Free Taking Flight by Sheena Wilkinson Page B

where’s your work experience, then?’ asks Seaneen.
    I shrug.
    â€˜Well, what did you put on your form? It’s next week.’
    â€˜Can’t remember. Sure it’s a load of crap.’
    â€˜It’s a week off school. I’m going to a nursery school. I can’t wait.’ Her tits and her curly pony-tail bounce.
    â€˜Seriously?’
    â€˜Yeah. I love wee kids. See our twins? I give them their bottles and all. They probably think I’m their ma.’
    â€˜My cousin has a baby sister. Half-sister, whatever.’
    â€˜Och, that’s lovely,’ she says in this soppy, girly voice. ‘What’s your cousin like, Declan?’
    â€˜Stuck-up bitch.’
    â€˜Is she pretty?’
    â€˜She’s a dog.’
    I wonder if I should forget about going to see Dermott at break but if I don’t show he’ll just pounce on me anyway. Probably haul me out of class in front of everyone. Easier to go.
    Mr Dermott’s marking books but he looks up and smiles at me. ‘OK, Declan, sit down. Thanks for coming. I won’t keep you long.’ I think he hopes his politeness will rub off on us. God love him.
    I pull out a chair with ‘Liverpool FC’ scribbled on its seat.
    â€˜OK. Well. Now.’ He sounds a bit awkward. ‘There’s been a bit of a setback with your placement. You said you wanted to work with cars, didn’t you?’
    â€˜That was your idea, sir. I didn’t know what to put. You said cars because of the joyriding. People always think you must be interested in cars if you’ve nicked one.’
    â€˜Er, quite.’ He tugs at his earlobe. Does he remember visiting me in there? He’s never mentioned it. ‘Well, it was just a thought. The problem is, we can’t seem to get anyone to take you. And all our usual contacts … Anyway, time’s getting short and I thought I would see if you have any ideas yourself. Any contacts.’
    â€˜Not those sort of contacts, sir.’
    â€˜This aunt of yours – does she have any contacts we could use?’
    â€˜Not that I know of.’
    â€˜Where does she work?’
    I have to think for a moment. ‘She’s a librarian.’
    â€˜Oh.’ He looks disappointed. ‘Can’t really see you in a library.’
    â€˜Me neither, sir.’
    â€˜And your uncle?’
    â€˜Solicitor.’ I can’t be bothered to explain that he isn’t my uncle any more.
    Mr Dermott looks surprised but not hopeful. ‘Hmm. Any other ideas, Declan? Come on, help me out here.’ He’s trying to sound all jolly. I suppose he’s getting a bollocking from Payne or someone for not getting me sorted out. ‘What’s your best subject?’
    This is ridiculous. Mr Dermott’s been my tutor since Year Eight. He knows what sort of marks I get.
    â€˜Well, last exams my highest mark was Religion.’ I don’t remind him it was 37%. ‘So you reckon I should become a priest, then, sir?’
    â€˜Huh, a comedian, more like. Look, lad, time’s getting short. It’s really in your best interests to get something sorted and to do your best at it. If you get a good report – well, it all helps. You don’t have to end up doing it for rest of your life. So will you go home and ask your aunt tonight if she knows anyone who would let you go there for a week?’
    â€˜Yes, sir.’ I know I won’t ask Colette this in a million years but it’s the easiest thing to say. The bell rings for the end of break and I go to PE. I try to get interested in work experience. I try to make myself worry that it’s next week and I haven’t got anything sorted. But I can’t make myself believe that any of it matters one bit.

Chapter 12
    VICKY
    The assembly hall looked so different from up on stage! Rows and rows of green uniforms, shiny hair and bored assembly-faces. At least being presented with showjumping