Part 18 (1/2)

Without asking, I take the schedule from Kaz's bag, scanning the lists of bands, working out where I can be that isn't here, on this slope with that annoying girl.

The annoying girl in question leans over my shoulder and I'm tempted to flick my fist up and into her face. Violence probably isn't the answer.

”No. Way. I didn't realize they were playing today!” Lauren reaches round and pulls the programme out of my hand.

”I was reading that.”

But she isn't listening. Colour me un-f.u.c.king-surprised.

”What time is it?” Now she's twisting my wrist to look at the time on my watch.

Maybe violence is the answer?

”Kaz, you have to see these guys, they're brilliant. You'd love them.” She's pointing at a band called Ivory Lace. I can tell by the name and the fact that Lauren likes them that I will hate them. Also, note the words she used you'd love them directed at Kaz. Not me.

”Sounds good to me.” Kaz stands up. ”Ruby?”

My lip curls with so much disgust I think I actually pull a muscle. ”A band called Ivory Lace? They sound s.h.i.+t.”

Kaz stares at me for a second, completely expressionless. ”Because it's best to judge bands by their name rather than the music they play.”

”I fancy the Heavy Tent anyway.” Where I can go and legitimately hurt people without getting into trouble. Shame Lauren won't be there. ”What about you, Kaz?”

KAZ.

Is she serious?

”I just said I'd go with Lauren to watch Ivory Lace.” I point at Lauren in case Ruby has momentarily forgotten who she is as well as what she just said.

”We don't have to...” Lauren starts to say until she sees the expression on my face, then she mumbles something about needing the loo anyway and departs. As she pa.s.ses the others, Lee half-turns to see what's going on, registers Ruby's expression and turns away, although by the tilt of his head, I'd guess he's still listening.

As soon as Lauren is out of earshot, Ruby lets rip.

”I can't believe you're choosing her over me.”

”What? How exactly am I the villain here?” I try and keep my voice as quiet as possible. I'm not Ruby, I don't like fighting in front of an audience. ”You were the one who turned it into a choice after we'd already decided what to do.”

”So it's 'we' now, is it?”

”Yes, it's we I'm including you in that collective p.r.o.noun. I thought you'd come too.”

”As if. Ivory Lace.” She pulls that face again.

”You don't even know the band, Ruby.”

”I know that Lauren likes them,” she says and I shake my head in disappointment.

”That's all this is about? You don't like Lauren.” Ruby looks mutinous. ”Why? I'm the one who's meant to have the problem and I don't,” I say, surprising myself with the truth. ”Why is it so hard for you? Why can't you make an effort for someone who likes me? You don't find it so hard to like everyone else on the planet.” My voice rose with every word of that sentence and I try to ignore the glances I'm getting from everyone now, not just Lee.

I've got to stop letting what other people think affect what I do.

Ruby's eyebrows furrow together for a second and she looks at me as if she's trying to fight back the words she wants to say.

”Do you really want to know?” she says, losing the battle.

RUBY.

”Just tell me,” Kaz says.

So I do.

”I don't like you around her.” I reach into Kaz's bag and unplug my pathetically under-charged phone and walk away without looking back.

KAZ.

I don't like you around her.

Ruby and I never fight. Never. I am the one person with whom she's never fallen out. As fast as she makes friends, she's faster to fight I'm always the peacemaker, the Ruby-whisperer who can talk her back into being reasonable. There isn't a girl in our year who hasn't run up against one of her rages at some point and she and Stu spent as much time arguing as they did making up. My best friend gets angry with teachers, angry with her parents, angry with her brothers Callum most of all. She spends a lot of her time getting pointlessly angry with inanimate objects that don't do what she thinks they should be doing.

Until this weekend, Ruby has never been angry with me.

As I follow Lauren through the loosely knit crowd that's gathering around the Mellow Tent, I think about what I've done to push Ruby so far, trying to work out how to fix things.

”Stop it.” I look up sharply at the voice. Lauren sounded so much like Ruby. ”I don't know what's going on with Ruby, but it's not your fault, Kaz.”

”It must be.”

”Why?” She's looking at me over her sungla.s.ses, her eyes narrowed. ”She's being a brat about the band and that's got nothing to do with you.”