‘What are you talking about?’ She went so pink in the face that even if I hadn’t guessed it was Kerry who dropped Zoe in trouble, that would’ve given it away.
‘You grassed on Zoe. You went to her house and told Zoe’s mum where she was. She’s in a whole load of trouble, thanks to you.’
Kerry looked down at her shoes. ‘You don’t know it was me.’
I gave a short laugh. ‘Except it was, wasn’t it? No one else knew, for one thing. It had to be you. Have you any idea what you’ve done?’
To be honest, even I didn’t know exactly how things were with Zoe, but I could bet that her mum wouldn’t be anything like as forgiving as mine.
Kerry’s eyes went all watery and she shook her head. ‘I was worried, that’s all. I thought something might happen to you and no one else would know where you were.’
‘We were fine. The problems only started when you went around stirring things up. Everyone went mad with us. My mum panicked and my dad had to go driving round looking for me in the middle of the night. I know Zoe was a complete cow. But there was no need for that.’ I felt like shaking her.
Kerry let out a loud, snotty sob. ‘I was just scared. What if -’
I clenched my fists and swallowed down my urge to shout. ‘You want to hang round with us, don’t you? You’re going the wrong way about it.’
I swung around to leave, then turned back again. ‘Zoe is going to kill you. You know that, don’t you?’
Kerry slumped down on her front step and put her face in her hands. My phone buzzed and I read Zoe’s text. It said: Still alive. Just. C u Monday.
I waved my mobile at Kerry. ‘That’s Zoe. She’s having a really bad time. Hope you’re happy.’
‘Some people ask for trouble,’ said a voice. Luke had just appeared at the door, behind Kerry. He looked as if he’d just showered, because his hair was damp and there was a soapy scent around him. He leaned down to give Kerry a gentle punch across the top of the head. Kerry looked up at him, scrunching back her tears with her eyelids. I silently groaned. How come he saw me when I was acting my worst?
‘Look,’ I said. ‘Zoe was an idiot last night, especially in the restaurant. I was ashamed too, if you must know. But there was no need to do what you did.’
Kerry heaved herself up and wiped her face with the back of her hand. ‘You’ve made your point,’ she said and went indoors.
Luke stared down at the ground.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said to him. ‘About last night, I mean. But –’
He gave a long outward sigh. ‘She doesn’t mean it,’ he said. ‘She just doesn’t think things through. It comes from not having any real friends. You’re the first ones who’ve let her anywhere near. She’s a bit of a big kid, really. You and that Zoe are light years ahead of her. Just – you know – be a bit patient with her, all right?’
Guilt washed through me, a hot, sickly wave. ‘I know,’ I said. ‘But maybe she ought to find someone else to –’
‘Yeah, like who?’ said Luke.
I thought for a minute. ‘She goes to church, doesn’t she? Isn’t there anyone there?’
Luke made a face. ‘I think she needs to get away from that.’
‘Don’t you go, then?’
Luke shook his head. ‘It’s my stepmum who got involved with that outfit. I’ve never had anything to do with it. It’s not your usual church, you know. They have some funny ideas.’
I nodded, but I didn’t have much of a clue what he meant, except I had heard Kerry say she’d been told not to read books about the supernatural because her church said it was wrong. She hadn’t even read Harry Potter. I thought it sounded a bit weird. ‘Hey, I loved the food last night,’ I said. ‘I think Zoe would, usually. She was all uptight about the concert and her birthday and stuff, that’s all.’
Luke gave me a smile. I loved his smile. It made you have to give one back. ‘Thanks. You’re a good person, Anna. So you’ll plead Kerry’s case for her?’
I hadn’t exactly said that, but – ‘Yeah, I’ll try. No promises though. Zoe doesn’t get on with her mum at the best of times and this really won’t have helped.’
‘Thanks, you’re a star.’ Luke turned to go back inside. ‘Next time you’re in town, drop in again. I work Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.’
‘It’s a bit out of my price range, to be honest,’ I said. Then I wished I hadn’t said that. Talk about making yourself look uncool. And I’d sounded like I wasn’t keen on seeing him, which I was, of course.
‘Oh, well. Just an idea.’ Luke shrugged and closed the door behind him. I stopped myself from actually smacking my head with my hands, but I certainly felt like it.
7
Sulphur
The Monday after her birthday, Zoe wasn’t at school after all. All the rest of my texts had gone unanswered. I had a bad feeling, low in my gut. After assembly, Kerry followed me to the classroom. ‘It looks as if Zoe is having a day off again,’ she said.
I nodded. Talking to Kerry felt a little like a betrayal of Zoe, though if you asked me to explain that sensibly, I probably couldn’t. ‘You sound quite pleased that she’s not here,’ I said.
Kerry picked at a straggly bit of skin on her thumbnail. ‘Maybe. You’re nicer when she’s not around.’
‘That’s not true,’ I said. ‘You just don’t like Zoe, that’s the problem.’
Kerry bit the skin away. ‘She doesn’t like me, you mean. That’s more
