Part 25 (1/2)

*You piece of-'

*Stop it!' Khaden yelled, stepping between his father and brother. *I started this, not Taj.'

Mike grabbed Khaden by his favourite Ramones T-s.h.i.+rt and shoved him aside. The s.h.i.+rt tore. Khaden slammed into the table.

Rage filled every cell of his body and pushed against his skin. He'd had enough of the lies, the tension and the fights. His mind a black, swirling mess, Khaden gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. With a grunt, he punched Mike as hard as he could.

Mike staggered and slumped to the floor, his eyelids fluttering.

Khaden's mind cleared. He shrunk back. What had he done? He was no better than Mike.

*Khade?' Taj tugged on his shoulder.

*I hate him, I hate her and I hate you!' screamed Khaden. He sprinted from the kitchen and out of the house into the dark night.

Sas Khaden came around last night. He looked even worse than he did last time, not b.l.o.o.d.y, but sweaty and shaky, and sure he'd killed Mike. After Mum calmed him down, she went around to their place to check on Mike. Got to give her that, she's tough! I can't believe I always thought she was a flake.

While Mum was gone, Khaden and I talked and talked and decided on a few things.

We have to tell Ruby about us. Soon.

We have to be more honest with each other (which means I'm going to tell him about Dad, Lee and everything, but just not tonight, I'm too tired.) We both have to be more patient with Ruby.

(Okay, so I have to be more patient with Ruby, Khade is patient with everyone.) The dares and stuff have to stop.

We're going to ask Ruby to come to the Angst Ridden concert at The Bas.e.m.e.nt. (Taj is mixing, so he's getting us in.) aKhadena and I were good.

When Mum came back home at about two o'clock, she told us she'd taken Taj home after finding him walking the streets looking for Khaden. When Mum and Taj arrived at Khade's place, Mike was sitting on the front door step, bleeding from a gash above his ear. Khaden hadn't caused that-Taj had.

Mum took Mike to the hospital, where he had four st.i.tches, and then took him home. She said they talked, but wouldn't tell me what about, just that Khade would be staying with us for a couple of days.

Now Mum and Khaden are in the lounge room talking, and I'm in bed, listening to their voices float under the door between the two rooms. I can't hear their words, just the rise and fall of their voices.

I can't work out what has made Mum so-I don't know-not motherly, because she is still a complete ditz about cooking and other domestic stuff, but so caring and wise. Just not flaky anymore.

Now I just have to sort out Ruby and me. Fingers crossed she'll come tomorrow night, even though it's not her sort of music. It'll be fun to be the three of us again. Khaden, Ruby and Sas.

And if I can just work out the stuff between Dad and me, my life will be perfect. I miss him.

Ruby I was alone, watching TV. Harrison was staying at his friend Jed's place and Mum and Dad had just left to go to Archie's end-of-year concert, which I'd weaselled out of by faking sick. Technically not a lie, as the thought of spending three hours on hard seats watching little kids in Christmas costumes prance about a makes.h.i.+ft stage did make me feel ill.

I lay on the sofa flicking from station to station. Every couple of flicks I'd check my mobile. I hadn't heard from Sas or Khaden-no texts or messages on Facebook, Mys.p.a.ce or MSN-since the train thing. At one point, my paranoia was so strong, I checked to see if they'd dumped me as a computer friend too, but they hadn't. That didn't make me feel any better.

Nothing felt the same, not the suns.h.i.+ne, the water in the shower or even my mattress. My body felt heavier, harder to move, and food tasted like dead gra.s.s, or at least how I figured dead gra.s.s would taste. Dad avoided me. Mum watched me as though I was a bomb about to explode at any second. She kept asking if I was okay, which only made me feel worse. When Mum wasn't asking me if I was okay, or if I needed to talk, she encouraged me to *phone a friend', as if my life was some demented TV game show.

Maybe she had a point. Maybe I should make the first move, but if Sas or Khaden contacted me first, it would mean more.

After flicking through the channels for the fourth time, I settled on an ancient movie, Ghost, more for the hilarious fas.h.i.+ons than the story. That was when my phone vibrated on the coffee table. I stared at the message symbol with *Sas' beneath it.

I took a deep breath and reached for the phone.

*Hey. What's goin on? S xo'

My thumb twitched against the side of my phone before I replied.

*Watching Ghost. Check out the overalls!' I waited before pressing send.

Sas's reply was fast.

*Can u come over?'

*Sure. What's up?'

*Nothing, just hanging. Stay over.'

Sas wanted to hang out with me again. *Catch you in 15.'

In the kitchen, I s.n.a.t.c.hed up the home phone and dialled Dad's mobile.

*Ruby, what's wrong?' he whispered. I could hear movement and knew he was leaving the hall. In the background I could hear that terrible Rusty Holden Ute Christmas song. Why did teachers think that was cute? I shuddered.

*Ruby?'

*I'm going to Sas's place, Stuart.'

The Rusty Holden Ute had faded to a buzz. Dad cleared his throat. *I thought you were ill.'

*I am, but it's not catching. Anyway, I don't feel like being alone.'

I could almost hear Dad's brain grinding as he thought. *Ruby, if you're up to anything, I swear...'

*Well it's not like you can do anything about it, is there, Stuart, unless you've-'

*Don't you dare call me Stuart,' he hissed. *I am your father.'

I scoffed. *Yeah.'

*Ruby-'

*So, I'll be back tomorrow.'

*Your mother...'

*Mum has been nagging me to call my friends all week. She'll be happy.

*Do I have a say?'

*Nope. Just telling you.' I hung up and sprinted upstairs to pack.

Lou opened the door when I knocked. *h.e.l.lo, Ruby! Haven't seen you for a while.'