“But we’re just friends,” I protested.

“Yeah, right!” Jacob said, and he gave me a nudge that sent me sprawling. “Shit – sorry!” he said, but he was laughing too much to pick me up.

“Just shut up about Freya,” I told him. “And stop shoving me around – you’re like a baby elephant!”

Jacob grinned.

“Mate, you’re weird,” he said. “You’re proper on another planet.”

10

Geek Squad – Rise Up!

Dad helped us put up the tent, and then we threaded big pink and white marshmallows onto wooden skewers. The fire was already going in a metal grate Mum had placed on some old slabs. Every now and then Jacob and Freya added more wood. We ate hot dogs with ketchup and mustard for tea, and it was fun, despite the cold.

As darkness fell, the only light came from the fire, and it smelled amazing. When we added the marshmallows, it got even better. We were sitting on cushions, on top of old blankets, and we had hoodies and jackets to keep us warm.

“Do you think there are any ghosts round here?” Freya asked.

“Don’t believe in ghosts,” I told her.

Jacob shook his head.

“You can’t say they don’t exist,” he said.

“I can,” I said. “Where’s the proof?”

“Every culture in the world tells ghost stories,” he insisted. “They can’t all be making them up.”

“Yeah,” said Freya. “What if they’re, like, all around us? Floating about between worlds that we can’t see?”

I felt a shiver run down my back.

“That’d be proper cool,” Jacob said. “Like that old film where the boy could see ghosts!”

“Sixth Sense!” Freya said. “My parents love that film.”

Jacob took his marshmallows from the fire and blew on them.

“I see dead people …” he whispered, and Freya shrieked.

“But seriously,” I went on. “No way are ghosts real.”

Just then Mum came out with bowls of treacle sponge pudding with custard.

“Thanks, Mrs G-S!” Freya and Jacob chanted.

“Yeah, thanks, Mum!” I said. “This is awesome!”

Later on we sat around chatting and then I made hot chocolate and found some more marshmallows. When I got back, Freya was talking to Jacob.

“Why do you get so angry?” she said. “Like, at school?”

Jacob shrugged.

“You don’t have to tell us,” I said.

“I don’t mind,” he said. “It’s just hard to talk about, that’s all. I kind of keep stuff to myself …”

Freya was sitting really close, and the flames lit up her face. As I sat down, she touched my hand and smiled at me.

“I’ve never had a dad and Mum went away when I was born,” Jacob said at last. “She couldn’t look after me. I didn’t meet her until I was eight …”

“Oh, Jacob,” Freya said. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to be nosy.”

“S’OK,” he told her. “Mum was taking drugs and stuff, and my grandparents brought me up until she got better.”

“And then you moved away to live with her?” I asked. I remembered how he’d said he was always the new kid.