She turns to look at me and says, “I’ve persuaded Blake to take part in mediation. You and Blake have a meeting and there will be someone to help you sort things out. I spoke to a lawyer friend. He said that maybe … well, a youth caution is the best option for you. For this, anyway. That would be the best thing.” Annie gives me a sad smile. “But then you go and kick a policeman! But perhaps, if …”

Annie looks at me.

“If you could do it …” Annie says.

She’s let her ice cream melt so much it’s now dripping through the bottom of her cone. I’m still waiting for her to finish the sentence.

At last Annie says, “You have to say sorry to Blake, Charlene.”

I stand up. She stays sitting.

“Charlene, I understand,” Annie says. “You may not forgive Blake, but sometimes you have to play the game. Especially if you want to see Kandi again, you …”

I walk away. Annie catches up with me.

“This is how the world works,” she says. “I didn’t make up the rules. I don’t like the rules. But sometimes you have to play along.”

“No!”

I never knew I could scream that loud. People stare at us. Annie glances around and tries to put a hand on my arm. I scream at her to get off. I tell Annie that she was always gonna take Blake’s side. I’m shouting and crying and calling her names and then she backs away.

I walk off and all the people part to let me through. I walk down the steps across the pebbles to the edge of the sea. I keep on walking until I feel the sea seeping into my trainers and socks. I stand there until I can breathe properly again. After a while, I see that Annie’s standing by my side. The water comes up past her ankles.

Annie says, “Shall I take you back?”

I nod.

Chapter 9

Click, click, click.

My knitting looks like a blue sky. It’s not just one blue, it’s all the blues. I know the sky’s not just blue, so maybe later I’m gonna add some of the grey wool. I might put in some orange streaks too, like a sunset. I have to decide soon. The knitting’s already half the size of my bed.