Page 126 of Our Secrets and Lies

43

The tension in the kitchen was almost unbearable. Jenny had walked Dylan around so he could get ready for the meeting. Kelly was in her uniform and at the table, pushing eggs around her plate and eating nothing. Billy was sitting at the table, too, with a full cup of coffee in front of him that he hadn’t touched. He was upset and kept looking at Lucy, who was standing in the corner of thekitchen, sipping a strong coffee. She kept glancing at Dylan, who refused to meet her eye. Kelly couldn’t recognize her own family. Things had never been like this before. It felt scary.

‘Come on now. No one’s dead. This will all sort itself out,’ Billy said, in a fake-cheery voice.

Kelly peeped at her mum from under her hair. Lucy looked terrible. She clearly hadn’t slept a wink. Her eyes werered from crying and she stood as if her body was too heavy for her, like she was going to topple over at any minute. She knew they were all dead nervous about the meeting and what would happen. But Mr Gough was a good person, a sensible person. He’d make this okay – he had to. He would know that Dylan could never do anything to hurt anyone, and surely Taylor’s dad would see that Dylan was a goodperson. But Kelly had heard her mum telling Billy that Mr Lyons was thinking of taking legal action. She’d nearly been sick when she’d heard that. He wouldn’t, though, would he?

No. Mr Gough wouldn’t let that happen because it would look bad for St Jude’s. It would be awful if the school ended up in a scandal splashed across the newspapers. There wasno way Mr Gough would stand for it. He’d talkMr Lyons round. It would be okay, Kelly told herself for the millionth time. It would all be okay.

‘Dylan,’ Billy said, ‘they’re going to ask you what happened, son, so you need to have your answer ready.’

Dylan looked at Lucy. ‘My mother sent out a private photo of my girlfriend to split us up,’ he said.

Billy looked at Jenny. ‘That might not be the best way to put it.’

‘He’s right,’ Jennysaid. ‘You say that, Taylor’s dad can initiate proceedings against your mum. Do you want that?’

Dylan’s lip curled. ‘I really don’t care what happens to her.’

Lucy flinched. ‘Please don’t say that,’ she said quietly.

‘Listen, Dylan,’ Billy tried, ‘you’re angry as hell right now, but you won’t always feel that way. If you say something today that lands your mother in court, there will come aday when you regret it, trust me.’

Dylan scowled and said nothing.

‘It might be easier to say you were drunk when it happened,’ Jenny said. ‘That it was never your intention. I think that’s plausible, and it means you aren’t really to blame.’

‘Will you say it?’ Billy asked. ‘Will you, son?’

Dylan left the room without speaking.

Kelly went ahead and got the bus to school because she had tobe there for ten past nine and the meeting wasn’t until ten. She dreaded the day ahead. The messages on her phone just kept flooding in, telling her that she and Dylan weren’t fit to be in St Jude’s. It took every ounce of strength she had just to walk through the gates and into the building.

She kept her head down as she made her way to her locker, not making eye contact with anyone. Her firstclass was maths, which was a good distraction because they wereworking on calculus, which was difficult. After class she went straight back to her locker, head down, moving quickly. As she rummaged for her English books, there was a loud bang and she jumped.

‘Enjoy your last day.’ Melissa was in her face, looking at her with such hatred that Kelly was frightened.

She tried to push past her,but Chloë and Alicia pinned her back. ‘Get off me, you freaks,’ she hissed.

Melissa put her face right up to Kelly’s – she could smell the girl’s breath. ‘My stepdad was on to his lawyer last night and your brother is going to be taken to court for emotional abuse, breach of the Data Protection Act and loads of other things. He won’t just be expelled, he’ll probably go to prison too. Dad’s lawyersaid he had a very strong case and that judges are coming down really hard on kids sending out private naked photos now. Dylan is screwed. And it serves him right because he is an out-and-out bastard. I can’t wait to hear the announcement that you two are expelled. I’m going to enjoy it. I can’t wait not to see your ugly face every day. I’m going to –’

Kelly felt the blood rush to her head. Shedrove through the two girls, knocking them sideways, and sprinted away down the corridor. She could hear Melissa shouting something at her, but she just kept running. As she sped past the big clock in Reception it read ten twenty. Please still be there, she prayed.

Kelly didn’t knock, she flung open the door to the headmaster’s office and stumbled, breathless, into the room.

‘Kelly?’ Her mumstared at her in astonishment. Kelly saw that she had been crying.

She looked around the room. Taylor was sitting beside a big man who had his arm protectively around her. Dylan was sitting beside his mum, looking terrified.

‘What is it, Kelly?’ Mr Gough moved towards her.

Kelly tried to get the words out but no sound came. A wail escaped instead.

‘Come and sit down,’ Mr Gough said, leadingher to a chair. Lucy jumped up, went over to her and knelt in front of her.

‘What in the name of God is going on? We are in the middle of an important meeting,’ Mr Lyons shouted. ‘Who is this?’

‘It’s Dylan’s twin sister,’ Taylor said.

---