School on Monday is horrible; I can’t get Bailey’s story out of my head. In English class I keep trying to catch his eye, but I think he’s purposefully avoiding my gaze. Still, I’m glad he’s in school. He didn’t run away — at least that’s something.

At the end of break, I’m walking toward my locker with Mills and Seth when Mills suddenly grabs my arm. “What’s Bailey up to?”

I look up to see Bailey smashing what looks suspiciously like my hockey stick against the door of my locker. He takes another swing.

“Bailey!” Mills yells. “What are you doing?”

He turns around and their eyes meet.

Mills gulps. I know she still has strong feelings for Bailey, even though she tries to hide it.

“I hate this place,” he says. “It’s the pits.” His eyes bore into mine; his are dark and swirling with anger and despair. “And I hate you.”

“Look, Bailey—” Seth says.

But Bailey cuts him off. “You don’t know what it’s like, being trapped here.” And he brings the hockey stick down again. WHACK! I stare at the shaft. Yep, it’s mine, all right: a silver Voodoo stick with “AG” written in black marker just above the head. (I’d left it on top of the lockers this morning, never for a minute thinking it would become a weapon of mass destruction!)

“That’s my stick, Bailey,” I say. “You’re going to ruin it and my locker.”

Bailey gives a hollow laugh. “That’s the general idea.” He hits the metal door again.

“Look, I’m so sorry about Saturday,” I say quickly. “I’d never do anything to deliberately hurt you. You’ve got to—” But I’m interrupted mid-sentence.

“Bailey Otis, what on earth are you doing?” Loopy is staring at him, looking distressed. “That locker is school property. There’s no excuse for vandalism. I’ve a good mind to send you to Mr. Montgomery.”

Bailey drops his head and gazes at the floor.

“It’s my fault, miss,” I say quickly.

She looks at me. “Really, Amy? And why’s that?”

“I . . . er . . . asked Bailey to try to open the locker for me. I’ve lost the key.”

Loopy looks back at Bailey. “Is that right, Bailey?”

“Yeah,” he says to the floor tiles.

“And Mills? What’s your role in all this?” Loopy asks.

Mills gives a little gasp. She never gets in trouble in school. “Innocent bystander, miss,” she says. “Honest. Seth too.”

Loopy sighs. “It’s a pretty stupid thing to do, Bailey. And, Amy, for heaven’s sake, why didn’t you just call Mr. Joey? He’s quite used to sawing off locks.” (Mr. Joey is the school janitor.)

I shrug. “Didn’t think of that, miss.”

“Clearly. I don’t know what to do with the pair of you. I have to give you some sort of punishment, I suppose . . .” She trails off, chewing on her lip. Discipline isn’t Loopy’s strong point.

“Detention, miss?” I say glumly.

She shakes herself. “Gosh, no, no. Complete waste of everyone’s time and energy.” She looks carefully at Bailey. His head is still low and his face pale. “I’ll let you off this time. I’ll send Mr. Joey up to deal with your lock, Amy, and the rather alarming dents in that door. Luckily for you, he’s an expert panel beater. But no more shenanigans, Mr. Otis, understand? Are you trying to get yourself expelled?”

“Maybe,” he murmurs. He drops the stick on the floor with a clatter, then turns on his heels and walks away.

Loopy’s eyes follow him down the corridor. She mutters something under her breath that sounds suspiciously like “That poor boy.” To me, she says, “You all right, Amy? Your eyes look rather red.”

“She has conjunctivitis, miss,” Mills says, covering for me.

Loopy gives a doubtful “hmm,” then says, “Right, run along to class now, all of you.”

As soon as Loopy has gone, Mills and Seth both look at me. My eyes are still teary. I was only trying to help Bailey, but instead I’ve made things a hundred times worse. Again.

“What’s going on, Amy?” Mills asks gently. “What happened on Saturday? Why did Bailey freak out like that?”

It’s time to tell Mills and Seth the truth.

“We need to talk.” I usher them behind the lockers, away from prying eyes. We all sit down and lean our backs against the wall.

“It’s complicated,” I begin. “You know Mum’s been working on Finn Hunter’s memoir? I read her notes and, well, to cut a long story short: Bailey is Finn’s son. Finn ran off to London when Bailey’s mum was pregnant. It gets worse, though. When he was only three, Bailey’s mum ran off too.” I stop and look from Mills to Seth and then back at Mills. They’re staring at me in complete and utter shock. I had been planning to tell them the whole story — about Bailey being Baby X and everything. But now the moment is here, I can’t do it. To Mills, to Seth, or to Bailey.

I know hearing about it would devastate Mills; she has such a sheltered view of the world, and I don’t want to be the one to shatter her illusions. And with Polly in and out of the hospital, Seth has enough to worry about. Clover and Mum are different — they’re strong, like me, and they’re not as close to Bailey. Besides, would Bailey really want so many people knowing about his past? It must be painful enough as it is.

No, for the moment, Bailey’s past is a secret I’ll have to carry without Mills’s and Seth’s help.

“Poor Bailey. What happened to him then, Amy?” Mills looks completely stricken. I was right not to tell her all the details.

“He had to go and live with his grandpa. Mac. The guy you thought was his dad, Seth.” I tell them about Bailey’s unanswered letters to Finn.

“Oh, Amy,” Mills whispers. She’s so overcome, she can’t say anything else. Tears start running down her cheeks, and she wipes them away with her fingers.

“I know.” I pat her shoulder.

“Christ,” Seth says. “Imagine your own father rejecting you not once but twice. And your mum too.”

“There’s more . . .” I say, even though there’s a lump the size of an orange in my throat — and I tell them everything that happened on Killiney Beach. “It was a disaster,” I finish. “I’ve made such a mess of things.”

Seth and Mills exchange a loaded look. Seth gives her a tiny frown and puts his arm around my shoulder.

“You were only trying to help, Amy,” he says kindly. “Don’t blame yourself. Hey, it might have worked.”

“But what now?” Mills says. “Bailey must hurt so much, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“I know,” I say. “And that’s the worst thing of all. None of us can help him. He’s pushed everyone who cares about him away, even Mac. I don’t know what’s going to happen to him.”

“Oh, Amy, it’s horrible.” Mills swipes at her flooded eyes with the edge of her sleeve. “I’m sorry — it’s just so sad.”

“Come here,” Seth says, putting one arm around me and the other around Mills. “We all need to stick together today.”