He shifts from foot to foot. He’d hardly tell a complete stranger if they weren’t. ‘We really gotta go.’ He takes a step, hoping that this time she won’t follow them. She doesn’t.

‘Of course. You don’t want to get detention and be late home. Kieron will be waiting. Nice to meet you guys.’ She flashes a bright smile as she walks away.

Connor is confused and unnerved as he watches her leave. Has he mentioned Kieron? He can’t remember. He can’t recall giving her his name either but then again, at the graveyard, his emotions were high, they always were. He could have told her. He sees her reach the corner. Instead of turning right towards the cashpoint she heads left, circling back the way they had come. Before she vanishes, she pulls something out of her pocket. A bunch of keys?

‘Shit. I’ve forgotten to do that thing for Maths,’ Ryan says. ‘All this stuff with Mum and Dad has really…’ He falters, he’d told Tyler the basics now but hadn’t really said much else in front of him. ‘Well, it’s really fucking shit. Do you think I’ll get an extension?’

‘Nope. Marshall would love an excuse to kick any of us out.’

‘I could get it done over lunch.’

‘Nah.’ Tyler shakes his head. ‘I’m buying us all chips again.’

‘Get you, money bags.’

‘Yeah, king of the fucking world, that’s me. Told you there’s plenty more where it came from.’

‘Where did it come from?’

‘Couldn’t possibly tell you. I’d have to kill you. I’ve done my maths, Ryan, I’ll help you do yours now, it didn’t take long.’

Ryan crouches and pulls out his book and pen. Tyler squats beside him, telling him what to write. Making sure he understands how to arrive at the answers. Tyler is often judged on his appearance, his behaviour, but he’s the brainiest out of the three of them. He’ll make a great teacher one day.

When Ryan’s finished, he stuffs everything back in his rucksack.

As they turn to head towards the school, a white car crawls past the bottom of the street, slowing to watch them.

Connor doesn’t feel the eyes in his back, as sharp as a knife. He doesn’t hear the click of a camera.

He doesn’t feel the hate.

Chapter Nineteen

Lucy