North Star Read Online Free PDF Page B

house,’ Kate hedged.
    â€˜You promised, Mum. When we left you said we were only going to come out here to fix up the house and sell it, so we could buy a decent place back in the city,’ Georgia reminded her mother tersely.
    â€˜Yes, but I didn’t think the house would need this much work.’
    â€˜You promised!’ Georgia yelled.
    â€˜I didn’t say we aren’t going to sell the house, it’s just going to take longer than I expected. In any case, it’s too long to keep you out of school, so get dressed . . . Now,’ Kate added in a tone that left no doubt she was still the parent.
    When the bathroom door slammed shut behind Georgia, Kate let out the breath she’d been holding. She had lied to her daughter; worse, she could admit it without too much guilt. If that’s what it took to get her away from those damaging friends of hers, then she would do a lot worse than tell a few white lies.

    Kate sat with Georgia in the deputy principal’s office at the local high school. Liam sat fidgeting anxiously in the seat on the other side of her.
    The deputy, Terry Kirkpatrick, a bear of a man with a stern face, sat behind his desk and clasped his hands together beneath his chin. Kate wondered what had become of Stinky Steinman, the strange old man who’d been principal when she’d gone to school here. For a moment she swore she could almost smell the musty scent of mothballs that had followed him everywhere.
    A smile hovered on her lips as she recalled the few times she’d sat in this very office with Jenny by her side, being reprimanded for whatever minor misdemeanour they’d been caught out in—usually dawdling to class again. Both girls would have rather been outside daydreaming about the amazing things they were going to do with their lives than stuck in a boring classroom learning things they could never imagine putting to any constructive use once they left school.
    â€˜I have a copy of your last school report, Georgia. I can’t say it’s remarkable. It says here that you have been caught truanting on a number of occasions and that most of your assignments have been late or not completed at all,’ the deputy said with a frown.
    Georgia remained belligerently silent.
    â€˜Georgia’s had a difficult few months,’ said Kate brightly, ‘but we’ve put all that behind us now, and I’m sure she’ll do much better while she’s here.’
    â€˜I can assure you, Georgia, we won’t be putting up with that sort of behaviour here. Work with us and we’ll give you all the help you need. Work against us and life will become very unpleasant . . . for everyone,’ Mr Kirkpatrick said in a stern voice.
    Kate groaned inside. While she agreed with the man’s no-nonsense approach, she knew how Georgia would interpret it. She could picture the battle she’d have to get her to school each day. Oh joy.
    â€˜Don’t get too excited—we won’t be here long. Isn’t that right, Mum?’ Georgia challenged with an arch of her eyebrow.
    Kate gave a brief grimace but decided not to comment.
    â€˜Did you see that place? It’s, like, so retarded,’ said Georgia as soon as they left the school and got into the car.
    Kate tried to unclench her jaw; at this rate her teeth would be ground down to stubs. ‘There’s nothing wrong with that school. I went there.’
    â€˜I rest my case—the place is ancient.’
    â€˜Mum, why are people looking at us?’ Liam asked quietly as they locked the car and walked up the main street.
    Kate lifted her head and saw two old men seated on a bench outside the post office watching them with open curiosity. Further along the street, in front of the bakery, three women stood talking and stealing furtive glances in their direction.
    Kate clenched her jaw again. ‘It’s a small town, darling. New people stick out a