‘See, this is exactly why I can’t deal with you,’ Gee said, pushing her through the gate. ‘You’re out of control and I’m done with it.’
‘I hate you!’ she screamed, beating her fists against his chest.
Gee grabbed her wrists to stop her, but she yanked her arms free at the exact same time he released her, and he winced when she fell backwards and her shoes flew into the road.
Behind them, one of the girls started laughing, and Kadisha let out a roar of anger.
‘Ignore her,’ Gee said. ‘They’re only kids, and someone will end up calling the police if you keep threatening them.’
‘I don’t care!’ she screeched, tears running down her cheeks.
A car came round the corner and pulled up at the kerb, and two girls leapt out and ran over to Kadisha.
‘If you’ve laid a finger on her, you’re dead,’ one of them spat, glaring at Gee as they helped her to her feet.
‘Don’t be stupid,’ he snapped. ‘I’ve never hit a woman in my life.’
‘Why’s she on the floor, then?’
‘Because she attacked me and fell over when I pushed her away. Now get her out of here before she does something stupid.’
‘I’m not leaving you,’ Kadisha sobbed, shrugging her friends off and running to him. ‘I’m sorry, baby.’ She clutched at his jacket. ‘I didn’t mean it. I love you.’
‘Well, I don’t love you,’ he replied bluntly, holding her at arm’s length. ‘Go with your mates and stop making a fool of yourself.’
Wailing, Kadisha sank to her knees and wrapped her arms around his legs.
‘Get up!’ one of her friends ordered. ‘He ain’t worth it.’
‘Yeah, come on, let’s get out of here,’ the other girl said, prising Kadisha’s hands off him. ‘He’s a dirty little player, and you can do way better.’
Gee opened his mouth to defend himself, but decided there was no point and snapped it shut again.
‘Looks like you had a lucky escape there, Zayn,’ one of the girls called out when Kadisha’s friends had bundled her into the car and driven away. ‘She’s off her head!’
Too angry to answer without snapping at her, Gee gave her a withering look before walking away.
‘Thanks a lot!’ Holly glared at Julie when Gee had gone. ‘He’ll probably never talk to me again after that.’
‘Like he ever talked to you anyway,’ Julie sneered. ‘He didn’t even look at you the whole time he was here. And it was her fault, not mine. She’s a maniac. Look what she did to me with her fucking claws.’ She pulled the neck of her top down to show the red mark the girl’s nails had left on her chest.
‘You deserved that for mouthing off,’ Holly said. ‘And you don’t live round here, so you’re not the one she’s going to come after if they get back together.’
‘Aw, diddums,’ Julie drawled.
‘I don’t want to be here if she comes back,’ Bex said, gazing nervously out along the road.
‘Yeah, come on, let’s get out of this dump,’ Julie said, linking arms with her and setting off up the path. When Holly fell into step beside them, she stopped walking and snapped, ‘Where d’you think you’re going?’
‘With Bex,’ Holly said.
‘No, you’re not,’ Julie argued. ‘We’ve got plans, and you’re not invited.’
‘Bex?’ Holly looked at her friend.
‘Sorry, I meant to tell you when we got here,’ Bex said sheepishly. ‘Thing is, Ju’s mum got us tickets for an art exhibition this afternoon.’
‘An art exhibition?’ Holly screwed up her face. ‘Since when have you been interested in art? It’s your least favourite subject.’
‘Only ’cos I’m crap at it,’ said Bex. ‘But this is all Banksy type stuff, so it’ll be well cool.’
‘So that’s it?’ Holly stared at her. ‘You hardly ever come to see me, and now you’re sacking me off for her again?’
‘Get a grip,’ Julie snorted. ‘She wouldn’t even be here now if you hadn’t made out like you and Zayn were mates.’
‘His name’s not Zayn, you idiot,’ Holly snapped. ‘And I never said we were mates.’
‘As good as,’ said Julie. ‘And you’re the idiot, not me. Look at the state of you, with your trampy clothes and your chip-pan hair. You’re an embarrassment, and you wonder why Bex is ashamed to be seen with you?’
‘Julie, stop it,’ Bex said quietly when Holly’s mouth fell open.
‘Why should I?’ Julie shot back. ‘You told me yourself, you only hang out with her ’cos you feel sorry for her.’
‘Is that true?’ Holly looked at Bex with tears in her eyes.
‘Oh, for God’s sake, isn’t it obvious?’ Julie jeered. ‘I mean, come on . . . look at us then look at you.’
‘I wasn’t asking you, I was asking Bex!’ Holly spat.
‘Truth hurts, don’t it?’ Julie replied nastily.
‘Get lost!’ Holly yelled.
‘Make me!’ Julie challenged. ‘I’ll kick your fuckin’ head in, you stupid bitch!’
‘Holly . . .? Is everything all right, hon?’
Julie glanced round at the sound of the voice and saw that the woman in the red dress was watching them.
‘Oh, look, hon . . .’ she drawled, turning back to Holly with a sly smile on her lips. ‘Your lesbo friend’s come out to save you.’
‘Fuck off!’ Holly cried, slamming her hands into Julie’s chest and sending her tottering back on her heels.
‘Stop it!’ Bex shouted, jumping between them and glaring at Holly. ‘This is your fault, not hers. You’ve been an absolute bitch since we got here, and now she’s biting back you’re trying to play the victim. It’s pathetic and I’m sick of it. We both are!’
Unable to hold in the tears any longer, Holly turned and ran to the flats.
Across the road, Suzie watched as Holly ran inside and the other girls walked down the path arm in arm. As they passed on the opposite side, she narrowed her eyes when she heard one of them mimicking Holly in a baby voice. She had no clue what they had been arguing about because she’d only caught the tail end of it, but she’d come up against enough girls like those two to know they were grade-A bitches.
Heading inside when they’d gone, she pulled
