‘Big word,’ he says, raising an eyebrow. ‘Someone’s read a dictionary.’
Everything about this boy annoys me. His condescension. His jibes. The fact he’s the person living next door to me, not Ollie.
‘I’m doing English A level. I like to write,’ I say, stepping backwards, wincing at the sticky feeling.
‘A writer.’ He laughs. ‘So what do you write?’
I don’t want to tell him about Selena Says. He would use it against me. I’m pissed he laughed at the thought of me writing.
‘This and that. I’m not just some stupid, popular girl.’
‘No,’ he murmurs. His eyes are dark in this light. I’ve noticed sometimes they look green, sometimes brown. ‘I suppose you’re not.’ He laughs again. ‘Okay, Writer, I’d like to see what you’ve got.’
And he turns and heads back into his house.
I’ve really got to stop him having the last word.
Twelve
It’s sweet, it’s salty
It’s kind of bitter
It leaves a taste in your mouth
That you’ll always remember
Oh baby, that’s revenge for ya
‘Taste’ fromThe Brink of Teenage Freedom
Know thy enemy,’ I say, pointing at the whiteboard in my room. I’m hosting this important meeting after school, and everyone is tired after a long day.
‘Are you quoting the Bible?’ says Faye.
‘I don’t think that’s the Bible,’ says Kira.
‘Oh you’re right,’ says Faye, looking at her phone. ‘It’s some Chinese military guy. Sun Tzu.The Art of War.’ She looks at me. ‘Don’t you think you’re being a bit dramatic?’
‘Focus,’ I say, pointing at the whiteboard. ‘We need to think of the things we know about Ty.’
‘He’s hot?’ says Kira.
‘Apart from that,’ I snap. ‘And he’s nothothot. He just has a nice face. Not a nice soul.’
Faye shakes her head at Kira. ‘Definitely a bit dramatic.’
‘Once again, people, focus.’ I walk up to the whiteboard and write ‘Ty’ in the middle. I start drawing out arrows from it. ‘We know he’s American.’ I say, writing it down and underlining it. ‘He is cocky. He doesn’t like Croydon. He photographs his garden.’
‘Seems like a good place to start,’ says Kira.
‘The cockiness?’
‘No, the photographer bit. Can’t you . . . wreck his camera or something?’
‘I want to piss him off, not wreck his property,’ I say, thinking how expensive the camera looked. ‘Isn’t that a crime?’
‘Okay, maybe not the best idea,’ says Kira.
