Part 20 (1/2)

'I'm not sure I want to get into that stuff,' James said.

'You tart,' Junior laughed. 'What harm's one snort gonna do?'

Nicole came out of the girls' toilet and looked at James.

'The birthday boy doesn't want any,' Junior giggled.

'Good,' Nicole said. 'More for me.'

She shoved the metal straw up her nostril and vacuumed up half the c.o.ke left in the pot. Her head shot backwards and she wiped a tear off her cheek.

'You've got to, James,' Nicole rasped, sounding like she was pinching her nose.

'It's not gonna blow your mind or nothing,' Junior said. 'It just makes the world seem like a nicer place.'

'Except inside your nose,' Nicole giggled. 'That goes like a chunk of rubber.'

James looked into the dish. There was only a tiny bit left and he was curious to try it, just once. Nicole gave him the straw. James pushed it up his nose and leaned towards the white powder.

'Come on, you guys,' Kelvin shouted. 'I'm locking up.'

He was at the top of the stairs. Junior pulled the c.o.ke out of sight before James had time to sniff. James spun around, hiding the metal straw in his hand.

'Give us a second,' Junior shouted.

'Now,' Kelvin shouted. 'Don't mess me about.'

The three of them staggered upstairs, through the youth club and on to the pavement out front. The nights were starting to turn cold. Kerry, April and a big bunch of other kids were standing around s.h.i.+vering. James found April.

'You want to come round to our house?' James asked. 'It's only ten minutes' walk.'

April shook her head. 'Kelvin's giving me, Junior and Dinesh a lift home. I'll have to smuggle Junior in round the back. If our dad sees him in that state, he'll go bonkers.'

'OK,' James said, leaning forward and giving April a kiss. 'I'll speak to you tomorrow. Maybe we can go to the Reeve Centre or something.'

'Cool,' April smiled. 'It looks like you've got your own set of problems over there.'

James turned around in time to see Nicole hurl up in the gutter.

Kerry went in first and checked the coast was clear. Ewart and Zara had gone up to bed early, which was a relief. James and Kyle dragged Nicole into the kitchen and draped her over a dining chair.

'I'm gonna die,' Nicole sobbed, resting her elbows on the dining table. 'I feel so ill.'

Kerry ran her a gla.s.s of water. 'Drink that,' she said. 'Alcohol dehydrates you. The water will stop you getting a hangover.'

James hadn't drunk anywhere near as much as Nicole, but he decided a drop of water would do no harm and ran a gla.s.s for himself.

'I think I'm gonna be sick again,' Nicole moaned.

Kyle got one of the buckets from under the sink and stood it on the table. Nicole leaned into it, her sobs echoing into the plastic.

'Get us a tissue,' she groaned. 'My nose is running.'

James ripped off a square of kitchen towel and handed it over. When Nicole took the bucket away from her face, they all saw her nose was bleeding.

'Oh, my G.o.d,' Kerry gasped. 'I think we should wake Zara up.'

'No,' Nicole begged. 'I'll get into trouble. Take me to bed and I'll sleep it off.'

Kerry grabbed the roll of kitchen towel and the bucket and took them upstairs to the girls' bedroom. James and Kyle each wrapped one of Nicole's arms around their back, picked her off the chair and helped her stumble along the hallway.

'Nicole,' Kyle said firmly. 'We're at the bottom of the stairs. Lift up your legs.'

Nicole's head slumped forward and her legs gave way. A fresh wave of blood began streaking out of her nose.

'Oh, Jesus,' Kyle said desperately. 'Put her down.'

Kerry was coming back down the stairs to help them. When she saw Nicole's limp body on the hallway carpet, she spun around and burst into Ewart and Zara's room. Ewart raced downstairs in his boxers. Kyle was taking Nicole's pulse.

'Her heartbeat's all over the place,' Kyle said.

'Shall I call 999?' James asked.

'There's no point hanging around for an ambulance,' Ewart said. 'I'll drive her.'

Zara was running downstairs in her dressing-gown, carrying clothes and trainers for Ewart. Ewart stepped into the clothes before scooping Nicole off the floor. Out on the driveway, Kyle had opened up the people carrier.

'She's taken some cocaine,' James blurted.

He didn't want to gra.s.s, but it might save her life if the doctors knew what was in her system.

'Christ almighty,' Ewart shouted, as Kyle helped him lay Nicole across the back seat. 'That's all we need.'

Ewart climbed into the driver's seat and slammed the door so hard James thought the gla.s.s might break. When the car was out of sight, James closed the front door and turned around to face Kerry and Zara, who were both in tears.

'I hope she's OK,' Kerry sniffed.

'You're absolutely sure she took cocaine?' Zara asked.

James nodded, feeling a lump forming in his throat. 'I saw it.'

'Why didn't you stop her?' Kerry asked angrily.

'I tried to,' James lied. 'She wouldn't listen to me.'

'What about you, James?' Zara asked. 'Did you take any?'