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was gone.
    I ran out into the lane. At the far end I could see a boy riding it away.
    “Oi!” I screamed.
    I ran full pelt, but no matter how much cycling you do it doesn’t automatically make you a good runner. I got about halfway down the alley before I had to stop, out of breath. He was well gone.
    “Aw, what’s the matter, Gemma?”
    It was Ryan with a group of boys.
    “Who was it?” I asked. “Who took it?”
    He smirked. “Took what?”
    I grabbed him. “Who took it?”
    “Get off!” he shouted. “When I tell Sian, you’re dead.”
    “Who was it?”
    He kicked me, and before I knew it, the other boys joined in. I was no match for them. One was pulling my jumper, and another was karate-chopping my arm to make me let go, and all the while I shook Ryan until he became a blur.
    “Hey!”
    Someone was pulling them off me.
    I turned to see this boy – tall with olive skin and jet-black hair – gorgeous, he was. I’d never seen him before.
    “Boys attacking a girl,” he said.
    “What’s it to you?” Ryan said.
    “Do your mothers know you do this?”
    “Jog on.”
    The gorgeous boy pulled something from his rucksack. I saw a flash of silver, like a sword. The boys stepped back. He laughed. “Scared of music?” he said, holding a flute.
    “Weirdo,” said Ryan.
    The gorgeous boy started to play and walked towards them. They backed away, as if his playing had magic powers. They shouted nasty things athim, but he just carried on playing. After they’d gone he turned to me. I must have looked a mess – hair hanging over my face and my jumper all out of shape.
    “What was all that about?” he asked.
    “Someone stole my bike and they saw who it was.”
    I felt like crying but it was the last thing I wanted to do in front of him. He seemed so concerned for me.
    “Your gran’s my grandfather’s neighbour, isn’t she?”
    I nodded.
    “We should call the police.”
    It was nice that he said “we”, but I shook my head. “No point. It’s gone now.”
    Just saying that opened the floodgates and I started to cry.
    I turned and ran.
    “Hey!”
    My lovely bike was gone, and I’d cried in front of a gorgeous boy.

F OURTEEN
    I’d never bunked off in my life, but I couldn’t face going back to school. So I went home and had a bath. I lay there feeling sorry for myself. I thought about Mr Banerjee’s grandson. He must have been the flute player I’d heard through the wall at Gran’s. I wondered what his name was. Amazing eyes, he had, and lovely teeth and hair. I felt ashamed, since I was never exactly friendly to his granddad. I decided I’d make more of an effort. Then I remembered my bike and sank under the water, making my groan turn into bubbles.
    After the bath I made four slices of jam on toastand watched TV lying on the settee. It was lovely, though I felt a bit nervous knowing I should be in school. I fell asleep and woke when I heard the key in the lock. Mam walked in.
    “What you doing here?”
    “Felt sick, Mam. Went in this morning. Wasn’t feeling well so I went to Gran’s at lunchtime. Then someone nicked my bike.”
    “Oh, Gemma. D’you lock it?”
    “No, Mam. It was in Gran’s backyard.”
    “Well, what d’you expect on the Mawr estate? Might as well put a note on it saying ‘free bike’. And don’t ask me for a new one cos it isn’t going to happen, not unless we win the lottery.”
    I was stupid not to lock my bike and stupid to expect any sympathy. Then Darren came in and said, “Sian’s after you – said you beat up her brother. You’re dead.”
    “What’s this?” asked Mam.
    “I didn’t beat up anyone. They set on me – four of them. They saw who took my bike, Mam. They saw!”
    “And you expect them to tell you who it was, just like that, do you? It’s the Bryn Mawr. You’re not going to change it.”
    “So I do nothing, do I?”
    “Look, I know you liked that bike, Gemma, but you’ll just have to notch it up to experience.”
    “No, Mam,