My cheeks burned as if someone was holding a brand to my face. “I’m sorry that I attacked you, Justin.”
“That’s right.” Mr Barnes sat back with his hands across his stomach. “You know, I feel privileged to be at the helm of this school. Can you guess why?”
I shook my head, still burning and itching and hating him with every heartbeat. “This school has opportunities, Miss Oh. It isn’t like other institutions, where there is a single popular ‘gang’ in each year with everyone else excluded. I’ve seen people from different year groups ‘run together’, I’ve seen the unpopular suddenly become accepted, even admired. There are opportunities, Miss Oh, for the daring. For those brave enough to grasp them with both hands.”
Justin made his first noise, a cross between a hiccup and a gasp and I frowned at him. Mr Barnes was off on one of his aimless rants. Why was Justin bothered?
Mr Barnes removed his glasses and stared off into space. “This school has history, Miss Oh.” He leaned forward one more time, his eyes suddenly sharp. This time he was looking at Justin. “Qui audet vincit. Who dares wins. Isn’t that right, Mr Hargreaves?”
Justin swallowed, audibly. “That’s right, Mr Barnes.”
Mr Barnes nodded and put his glasses back on. “And there is nothing new under the sun, Miss Oh.” He tapped his paper. “Another detention for you. I’ll also be writing a letter to your father. I’ll expect his reply by return.”
“Taylor, I–” Justin’s voice contained some sort of apology and I wasn’t having that from him, no way.
“Leave me alone.” I slumped back on the sandy chair to wait for the letter that Mr Barnes was emailing to his secretary.
“Fine.” He strode past me without another look.
The chair next to me was occupied by Derek from the year below and I looked across, seeking an empathetic eye-roll. Even I had to admit that the boy was good looking: blemish-free skin, short dreadlocks and a jaw line so firm he could rock a mask and cape if he wanted to.
Today though, he was so pale he looked green and his hands clenched and unclenched in his lap endlessly, like creatures independent of the rest of him. He was hunched over his bag, his whole body tense: a jack-in-the-box ready to spring.
Unable to make any sort of eye contact I turned away. What had happened to him? Until a couple of weeks ago he was the Justin of his year group then suddenly he was even less popular than I was. Hannah told me that if he tried to speak to someone they turned their back on him. If he sat at a lunch table, everyone else got up and left. He had become a ghost in his own classroom.
“Hey.” I couldn’t not speak. “Are you OK?”
There was no reply and I was leaning back in my seat when suddenly he spoke. “How do you stand it?”
“Stand what?” I frowned.
“Being what you are. So ‘out’ with everyone.”
I inhaled sharply. “I have Hannah.”
“So you do.” His fingers twined in and out of themselves, the knuckles red raw. “I…”
“Yes?” I couldn’t help noticing how sunken his eyes were. It looked as if he hadn’t slept for weeks.
“I want to apologise. I was a dick to you. Just like everyone else. I know how it feels now.” He cleared his throat. “You’re stronger than I am, Oh.”
“Derek Anderson, Mr Barnes will see you now.”
“Listen,” I caught his arm. “You should eat lunch with me and Hannah.”
Derek snorted. “That’s nice of you, Oh. Especially considering, you know, everything. But it’s too late. I’m leaving.”
“In the middle of term?”
“I’ve got a transfer, I’m collecting my papers now. I’m out of here. This place is effed up!” He gave a smile as fake as plastic fruit. “Don’t let the bastards get you down, Oh.”
I dropped my hand and watched him go.
Hannah stood in the courtyard waiting for me and she wasn’t alone.
“Look who’s keeping me company,” she half sang.
“Pete.” My eyes widened, but still I nodded at him as I went to her side. He grunted wordlessly and moved away, disassociating himself.
I sighed and turned to Hannah. “You didn’t have to wait.” I shook more sand out of my waistband. Would I ever get rid of it all?
“Last period’s over. I’ll get the bus with you.”
Gratefully I stuck my arm through hers. Then I stopped and turned to our one-time friend. “You know, you could get the bus with us.”
Pete just looked at me.
“Like old times.”
“Right,” he sneered. “Those times you pretended to like me, or the ones you refused to talk to me?”
“That’s not fair.” Hannah leaped to my defence. “We were friends.”
Pete turned to Hannah. “Does she ever tell you what’s going on with her?”
Hannah blushed and avoided looking at me.
“I don’t know how you stand it, Han.” He rubbed his palm over the darker mahogany of his head. “How can you think she’s your friend if she won’t talk to you?”
“We talk,” Hannah snapped.
“Yeah sure. Look she’s zoned out on us already. Obviously not that interested.”
Pete's words had become a distant buzz, my focus shifted to the suited man striding across the flagstones. Was he living or dead?
The sun had moved and now the whole courtyard was in the shade so the first item on my mental checklist, to look for a shadow, was out. Pete and Hannah had their backs to him, so I couldn’t tell if they were able to see him or not. I had to assume he was a ghost.
I prepared to run, slipping my arm free of Hannah’s.
Pete caught my other elbow. “You think you’re better than us.”
“That’s not true.” I was forced to take my eyes off the approaching suit. “Let go, will you?”
Hannah still clung to one arm and Pete had the other. I was trapped.
The suit saw my predicament. His pace increased and he raised his head to look directly at me.
It was possible he needed to ask directions or something.
And it was about to rain kittens.
I had to get out of there. I tugged ineffectually at Pete, but he didn’t move. “Did you ever like me the way I liked you?” he suddenly asked.
“I… I…” I blinked up at him. “It was complicated. And this isn’t a good time.”
The businessman reached us and smiled. I grit my teeth and tensed, but he didn’t hesitate. He reached past Pete’s arm and grabbed my hand, pressing his palm on to my knuckles. My skin froze as if I’d held my hand to a block of ice and an almost electric shock shivered up my arm. Then a familiar black Mark spread across my tendons like spilled ink.
“Crap.” Immediately I yanked my hand free, terrified that I might accidentally touch my friend’s skin.
“You’re a cold bitch.” Pete swung around and strode away.
The words to stop him caught in my throat. Pete had been wavering, maybe even considering leaving Justin’s clique. Hannah and I could have had our friend back. Now he was gone again, utterly out of reach.
Venomously I glared at the ghost who had cost us our chance. Then I pulled away from Hannah who was staring after Pete with surprise.
“Did he just say he liked you?”
“It was a long time ago, when Mum was still around. I couldn’t go out with him.”
“I remember you had a lot going on.”
“Yeah.” The ghost drifted closer, wanting to speak to me. I pulled the white glove from my bag and tugged it over my hand.
“Hey, your eczema got bad fast!” Hannah caught at my wrist trying to see and I leaped back. I didn’t dare let her touch me in case she was accidentally branded. The thought of the Darkness coming for my best friend made me sick to my stomach.
“It’s OK, Han. Listen, I’ve got to be somewhere. I’ll call you later.”