Rain In My Heart (10 page)

Chapter Seventeen

We sat close to the candles.  Leon checked his phone for news updates.

          
 ‘
Further chaos for residents of the flooded Slode River area,'
he read.  '
Water damage has caused underground electrical fires, resulting in widespread power loss.  Fire fighters are working to control the blaze, but officials have warned that restoration of service could be days away, leaving thousands without electricity and heating
.
’

          
 
'I suppose there's a bright side,' said Greg, examining the burns on his fingers. 'At least there'll be no more electrocutions.'

            
 ‘
Hey, there's more
,’
said Leon.
 ‘
W
e’
ve made the news.  Check this out: 
In another twist, it emerges that six students are trapped in Hurst College.  Karen Archer, mother of one of the affected, says they are desperately worried:
 ‘
My daughter Kate is bright, kind and wonderful.  Sh
e’
s got everything going for her.  We just want her and her friends to come home safely
.
’’

             
Hearing my mu
m’
s name, I felt overwhelmed by emotion.  I knew that she and my family were safe, but it was
n’
t the same as touching, seeing and hearing them.  Leon took my hand and squeezed it.

           'We'll be okay,' he said. 'And it's nice to know everyone's thinking about us, is
n’
t it?'

           Then I felt Byron lean on my other side.  He whispered over my shoulder, to me, but in some ways, I think, to himself:

              'How lucky,' he said.  'To have a mum who describes you a
s‘
bright, kind and wonderfu
l’.
’

         
 
The view from the window was eerie.  It was as if Hurst, with its twinkling lights and busy roads, had simply been erased, wiped off the grid, a black nothing. As we sat in our huddle, listening to the rain, Gemma and Greg started stroking each other's faces.  I tried not to let it bother me, but it was hard.  I was desperate for affection, for some kind of closeness.  Occasionally, Leo
n’
s leg brushed against mine.  Each time his knee approached, my stomach flipped. In those moments, it did
n’
t matter that everything else was a mess.

              The wind grew stronger.  It ripped through the trees and blew the rain in different directions.  Occasionally, the windows clattered under the strain, like they were ready to shatter.  When this happened we all huddled a little closer.  If an entire concrete bridge had washed away, who knew what could happen to the flimsy, ageing structure that was Vis A - never mind architecture awards.

            
 ‘I’
d kill for a packet of crisps
!’
said Curtis.
 ‘
Or even just a can of pop, or my Na
n’
s roast potatoes - '

We'd given up on the idea of breaking through to the link corridor.  The power cut had been such a shock, and in all honesty, it was enough of an effort just to sit up and keep talking.  We were drained, weak from thirst and hunger, tired from the stress.

            
 ‘
Or what about curry
?’
Curtis continued
.‘
Oh, man,
curry!
  How good would that be
?
’

            
 ‘
Give it rest, will you
?’
said Greg.

              Curtis flipped him a finger.

            
 ‘
Do that again and I'll flip
you
,’
said Gemma. 

              In an instant, the tension flared again, more silly bickering that was
n’
t going to help anyone.  Curtis versus Greg.  Gemma versus Curtis.  Byron versus, well, everyone.  I couldn't bear the sound of the arguing, so in protest, I stood up and moved away.  I went and sat alone by the radiator, which was now stone cold.       

'Do they annoy you as much as they annoy me?' said a voice from the darkness. 

Byron again.

‘
Spend concentrated time in other peopl
e’
s company, Kate, and I guarantee yo
u’
ll discover the
y’
re not what they seem.  Half an hour with Curtis and yo
u’
d think h
e’
s a born entertainer with a wild streak.  Five hours in a flooded art room and yo
u’
d rather be sniffing arsenic with Bin Laden
.
’

I gasped.

‘
You ca
n’
t say that
!
’

‘
Already did.  Curtis La Mont isn't the light-hearted joker people think he is.  I assure you, Kate, he has a sinister side.'

‘
What
is
it with you?  Why are you always so, so...
blunt
?
’

‘
Am I
?
’

‘
Yes.  Like, you say thing
s…
you just come out with whateve
r’
s in your hea
d…
regardless of whether i
t’
s socially acceptable
-
’

‘
Socially acceptable
is
n’
t really my thing
.
’

‘
No kidding
.
’

‘
Sorry
.
’

‘
You do
n’
t have to apologise.  Just - just watch what you say in future
.
’

‘
Or not.  The thing is, Kate, I don't really care what they think.  I don't need their acceptance.  They're nothing to me. They can live out their little lives, but I know the truth.  I know what
really
goes on.'

'Like what?'

'Like, your hero, Leon.   Did you know he's scared witless of his older brother?  That his whole life revolves around trying to live up his brother's knuckle-head expectations?  I saw them fighting in a car park the other day.   Well, it wasn't exactly fighting, more like Leon getting pummelled.  The point is, any sane person would despise someone who beats them up on a daily basis, but the way Leon talks about his brother, you'd think h
e’
s some kind of superhero - '

I listened, blinked, remembered the bruises on Leon's ribs and how he'd tried to cover them up.    

'Even if tha
t’
s true,' I argued, 'it doesn't make Leon a bad person.'

