Hide & Seek - Alyssa Brugman [56]
'Maybe.'
As Erin washed Blue down she was trying to make the popping sounds from the Seinfeld theme. 'That was so unreal when Diablo jumped the gate,' she said. 'I can't wait to get home so I can watch it again.'
Shelby couldn't help but laugh.
35 Mrs Crook's Blessing
Shelby pushed on the pedals as she headed up the hill. A car slowed down behind her and she pulled in as close to the kerb as she could. The horn tooted and Shelby frowned. 'I'm over as far as I can, jeez!'
She looked around and was surprised to see Mrs Crook in her four-wheel drive, waving for her to stop. Hayley sat in the front looking tired and grouchy.
'Can we give you a lift?' Mrs Crook called out the window.
'No thanks,' Shelby answered, still pedalling.
'I'm giving you a lift,' Mrs Crook said, steering the car around in front of Shelby. The door at the back hissed as it swung open. Hayley slunk out of the passenger side to help Shelby with the bike.
'I'm sorry,' she murmured, lifting the front of Shelby's bike into the car.
'That's OK, Hales. I'm sorry too.'
'No, you don't even know yet. Just wait,' Hayley whispered.
Shelby slid into the back and strapped on the seatbelt as Mrs Crook pulled back onto the road.
'I understand that you're seeing Chad Hammond,' Mrs Crook said, looking at her in the rear-view mirror.
'Um,' Shelby began, not sure how to answer.
'Mum, please!' Hayley protested.
'I just think Shelby should know,' her mother said.
'Know what?' Shelby asked. 'Is this about him being Koori, because I do know and I don't think it matters. I can't believe you do.'
Hayley and her mother exchanged a glance.
'That's my opinion.' Shelby folded her arms.
The car moved from side to side as Mrs Crook weaved her way through the traffic. They would be home in no time at this speed.
'I can't believe you haven't told her!' Mrs Crook said to Hayley.
'Told me what?' Shelby said, exasperated.
'Can you ever let this go?' Hayley wailed.
'Chad Hammond broke Hayley's heart at the Myuna Bay camp!' Mrs Crook blurted.
Hayley covered her eyes with her hands. 'Mum! We were in year four.'
'Hayley and Chad had been going out for two months, and then at the Myuna Bay camp, Chad went kayaking with Olivia Dunstable, so Hayley told Cody Burnett to tell Chad he was dropped.'
'It was Logan,' Hayley corrected.
They stopped at a traffic light.
'Logan, Cody, whatever. It turned out that Olivia was Chad's cousin, and then, you know what? He wouldn't have Hayley back. Hayley rang me on her mobile. The crying! So I rang Chad and begged him to reconsider.'
'You rang him? At the camp?' Shelby asked.
Hayley groaned. 'Wait, Shelby, just wait.'
The light changed and Mrs Crook zoomed off again.
'And you know what? He said to me, "Mrs Crook, I am so disappointed that Hayley didn't trust me." I tried to reason with him, but he's never forgiven her! The whole school knew about it. Everyone on the P&C was talking about it.'
'Mum! It was five years ago!'
They turned onto Shelby's street.
'When everyone at the stables was saying that he had something to do with this Diablo business I knew it couldn't be true. He might have broken Hayley's heart, but he's a good boy deep down,' Mrs Crook insisted. 'And then when Brenda Edel told me about your video, and how she'd been wrong, I knew it. Just knew it. So I got on my mobile and I rang Chad straightaway.'
As they pulled up in front of her house, Shelby suddenly felt a sense of dread.
'And you know what? He told me that his brother had been to the police and confirmed that Chad was up the coast on Good Friday. So there. That's over and done with.' Mrs Crook nodded with satisfaction. 'So you know what I did then, Shelby?'
'What did you do?' Shelby asked.
Hayley covered her ears and moaned.
'I said to him, "Chad, I know we've had our dis agreements in the past, but if you want to go out with Shelby Shaw you have my blessing."'
'You didn't!' Shelby whispered.
'She did,' Hayley sighed.
36 Shelby's