Page 23 of The New Girl

‘What did you do?’ Ruby handed her sister a cup of tea.

‘I shoved Caroline Keeley up against a wall and told her she was an ugly cow who would die alone.’

Ruby giggled. ‘Seriously?’

Orla took a sip of her tea. ‘Yep.’

‘Why?’

‘Because she is,’ Orla said, ‘and also because she said Conor Levy wouldn’t go out with me because my brother is a retard.’

‘What?!’ Ruby slammed down her cup of tea, spilling some of it on the table. ‘How dare she?’

‘Did you tell Mrs Oliver what Caroline said to you?’ Safa asked. Surely if Orla’s headmistress knew what a horrible thing Caroline had said, she would have understood Orla’s actions.

Orla rolled her eyes. ‘Caroline Keeley’s dad paid for the new tennis court. Mrs Oliver doesn’t care what that cow said about Robbie.’

‘But that’s not fair – she was cruel about your brother,’ Safa said.

Orla snorted, ‘Fair? Since when has life ever been fair? I mean you’re a refugee, for God’s sake – how can you possibly think life is fair?’

Safa frowned. ‘Because if we stop believing it, then we lose hope.’

Orla looked at her. ‘You talk like someone way older. But seriously, you need to let go of the fair thing. It’ll just melt your head. Is it fair that Robbie is the way he is? No. Is it fair that you had to leave your warm country and come and live in the rain in Ireland? No. Is it fair that I’m gorgeous and Ruby isn’t? No.’

‘Thanks a lot,’ Ruby said.

‘I’m only messing.’ Orla grinned. ‘You’re not ugly, you just need a lot of work.’

They heard a roar.

‘Uh oh, someone’s not happy,’ Orla sighed.

‘NO NO NO NO!’ a boy’s voice roared.

‘You better go in, Ruby,’ Orla said. ‘He obviously doesn’t want Suzie’s speech therapy class today.’

‘No way, I have a friend over. You go in.’

‘You’re better with him.’

‘No,’ Ruby hissed.

Safa stood up. ‘I’ll go.’

Orla and Ruby grabbed her and pulled her back. ‘No way,’ they both said.

‘He does not react well to new people,’ Ruby explained.

‘I’d like to meet him.’

‘Why?’ Orla asked.

‘Because he’s your brother,’ Safa said simply.

‘Yeah but ... but Robbie is not like other brothers,’ Ruby explained.

‘I know that, but I’d still like to meet him. Could I come in with you? Would that be OK?’

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