Two-Faced (4 page)

‘Are you coming, or what?’

Snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of his voice, Michelle gazed at him. ‘Sorry?’

Walking backwards now, Liam flapped his hands. ‘I said come on. I haven’t got all night, you know.’

‘It isn’t really necessary,’ Michelle said, already walking towards him.

‘It’s no bother,’ Liam assured her, stuffing his hands into his pockets as she fell into step beside him. ‘I’m going your way anyhow.’

‘How do
you
know which way I’m going?’ Blushing as soon as the words were out of her mouth, because it had sounded flirtatious and she hadn’t intended it to, Michelle tried quickly to correct herself. ‘Well, obviously you know I’m going
this
way, because this is the way I was walking when you bumped into me. I just meant . . .’

Amused when she trailed off, Liam glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He already liked her voice, which was less aggressive than that of most of the girls he’d met since moving to Manchester. And now that he could see her more clearly as they neared the lit main road, he thought she was really pretty, too. Her fair hair contrasted sharply with the darkness of her eyes, and she had a small, cute nose, and lips that curved up ever so slightly at the corners, as if she were smiling a secret little smile. He couldn’t make out much of her shape beneath the bulky cardigan, but her legs looked long and slim in her jeans, so he guessed she probably had a half-decent figure.

Unaware of his appraisal, Michelle walked on in silence. Relieved when they reached the road, she thanked him, and told him she’d be fine on her own from there.

‘Take care, then,’ he said. ‘And don’t let me catch you walking through there on your own in the dark again.’

Michelle pursed her lips when he followed this with a slow, teasing smile. ‘Don’t worry, you won’t,’ she muttered.

Darting across the Parkway now, she felt like a child as he followed her with his eyes. Because that was obviously what he thought she was: a silly little girl who didn’t realise how dangerous a world this was. And it didn’t help that he’d been so good-looking.

Not that that made any difference, because he obviously wasn’t interested in her. Although she had no doubt that it would have been a different story if it had been Mia he’d run into. He’d probably have insisted on walking
her
the rest of the way home.

As she turned the corner Michelle’s heart sank when she spotted Eric heading up the path. Her mum had said that he wouldn’t be back till ten, and she’d prepared herself for a cold couple of hours on the doorstep. But he was here now, so she supposed she might as well go in. It was either that or go and sit in the park until Mia got home – and there was no way she was doing
that
after what had just happened.

Eric was just slotting his key into the lock. Hearing the gate squeak behind him, he snapped his head round, afraid that he was about to get jumped. ‘Jeezus, Shell, you scared the shit out of me,’ he gasped when he saw her. ‘Where’s Mee?’

Irritated by his use of the shortened versions of their names that only their mum ever used, Michelle told him that
Mia
had gone to Laura’s and would be back soon.

When Eric opened the door, she rushed in and ran straight up to her room. Leaving the light off, she slipped her trainers and cardigan off and climbed up onto her bunk, pulling the quilt over herself and propping her chin on her arm to watch for Mia out of the window.

It was gone twelve when Mia and Laura left Stu’s house. As she gave Darren a kiss on the doorstep, Mia gazed up at him coyly. ‘Promise you’ll be there tomorrow?’

Smiling slyly, he slid his hand up under her top. ‘I’ve said I will, so I will.’

‘And you’re definitely going to tell Sandra as soon as she gets home?’

‘Definitely. Now
go
.’

‘Okay, I can take a hint,’ Mia snorted when he stopped groping her tit and gave her a little push. ‘But you’d best not let me down. And don’t forget to set up that meeting for me.’

‘I’ll get right onto it,’ Darren lied, jerking his head at Stu.

When the door closed and the porch light went out, Laura shivered and pressed the button to illuminate the face of her watch.

‘God, I’m in so much trouble. My mum’s going to freak out.’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ Mia flipped back breezily, heading off down the road. ‘Just tell her you were helping me with some homework.’

‘Like she’s going to believe that when she knows we’ve been to the youthy. And what if she smells the booze on my breath?’

‘How’s she going to get close enough to do that? Unless you’re planning on giving her a kiss goodnight – like an ickle-wickle baby?’

‘Don’t be disgusting! I haven’t done that for years.’

‘Chill out, then,’ Mia said, sticking two fingers up as a car drove past and a couple of men leaned out and asked them if they were on a fuck hunt.

