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the area. This meant Beth wasn’t exactly the coolest girl in school. Tramline braces, glasses and hair that wouldn’t be tamed out of a frizz by even the hottest straighteners didn’t help her case either – Lindsay used to be really catty about that – but we’d been friends since our first day at school and I liked Beth no matter what anyone said. ‘I had this amazing costume – an amber underdress and a blue one over the top with this neat belt made of rope. Mum did my hair in plaits with ribbons wound in them. It looked totally authentic.’
    She was not this excited just about a costume. There was more. ‘And?’
    She giggled. ‘I met this boy . . .’
    ‘Yeah?’
    ‘Mmm, and he’s a really nice guy.’
    Well, good for her. I’d met the biggest jerk on the planet myself.
    ‘His name’s Max and he’s in Year 11. And he’s asked me to go to the society’s harvest dance at the end of the month. I told you about it, remember? The one with the medieval theme.’
    She still had more to spill, I could tell. ‘Yes, I remember. And?’
    Beth went red. ‘Oh . . . he kissed me.’
    ‘No way! You jammy cow. Is he fit?’
    ‘I think he is,’ she said guardedly. That meant no, I decided. That meant Natasha Green and her friends – the bitch queens of our year – wouldn’t think he was. They’d raise perfectly plucked eyebrows at him and laugh when Beth was out of sight.
    ‘What’s he look like?’ After all, she could lie if she wanted. I’d probably never see him.
    ‘About that height.’ She pointed to an averagely tall boy chatting to a girl outside the classroom door. ‘Brown hair. He’s got a lovely personality.’
    Which meant he must be hideous. Not that Beth and I were in any position to be critical because neither of us were likely to trouble the modelling world any time soon.
    ‘Is he local?’
    ‘He lives near Whitmere, but more your side than mine. He goes to Badeley College – boards in the week and comes home at weekends.’
    ‘Badeley?’
    ‘Um, yes. I asked him if he knew Steven Carlisle and he remembers him from before he got excluded. His older brother’s on the rugby team with Steven, but Max says he doesn’t like him much.’
    I sniffed. ‘Max’s brother has good taste.’
    ‘Have you seen him around lately?’
    ‘No, but I think it was him vandalising cars at Dad’s campaign group meeting.’
    ‘What’s he doing now?’
    ‘Still working for his dad. Anyway, I don’t want to talk about that loser. So, you haven’t met Max before?’
    ‘Not exactly. I’ve seen him at other events, but I’ve never had a chance to talk to him. Parents around – just too embarrassing. But it was so mad on Saturday with the battle going on that we ended up spending loads of time together because my lot and his lot were on the other side of the field. We got on really well and when our side was celebrating at the end of the battle, he kissed me.’
    ‘Properly?’
    ‘Not at first. He snuck it in like it was part of the re-enactment. But I didn’t object, so . . .’
    ‘And how was it?’
    She grinned. ‘Awesome!’
    I prodded her. ‘Bitch! I told you you’d get there before me.’
    ‘Jen, maybe you should come to the next one. I know it’s not your thing, but . . .’ She hesitated. ‘It’s something to do. Get out, go somewhere new, you know.’
    ‘Yes, I’d go down a storm.’ I pointed to my cheek. ‘Authentically blown up with a musket ball.’
    Beth flinched. ‘Don’t say that. I didn’t mean that and you know it.’
    ‘Sorry,’ I mouthed at her as our form teacher came in and we scrambled off the desks hastily before she went mental at us for sitting on the furniture.

 
8 – Ryan
    On Monday morning, I lifted the bike off the boat with my ears still ringing from the sound of Mum crashing about in the kitchen. She hadn’t said a word to me since I got up, not even when she slammed a bowl of soya milk porridge under my nose and shoved a tub of salad in my