Sneaky peek at Stanley Stickle does NOT have a Girlfriend

'You were so lucky being off sick Stanley, you missed the Big Test.'

Stanley smiled to himself. It hadn't been easy but he had managed to catch Scarlet Fever and get a fortnight off school. He turned to his best friend. 'Was it really bad?'

'Dreadful,' said George, 'the worst test ever.'

Stanley craned his neck to look over George's shoulder. Then he turned and looked up the street the other way. 'Hurry up bus,' he muttered.

'Looking for someone?' asked George with a sly grin.

Stanley shuffled his feet and looked at the floor. 'Me? No, just watching for the bus, that's all.'

'You seem very eager to get to school,' said George. 'Are you sure you're not still poorly. Or are you just keen to see someone?'

Stanley wanted to say he was hoping NOT to see someone; someone like Soppy Sonia. Instead he just shook his head.  'Ah here's the bus now.'

As the bus pulled up at the stop the orderly queue suddenly exploded as everyone leapt forward at once to try to get their favourite seat. George and Stanley normally sat near the back.

George managed to get on first. He hurtled down the aisle and threw himself into the window seat four rows from the back. Stanley got stuck behind Limping Liam who had to come to school with his foot in a plaster cast after breaking it when he accidentally kicked a goal post in football training. Stanley couldn't work out how anyone could accidentally kick a goalpost. It's not like you don't know it's there; it's eight feet high and painted white.

Stanley shuffled down the bus behind Limping Liam wondering why everyone seemed to be grinning at him. When he was half way down the aisle he found out as a soft voice called to him.

'Sit here with me Stanley.'

Stanley groaned. Soppy Sonia must have got on the bus at an earlier stop.

'I've saved you a seat Stanley.' Sonia removed her bag from the seat next to her and patted it.

Stanley's mind raced like a formula one on car on a test track. He'd rather eat a massive plate of soggy cabbage than sit with Soppy Sonia on the school bus.

'Er, sorry Sonia' he muttered. 'I've got something to sort out with George.' Stanley almost knocked Limping Liam into Sonia's arms as he pushed past and hurled himself into his regular seat. He hoped George hadn't seen the incident.

George had. 'What did Soppy Sonia want?'

'Um, she er, wants to know if I collect stamps,' replied Stanley. 'She's brought her album to school or something. I'm not sure why she thought I'd be interested.'

George looked surprised. 'Oh, I thought she was asking you to sit with her.'

Stanley forced a laugh. 'Me, sit with Soppy Sonia, why would I want to do that?'

George smiled and looked out of the window.

At School Stanley was first off the bus. He raced for the boys toilets and locked himself in a cubicle. After about five minutes there was a knock on the door. It was George.

'Stanley?'

'Yes?'

'Why are you hiding?'

'I'm not actually hiding, I er, I just don't want someone to see me.'

'That's the same thing isn't it?'

'Similar,' agreed Stanley.

'Soppy Sonia's telling everyone you're her new boyfriend,' whispered George.

'She's what!'

'SOPPY SONIA IS TELLING… '

'Okay, I heard,' hissed Stanley. 'No need to tell the world.'

'I think the world knows about it already,' said George. 'She's got a crowd of people around her in the playground. She was whispering to her friends about it while you were off sick but no one believed her then.'

Stanley clicked the bolt back and came slowly out of the cubicle.

'I'm finished,' he said. 'My life is over.'

'What's been going on?' asked George. 'Why is she saying that?'

Stanley's shoulders slumped. 'It's a long story. She just got hold of the wrong end of the stick, that's all. I'll try to sort it out.'

'You'd better hurry,' said George. 'Some of the girls are planning a wedding.'