Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

S ajid walked cautiously through the woods. The sun felt hot on the back of his neck. The wind rustling through the leaves made him nervous, and he looked behind him.

Saturday night's incident with the coach had affected him more than he'd thought. He should have gone to the police. Supposing some of the other passengers had and the police had visited those lads? They were bound to believe it was him that grassed them up.

He consoled himself that they didn't know his name or where he lived… But what if they saw him again at another match? A sudden grassy rustle made him jump, and then he saw it was just a squirrel racing to the top of a tree. He sat on the rotten fallen log they'd claimed as their own and waited patiently. The hum of insects calmed him, and he began to relax. The clock on his phone told him it was 12.15. Where was she? He'd have to get back to college soon.

He jumped at the sound of a branch cracking in the distance. He saw a flash of long brown curly hair and sighed with pleasure.

Laine was wearing her school uniform, and even in that, he thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. ‘I thought you weren't coming,' he said.

‘Don't be daft. I just didn't feel too good earlier. I'm okay.' She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he smelt vinegar.

‘You look pale,' he said.

‘I'm fine, honest. I had to go to that counselling session this morning – it was a waste of time. I got us some chips,' she said, holding up a bag.

Sajid licked his lips as Laine lifted out the bag of chips.

‘I asked for a curry sauce, too,' she said, smiling.

Sajid heard a noise and jumped. ‘What was that?' he asked nervously.

Laine looked at him oddly. ‘Someone walking their dog, probably. Why are you acting all funny?'

‘I'm not,' he said defensively, knowing he clearly was.

‘Yes, you are.' She tucked her arm in his and laid the chip bag on her lap. ‘Are you finishing with me?'

‘Don't be a dumb head,' he said, putting his hand in hers. ‘I just worry, you know, what with me being Indian and you being white and all that, and you're underage.'

‘I'm nearly sixteen,' she said adamantly.

‘Nearly,' he repeated. ‘I'm eighteen, don't forget.'

Laine tossed back her curly hair, revealing large silver hooped earrings. ‘What do you think?' she asked, fingering them proudly.

‘I think you nicked 'em, is what I think.'

She tapped her nose cheekily.

They ate the chips in silence for a while. Finally, Laine said, ‘Something's up. I ain't daft, you know.'

Sajid sighed. ‘Some racist lads turned on me Saturday night on the coach coming home from the football.'

Laine began to choke on a chip. Sajid pulled a can of Coke from the bag and handed it to her. ‘You okay?'

‘Is that why you didn't want to meet me on Sunday?' she asked.

Sajid looked upset. ‘I felt ashamed. I should have had more balls, but there were four of them. I thought you'd think me a coward. I was shaken.'

Laine put down her chips. ‘Was there some other guy with a machete?'

Sajid reeled back. ‘You what?'

‘Was there?' she persisted.

‘How do you know about him?' he asked suspiciously.

Laine sighed. ‘What did he look like?' she said in a croaky voice. ‘The one that went for you.'

Sajid stared at her. ‘You think you know him?'

Laine nodded sadly.

‘He had lots of tattoos and said his name was Needles.'

‘Shit,' cursed Laine. Her bloody brother ruined everything.

‘How do you know him?'

Laine bowed her head in shame. ‘He's my brother.'

Sajid closed his eyes, despair washing over him. ‘Oh shit,' he moaned. ‘If he ever found out about us…' Sajid trailed off.

She grabbed his arm desperately. ‘He won't, and besides, he's all mouth. He wouldn't hurt anyone.'

Sajid remembered the venom in Needles' voice and the dark hatred in his eyes. ‘He has an irrational hatred of Pakistanis. He's like all racists. He thinks all people of colour are from Pakistan.'

‘Honestly, he wouldn't hurt anyone,' she repeated. The truth, though, was that Laine wasn't sure about that.

Sajid looked at her with watery eyes. ‘I can't carry on, Laine. I'm sorry. I could put my whole family at risk.'

‘No,' she cried, standing up, the chips falling from her lap. ‘You can't finish with me.'

He took her hand. ‘He knows what I look like, Laine. If he ever sees me with you, well…'

Tears were running down Laine's cheeks. ‘You said. You said you would come to the summer village party with me. That we'd show everyone we were together.'

‘Laine, it's dangerous and…'

‘I hate my stupid brother, Ludbrook Grove, that stupid bloody school, and their stupid bloody social worker. I hate everything. I can't even have the boyfriend I want because he's a fucking coward.' She knew the words would hurt him, but couldn't he see how much he was hurting her?

‘Laine,' Sajid reached out to her, but she slapped his arm away.

‘Fuck off,' she yelled and ran back through the woods.

Sajid sat with the curry sauce in his hand for a few minutes and suddenly jumped up and threw it at the tree, watching it slide down the bark like yellow pus. He hated being who he was and hated his parents for being who they were. More than anything, he hated Needles for his ignorant prejudice.