'No, but it illustrates my point.  Leon, like so many other people, is selective with the truth.  He doesn't want the world to know that he's bullied.  It wouldn't sit well on the football pitch, wouldn't fit with his team captain image - '

'But what does it matter to you?  It's not like you and Leon are friends or anything - '

'It creates an imbalance, Kate.  Imbalance bothers me.  You see, while Leon spins his fake life and has people tripping over themselves to be friends with him, I speak the trut
h…
and get ignored.'

Suddenly it clicked.  Byron was jealous.  All his comments, his criticisms, they were fuelled by jealousy.  He was jealous of Leon, of Gemma, of all of us.  He was putting us down, to make himself feel better. 

‘
There's no need to feel threatened by Leon Prentice
,’
I asserted.  'He's a good person.'

Byron glared at me over the rims of his glasses.

‘
I thought yo
u’
d say that.  Maybe your emotions are clouding your judgement?  I mean, yo
u’
re obviously not seeing what I see, that h
e’
s too in love with himself to fall in love with you.' 

I blinked, felt spiked. 

'You know, he's cheated on ever girl he's ever been with?  Then denied it, of course.  I wouldn't trust my heart with Leon Prentice anymore than I'd trust it with a lunatic.  He's a player.  He's deceitful and he can't stop himself.'

‘
Tha
t’s–
tha
t’
s
way
harsh
,’
I said, trying to keep hold of my feelings.

‘
Yo
u’
ll see
.
’

Just then, one of the phones on Miss Nevis's desk started to flash and vibrate.  After a moment's hesitation, Byron grabbed it.

‘
Mine
,’
he said.

I was too stunned and upset to react.  I watched as he clutched the handset to his ear andbacked into the store cupboard.  He pulled the door closed, so that I could
n’
t see or hear him.  For one who went on about truth, it looked a little suspicious.  Curiosity got the better of me.  I lingered and listened.

‘
Hello
?’
I heard him say.

A pause

‘
Tha
t’
s me
,’
he said.

Another pause while the person on the line spoke.   I could
n’
t hear specifics, but it sounded like a man. 

Then Byron again:

‘
Oh, w
e’
re all fine
.
’

A longer pause followed by a rustling sound.

‘
In the cupboard?  Whereabouts
?
’

More rustling.

But before I could hear anymore, Leon waved me over.

Chapter Eighteen

            
 ‘
You okay
?’
said Leon.
 ‘
Was Byron bothering you
?
’

            
 ‘
Uh, no, i
t’
s fine,' I said stiffly.

            
 ‘
Let me know if the cold gets too much, okay?  I do
n’
t feel it, so you can have my hoodie
.
’

            
 ‘
Thanks.'

            
 ‘
Sit down, Kate. Come and chill.  You know,
I’
ve been meaning to ask - do you think you
will
be able to do some artwork for my band?  When we get out of here,I mean
-
’

              I gave a vague nod.  I was still struggling to process Byro
n’
s remarks.

          
 ‘
Sure
.
’

            
 ‘
It's good you've got proper ambitions, with your art and stuff.  I admire that.  Most girls say the
y’
re only interested in getting famous or selling a story and making a ton of money.  Or marryinga player from the Premier League.  I
t’
s
so
lame
.
’

            
 ‘
Maybe the girls
you
know say that
,’
I snapped.
 ‘
But I have plenty of friends who want proper careers
.
’

              Leon paused.

            
 ‘
Hey.  I was only saying
,’
he said.

              I had
n’
t intended to sound so sharp, but my defences were up.  Leon laced his hands behind his head, did that thing where his leg brushed against mine.  

            
 ‘
You obviously think
I’
ve been mixing with the wrong cliques
,’
he said.
 ‘
But we all make mistakes, eh
?
’

I was about to respond, when I felt a breath at my side.  I turned and realised that, once again, Byron had sneaked up beside me. 

‘
Kate, yo
u’
ve got a message
,’
he said, passing me my phone.
 ‘
I heard it

buzz
.
’

‘
Oh, right.  Thanks
.
’

I took the phone, checked the screen.

Who was it?  My mum?  My sister?  A rescue team? 

Marshall.

Oh, God!
 
A message from Marshall Finch was the last thing I needed.

K8. 
Me scrd. Where R U?  Lu
v
U like n0 other grl. Tell me ur safe. XXXXXXXXXXX

The words made me shiver.  It was hard to believe that after everything Marshall had done, he was still trying to kid himself that we had a future together.   I saw Gemma watching me through the candlelight.  She had that look on her face.  She knew.

‘
H
e’
s texted you, has
n’
t he?' she whispered.  'You always pull the same face when you get messages from him.  Promise me you won't reply
.
’

‘
No, I
-
’

‘
You know what h
e’
s like, Kate.  I
t’
s called harassment
.
’

I sighed, shook my head.  She was right.

‘
Okay
,’
I said.  

I deleted the text.

‘
Gone.  Happy
?
’

‘I’
m only looking out for you, you know.  As for your other misplaced crush
-
’

I guessed she was referring to Leon.

‘I’
d stay well away if I were you
,’
she continued.
 ‘
Unless you want another psycho boyfriend on your hands
-
’

Psycho?  I realised she didn't mean Leon at all.  She meant Byron.

‘
H
e’
s
not my crush
,’
I said quickly.

Gemma raised an eyebrow.

            
 ‘
I was only talking to him
,’
I argued.
 ‘
We were
n’
t...I do
n’
t..
.
’