Almost True by Keren David

something.’
    â€˜Yes? Spit it out.’
    â€˜Umm . . . in private. . .’
    Archie’s mum says, ‘I’ll leave you to it. I’d better make some phone calls, anyway. Tyler, it is wonderful to meet you at last. We’ll have a chance to talk later, I hope.’ She hovers around like she’s deciding whether to kiss me, but luckily I repel her by wiping my nose on my sleeve.
    Once we’re alone, Patrick sits down and points at a chair for me. It’s a big room – like every room in this enormous house – and we’re sitting by a fireplace which has a real fire burning in it. I’ve never seen a fire inside before, and it’s kind of hypnotic watching it. I want to stick my hand into the flames to see if they’re real. Meg sits on my feet, which is uncomfortably hot and heavy, but I’m so nervy that actually it’s quite nice to feel her soft, warm fur.
    â€˜So, what did you want to tell me?’ asks Patrick. His voice is less growly now and I wish I had something else to say to him. Patrick kind of reminds me of Sir Alex Ferguson, except Patrick’s posh and English instead of rough and Scottish. Sir Alex shouts at the Manchester United players all the time – they call it getting thehairdryer – but it really seems to work.
    It’s just that when Wayne Rooney gets the hairdryer he’s obviously had days when Sir Alex said loads of good things to him like, ‘Well done, Wayne, you played a blinder in the Champions League final,’ but Patrick’s never said anything like that to me.
    â€˜I . . . ummm . . . want to . . . errrr . . . confess.’
    His eyebrows leap around a bit.
    â€˜Should I call Father Delaney?’ he asks.
    â€˜No. . .’ I’m feeling really stupid. Of course I don’t mean that kind of confession. I forgot they must be Catholics as well. ‘I wanted to tell you. I borrowed Helen’s mobile, and I used it without asking. And I pulled Archie’s hair.’
    He pulls out his handkerchief and coughs a bit. Maybe he’s got a cold.
    â€˜When did you take the mobile, and why?’ he asks.
    â€˜Just now . . . I was going to put it back right away, I promise, but it rang in my pocket and she realised.’
    â€˜So, immediately after we had our conversation about asking permission before you use the computer, you went and helped yourself to the phone?’
    â€˜Umm . . . you see I needed to make a phone call very urgently. . .’
    He points his finger at me, ‘What about asking? What about your safety?’
    â€˜I thought you’d say no . . . actually I didn’t really think, but if I had, that’s what I would’ve thought.’
    â€˜Next time, think. And ask. Who were you phoning?’
    â€˜Just a friend,’ I say. He lifts one eyebrow but I keep my mouth shut, and he doesn’t ask any more.
    â€˜Don’t do it again,’ he says, ‘Think of the safety of the rest of us, even if you’re careless of your own.’
    I sigh. I’m nearly fifteen. I’ve had my own mobile for four years. I’m actually wondering if I’m going backwards in life instead of forwards.
    â€˜We’ll come back to that,’ he says. ‘Now, I want to know why my grandsons are pulling each other’s hair. In my day, that would be a girl’s way of fighting.’
    No one calls me a girl
.
‘I could’ve hit him, but the last time I hit someone I broke his nose,’ I say, raising the volume just a bit. ‘I’m very happy to hit him next time though.’ Meg nudges my hand with her nose, so I have to scratch between her ears.
    â€˜No need to shout. I’m not deaf,’ says Patrick. ‘Sadly, I’m sure there will be a next time. Try and minimise the violence, though. It’ll upset Helen and I’m sure you wouldn’t want that. Whose nose did you break and what were the