I nodded, pressing my lips together as Squeeks jumped down from the wall, adjusting her crown as she stood by my side.
“Sorry Miss, I was washing my hair,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
She rolled her eyes and leaned onto one hip. She’s never liked me, and to be honest, the feeling was mutual. I was always the thorn in her side, doing whatever I could to get sent to the headteacher's office.
Mr Sharp never gave a shit what I’d been sent to him for. Just threw paper at me and told me to draw him something from one of the many comic books he’d shown me. But I would create my own monsters, believing that they could protect my sister and me from the shit happening at home.
“I’m going to have to write yet another letter to your mother regarding her hair colour,” she continued. “Bright neon green just isn’t acceptable for school.”
Squeeks looked up at me and swirled a pigtail between her fingers, awaiting the cocky comeback she knew was coming.
“I mean, you can try, but some guy is balls-deep in her ninety percent of the time. I’ll pass on your message though.”
I clutched Squeeks’ hand just as Mrs Harrison’s jaw dropped. A devilish smile crept onto my face as I turned, leaving her standing speechless at the school gates.
“You didn’t need to be that mean,” she said, yanking on my hand.
“I wasn’t mean. I was honest.” Flashing her a triumphant grin.
Her face fell into a sullen expression as she looked to the floor. “Did you forget about me again?”
I sighed as we made our way down the street. “No, Danny just had me doing his shit for him. Wouldn’t let me leave until I was done.”
She clung to my arm, looking up at me with pleading eyes.
“Did you bring me sweets?”
I chuckled and shook my head. “No, I just told you, I’ve been busy.”
Her lips formed a pout, “Aww… Can we get some now?”
“With what money, Squeeks?” I asked, knowing full well I hadn’t paid for a single thing from that corner shop since we moved into the neighbourhood after Dad split. The owner was always too busy watching his phone and screaming at his favourite football team to notice anything.
Squeeks tilted her head and gave me doe eyes. “Pwetty pwease?”
I paused, knowing there was nothing at home to feed us apart from a tin of beans and a half-drunk bottle of wine.
“Fine. But you have to stay outside and keep watch.” She giggled in excitement and ran ahead, pulling me along with her.
I did everything for my sister; I was her constant. It wasn’t like I could depend on our mum to be a mother. She was never there, and when she was, well, she was either high as a kite or off her face on booze.
She wasn’t always this way. Once upon a time, she held some warmth for us.
I remember walking out of my bedroom to see Mum slumped on the floor, crying, telling me repeatedly how it was our fault Dad left.
What the fuck did I do at five years old? Squeeks was just a baby, so doesn’t remember anything. But I lived through the rot; our world turned upside down from that point on.
Letting go of my hand, Squeeks rushed on ahead, her tattered school bag hitting the backs of her legs.
She spun back towards me holding up her hands, “Sweets!” reeling off a list of things she wanted. “And don’t forget the Milky Buttons, you must get the Milky Buttons.”
I rolled my eyes with a smirk and brought my hand to my forehead in a salute. “Yes Captain.”
I didn’t plan to take much. Just enough to shut Squeeks up for the night. Some sweets, a sausage roll if I was lucky.
The bell above the shop door wheezed when I pushed it open, like it was even tired. I slipped inside, head down, hands in my jean pockets like I wasn’t up to anything.
It was a small, dingy shop with too many hidden corners; the musty smell surrounded you the moment you entered. The shopkeeper sat behind the counter like a sack of old clothes, squinting at his phone—football, of course.
