There was to be a school formal next Friday. Everyone was so excited and no-one talked about much else at school. The girls marvelled at the beautiful gowns they would wear and how they would wear their hair. The boys commiserated with each other on having to wear suits. Everyone speculated on who was taking whom and there were lots of wishes, hopes and broken hearts too.
Andy had asked Lucy to be his date with much more shyness than she would have anticipated. Of course she agreed.
First though, she would have to endure another family bonding outing to the park.
'Can't we go to the game instead?' she had asked.
Gabriel had looked puzzled. 'I thought you hated football?'
'I love it now.' She declared. She didn't really. It's just that she knew Andy would be there.
'Well, too bad anyway,' said Michael. 'We are going to the park because it is close to the hospital and this way Raphael can spend some time with us before he goes to work. I want to try out the new training dummy and you can have fun on the hopscotch. You need a bit of sun.'
He looked at her closely, 'You are looking too pale lately.'
So the park it was. It was a lovely day and there were plenty of people there. Unfortunately, the Pleasants were amongst the other visitors along with Lucy's nemesis, Lilith.
Lucy hadn't spoken to her since the night they had their fight. She had learned that Lilith was snubbing her. It didn't particularly worry Lucy but she had thought that their moment of solidarity, when they both ran across the park away from the curfew police, might have been a new start for them both.
She approached Lilith and for a moment, they both laughed about their tempers.
But then Lilith had poked fun at Lucy's glasses - she only needed them for sport - and her leg warmers and soon the insults were flying.
Lucy didn't know who traded the first blow. She was too angry to care.
Afterwards, Mr Pleasant was very annoyed with Lilith and sent her home.
Michael was more than annoyed.
'Enjoy yourself today, Lucy,' He growled, 'Because this is the last outing you will have for a week. You are grounded.'
Well she expected no less and she shrugged, shame-faced now that her anger was spent. Then the penny dropped. A week? No matter how she counted up the days, that meant she could not go to the school formal. No! She must seek help, change his mind somehow.
There was no use her pleading with Michael. One look at his stony expression told her that. She looked across at Gabriel. No. He was still mad at her for the pink hair.
Raphael. She would try him.
'Please Raph,' She begged. 'Please talk to him. It was her fault anyway and I am really, really sorry.'
'Are you sorry for fighting or sorry for the punishment?' Raphael sighed. 'Never mind. I have to go to work now but I will do what I can tomorrow morning.'
