Chapter 36
36
2001
Flint meets me out back at ten o’clock in the morning. It’s two weeks after we first met Tim. Even though it’s nearly the end of November, the sun is out so Mum doesn’t mind me playing in the garden. Her Sunday mornings are always spent in the lounge listening to church music on the radio and ironing. We argue a lot these days. I don’t see the point in bothering much in school. Mrs Warham hardly talks to me and lessons are boring without friends.
I secretly make a peanut butter sandwich for Tim and I take one of the little orange juice boxes that go in my lunch box.
Flint meets me by the fence and we hurry to the treehouse. It smells musty inside. Tim must have slept in there again.
He’s huddled in the corner, blowing on his fingers, and doesn’t talk until he’s eaten the sandwich.
Flint looks at me. I nod and clear my throat.
‘Flint and me have got something to ask you.’
Tim wipes his mouth and puts down the squashed orange carton. ‘How long have you two known each other?’
‘A couple of months,’ says Flint.
‘Since my Uncle Kevin died.’
Tim doesn’t say anything for several minutes. ‘That must have been tough. I loved my Auntie Sue. She always stuck up for me in front of Dad. But then she got married and moved to Wales and…’
We’ve talked a lot this week. Mum’s had to work a couple of hours late every night because someone is ill. She’s paid Zoe next door to babysit me. She’s only sixteen and we’ve come to what she calls an arrangement. Zoe lets me play in the woods for a while and I don’t tell Mum her boyfriend visits. I’ve seen them kissing on the sofa. It’s disgusting.
I really like Tim even though he smells. He’s started to give me a hug when I leave. It didn’t feel comfortable at first. But after the first time, he noticed the bruises on my legs. He asked me to lift up my school skirt to show him as he wanted to know how bad they were. He got very angry when I told him about Alice and said if he was at my school, he’d protect me. I felt closer to him after that.
‘What did you and Flint want to ask me?’ he says.
‘It’s all planned,’ says Flint.
‘We’re running away tonight. We want to live with you, Tim.’
Tim blinked for a few seconds. ‘No, that’s a bad idea. You can’t hang out with me. People wouldn’t like it.’
‘But they wouldn’t know.’ I fold my arms. ‘We’re doing it anyway. Flint and me have decided.’
Flint nods. ‘I want an adventure. It sounds so cool, sleeping under the stars.’
‘And I hate my life,’ I say. ‘Just like you did, Tim.’ I’ll miss Tinker and my bed. I’m a little scared of the dark and I don’t like the cold. And I do like cake. But my life can’t go on as it is.
‘But it’s winter and fucking freezing out here. Wouldn’t you miss your mum?’
‘She wouldn’t miss me.’
‘I’m sure she would.’
‘Do you think your dad wishes you were back?’
‘No, but that’s different. He used to hit me. He did loads of mean things.’
Perhaps he confiscated his phone. Zoe gets really angry when her mum does that.
‘Tell him your mum hits you too,’ whispers Flint.
‘Violet… the streets aren’t a place for kids.’
My voice wavers. ‘My mum hits me too.’
That’s what Zoe would call a little white lie. She says they aren’t really bad. I’m not sure why. It’s not like white makes things better. I hate milk and egg white. There’s nothing worse than a blank white page at the end of a school test. And Alice, with her holidays abroad, is always saying my white skin is horrid compared to hers, which is tanned.
He frowns and it makes him look older for a moment. ‘You’ve never said that before.’
Alice’s group cornered me again the other day and punched me in the ribs. They heard me telling the boys about putting the spider in her bag.
‘I was scared Mum might find out I’d told someone. Don’t you believe me? My ribs are covered in bruises.’
‘Show me, Violet. Show me where you’ve been hurt.’
Flint nods so I take off my gloves, my coat and jumper. That leaves my vest. I hesitate as goosebumps appear on my skin.
Tim leans forward as I lift it up. He can’t stop staring at my body.
‘You said we were friends; said you’d protect me. There’s nothing for me at home. Mum has Ryan. Mrs Warham hates me. Alice and her lot are never going to stop being mean. Uncle Kevin is never coming back. You and Flint…’ A sob darts out of my throat. ‘You are the only people who care.’
I get cross with myself as tears run down my face. No one says anything for a few moments.
‘Okay.’ Tim rubs his forehead. ‘You and me, facing the world together.’
‘And Flint.’
‘Sure. That’s what I meant.’
I smile. Tim smiles back. We agree to meet at the treehouse at eight o’clock. Mum will be watching her Sunday night detective programme. I’ll pretend to be asleep in bed.
Tim gives me a much longer hug than usual when we say goodbye. Tells me I’m his special little girl. That he’ll always do right by me.
Tim makes me feel important. Grown-up. Pretty.
Me and Flint and Tim. My own little group at last. We’ll all look out for each other.
It’s going to be ace.