Shane felt that this was the best day in his school life. He realised two days later, how much it meant kissing Mandy that day.‘My sweetie, you seem so happy these days,’ his mother Justine said to him one day.‘Do I?’ Shane asked merrily, smiling.‘What makes you so cheerful, my dear?’‘Well, mum, I…’ Shane wondered whether his face turned red or not. ‘Mum, I’m going out with one of the girl in my class, and I think we really like each other.’His mother beamed on him.‘W-what?’ Shane asked nervously.‘Congratulations!’ Justine hugged him very tight. ‘Oh, my sweetum, you’ve become a man! You know how to take your own responsibility! I… I’m just so excited! Oh my son…’ she was almost in tears.‘Mum, you know her. Mandy Weasley, my deskmate. I mentioned her before.’ Shane tried to calm his mother down.‘Oh, I remember. But, there is one thing I think I must let you know, my son…’ her face dropped a little as her voice become more serious.‘Yes, mum?’ Shane asked.‘My son, you do know how much it means going out with girls, don’t you? Maybe someday she’ll become your first girlfriend; maybe someday when you leave the school you’ll still be together; and maybe someday, she’ll be the one who you spend the rest of your life with. So if you two really like each other, my boy, be obvious and serious. You understand?’Shane was feeling very strange. He thought his mother would try and stop him going out with Mandy, but he never guessed she would tell him ‘how to love’. And when his mother told him all this, Shane saw clearly what tears were shining regretfully in her eyes.‘Yeah, mum, I know…’‘Also, there is one condition,’ her mother’s face suddenly became stern.‘Mum?’‘As long as you work hard in school and, you wanna go to Summerhill College, don’t you?’ * This Christmas vacation was the best of all Shane’s vacations, perhaps. He spent quite a lot of happy time chatting with Kian, but unfortunately he forgot to ask Mandy’s number so he was unable to call her. Mark had e-mailed a few times, saying that his and Ellen’s families were spending the vacation together.‘Sounds like fun, eh?’ Shane was sending Mark short messages, using his mobile.‘You can say that again! God Ellen was so hot! I couldn’t stand she’s not around.’ Mark answered back, a little while later.Shane smiled silently.‘And… I have something to ask you…’ Mark’s message arrived once again.Shane was curious. ‘What?’‘I want to join the school band. Do you agree?’Shane stared at his mobile screen. Mark joining the school band? He didn’t find out Mark can play music yet.‘Well Mark, I guess you’ll have to speak to Kian. He’s the captain.’ Shane answered back.‘Oh, OK, thanx anyway. Hey, Ellen’s calling me to go skating with her, by for now!’‘Take care.’ Shane replied and put his mobile aside.Just as Shane began to walk out of the room, his mother called behind, ‘Shane! Your phone call…’

Shane hesitated. ‘Who’s that, Mum?’‘No idea, probably one of your teachers.’Shane’s heart sank. He didn’t know what he did was wrong, as most of the teachers were reporting bad activities that they did.Shane picked up the receiver nervously. ‘Hello, Shane Filan here.’To his horror it was Spencer who answered.‘Good afternoon, Mr. Filan, this is Professor Spencer speaking.’‘Er, er — ’ Shane nearly dropped the receiver. ‘Yeah, yes, Professor Spencer… erm, do you have anything important to tell me?’‘Oh yes,’ Professor Spencer’s voice did not sound very evil. ‘As you know, when Christmas ends, we’ll enter the last period of this term, I think it’s time for you now to decide on your career. Which college do you want to go to? Summerhill?’‘Yes, I want to go to Summerhill very much. It was my dream ever since thirteen.’ Shane’s heart relieved a little, hearing Professor Spencer’s voice.‘Right, very good. I heard through Professor Linstring that your maths is outstanding, is that true?’‘Well, it’s better than any other subject I take.’ When he finished he suddenly remembered. ‘Oh, maybe except music,’ he added.‘I see. And you’re in our school band?’‘Yes,’‘Very well. Hmmm… we both should take a consideration on that. When we start taking lessons I shall speak to you again. Okay?’‘Okay. Thank you, Professor Spencer, see you then.’‘See you around.’Shane hung up the phone and felt very strange. Professor Spencer had never talked to him in such a friendly manner.‘My dear, who was talking to you?’ Seeing Shane finished the phone call, his mother returned and asked him.‘It was Professor Spencer,’ Shane replied expressionlessly.‘What is it she wanted?’‘She just told me to take a consideration on my career and asked about my favorite subject.’‘Nothing else?’ His mother looked worried.‘Nothing, Mum.’His mother nodded, frowned and turned away from Shane’s room. *