mrs Nolan (gently):
Why are you wearing a padded bra?
You do realize this is against school dress code and policy?
Ella (thinking):
No no no no no don’t look don’t say it don’t—
Ella (aloud, barely a whisper):
I… I…
Ella (thinking):
Cover it. Just cover it.
Hide it. Hide everything.
Mrs Nolan (thinking):
Oh… sweetheart.
Mrs Nolan (aloud):
We’ll deal with this later.
I won’t ask you to explain yourself out here in the corridor.
Ella (thinking):
Wait. Is that…
Is she helping me?
Mrs Nolan (thinking):
Just keep walking. Get her out of sight. Then fix this.
Mrs Nolan (aloud):
Come on.
You two are coming as well.
Since you’ve both found time to gossip and laugh in the middle of a lesson, you can walk with us.
Imara (thinking):
Ugh. Seriously? She’s making us walk with her?
Imara (aloud, muttering):
We didn’t even do anything that bad…
Daisy (thinking):
I was just laughing…
Okay maybe that was harsh.
Daisy (aloud):
Do we have to?
Mrs Nolan (firmly):
Now.
Ella (thinking):
Just walk. Just keep walking.
Don’t cry. Don’t cry.
Daisy (whispering):
…can’t believe she stuffed it…
Imara (whispering):
She really thought no one would notice?
Ella (thinking):
They know.
They know.
Mrs Nolan (thinking):
Just get them to Nurse Jenkins. Then deal with the rest.