“My shoes and bag are at Sandy Bay. I’ll wait for you there,” said Cai.
Antonia shook her head. “You’d better not. I think I can get to school on time from Gull Bay, but there’s no point in making us both late,” she said.
“Bye, Bubbles, bye, Dream.”
Clutching the rubbish, Antonia struck out for Gull Bay. There wasn’t a second to lose. If Antonia wasn’t in school before Mrs Howard called the register, she’d have to sign in at the office where her mum worked as a receptionist. Then there’d be trouble. Mum would want to know why, having left the house before Jessica and her, Antonia had managed to arrive after them. With determined strokes, Antonia swam on.
When Antonia finally arrived at school, hot and out of breath, the playground was deserted. She hurried indoors, hung up her fleece in the cloakroom and went straight into the classroom. The class watched in silence as she came through the door. Warm with embarrassment, Antonia sat down.
“Sorry I’m late,” she mumbled.
“You’re just in time,” said Mrs Howard. “I’m about to call the register. I suppose you’ve been watching the filming too?”
“No, I…” Antonia hesitated. She didn’t like telling lies, but she couldn’t tell Mrs Howard where she’d been.
Luckily for her the door opened and Charlie came in late too. With an exaggerated sigh, Mrs Howard stood up and lectured the whole class on how lateness would not be tolerated and how they were not to let the excitement of having a film crew around stand in the way of their education. At playtime Lauren grabbed Antonia by the arm as she came out of the girls’ toilets.
“So what happened to you this morning?” she asked, pushing her large face into Antonia’s.
Shaking her arm free, Antonia carried on walking.
“Where were you?” Lauren persisted, following her. “You were watching the filming, weren’t you? That’s why you were late.”
“None of your business,” Antonia answered, heading for Sophie, Cai and Toby who were standing in a group on the opposite side of the playground.
“I bet you didn’t get any autographs. The director said the actors were too busy to sign autographs until lunchtime.”
Antonia stopped walking and swung round to face Lauren, her green-grey eyes holding Lauren’s small, hazel ones.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I was nowhere near the film crew this morning,” she said firmly and, giving Lauren a pitying look, Antonia moved on.
“Loser,” Lauren bellowed after her. “I’m a much bigger fan of Stage Struck than you. I know everything about the actors. I even know where they’re filming next and I’m not telling you!”
Cai ran over to Antonia. “Are you all right?” he asked.
Antonia grinned. “I’m used to it,” she said. “She doesn’t scare me.”
Antonia happily forgot all about Lauren and Stage Struck until after school, when she was back at Sea Watch. Emily, Eleanor and Karen were there too, chattering away together.
“Stage Struck is filming in Gull Bay tomorrow,” said Emily, colouring in a poster for the Litter Fishing launch. “Danny Appleton told me when he came into our shop to buy a present for his little sister. He’s my favourite actor. He’s so cool. I wish I had an older brother like Danny.”
“Me too!” Eleanor and Karen agreed.
Hiding their groans, Antonia and Cai escaped outside to clean Tilly’s pen and feed her.
Tilly was pleased to see them, as always. Honking noisily, she climbed out of the deepwater pool to see what Antonia was doing with the mop.
“Aunty Claudia says we’ll let her go after the Litter Fishing launch,” said Cai.
“Shoo.” Antonia gently shook the mop at the grey seal. “I hope she’ll be all right. She’s too nosy for her own good sometimes.”
“She’ll be fine,” said Cai reassuringly. “There are a couple of friendly seals that hang around the harbour. The fishermen throw them fish to eat.”
“The fishermen round here are really nice,” said Antonia, propping the mop against the mesh fencing and unreeling the hose. “It’s great that they’ve agreed to take part in the Litter Fishing project.”
“They like fishing in clean seas,” said Cai. “Some of the stuff that comes up in their nets is horrible.”
“I know,” Antonia shuddered, thinking of the nasty things she’d seen in the ocean. “I’m glad Sea Watch is co-ordinating the project. I can’t wait for the launch. It was nice of Claudia to ask us to give the fishermen their new sacks.”
“Do you think the scheme will put the Silver Dolphins out of a job?” joked Cai.
“Never,” said Antonia, hosing his feet.
“You rat!” Cai lunged for the hose, but Antonia darted out of his reach.
The Litter Fishing project had been arranged by an environmental organisation. They were providing free sacks for fishermen to put rubbish caught in their nets in, rather than throwing it back into the sea. The sacks could later be emptied into a special container at the harbour. Claudia had agreed that Sea Watch would keep a supply of the sacks and arrange for the container to be emptied when full.
“Turn the hose off, Antonia. I’m going to get Tilly her food.”
Tilly enjoyed swimming after the fish that Antonia and Cai threw for her. Gracefully, she zipped round the pool, diving deep then surfacing in a completely different place.
“She’s a great swimmer,” said Cai when the bucket was empty. “Not long now, Tilly. Soon you’ll have the whole sea to play in.”
“I hope she finds some friends to play with,” said Antonia.
“She will,” said Cai. “Stop worrying about her. She’s going to be fine.”
On her way home from Sea Watch, Antonia was so busy thinking about Tilly that she didn’t see Lauren and Becky coming up the path until she’d practically walked into them.
“Where do you think you’re going?” snapped Lauren crossly.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” said Antonia, misunderstanding Lauren and sidestepping her to walk on.
“If you’re thinking of hanging around the film crew, you’re too late. They’ve packed up for the day,” Lauren called after her.
Antonia kept walking.
“Huh! Think you can ignore me, do you?
