Part Five Chapter VIII

XIIISukhvinder had been walking around Pagford longer than Samantha. She had left the Old vicarage shortly after her mother had told her she must go to work, and since then had been wandering the streets, observing invisible projection zones around Church Row, Hope Street and the Square.She had nearly fifty pounds in her pocket, which represented her wages from the cafe and the party, and the razor blade. She had valued to take her building society pass book, which resided in a little file cabinet in her fathers study, unless Vikram had been at his desk. She had waited for a period at the bus stop where you could period a bus into Yarvil, however then she had spotted Shirley and Lexie Mollison coming refine the road, and dived tabu of sight.Gaias betrayal had been ferine and unexpected. Pulling Fats W every he would drop Krystal now that he had Gaia. Any boy would drop either girl for Gaia, she knew that. save she could not bear to go to work and hear her one ally toils ome to tell her that Fats was all right, really.Her mobile buzzed. Gaia had already texted her twice.How pissed was I last nite?R u passing play 2 work?Nothing about Fats Wall. Nothing about snogging Sukhvinders torturer. The new nub verbalise, R u OK?Sukhvinder put the mobile back into her pocket. She might walk towards Yarvil and catch a bus outside town, where nobody would see her. Her parents would not miss her until five thirty, when they expected her planetary house from the cafe.A desperate plan formed as she walked, hot and tired if she could find a place to plosive speech sound that cost less than fifty pounds all she wanted was to be alone and ply her razor blade.She was on the river road with the Orr flowing beside her. If she crossed the bridge, she would be able to take a back street all the way round to the start of the bypass.Robbie Robbie Where are you?It was Krystal Weedon, offerning up and down the river bank. Fats Wall was smoking, with one elapse in his p ocket, watching Krystal run.Sukhvinder took a sharp right onto the bridge, terrified that one of them might notice her. Krystals yells were echo off the rushing water.Sukhvinder caught sight of something in the river below.Her hands were already on the hot stone ledge before she had thought about what she was doing, and then she had hoisted herself onto the edge of the bridge she yelled, Hes in the river, Krys and dropped, feet first, into the water. Her leg was sliced dissipate by a broken computer monitor as she was pulled under by the current.Part v Chapter VIIIVIIISamantha was driven from the spare room at last by her urgent bespeak to pee. She drank cold water from the tap in the bathroom until she felt sick, gulped down two paracetamol from the cabinet everyplace the sink, then took a shower.She dressed without looking at herself in the mirror. Through everything she did, she was alert for some tone that would indicate the whereabouts of Miles, but the house seemed to b e silent. Perhaps, she thought, he had taken Lexie out somewhere, away from her drunken, lecherous, cradle-snatching mother (He was in Lexies class at school Miles had spat at her, once they were alone in their bedroom. She had waited for him to operate away from the door, then wrenched it back open and run to the spare room.)Nausea and mortification came over her in waves. She wished she could for sterilize, that she had blacked out, but she could still see the boys face as she launched herself at him she could remember the feel of his body press against her, so skinny, so young If it had been Vikram Jawanda, there might have been some dignity in it She had to get coffee. She could not stay in the bathroom for ever. But as she turned to open the door, she saw herself in the mirror, and her courage almost failed. Her face was puffy, her eyes hooded, the lines in her face etched more deeply by pressure and dehydration.Oh God, what must he have thought of me Miles was sitting in th e kitchen when she entered. She did not look at him, but crossed straight to the cupboard where the coffee was. Before she had touched the handle, he verbalize, Ive got some here.Thanks, she muttered, and poured herself out a mug, avoiding eye contact.Ive sent Lexie over to Mum and Dads, express Miles. We need to talk.Samantha sat down at the kitchen table.Go on, then, she said.Go on is that all you can say?Youre the one who wants to talk.Last night, said Miles, at my fathers birthday party, I came to look for you, and I found you snogging a sixteen-year Sixteen-year-old, yes, said Samantha. Legal. One hot thing.He stared at her, appalled.You think this is funny? If youd found me so drunk that I didnt even bring about I did realize, said Samantha.She refused to be Shirley, to cover everything up with a frilly little tablecloth of polite fiction. She wanted to be honest, and she wanted to penetrate that thick coating of complacency through which she no longer recognise a youn g man she had loved.You did realize what? said Miles.He had so plainly expected doubt and contrition that she almost laughed.I did realize that I was kissing him, she said.He stared at her, and her courage seeped away, because she knew what he was going to say next.And if Lexie had walked in?Samantha had no answer to that. The thought of Lexie knowing what had happened made her want to run away and not come back and what if the boy told her? They had been at school together. She had forgotten what Pagford was like What the hells going on with you? asked Miles.Im unhappy, said Samantha.Why? asked Miles, but then he added quickly, Is it the shop? Is it that?A bit, said Samantha. But I hate living in Pagford. I hate living on top of your parents. And sometimes, she said slowly, I hate waking up next to you.She thought he might get angry, but instead he asked, quite calmly, Are you saying you dont love me any more?I dont know, said Samantha.Maybe hell be the first of many yelled Sam antha, getting up from the table and slamming her mug down in the sink the handle came off in her hand. Dont you get it, Miles? Ive had enough I hate our have it away life and I hate your fucking parents you dont mind them paying for the girls education I hate you bout into your father in front of me absolute bollocks, you just dont like me being happy when youre not whereas my darling husband doesnt give a shit how I feel plenty for you to do round here, but youd rather sit at home and sulk I dont intend to sit at home any more, Miles not going to apologize for getting involved with the community well, I meant what I said youre not fit to fill his shoesWhat? he said, and his chair fell over as he jumped to his feet, while Samantha strode to the kitchen door.You heard me, she shouted. Like my letter said, Miles, youre not fit to fill Barry Fairbrothers shoes. He was sincere.Your letter? he said.Yep, she said breathlessly, with her hand on the doorknob. I sent that letter. Too much to drink one evening, while you were on the phone to your mother. And, she pulled the door open, I didnt vote for you either.The look on his face unnerved her. issue in the hall, she slipped on clogs, the first pair of shoes she could find, and was through the front door before he could catch up.