“And it wasn’t locked?”
“No, and I didn’t realize at first, but then...”
“That’s our bloody maths exam.” I stress every individual word. With every second, Emma’s looking more desperate. “Why did you take the photos?”
She doesn’t speak, just looks at me. Her jaw muscles tense.
“Emma, for God’s sake! You’re not serious, are you? This is cheating, you—”
“I know,” she bursts out. “I know, Henry. I... Shit, I wasn’t thinking. I was about to leave, but then I saw what they were and... I thought it would be useful for you, for Friday.”
“Useful for me to what? To look at the questions in advance? God, no, no way. If anyone saw you, there’ll be hell to pay. Do you know that?”
Tears shine in her eyes.
“Didanyone see you?”
“No! No one. I think... There was nobody there.”
“You think?”
“Fuck it, no.I got straight out of there. I didn’t take anything. Mr.Ward didn’t come around the corner till afterward.”
“Please, you cannot be serious about this,” I say slowly.
“Hell, Henry! Don’t you understand? I didn’t plan this. I’d never do a thing like this, but I—I did it for you.”
“It’s not like I asked you to!”
“No, because apparently you don’t give a shit about anything. I’m sorry, Henry, for thinking about your future and wanting to help you!”
“I can do without help like this, thank you very much.”
We’re standing face-to-face. We’re screaming. I feel panic trying to well up inside me, but I suppress every feeling. We can’t afford any mistakes now.
“Delete them,” I order her. “Do it now, right now.”
Emma flinches and lowers her gaze. I can see her select the photos and delete them as I follow suit.
“And empty your trash too. God, I can’t believe this.”
When she raises her head and gives me a startled look, I know she hadn’t thought of the trash. Nobody can find these pictures on her phone.
She swallows once she’s finished. We look at each other for several seconds, until she turns away. She doesn’t speak another word. I hear the door bang, throw my phone onto the bed, run both hands through my hair, and turn to face the window.
31
Emma
I was wrong. Seeing Henry collapsed in the woods wasn’t the worst experience of my life. Fighting with him over those photos was worse. We don’t speak to each other at dinner, and we carry on ignoring each other the next day. And then it’s Friday, the day of the maths exam.
I didn’t look at any of the questions before I deleted the pictures. A small, cowardly voice in my head is trying to persuade me that I therefore don’t need to feel guilty. I didn’t cheat, didn’t gain any unfair advantage, but I photographed the papers. There’s no getting around that.
I’m icy cold as I enter the classroom and sit down. Henry doesn’t look in my direction even once. When Mr.Ward comes in, I hold my breath. He puts down his bag and pulls out the test papers. As he hands them out, my palms are supersweaty. His eyes sweep over me as he gives me mine.
I reach for my pen. My hands are shaking as Mr.Ward walks back to the front, reminds us what time the exam finishes, and wishes us good luck.
I don’t remember any of the questions by the time I hand in my work an eternity later. My head is empty. I look at Henry, but he doesn’t pay me any attention as we walk out. Still, at least I saw him writing during the exam.
