Free Shadow Sister by Simone Vlugt Page A

school. The sun has broken through and I’m enjoying its warmth and the fresh greenery.
    And then I see him.
    Bilal is standing on the other side of the street, wearing a hoodie, surrounded by friends. The shock is acute. He stares at me. My heart hammers in my chest and my step falters. What to do? Go back? Walk on? Show him that I’m not afraid of him?
    But I’m almost rigid, rooted to the spot, and my eyes are locked on him. It’s more than obvious that I’m terrified.
    A smile spreads over his face; there’s no warmth to it. Henudges one of his friends and points to me. Four faces turn towards me. One of them is taking into his mobile, but cuts the call off immediately.
    I look at my watch, pretend to start, as if I’ve realised I’m late for something and spin on my heels. I walk straight into someone. He grabs my arms and I scream.
17.
    ‘It’s me! Don’t panic!’
    Luke.
    I take a shaky breath. ‘I almost jumped out of my skin.’
    ‘I didn’t mean to scare you. Come on, the bell’s about to go.’
    ‘Were you having a walkabout too, or…?’
    ‘No,’ he says. ‘I heard that Bilal had been spotted in the area and then Jasmine said you’d gone outside.’
    ‘You’re so sweet, you really are,’ I say. ‘I wonder what Bilal and his friends would have done if you hadn’t turned up.’
    ‘To be honest, I don’t think I’d have deterred them if they were planning something,’ Luke says. ‘They were probably just trying to provoke you.’
    ‘I hope they aren’t going to make a habit of it. I was really scared.’
    ‘It might be better if you don’t go outside on your own for the time being.’
    I give him a sideways glance. ‘Do you think it’s that serious?’
    ‘Bilal Assrouti is bad news,’ Luke says. ‘I once made him clean the classroom as punishment and got a brick thrown through my window every night for a week.’
    ‘Really?’ I say, shocked. ‘Why didn’t you ever tell me?’
    ‘You had your own stuff going on.’
    ‘Did you report it?’ I ask.
    ‘I didn’t want to make things worse.’ He sighs and runs his hand through his blond hair. ‘So all he learned was that he can get away with anything. That’s why I think it’s better if you report it. The more complaints the police get about Bilal, the more they’ll have on him. But I’d keep quiet about getting them involved.’
    Luke knows that I’m in turmoil about whether or not to go to the police. He gives me a gentle pat on the shoulder and says that he’ll always be there for me if I want to talk. We walk through the chaos of bags and knocked-over chairs. The bell goes as I enter the staffroom.
    ‘Blown away the cobwebs?’ Jasmine puts a pile of corrected papers into her bag and smiles.
    ‘Bilal was there,’ I say. ‘On the other side of the street.’
    ‘No! What did he do?’
    ‘Nothing. He was about to cross the street when Luke turned up.’ I stroke Luke’s arm; he’s standing next to me rummaging around in his pigeon hole.
    ‘Accidentally on purpose,’ he says.
    Jasmine frowns. ‘I don’t like this at all.’
    ‘Me neither,’ Luke says.
    ‘What don’t you like?’ Nora is walking past. Hans, who is leafing through a teaching magazine, follows the conversation with his usual frown.
    ‘Bilal was outside waiting for me,’ I say – a slight exaggeration.
    Nora looks at me, worried.
    ‘Nothing happened. But I don’t feel very relaxed about him hanging around here.’
    Nora nods. ‘I’ll have a word with him.’
    ‘I’ve never had a problem with that boy,’ Hans says.
    It sounds like an accusation and I swivel to face him. ‘I’d never had any problems with Bilal before either. It could happen to any of us, Hans.’
    ‘I wouldn’t have provoked him,’ Hans says.
    Count to ten. Just count to ten before sinking your nails into his face. Jasmine is quicker.
    ‘Don’t be stupid, Hans. You know those boys are provoked by anything these days. If I remember right, Bilal accused you of