Emma's Six

Park Vale Comprehensive

September 2006

I glance in the mirror at my white blouse, my blue and red school tie, my grey skirt. I like it. At least I can do what I want with my hair. I don't want to put it up, but I want something in it, so I look different. I find a blue hairband with a bow and place it on my head. Now I look unique, a little younger than my twelve years. I smile in the mirror before going down to breakfast. 'Morning,' I call to my parents as I enter the room. The sunlight streams into the light, airy kitchen and everything is peaceful. I stand beside the wooden table where Mummy is sitting.
'Someone's cheerful this morning,' Mummy smiles as she looks up from her newspaper. 'You ready to start your first day at Park Vale?'
'More than ready!' I grab a piece of toast.
'You'll want more than that before your first day at school,' Mum says. 'Come on, Emma. You had your first kill last week.'
'I know, Mum, but what has that got to do with anything?'
'People will notice if you start acting strangely. We can't afford to lose you, Emma,' Mum sits down at the table with us. 'At least have some cereal, yeah?' I nod and go to get a bowl. Mummy starts preparing my lunch for me. I am a little picky about what I eat, but I'll try the school dinners at some point.
'Thanks, Mummy,' I say.
'That's all right, Emma.' She joins us again, and I finish my breakfast. I grab my lunchbox and place it in my rucksack.

Mum walks to me to school that day. Mummy walked me to school last time, and it was so embarrassing- she wanted to kiss me goodbye at the school gates. While I love Mummy, I don't want to display it in front of fellow students on my first day at school. People expect me to be cool and not rely on my parents.

Well, I'm not cool, but I do want to make friends. It will be difficult as I am joining in the middle of September in year eight. People formed friendship groups last year, and I doubt they will want me to be part of their group. Well, I'll at least try talking to people. When we reach the school gates, Mum hugs me goodbye, and I enter the school.

When I go to the office, I find the headmaster, Mr Blakeman, there. 'Ah, here we are. Hello, Emma.'
'Hello, Mr Blakeman. I'm here to collect my timetable.'
'Of course,' Mr Blakeman passes it to me. He also gives me a key for my locker and a map for the school. 'I hope you settle in well.'
'Thank you, sir.' Finally, I get a locker!

When the headmaster leaves me, I find that my first lesson in history. Hooray! I locate my locker and put in some of my belongings before heading off to my class. Like in Deffry Vale, we are learning about the Tudors and can do a project on what we want about them. At least I started the project I was doing at my last school, so I have a head's start. A lot of the students are moaning about it, but I don't see a problem. I already have an idea about what I want to do, and the Doctor agreed to help me a while ago. I will be performing 'Catherine Howard's Fate' by Blackmore's Night if the teacher allows me. It will also allow me to wear the Tudor dress that the Doctor gave me, so I feel more in character. I will have to ask Mr Blakeman if I can do that. I will go to see him another day about it.

At lunchtime, though, I get a huge surprise. I am sitting on my own, reading a biography on Katheryn Howard, when I find a whole chapter dedicated to her mistress. That's strange; I don't remember Katheryn Howard having a mistress. Who was she?

My name crops up again. How is Emma Smith-White the queen's mistress? I will do more research, so I think my project choice will shift. That isn't a bad idea. I'm not the best of singers, but I'm also not the worst. So, I will change my subject to Katheryn Howard and her mistress. Hopefully, I will find something on them.

I continue reading but pull a notebook out so I can take notes. Where else has my name appeared? This Emma Smith-White involved herself with Henry's first five wives before becoming queen. She appeared in 1509, but how old was she? Her childhood, her parents, hardly anyone knows anything.