Chapter 2

I hung up, bounced off my bed and ran down the stairs two at a time, landing with a jump that shook the mirror in the hall. Agnes’ idea had come at exactly the right time. I needed to escape. The last couple of days had been hell. I’d faked it yesterday to dodge school and I wished I’d done the same today.

‘Quietly!’ bellowed Dad from his study. I ignored him and ran into the kitchen.

‘Well, you looked pleased with yourself,’ said Mum, busy peeling potatoes while scrolling a document on the screen propped up on the worktop. ‘Which I have to say is a nice change. I was getting a bit worried about you.’

‘It’s because I’ve had the most amazing idea.’ I needed to play this carefully. Mum wasn’t massively obsessing about my exams, but if she even got a whiff that this was a holiday, then I could kiss it goodbye. ‘It’s a study break. Recommended as the best way to prepare for exams.’

I saw Mum’s face twitch with interest. Good job, Hattie. But don’t blow it now – carefully does it.

Ethan was playing on his Xbox in the corner of the kitchen, headphones on. When I’d come in, he’d flicked them back, so one ear was out. That kid really needed to mind his own.

‘Studies show that going away from home a few weeks before exams can help to recharge pupils, and boost immunity.’ I was in serious blagging territory now. ‘Of course, I would still be doing plenty of studying, obviously. But a change of scene can aid revision, helping key facts to stick. It’s new research – location association.’

‘Don’t fall for it, Mum,’ said Ethan, his eyes not moving from the screen. Even his tone was irritating. All sing-song and goodie-goodie. I needed to rise above it. I needed to be mature enough to ignore my blister of a brother.

Mum looked worried. ‘We can’t go anywhere at Easter. Dad’s got his big project happening. Though, I agree, that does sound like a good idea.’

‘Well,’ I said, limbering up. ‘I could go to Auntie Sadie’s and stay with her.’

‘What? You can’t do that. It’s not fair.’ Ethan was the one irritated now.

Mum frowned a little. ‘On your own?’

‘Of course not. My friend would come with me.’

‘She doesn’t have any friends,’ crowed Ethan. ‘Not after that party,’ he mouthed at me. Mum’s focus was still on the potatoes. I flicked a couple of fingers his way, trying to style it out. How the hell did he know about that? Or perhaps he didn’t actually know, had just heard a rumour and presumed. I cringed at the thought of all of the rumours that absolutely must be going around. James shouting on the bus had proved that.

Mum’s face was flashing through a rainbow of emotions. She finally picked one. ‘A friend?’ The selected emotion was undeniably ‘hopeful’.

‘Yes.’

‘Not one of the unholy trinity?’ Mum had no time for Scarlett, Chelsea and Zara. And that was without her knowing the latest.

‘No.’

Her eyes narrowed. ‘Not a boyfriend?’

‘Mum!’ I had to shout over Ethan’s laughing. ‘No, her name’s Agnes, and we want to go somewhere quiet where we can do lots of studying, but also have a break before the exams.’

‘You’ve not mentioned Agnes before.’

‘Haven’t I?’

‘No.’

‘She’s on my bus. I sit by her every day. So … can I call Auntie Sadie and ask?’

Mum finished peeling a potato, rinsed it and added it to the pan. I let her think. I’d learned it wasn’t any good rushing Mum. If you pushed, she would close it down. My finger picked away at a bit of loose skin on my thumb. Ethan and I waited, hoping for exactly opposite outcomes.

‘OK,’ she said. ‘Ask Auntie Sadie, but if she says no, or she’s fully booked, then that’s that. No trying to go somewhere else. You’re really too young to be going off by yourself.’

‘Noooooooo!’ howled Ethan. ‘Mum, that’s not fair.’

‘Yes, Mum. Of course. I’ll ring her now.’

I grinned at Ethan before skipping off upstairs, my socked feet skidding on the polished floor. I crashed into the hall table and bumped hard against the wall.

‘Quietly!’ shouted Dad, from behind the closed door. ‘And stop that hullabaloo, Ethan. Life’s never fair.’

I took the stairs two at a time. Our stairs are a satisfying depth.

Auntie Sadie answered after three rings.

‘Hello, Bayview Bed and Breakfast.’

‘Hi, Auntie Sadie. It’s Hattie.’

‘Hattie, darling! How are you? It’s been ages since I’ve seen you.’

‘I’m all right, thanks. I’ve rung to ask a favour.’

‘Anything for my favourite niece.’

I giggled. I am her only niece.

‘Could me and my friend come and stay next week? For a study break? I know it’s really short notice.’

‘That would be wonderful. I’ve just had a couple of cancellations, so I’ll block out a room for you. What fantastic news!’

‘Thanks. I knew I could count on you.’

I could hear Auntie Sadie’s grin when she answered. ‘You can always rely on me. Let me know when you’re arriving at the station and I’ll come and fetch you.’

When I came off the phone, I texted Agnes: It’s ON! Auntie Sadie has got us booked in. A week by the sea, here we come!

I smiled to myself, enjoying the tingle of hope that was spreading through me. I hadn’t felt that since before Saturday night. And Ethan was right. Not since that party. Not since that kiss. I shuddered at the memory. It would be good to be away. Away from annoying brothers, away from my silent friends, and away from Manchester. Perhaps, when I got back, everything would have sorted itself out. It would be old news by then. And while I was away, I would make sure they’d all see what an amazing time I was having without them. Weston would shine on Instagram.

Agnes was replying.

I’ve drawn up a list of jobs that need to be done before we go. Perhaps you would like to do roughly 50% of them. I’ll email the list. It’s only eighty-four hours until we leave and there’s lots to do.

I read the text twice through. Then an email pinged into my inbox. To do list. I scanned down it. There seemed to be a lot of unnecessary ones like ‘ensure that we both have a new set of highlighters for revision notes’.

I texted back: I’ll get snacks. You sort how we get there.

That should do it.

This was just what I needed. A complete break. It all felt such a mess. The three people I thought I could trust above everyone else had turned on me. Since Saturday, they’d not said anything nasty. They’d just not said anything. They were ghosting me. But they’d clearly said stuff to other people. Other people who I wished would ghost me rather than say what they’d said.

I knew it wouldn’t help, couldn’t help, but my fingers took me there anyway, finding their Instagram, making me look at their perfectly poised pictures. If that party hadn’t happened, I’d be part of that group now, not here at home, trying hard not to cry.

If you wished hard enough, could you undo the past? I had really tested that out. What I wouldn’t give to go back and redo that evening. I wouldn’t have even stopped to chat to Bailey, let alone gone outside with him or sat next to him. Had I led him on? I hadn’t thought so, but maybe I had. Maybe talking to a boy gives him the wrong idea. Maybe having a laugh with him was the wrong thing to do. Maybe just being there had been wrong.