Milly, and I’m really sorry it had to happen now. But please don’t take it out on the Americans. Be nice to them,
okay?’
‘Of course I’ll be nice,’ I said, offended. Then, to convince him I meant it, I politely pumped them for information about the son. Not that I was interested or anything.
They told me he’s called Devlin. He’s nearly sixteen and he’s not going to school here; he’s going to study from home on the computer and stay in contact with his
American school.
This sent David off on a long explanation about how he’s had to get Wi-Fi fitted and how he’s bought a new computer for them to use because he doesn’t want them using his PC
while they’re away and would it be rude if he was to lock his study door for the duration.
‘Yes, it would,’ said Jeanie. ‘You’ll just have to remove all your personal stuff. We can lock the attic, they won’t need to go up there.’ I left them to it
and went back downstairs.
Lily was in the kitchen. She didn’t ask me about the new school. I got my homework out and she disappeared. Which was fine by me.
I’ve just remembered. I did have to go to school on my own once. It was when we were ten and just before we left the house Lily started throwing up. As Mum was
holding her over the sink – because she’d started really suddenly and didn’t have time to get to the bathroom– she saw Daisy and her mum walking past on the street above.
Mum sat Lily in a chair, opened the door and called up to Daisy’s mum, asking her if she’d take me to school so she could stay behind and look after Lily. It all happened so quickly
that neither Lily or I had time to object and before I knew it I was at school, on my own. When I sat down next to Lily’s empty seat I felt sick and wondered if I had the same bug as Lily. I
kept thinking if I threw up Mum would have to come and get me, but however hard I concentrated on being sick it didn’t happen. By break time I’d got over my nerves and felt okay. I
wandered out into the playground looking for someone to play with. I could see Daisy and Becky under the tree and was about to go and join them when my path was blocked by a big object. Hayden, the
meanest boy in the school, was pushing his face into mine. I backed up and tried to go round him but he kept sidestepping and blocking my way until he’d forced me round the back of the old
toilets.
‘You’re Milly, right?’
I nodded and couldn’t help looking round for Lily even though I knew she was at home.
‘What do you want?’ I said, as boldly as I could.
‘What do you think?’ he sneered.
I had no idea what he meant so I just stared at him. Then it dawned on me. He must want a kiss or something. Yuk! Still, if it meant he’d leave me alone I supposed I’d have to get
it over with. I darted forwards and gave him the briefest kiss on the cheek that I could manage. Hayden went bright red. I remember wondering why he was embarrassed when he’d asked for it.
But it turned out it wasn’t embarrassment turning him red, it was rage.
‘God! Get off me, you freak!’ he yelled in my face. Then he grabbed my arm and started twisting it. I thought it was going to snap. ‘You bring it tomorrow or next time
I’ll break it,’ he said, letting go of my arm. ‘And don’t even think about telling your sister.’
I was shaking and I wanted to ask him what exactly it was that I was supposed to bring him tomorrow but I couldn’t get the words out.
‘Do you get it?’ he yelled, covering me in a fine spray of saliva. I felt a hand on my arm. It was Anil from my class.
‘She gets it . . . She’ll have it tomorrow,’ he said to Hayden.
‘Make sure she does and tell her what’ll happen if she tells,’ he said, walking off.
‘Are you okay?’ Anil asked me when Hayden had gone.
I nodded. ‘I don’t . . . What does he want?’ I managed.
‘Payment.’
‘What for?’
‘For not hurting you. Remember last year when Oliver broke
okay?’
‘Of course I’ll be nice,’ I said, offended. Then, to convince him I meant it, I politely pumped them for information about the son. Not that I was interested or anything.
They told me he’s called Devlin. He’s nearly sixteen and he’s not going to school here; he’s going to study from home on the computer and stay in contact with his
American school.
This sent David off on a long explanation about how he’s had to get Wi-Fi fitted and how he’s bought a new computer for them to use because he doesn’t want them using his PC
while they’re away and would it be rude if he was to lock his study door for the duration.
‘Yes, it would,’ said Jeanie. ‘You’ll just have to remove all your personal stuff. We can lock the attic, they won’t need to go up there.’ I left them to it
and went back downstairs.
Lily was in the kitchen. She didn’t ask me about the new school. I got my homework out and she disappeared. Which was fine by me.
I’ve just remembered. I did have to go to school on my own once. It was when we were ten and just before we left the house Lily started throwing up. As Mum was
holding her over the sink – because she’d started really suddenly and didn’t have time to get to the bathroom– she saw Daisy and her mum walking past on the street above.
Mum sat Lily in a chair, opened the door and called up to Daisy’s mum, asking her if she’d take me to school so she could stay behind and look after Lily. It all happened so quickly
that neither Lily or I had time to object and before I knew it I was at school, on my own. When I sat down next to Lily’s empty seat I felt sick and wondered if I had the same bug as Lily. I
kept thinking if I threw up Mum would have to come and get me, but however hard I concentrated on being sick it didn’t happen. By break time I’d got over my nerves and felt okay. I
wandered out into the playground looking for someone to play with. I could see Daisy and Becky under the tree and was about to go and join them when my path was blocked by a big object. Hayden, the
meanest boy in the school, was pushing his face into mine. I backed up and tried to go round him but he kept sidestepping and blocking my way until he’d forced me round the back of the old
toilets.
‘You’re Milly, right?’
I nodded and couldn’t help looking round for Lily even though I knew she was at home.
‘What do you want?’ I said, as boldly as I could.
‘What do you think?’ he sneered.
I had no idea what he meant so I just stared at him. Then it dawned on me. He must want a kiss or something. Yuk! Still, if it meant he’d leave me alone I supposed I’d have to get
it over with. I darted forwards and gave him the briefest kiss on the cheek that I could manage. Hayden went bright red. I remember wondering why he was embarrassed when he’d asked for it.
But it turned out it wasn’t embarrassment turning him red, it was rage.
‘God! Get off me, you freak!’ he yelled in my face. Then he grabbed my arm and started twisting it. I thought it was going to snap. ‘You bring it tomorrow or next time
I’ll break it,’ he said, letting go of my arm. ‘And don’t even think about telling your sister.’
I was shaking and I wanted to ask him what exactly it was that I was supposed to bring him tomorrow but I couldn’t get the words out.
‘Do you get it?’ he yelled, covering me in a fine spray of saliva. I felt a hand on my arm. It was Anil from my class.
‘She gets it . . . She’ll have it tomorrow,’ he said to Hayden.
‘Make sure she does and tell her what’ll happen if she tells,’ he said, walking off.
‘Are you okay?’ Anil asked me when Hayden had gone.
I nodded. ‘I don’t . . . What does he want?’ I managed.
‘Payment.’
‘What for?’
‘For not hurting you. Remember last year when Oliver broke
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