Read Taking Flight for Free Online Page A

grabbed Niamh’s arm before The Hood would have the chance to get out and be seen. ‘Hey,’ I said. ‘That your new phone? Oh, you got the pink one. Cool.’
    Niamh shot me this weird look. ‘Duh. You saw my phone already. I got it last week.’
    â€˜Yeah, but I never looked at it properly.’
    â€˜Who’s that getting into your car?’ asked Little Miss Observant Fliss.
    I sighed. ‘Long story. You don’t want to know.’
    â€˜He’s a bit of all right, though, Vic,’ said Fliss. ‘Your mum got a secret toyboy or something?’
    â€˜Oh, you’re so funny.’
    Mum pulled away just then, but it was too late.
    â€˜He’s just someone my mum’s giving a lift to,’ I said.
    â€˜So why’ve you gone all red?’ pestered Niamh. ‘Hey, I wish my mum gave lifts to good-looking boys.’
    â€˜Yeah, I like that dark, dangerous-looking type, don’t you?’ said Fliss.
    â€˜Thought you liked Niall? He’s blond.’ This was a bit mean because Niall was Niamh’s twin and she wasn’t meant to know Fliss had a crush on him.
    â€˜Hey, talking of boys, hope you’ve invited plenty of fit ones to your party,’ I said. Niamh and Niall’s joint birthday parties were legendary and her sixteenth was next week. The phone was an early birthday present.
    â€˜Yeah, is Rory coming?’ Fliss asked, nudging me, getting her own back.
    â€˜Rory Marshall? From my street?’ I tried to sound casual but it was my turn to blush.
    â€˜Yeah, he’s on the rugby team with Niall. He asked Niall if he knew you.’
    Wow! As far as I knew, no boy had ever been aware of my existence before. I’d had a crush on Patrick Scott at Pony Club Camp the summer before last but every time I saw him I used to get my reins tangled up and lose my stirrups.
    â€˜Hey, Vicky, you’re going to walk into the gate. Too busy thinking about Rory? Tell your mum to come too and bring her toyboy,’ said Niamh and they both giggled.
    The party wasn’t till next Friday, twenty-third of November. Today was only the fourteenth. There was no way he would still be with us.

Chapter 7
    DECLAN
    All day my guts shiver at the thought of seeing Mum. I want to. Don’t want to. Don’t know what I want. Except for Mum to be better and not drinking. And for Barry never to come near us again. And for me not to have made all this happen. What’s done cannot be undone .
    Seaneen Brogan hangs round me again. ‘Is your ma getting home soon?’
    â€˜I dunno. Piss off. You’re a nosy cow.’
    Seaneen laughs. She has wee spiky teeth. ‘I know,’ she says. I think you would have to try pretty hard to offend her – not like Princess Vicky. Seaneen doesn’t piss off either. She sneaks out at lunchtime to the chippie – not Fat Frankie’s but the one at the school gates.
    â€˜You coming?’
    â€˜Nah.’
    â€˜God, you’re no fun these days, Declan Kelly,’ she says but she brings me back some chips and a cigarette. I haven’t had a fag for ages. Smoking that cigarette is about the only time I forget about going to see Mum, but whenI get out of school there’s Colette in her shiny blue Golf, sitting outside. I can see people giving me funny looks. A few people in our school get picked up in fancy cars – Emmet McCann for one – but not me.
    â€˜Good day?’ she asks when I get in.
    I shrug. Half the time I don’t know what to say to her so I end up saying nothing.
    She doesn’t give up, though. ‘Homework?’ she says, starting the engine.
    â€˜Nah. Don’t really get homework.’
    â€˜Lucky you. Vicky gets about two hours a night.’
    â€˜There’s no point giving us homework. Nobody would do it.’
    This is the longest conversation we’ve ever had. Too soon, though, she’s parking the car in the big hospital car