‘Is that why you did this? To get my attention? Well, you certainly have it now!’ Abi shouted, her eyes bulging. ‘And I am sick to death of being made to feel guilty about my job! Who do you think pays your school fees? Who pays for this house? Who puts food on the table? Who paid for you to go on this bloody exchange in the first place?’

Her father said nothing, but he was looking at Abi with such coldness that it gave Beth a tiny thrill of pleasure. Abi saw the smile and exploded.

‘What the hell are you smirking about?’

The thrill faded instantly, but Beth forced herself to keep staring at her mother with the bemused look that so enraged Abi, even though she was wavering inside.

‘Just tell me why, Beth. Why did you do this?’

There was no point in explaining why. It was far too late for that. And something pushed her now to just shrug and say, her voice hard: ‘For shits and giggles, Mother.’

Abi’s face contorted with rage. It made her look strange, unhinged, and as she stepped forward, Beth was sure her mother was going to hit her. But instead, Abi just stared, her face all twisted in fury, and said: ‘When did you become such a little bitch?’

The word ricocheted around the room, and Mark said: ‘That’s enough!’

He stepped forward and took hold of Abi’s arm, pulled her back like he too believed her capable of slapping the girl.

‘Let’s all just calm down, okay? So, she did something wrong. Something cruel. But she’ll apologize to this girl—’

Abi laughed then, a harsh, mirthless bark, and said: ‘Oh, she’ll do that all right,’ and Beth began to feel frightened.

When Abi explained what she had to do, about going before the school, about owning up to what she’d done in front of everyone, a cold, hard fear seized her insides. She shook her head violently from side to side. ‘No. I can’t. Please don’t make me,’ she said, stumbling over the words. Then, adding desperately: ‘They can’t even prove it was me who started it.’

‘Oh, yes they can,’ Abi snapped. ‘You made sure of that once you opened your mouth and boasted to Lisa all about your vicious plan.’

Beth’s mouth fell open. ‘Lisa?’ she whispered, as if she’d been struck.

‘You will do what Helen Bracken has asked, young lady. For once, I’m not going to intervene for you and smooth the way.’ Adding in a quieter voice: ‘God knows, I’ve done enough of that in the past.’

Her father said: ‘Is this really necessary though?’

‘I can’t, Mum. I don’t care if they expel me. I don’t want to go back there anyway.’

‘We shouldn’t have sent her back to that school after the last time,’ Mark muttered, and Abi glared at him.