The gossip going around at school is pretty much what Mum said, except for the part where the boys in lock-up have been bashed. They reckon the property owners and their workers did it, but the cops are ignoring it. Some bullshit about defending their property, even though none of the boys were armed and they were outnumbered two to one against full-grown men. Laney’s right about one thing, this place is fucking racist. Where we differ is Laney responds to it with more hate and I just want to get the hell away, or at least I hope to. There has to be more than this surely? It isn’t like we can do anything about the way things are – all the positions of power are held by the property owners, all white, and all with their memories of the days when they owned us, lock, stock and barrel. To use terms like ‘slave’ you have to be considered human. We’ve never been that to them.

Hmm, did being bitter count as harbouring hatred? Sometimes I feel infected by this place, as if hate itself breeds here.

Sitting through another two-and-a-half-hours of school is torture. I spend the whole time jiggling, fidgeting and staring at the clock. But it gives me time to think. The moment the last bell rings I force myself to walk to the port rack, pretending to struggle with my books while I keep an eye out. Any of my cousins might know the goss, but I keep my eyes peeled for my cousin Bobbie, she’s better than The Courier Mail and if you want to piss her off you’d call her Roberta. When I finally spot her she’s walking alongside Cassie.

There goes that idea.

I swing my port onto a shoulder and start forwards. There’s no point asking now; I might love my cousin but she has shit taste in friends. I underestimate how much Bobbie loves a good gossip; she grabs my arm when I try to brush past her.

‘Ere, Tace, any word from Laney yet?’

There’s real concern from her so I stop, making sure I can see what Cassie is doing.

‘Nuh nuthin, why? Did you hear somethin?’

‘Nah, sorry, cuz; they reckon Troy’s not talkin.’

My spine goes rigid with shock. I can see Cassie’s smug triumph. ‘Ay? What do you mean Troy?’

Bobbie’s eyes light up; she loves being the first in with any gossip, especially when it’s this big.

‘Don’t you know?’ She tries to hide her glee. ‘Troy drove back into town late last night. He’s dodgin the cops and e’s not sayin nuthin bout what appened that night, but Laney isn’t with him.’

‘Thanks, cuz,’ I say, shaking off her hand and turning towards the stairs.

‘Tace, there’s somethin else. They reckon she was out at the Potters’ place.’