Extract from DEAR DIARY… | Claire Hennessy

From Aisling’s Diary:

Tuesday
10th February
My friends and I want to go and see Titanic together, so we started talking about it today in yard and decided we’d like to see it next Monday, up in the Square. Megan’s dad can drive us. Amy and I are going for just one reason- the incredibly gorgeous and sexy Leonardo DiCaprio. And there’s a terrific love theme- My Heart Will Go On, by Celine Dion, who’s my favourite singer. The song is so beautiful- I love singing it. Megan got me to sing it for today. She says I’m a brilliant singer, but that’s the sort of thing you have to say to your best friends. She’s a good singer as well, we’re both in the school choir, in the descants- that’s soprano, by the way.
There’s only two weeks and two days until the week-long school skiing trip starts. I’m going, same as Megan and Emma. A whole week in Italy, skiing- my kind of trip, especially when you miss a week of school as well! We plan on sharing a room together.
Emma’s looking forward to the trip more than any of us. She’s been skiing before, and she’s really good at it. She’s really sporty and fit. Completely unlike me. I’m the musical one- as well as singing in the choir, I play the keyboard and recorder.
Megan and Amy are definitely the funny ones, as well as Megan being a great actress and Amy being great at art. Then there’s Alison. She’s really smart, and she writes all these terrific stories and does incredibly well in school. Sometimes I get jealous of her, even though she’s one of my best friends and I’ve known her forever.

Wednesday
11th February
Mrs. Lyons was out today. I was put into a fifth class with Alison and Vicki Simons. Alison and I sat at the back. I felt sort of sorry for Vicki, sitting up at the front of the classroom all by herself. Alison says I’m way too sensitive for my own good. Maybe she’s right, but it’s just the way I am.
Alison and I finished our work before our first break at eleven and then we were able to talk quietly for the rest of the day. I wonder how Amy, Emma and Megan got on. They were together in a fourth class. I bet they got into trouble. When Amy and Megan get together they get totally crazy. They always seem to have so much fun.
I had choir practise after school, like I do every Wednesday afternoon. Megan and I were talking to Kate Long. She’s very nice, in our class, she’s very sporty, a good friend of Emma’s. At one point, when we were talking about T.V. programmes, she looked like she was going to cry. I’ve a feeling I know what’s wrong. Her dad died of a heart attack about a month ago. I remember we all sort of tiptoed around her when she came back into school after the funeral. I sent her a note saying how sorry I was and if she ever wanted someone to talk to, she knows where to go. Anyway, she’s been acting like she’s completely recovered, but she can’t have. I feel so sorry for her. Sometimes I see her in class and she’s keeping up her cool image, but I can sort of tell she feels depressed. I’ve wanted to talk with her and see if she’s really okay, but I’ve always felt sort of intimidated by her. She’s really nice to me, though, it’s not her fault. It’s just that she’s so popular and not only that, but Conor Jeffries, who is only the most gorgeous guy in our class, fancies her like mad. It’s so obvious. Conor’s really nice, he does really well in school, is great at all sports, and he’s way more sensitive than most boys. I remember in fourth class, Alison and I both had huge crushes on him and used to spend hours talking about him.

Thursday
12th February
I am so depressed. I forgot to do my English reading last night, and Mrs. Lyons got really mad and started yelling like crazy at me. And I couldn’t help it, I just started crying, and it was really embarrassing, but then luckily the bell rang for yard so I was off the hook.
Alison and Megan were being really nice to me, but my ex-friends Amy and Emma were jeering me. I’m never talking to them again. I mean, if either of them were really upset, we’d all be really nice to them. I hate people like that. Sometimes I feel like snapping at them for that, because they really annoy me when they have double standards, but I know I’d make a fool of myself and they wouldn’t get it, anyway. God, I hate my life.

Friday
13th February
As it turns out, Emma and Amy were feeling really guilty about being so bitchy yesterday. They came over to me, Megan, and Alison today to apologise. I’m glad everything’s okay again, I hate fighting with my friends.
Just two hours until the Valentine’s Disco! I can’t wait. We plan to just hang around together and have fun but if a certain someone- James Robinson from my class- turns up, I think I just might hang around him!

Saturday
14th February
Last night was absolutely terrific! I arrived with my friends and then I saw James. I smiled at him and he came over to me and asked if I wanted to dance. Naturally, I said yes. Then we danced again and again and then the slow songs came on and everyone started getting off with everyone else. So- if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, and James is a terrific kisser…
He asked if I was going with anyone and would I be embarrassed hanging around someone like him!! I said, why would I be embarrassed? He said that it’s just that I’m so pretty and smart and talented (yes, ME!) that no one expects me to go out with someone from sixth class.
In a few words, I got my first kiss- hey, I know it’s a bit late!-, I’m now going with James, and I had a GREAT TIME! I feel so…I don’t know, teenage. I know that half the girls in my class have been meeting boys for years, including Emma, Amy, and probably Kate, but I’ve never really gotten into it.