Free Southsiders by Nigel Bird

going on or she’d finally come to her senses and decided that Jesse was the boy for her. Not only was she watching him all the time, she seemed to be finding any excuse to walk by the bench he sat on and each time she did, she got a little closer to the boys.
    Her name was a standing joke in the school – what else could anyone do with it but laugh? She obviously had crazy parents, though to look at them they looked pretty normal. Happy even. And it suited her. She was about the prettiest girl in Edinburgh, or at least Jesse thought so. Her long, blond hair was always straight and perfectly brushed and her blue eyes seemed to have special powers, like they were looking beneath the skin or something. As if that wasn’t enough, she stood a head taller than anyone else at Preston Street, which meant she was always visible no matter where she was in a crowd.
    She walked past the boys again and, as soon as she was out of earshot, they continued their conversation.
    “There’s not much chance of a miracle, I’m afraid. What do you think I should do?”
    Archie finished the chocolate, screwed up the wrapper and put it into his pocket. When he’d done, he pulled out an envelope and passed it over. “Twenty quid. I took it from my mum’s purse this morning.”
    “Cheers, mate.” A hug was out of the question, so a wink did the job instead. “I appreciate it.”
    “You think you’ll get taken into care?”
    “I’m not letting that happen again. Remember when they sent me off to those foster parents?”
    “The time your mum stabbed your dad?”
    “Aye. It was a nightmare. They made me say prayers before eating. Even at breakfast. And there was a mad girl there who spent all her time rocking backwards and forwards and wouldn’t close her mouth when she ate. Disgusting.” He winced at the memory of it all.
    “Good job your dad said it was an accident, wasn’t it?”
    “Otherwise they’d still have me on my knees praying for my soul.”
    Bonnie had been looking out of the school gates, but whatever it was that had caught her interest must have gone. She turned to start another of her circuits.
    “She’s coming round again,” Archie said. “Think she’ll actually stop and talk this time?”
    Much as Jesse hoped so, he didn’t dare tempt fate. “Nah.”
    “Never mind.” Archie took a packet of gum from his coat pocket. “I’m cutting down on the sugar before Christmas. Fancy a stick?”
    Jesse took a piece, unwrapped it and chewed. The mint freshened up his mouth and set him talking again. “So what am I supposed to do? Go and live on the streets?”
    “I hear London’s full of them.”
    “What?”
    “Streets.”
    “No kidding. And they’re made of gold, right?”
    “Platinum. And it’s warmer down south.”
    “I’m not going there. England’s no place for a Southsider.”
    “What about the treehouse?”
    Archie had a treehouse at the bottom of his garden. At least that’s what they called it. It was more like a posh shed and it had almost as much floor space as Jesse’s flat. It had a rope-ladder all the way to the base and was out of sight of the main house.
    “Are you serious? That would be amazing. But it would still be cold, right?”
    “And you’d have to keep it dark in case anyone noticed.”
    “It’s hardly luxury, then.” Archie wrinkled up his nose when he heard that, as if his feelings had been hurt. “Only kidding. I love the treehouse, you know I do. And it’s nicer than my place. It’d be boss if you’d let me.”
    Archie’s face loosened and he returned to chewing. “Course. It’s what friends are for. I’ll bring a key tomorrow.”
    “Cool. So all I need now is a way to make some cash.”
    Archie nodded over to Bonnie who was back at the school gate. “You’ll just have to get a job mate.” He stood, punched Jesse on the shoulder and set off. “I’ll leave you to it for a while. Maybe she’ll bite if you’re on your own.”
    He was obviously right. No