July 2004

Rated G

Enid Blyton wrote the Malory Towers books. This story is set during Third Year at Malory Towers.

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AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE

By Sängerin

‘Darrell?’ Bill asked softly.

After their night of walking Thunder around the stable yard, Matron had decreed that Darrell and Bill must have an afternoon rest. While the rest of the Third Form were on the Lacrosse field or off on a ramble, Darrell and Bill had been sent up to their dormy in North Tower and told to lie down for at least an hour.

Bill eased herself up on one elbow and leaned over to look at Darrell. The other girl had her eyes closed and seemed to be resting quietly, tired out from her busy night. Bill, on the other hand, was wound up, her mind whizzing too fast to allow her to slide into sleep. Darrell was a leader, a perfect English school-girl; pretty and jolly and good at games, interested in her lessons but willing to play the odd joke. Bill envied Darrell for the ease with which she seemed to move among these schoolgirls. She looked up to Darrell and admired her.

‘Darrell?’ she said again.

Darrell opened her eyes. ‘What is it, Bill?’

‘Were you asleep?’

‘No…’ Her eyes drifted closed again.

‘I meant what I said last night, you know,’ Bill said, hesitatingly.

Darrell was drowsy. ‘What do you mean, Bill?’

‘I know you have Sally. Alicia told me how close you and Sally are. But I’ll always be your friend. If you’ll have me.’

Darrell opened up her eyes.

‘Bill, you are a sweet little idiot.’

Bill was embarrassed to feel a blush come to her cheeks.

‘You’re right,’ said Darrell. ‘Sally is everything to me. She’s the dearest friend I have, and I do hope that one day you have a friend to whom you mean as much as she does to me.’

‘So do I,’ said Bill, softly. She wasn’t used to talking about these things. She looked at Darrell, her peaceful face with its dark curls, and her long brown lashes lying on skin that glowed a healthy pink, and Bill sighed.

She thought about getting up from her bed to kiss Darrell on the cheek. Or even on her pale pink lips. But she stayed in her bed and closed her eyes, hoping to dream of a special friend who would one day come along.

Both girls slept soundly until Matron came into the dormy two hours later to rouse them.

AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE

‘Darrell?’ Bill asked softly.

After their night of walking Thunder around the stable yard, Matron had decreed that Darrell and Bill must have an afternoon rest. While the rest of the Third Form were on the Lacrosse field or off on a ramble, Darrell and Bill had been sent up to their dormy in North Tower and told to lie down for at least an hour.

Bill eased herself up on one elbow and leaned over to look at Darrell. The other girl had her eyes closed and seemed to be resting quietly, tired out from her busy night. Bill, on the other hand, was wound up, her mind whizzing too fast to allow her to slide into sleep. Darrell was a leader, a perfect English school-girl; pretty and jolly and good at games, interested in her lessons but willing to play the odd joke. Bill envied Darrell for the ease with which she seemed to move among these schoolgirls. She looked up to Darrell and admired her.

‘Darrell?’ she said again.

Darrell opened her eyes. ‘What is it, Bill?’

‘Were you asleep?’

‘No…’ Her eyes drifted closed again.

‘I meant what I said last night, you know,’ Bill said, hesitatingly.

Darrell was drowsy. ‘What do you mean, Bill?’

‘I know you have Sally. Alicia told me how close you and Sally are. But I’ll always be your friend. If you’ll have me.’

Darrell opened up her eyes.

‘Bill, you are a sweet little idiot.’

Bill was embarrassed to feel a blush come to her cheeks.

‘You’re right,’ said Darrell. ‘Sally is everything to me. She’s the dearest friend I have, and I do hope that one day you have a friend to whom you mean as much as she does to me.’

‘So do I,’ said Bill, softly. She wasn’t used to talking about these things. She looked at Darrell, her peaceful face with its dark curls, and her long brown lashes lying on skin that glowed a healthy pink, and Bill sighed.

She thought about getting up from her bed to kiss Darrell on the cheek. Or even on her pale pink lips. But she stayed in her bed and closed her eyes, hoping to dream of a special friend who would one day come along.

Both girls slept soundly until Matron came into the dormy two hours later to rouse them.