‘About just now . . . I wasn’t sure. Do you want them to know?’
‘Do you?’ I ask.
Charlie studies me. ‘Yes, I think I do.’
‘Then I do too.’
‘Sure?’
‘They’ll notice soon enough anyway.’
‘God knows how Henry knew just now.’
I shrug. ‘Henry always knows everything.’
Charlie kisses me. Because I’ve got geography and he’s heading in the opposite direction. Or that’s the plan, but we haven’t got far when I suddenly realize we’re being watched. Valentine and some of his friends are coming round the corner, and his eyes are like daggers. I go ice cold as I hear his scornful laugh. Charlie’s stopped, and as Val walks right past us, there’s a moment when I’m scared they’ll pick up their pointless punch-up again. But Charlie just takes my hand.
I knew it would come: the moment Valentine Ward found out what’s happened between me and Charlie. And it feels every bit as dire as I’d been expecting.
‘Hey, you were right, man,’ I hear Neil say. ‘She’s straight on to the next one.’
I feel Charlie tense. I cling to his hand as he tries to tear himself away.
‘And I thought no one could beat Eleanor,’ Cillian adds. ‘You always go for the wrong chicks, Val.’
‘Don’t,’ I whisper, as Charlie glances at me. There’s a threat sparkling in his blue eyes, but in the end he nods. As I turn away, Val’s eyes are on me and, briefly, I make out something close to pain on his face. In that instant, I understand that while he’s manipulative, toxic and mean, underneath that, he’s broken. I remember Val doing push-ups in his childhood bedroom, after his mother reminded him that sport’s the only thing he’s good at. It doesn’t justify the way he treated me, but it makes everything a tiny bit more bearable. Because I’m sure he’s secretly yearning for something genuine, but can’t learn from anybody how to open up. And, more importantly still – I know it’s not my job to teach him. It isn’t now, and it wasn’t then.
Val looks at me, his face hardening again. ‘Hey, it was never serious with her, lads,’ he says, and I know he’s trying to hurt me, but it doesn’t. I’m too far away from him.
I’m with Charlie.
I’m where I belong.
SINCLAIR
My rage at that fucker Valentine still hasn’t completely died down when I see Tori again in class after lunch. I’d longed to deck him in the dining room, but we all know what would have happened then. So I try to follow Tori’s example and ignore him. It’s probably the most effective weapon against people like Valentine Ward, and I can feel it working. He must be so angry that Tori ditched him and is with me now.
I’d feel happier if Tori would take it a bit easier, but she seems to think she has to be back in lessons at all costs. I can kind of understand her not wanting to get any further behind, but I wish she’d take the teachers’ advice and go back to bed.
Tori still doesn’t have much appetite, and as a result, she doesn’t have much energy either, so I’m not surprised that she’s fighting to keep herself awake in PSE after lunch.
‘Come on,’ I say quietly, as she lays her head on the desk instead of getting up after class.
‘My legs are like jelly,’ she mumbles.
‘Want me to carry you?’ I tease.
‘Don’t you dare.’ She straightens and sighs. ‘Why am I so tired?’
‘I think it might be because you were ill,’ I reply drily.
‘I have to get to rehearsal, Charlie.’
I frown. ‘First you have to get up to your room for study hour.’
‘Oh, yeah, right.’
I don’t say anything, just pick up Tori’s bag. By the look of her, it’ll be more like nap hour.
