Chapter Nine…
When class finished, Mr. Armstrong asked me if he could have a word. This was starting to become a habit. “I meant to ask you if your mum was alright earlier.” He said, looking concerned.
I shrugged. “Yeah, she’s okay. She isn’t normally drunk. I haven’t seen her drunk for months.” I told him honestly. I had seen her high plenty of times, but she hardly ever got drunk.
“I was just checking. She didn’t look so good when I dropped you off last night.”
I shrugged. “At least she was there, you were lucky to see her at all.” I muttered.
He raised an eyebrow. “Is your mum not there a lot?”
“Her and Harry are always out ‘working overtime’.”
“Who’s Harry?” He asked. I guess I had never mentioned Harry before.
“My step-dad.”
“What about your real dad?”
“He died when I was two.” I said.
Mr. Armstrong looked sheepish for a moment. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-”
I cut him off. “It’s okay. I didn’t know him. I don’t even know what he looked like. Harry is the only think that relatively like a dad to me now, and he’s bad enough.” I told him.
“What is really going on with your family Jess?” He asked softly.
I sighed. Did I really want to tell him? Actually, I kind of did. But I wasn’t going to. “I…I just don’t want to talk about it. Okay?” I said quietly.
He nodded, not pushing me, I was grateful for that. “I’m going to go and get some lunch.” He said, standing up, clearly wanting me to get out of his room, but not being rude enough to say it directly.
“Okay.” I said, then I groaned. When I didn’t come out with Mel straight away, I know she will have gone and sat with Leonie and her mates. “Can I stay in here? Please?” I begged. “Just for this lunchtime. I don’t want to have to go and sit with Mel because she’ll be sat with Leonie.”
He looked surprised for a moment, but nodded. “That’s fine with me, but won’t you be hungry. You can’t just starve because you want to stay away from her.”
I shrugged. I hadn’t really felt like eating much anyway. “I’ll be okay. I can have something as soon as I get home.” I reasoned.
He weighed it up. “How about I get us both a sandwich and then bring them back here. Then you don’t have to sit by yourself.”
“I don’t mind, I was just going to listen to my Ipod anyway.” I said. I didn’t want to ruin his lunch.
YOU ARE READING
A Year Full Of Surprises
Teen Fiction17 year old Jessica McCarthy was sick of being a nerd, so, she transformed herself into a smartass. She's turned herself into someone who she doesn't want to be. Now, she has friends who she doesn't trust, a boyfriend who she doesn't love and parent...