‘Don’t!’ Laura hissed. ‘What if they come back?’

‘Let them. Darren would soon sort them out if they tried anything on.’

‘You think so?’

‘I
know
so.’ Smiling secretively, Mia walked on as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

Tottering along beside her on her too-high heels, Laura said, ‘You won’t tell anyone, will you?’

‘What, about you and Stu getting jiggy?’

‘We didn’t go
that
far.’

‘You went far enough, from what I heard,’ Mia snorted. ‘But don’t worry, I won’t say anything. As long as
you
don’t go blabbing about me and Darren, ’cos he doesn’t want anyone finding out until he’s finished with Sandra.’

‘God, no, I wouldn’t say a word,’ Laura agreed. ‘But do you really think he’ll do it?’

‘Yeah, course. He’s with me now, so why wouldn’t he?’

‘No reason,’ Laura murmured, slowing down as they turned onto their road.

Mia really thought that Darren was being honest, but Laura wasn’t so sure. There was something shady about the way he’d changed the subject whenever Mia had mentioned Sandra. And as for the so-called car he claimed was in the garage getting fixed up – Stu had backed him up in the end, but Laura was convinced that he hadn’t known what she was talking about when she’d first asked him about it.

They reached Laura’s house first. Mia said goodnight and walked on to her own house at the other end of the road. Throwing a stone at the bedroom window, she hissed, ‘It’s me’ when Michelle peered groggily out. ‘Hurry up and let me in – it’s bloody freezing out here.’

Almost falling off the bunk, Michelle staggered out onto the landing where the faint flickery glow of the portable TV was leaking out from under her mum’s door. Unsure of the time, or if their mum had already come home, she tiptoed down.

Mia barged in without thanking her and headed straight up to their room. Coming quietly in after her, Michelle asked what time it was.

‘Too late for you to be up,’ Mia said, slipping her skirt off and kicking it into the corner.

‘I
was
asleep.’

‘Ah, diddums,’ Mia drawled, turning her back to hide the lovebite on her breast. ‘God, no wonder you stink,’ she sniped when Michelle climbed back up onto her bunk. ‘Aren’t you even going to get undressed?’

Muttering ‘I don’t stink,’ Michelle covered herself with the quilt and unbuttoned her jeans to slip them off.

‘How come Laura asked why you don’t wear deodorant, then?’

Pulling her jumper off now, Michelle punched the pillow into place and lay down.

‘Oi, stinky,’ Mia whispered, prodding her in the back. ‘Guess who’s the only virgin left in Manchester?’

‘I hope you’re not saying what I think you’re saying?’

‘I hope you’re not saying what I think you’re saying.’

‘Why are you being such a bitch?’ Michelle asked. ‘It wasn’t my fault mum made me go out with you. I even covered for you when Eric asked where you were – even though I didn’t agree with what you were doing.’

‘Have you got any idea how pathetic you sound?’ Mia sneered. ‘Still, I don’t suppose you can help being jealous, ’cos it can’t be easy knowing that everybody loves me and hates you.’

Tears stinging her eyes, Michelle covered her ear with the quilt.

‘Aw, you’re not crying, are you?’ Mia crooned, patting her on the shoulder as if she cared. ‘Truth hurting, is it?’

Getting no response, she climbed into bed. Much as she enjoyed winding Michelle up, she had more important things to think about – things which, if Darren had been telling the truth, could send her life in an amazing new direction.

2

Wide awake, washed, and dressed by nine the next morning, Mia was all set to head off into town. The lads had promised to take them for a burger, and then on to the cinema, before heading back to Stu’s place for another little party – and she couldn’t wait.

Finding her mum flat out on the couch, her snoring mouth hanging slack, the cushion stained dark with dribble, Mia shook her roughly by the shoulder and asked where she’d put her handbag.

‘Pack it in,’ Kim growled, slapping her hand away. ‘You’re making me feel sick.’

‘I need some money,’ Mia told her, wrinkling her nose at the stench of stale alcohol, fags and sweat.

‘What time is it?’ Forcing a gummy eye open, Kim frowned when saw the quilt that was covering her. She didn’t remember going upstairs last night. In fact, she didn’t even remember getting home.

Hopping from foot to foot with impatience, Mia told her that it was nine o’clock.

