Tilly, Lyndsey (pregnant), Hilary.
Lyndsey Hello, Mrs Winters.
Hilary Hello, Lyndsey. Call me Hilary. I’m a Ms actually, anyway.
Tilly Ms. Like the sound you make before you vom.
Hilary Well, that’s who I am.
Goodness, look at you, Lyndsey. When did that happen?
Tilly You want to know when it happened?
Lyndsey Lloyd Park, 10.30 p.m., September 2nd 2008.
I remember everything because.
Hilary What?
Tilly Nothing. Is it your business?
Pause.
Hilary Your boyfriend. Is he still – involved?
Lyndsey No.
Hilary That’s a shame.
Lyndsey He would be, but he’s dead.
Hilary Dead?
Tilly Mum, I don’t really think she wants to talk about it.
Lyndsey It’s all right. I’ve come to terms with it.
Tilly It’s cool of Lyndsey to keep this baby because Keiron got stabbed.
Hilary Oh God.
Lyndsey His mum’s pleased. It’s something to look forward to.
Hilary Well, I’m really sorry, Lyndsey, what a lot to go through. That’s awful.
Pause.
What about your GCSEs?
Lyndsey I’m taking them this year. Then a year out then I’m going back to college.
Hilary Good. As long as it’s your decision. The baby.
Tilly Who else’s decision is it going to be?
Hilary I always remember you, Lyndsey, from the school plays.
The Lion King. You stood out. A hyena.
Tilly It’s Lyndsey’s decision.
Hilary I’m just saying there might have been pressure on Lyndsey, that’s all, to keep it. It’s not inconceivable.
Tilly Keiron got another girl pregnant as well. And she’s having hers – so it was Lyndsey’s choice.
Hilary Keiron fitted a lot in.
Tilly He died, Mum, it’s not funny. At the bus station, Walthamstow.
Hilary Yes, I remember seeing all the flowers.
Lyndsey Me, his mum and his sister went down there every day. We used to hurry down there like we were late to meet someone. Stupid. In the end the council took them all away. The bouquets. When they went brown.
Hilary Perhaps you and this other girl expecting his baby, could be friends, support each other?
Tilly God no, she’s got a monobrow.
Hilary What’s that got to do with it? What she looks like? What A-levels do you want to do, Lyndsey?
Lyndsey A BTEC in Beauty Therapy.
Pause.
Hilary Well, people always want to be beautiful.
Lyndsey I’ll be able to fit work in round having a kid.
Tilly Let’s go.
Hilary Where are you two off to?
Tilly The Oak.
Hilary What is the attraction of that place?
Tilly Cheap booze.
Lyndsey It’s my birthday.
Tilly Sweet sixteen.
There’s loads of us going. And some guys from Forest School. I’ll be really late.
Hilary I’ll pick you up.
Tilly We’re getting the night bus.
Hilary You’ve got GCSEs in a month. Don’t forget.
Tilly A month. Yeah. I can’t stay in every night like you.
Hilary Watch your drinks. Don’t let anyone put anything in your drinks. You can have two drinks.
Tilly Down there they’re too mean to waste drugs on other people.
Hilary It’s not going to be people you know. Ruby, the woman that walks Pete’s dogs, it happened to her – she woke up in a hotel room – had no idea how she got there – Rohypnol.
Tilly All right!
Hilary Well, it happens.
Lyndsey No one would bother to drug me, I’m too fat.
Hilary You’re pregnant, / not fat.
Tilly Let’s go.
Lyndsey Couldn’t lift me.
Hilary Have a wonderful birthday, Lyndsey.
Tilly Laters.
Hilary Good luck.
Lyndsey Thank you.
Hilary Tilly!
She returns.
Have you got any money?
Tilly I won’t be buying the drinks.
Hilary Who’ll be buying them?
Tilly shrugs.
(Giving her some money.) Take this – buy your own. And buy one for Lyndsey. A soft drink. Give me a hug.
Tilly I can’t.
Hilary Why didn’t you tell me about the baby?
Tilly I did.
Hilary Was she using contraception?
Tilly God. Please. I don’t want to hear you say that word.
Hilary Be careful. Have fun.
Tilly Bye.
Hilary Do you think she really wanted to?
Tilly What?
Hilary With that boy, Keiron?
Tilly Don’t be gay.
Hilary I’m fine with you going out but it has to be balanced by work because you need, you need –
She has gone.
Exams.