Not Having Fun

037

Some of the stuff in this story is based on my irl experiences. This is one of the things that actually happened to me when I was 8.

In our school playground, a hill goes all the way around the outside. It goes all the way from the play we play on to the fence, where the school car park is.

Some parts of the hill are really steep. When it snows, the older kids use their jackets to slide down it! I can't wait to do that. Only the older kids are allowed on the hill. But that won't stop me! All we have to do is keep an eye out for the playground monitor.

The playground monitor is really strict. She apparently used to babysit my Mum when she was younger, but Mum says she doesn't remember that.

"Let's play a game on the hill at lunchtime," I whisper to Jemima during lessons.

"Okay," she giggles. My tummy has butterflies about going on it, so it must be fun!

At lunchtime, we eat quickly and then go out to the hill. The playground monitor is there. There are bushes we can hide behind and when she isn't looking, we sneak behind them giggling.

The bushes are dark and they're like little caves. We can explore then. We could hide in here and stay forever!

"Your two! Get down from there!" The playground monitor shouts from the end of the playground.

Jemima and I come down from behind the bushes. How did she see us?!

We stand in front of her. "If you two go back up there again, you can stand at the fence until the end of lunchtime and then get a note sent home,"

Standing at the fence is like timeout at school. You have to stand there and watch everyone play while the playground monitors watch you. There's so talking, no laughing. No fun!

"We're sorry," Jemima looks down.

"Yeah, sorry Miss,"

"Right, go and play,"

We do go and play. To the other side of the hill! Hehe. We make sure she really, really isn't looking this time and climb up and into the bushes.

We sit there until the bell rings, exploring and playing. My shorts are really dirty but that's okay, Mum and Dad won't mind.

"They'll see the dirt on my socks!" Jemima shouts.

"Will your Mum and Dad care?"

She nods. "They're strict!"

"Uh oh," there's nothing we can do about it now. I hear everyone stop playing. "We have to go to lesson!"

"No... I'm scared!"

"Come on Jemima... we'll get caught!"

"I'm not going out!" She curls up. I think she's crying. Oh no! I run out of the bush.

"Mrs Lammond!" I wave over the playground monitor.

"Max! I thought I told you not-"

"Jemima is in the bush and she's crying and-" I start crying too. "I can't get her out and... and..."

"I'll deal with this," she walks past me. "Go to your lesson,"

I don't want to leave Jemima but I'm more scared of Mrs Lammond.

She comes with me to the classroom and my teacher closes the door to speak to us. "What's going on?"

"Jemima is a little bit upset. They were both playing on the hill after I told them to stop,"

"Were they?" I don't look up at my teacher. I hate adults who put on their weird voice. Like 'oooooh someone did something bad,'. Grownups are just stupid. "Well, Max. You can take a note home to your parents to get it signed,"

A note?! But we were only playing on the hill! Other kids do it.

"But that's not fair!" I stamp my foot.

"I said that if I caught you again, you'd get a note sent home,"

But she didn't catch me. "You didn't catch us on the hill! I came and got you,"

She looks taken aback. "Well... you shouldn't have gone up there again,"

My teacher writes the note. Even though it's not fair.

Jemima doesn't come back into lesson this afternoon. Her Mum and Dad must've picked her up. I think they're really mean, but they always help her when she's sad. When I got hurt at their house, Mrs Johnson looked after me really well. And she makes the best soup. My friend will be okay.

When I get home, I do my homework. But all I can think about is the stupid note. Could I fake their names on it? That never works for the kids on the telly.

"You finished, mate?" Dad asks.

"Yeah," I close my homework book. I know I didn't do well. "I um... have a note to show you,"

Dad sighs. "You have another note Max? That's the fourth this year,"

"But it's not fair! They said I'd get a note if they caught me again but they didn't catch me!" I lean back in my chair and cross my arms. It's not fair!

"It doesn't matter if they caught you or not. What matters is that your teacher told you not to do something and you did it anyway. Show me the note," Dad tells me. I pull out the note and let him read it.

He starts laughing.

"You got a note for being on the hill?" He laughs. "We always used to go on that hill when I went there. We weren't allowed to, sure. But we got away with it,"

I don't know if I'm allowed to smile too. I just wait.

"No, being on that hill doesn't warrant a note," Dad shakes his head. "Everyone does it. It's just a bit of fun,"

I smile. "I'm not in trouble?"

He thinks. "Did the teacher give you a warning about what'd happen if they caught you on the hill?"

I nod. "Standing at the fence,"

He groans. "I hated that fence. Right, go and stand in the time out corner until I get dinner ready,"

I wait a minute. "Am I not getting smacked for getting a note?"

"No, son," Dad helps me stand up from the carpet. The carpet always stings my knees when I kneel to do my homework. "Now get to the corner and wait for dinner to be ready,"

Before he goes and makes dinner, Dad turns the telly on to Cartoon Network. He never does that when I'm in timeout!

At dinner, Dad tells Mum what happened today at school.

"You got a note for going on the hill?!" She shakes her head. "Was it Mrs Lammond?"

I nod. "Yeah,"

"Don't listen to he- well, do listen to her, but don't mind her. She's an old crank. Nothing wrong with playing on that hill,"

Chris says with his mouth full "You spanked me for sledding down that on my jacket last year!"

"Because you ripped your jacket in half at the beginning of winter!" Dad reminds him. "Not for sledding,"

"Alright," Chris huffs grumpily.

"I know they have to keep you safe Max, it's their job," Mum explains to me. "Just don't go on the hill all the time and try to be smart about it. It's fine,"

Between bites, I nod. "Thanks Mum!"

I can go on the hill whenever I want if they don't care. Hahaha, supervillain Max is here to stay!