Page 60 of Our Secrets and Lies

‘In some … in most of them.’

‘Smart and gorgeous, lucky me.’ He grinned.

She twirled her fingers around his.

‘So, do you like the posh school?’

Kelly shook her head. ‘I hate it.’

‘Really? That bad?’

‘Yes. Some of the girls are total bitches and the others all have their own groups of friends.’

‘Sounds rough. Are the bitches giving you a hard time?’

Kelly nodded. ‘There’s this one girl, Melissa, who seems to hate me and she never lets up. She sent a WhatsApp yesterday asking if anyone had a decent pair of shoes to give to Kelly, the scholarship girl, because the onesI wear are so gross. She uploaded a photo of my shoes. Loads of people replied with laughing emojis, and LOLs.’

‘Did you reply? Do you fight back?’

‘I have to be careful. I can’t get into trouble or I’ll risk losing the scholarship and get Dylan into trouble too. I can’t blow it for him. Besides, my mum will have an actual nervous breakdown if I mess up. She’s obsessed with this school.’

‘Why?Did she go there?’

‘No. She just thinks it’s an amazing opportunity and thatwe’re incredibly lucky. She wants us to shine, Dylan in sports and me in study.’

Sean ran his hands through her hair. ‘Sounds like a lot of pressure.’

‘It is, but Mum gave up everything for us. She got pregnant and had to drop out of college, so I can’t let her down.’

Sean frowned. ‘You have to live your life, nothers. I mean, the fact that she blew her chances isn’t your fault.’

Kelly lay back in his arms – she felt so safe with him. ‘I know, but she wants the best for me. She wants me to have a great career and life.’

‘I dunno … If you want it, fine, but don’t do it for her. We can’t live our parents’ lives, we have to live our own. You know my brother Gavin ended up in prison for six months for sellingcocaine? He really messed up and my parents were devastated, but they got over it. He’s still their son and he’s good now. He’s working in a café and he’s got mad into health and fitness. People make mistakes, but it doesn’t mean your life is over. Your mum’s life worked out okay, so she shouldn’t put so much pressure on you.’

Kelly didn’t want to talk about St Jude’s, her mother or Gavin. Shewanted more kissing. Sean was right, but he didn’t understand. Lucy had been abandoned at twenty-one with twins and then her own mum had got cancer and died. Her whole life had been turned upside-down and she’d never got to do what she wanted. It was Kelly and Dylan’s job to make her proud. They’d always known that. Lucy adored them, they were her life, and it was their duty to be the best theycould be.

Kelly turned to face him. ‘I’ve only got ten minutes. No more talking.’ She smiled and leant in to kiss him.

Shannon was hopping from one foot to the other trying to keep warm. Kelly jumped off the bus and threw her arms around her.

‘I take it the date went well, then?’

‘It was amazing, he’s amazing. Everything is –’

‘Amazing?’ Shannon laughed.

‘Yes!’ Kelly twirled around. ‘God,Shannon, he’s so sexy and gorgeous, really nice too.’

‘Did you sit at the back of the cinema?’

Kelly grinned. ‘Yes, we did, and we kissed the whole way through.’

‘Anything else?’

Kelly blushed. ‘He may have had his hand up my jumper and I may have had my hands all over his gorgeous chest, but nothing more. We were in public.’

Shannon laughed. ‘It sounds brilliant. So are you seeing him againsoon?’

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