‘
Nine?
’ Kim repeated, her head beginning to throb. ‘What the hell are
you
doing up at this time? I can’t usually drag you out of your pit till two in the flaming afternoon of a Saturday. It
is
Saturday, isn’t it?’

‘Oh, come on, mum, I’ve got things to do.’

‘Get me some tablets.’ Kim rubbed at her temples. ‘My head’s banging.’

In too much of a rush to argue, Mia darted into the kitchen, grabbed the tablets and poured a cup of water.

‘Would it have killed you to make a brew?’ Kim grumbled when she handed them to her.

‘Money?’ Mia held out her hand. ‘Hurry up, mum, I’ve got to go.’

‘Go where?’ Kim sat up slowly.

‘Out.’

‘Out where?’

‘Oh, for God’s sake! Just
out
, okay? So, can I have some money, or what?’

‘Or what. I told you last night, I’m skint.’

‘Yeah, but that was before you went to the bingo. And you and Pam always win something between you, so you must have a couple of quid at least.’

Kim shook her head and popped the tablets into her mouth, grimacing at the taste.

‘Right, forget it. I’ll just go and sell my body on the corner.’

‘You’d be better off going down the Range, love. You’ll get loads more punters there.’

‘Oh, ha ha, you’re so funny,’ Mia snarled, tugging on her jacket. ‘All I’m asking for is a couple of lousy quid. And I shouldn’t even have to ask, seeing as you get child benefit for me.’

‘Oh, is that right?’

‘Well,
duh
. Child benefit –
child
.’

‘
Mother
of child. Payer of rent, buyer of food.’

‘Yeah, with the money you get off the dole for me.’

Tiring of the cheek, Kim flashed her a warning look.

‘It’s the truth, isn’t it?’ Mia persisted self-righteously.

‘Listen here, lady,
I
’m the adult in this house, and what I say—’

‘
Goes
,’ Mia finished for her in a mimicking tone. ‘Yeah, yeah, heard it all before. Sure you don’t want to remind me how you nearly died giving birth to me while you’re at it?’

‘Shut up,’ Kim groaned, the ache in her head worsening with every lippy comment. ‘You’re getting on my nerves now.’

Muttering a dismissive ‘Whatever,’ Mia folded her arms. ‘Oh, by the way, in case you’re
interested
, I’ve decided to be a model.’

‘You what?’

‘You heard. And there’s no point trying to stop me, because I’m doing it whether you like it or not. Darren’s cousin’s a top model, and he reckons she’s nowhere near as pretty as me. And he’s going to set me up with her agent, and everything.’

‘Who the hell’s Darren when he’s at home?’

‘My boyfriend.’

‘Since when?’

‘Since last night. And I’m meeting him in town in a bit, so I’ll need to tell him when I can get the money.’

‘What money?’ Kim couldn’t keep up with this.

Mia tutted irritably. ‘Money for the photos for the portfolio I’ll need. God, if I knew you were going to be this awkward about it I wouldn’t have bothered telling you. I’d have got the money off Darren instead.’

‘And how old is this Darren?’ Kim demanded, instantly suspicious. ‘’Cos if I find out some old man’s trying to pay you to strip off, I’ll—’

‘Don’t be so stupid.’ Mia cut her off tartly. ‘He’s
sixteen
, if you must know. And you can ask
her
if you don’t believe me.’ She jerked her head up towards the ceiling. ‘Anyhow, are you going to get me the money or not? I’ll need to let Darren know so he can tell his cousin to set up the meeting with her agent.’

‘No,’ Kim muttered, looking around for her cigarettes.

‘Mum, I
need
it,’ Mia moaned. ‘And you’ll get it back, ’cos Darren reckons I’ll make a fortune. And you can’t say I’m not pretty enough, ’cos you know I am.’

‘I never said you weren’t.’

‘Well, there you go then.’

Kim sighed wearily and looked up at her daughter. Mia
was
stunning, there was no denying that. And she had more than her fair share of personality, which, irritating as it could be when she was arguing the toss, was perversely one of the things that Kim was most proud of her for, because she recognised her younger feistier self in her. So, if she was serious about this, was there really any harm in giving it a go?

‘How much is it going to cost for these photos?’ she asked, trying to make it sound casual so that Mia wouldn’t think she already had it in the bag.

Mia knew her too well. Grinning widely, she yelped, ‘Thanks, mum! I
knew
you’d let me do it!’