Courtney Hemworth

• Lorelei Clarke, Grade 4, Ashburton Primary School
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'The Write Track 2015' competition

Courtney Hemworth was a girl at school. Her parents were rich and were always sending her to private schools. She lived in a 13 story house with her grandparents. One day her parents sent her to a new school and no one would sit next to her. In Maths they were playing 'red danger' which is in partners and no one would be Courtney’s partner so she had to sit in the corner and read.
At recess and lunch, all the girls were playing with each other’s hair and all the boys were playing footy on the oval. Courtney didn’t want to play with hair or play footy, she loved playing tag. She had no one to play tag with, so she just walked around the school on her own watching all the other kids
having fun.
The next day Courtney wanted to fit in. So she wore a dress instead of shorts and t-shirt, her hair in pig tails instead of a bun, stockings instead of socks and lots of make-up. She went to school that day and everyone wanted to be her friend.
After lunch they had a science lesson. Courtney would usually read the steps to do, but she had to pour the mixture in instead of reading it. She went to pour the red mixture in but she spilt it all over her partner and the new carpet. Everyone stared at her, she was so embarrassed of herself that her cheeks went red.
At recess, a girl called Ellie was trying to plait Courtney’s hair but it was so knotty that she couldn’t do a plait in her hair. Ellie asked her to do a plait in her hair but she didn’t want to do it but she tried anyway and she couldn’t do a plait! ALL the girls picked on her because she couldn’t do a plait.
At lunch, she was going to play footy and when she tried to kick a goal she missed the ball completely and landed right on her back. “OUCH!” she cried. She had to go to sick bay and put an ice pack on her back.
After lunch she couldn’t do sport and in sport they were playing her favourite thing, tag! All the kids were laughing at her because she couldn’t play.
The next day she didn’t wear a dress, she didn’t put her hair in pig tails she didn’t wear stockings and no make-up today. Courtney wanted to be herself.
At recess and lunch Courtney didn’t play with hair or play footy, she played tag with some other kids. That day she learnt a lesson. Be yourself because everyone else is already taken.