Scaredy Cat

That’s what she’dbeen called as achild. If only theycould see her now!

STEFFI scurried along, her head down. If only she hadn’t stayed so long at her best friend Annie’s house.

For the last two weeks she’d been careful to avoid the town centre, but today she was running so late she had no other choice.

She started to shiver as she got closer. She could see the building’s long black shadow slicing right across the road. What had she been thinking of? She must be crazy!

Someone touched her arm and she jumped. It was Carole, one of the mums from school.

“So, tomorrow’s the big day! How are you feeling?”

“Oh, fine,” Steffi lied. “The weather forecast’s good, at least.”

“Rather you than me. I’ll try to get down if I can, but if I don’t, I’ll be rooting for you, Steffi. I think what you’re doing is great. You’re so brave.”

Steffi gave a hollow laugh. If only Carole knew. 

Steffi had always been the timid one in her family. When she was little she’d even made Dad check under the bed every night in case a monster was lurking there. She hadn’t grown out of it, either.

Worst of all had been the outdoor PE lessons at primary school. She’d begun to sweat as soon as she saw the varnished wooden plank hooked between the red metal arches of the climbing frame.

Those moments standing in line, waiting to climb the first arch, cross the plank, and come back down the second, were sheer torture.

Her sister, Julia, of course, was completely the opposite. She ran quickly and lightly across the plank on tiptoe without a moment’s hesitation, whereas Steffi could only crawl across, inch by inch, biting her lip, unable to speed up.

Colin Eveleigh used to pull faces at her.