Last Lesson by James Goodhand

Author:James Goodhand [Goodhand, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780241383322
Publisher: Penguin Random House Children's UK
Published: 2020-01-30T00:00:00+00:00

1.13 p.m.

Amit isn’t moving. He’s been sitting there, blocking the sickbay door for five minutes now. And they’ve been long ones – the sort of minutes that are composed entirely of individual seconds. He doesn’t even look uncomfortable.

He digs through his rucksack and pulls out his lunchbox. He tears open his Skips and lays the splayed packet on the chair next to him. Then he unwraps a triple-decker sandwich – one of the ‘Scooby Snacks’ for which he is famous – jacking open his mouth as far as it’ll go and taking a massive bite.

‘New York Club, Morky,’ he says. ‘You want one? Got lots of those little gherkins you love.’

‘You need to let me leave, Amit.’

‘Just having a spot of lunch. Welcome to join me.’

I grab at my hair. Why have I let him block me in here? Why can’t I just drag him off the chair? Why can’t I just throw him to the ground?

‘Remember these?’ Amit says, reaching into his bag again. He tosses a deck of cards wrapped in a rubber band on to the bed. ‘Found them the other day. Top Trumps. The supercar ones. Remember them? Middle school wouldn’t have been the same without them.’

I scowl at him, sweeping the deck off the bed and sending it skidding across the floor. I jump to my feet and face the wall. On the other side of the school, my bag lies unguarded. I need to get out of here. I’ve compromised the Plan too much already.

I swing round and stamp over to him, stopping only when my face is millimetres from his.

‘Get the fuck out of my way.’ I spit each word at him.

Amit backs up in the chair. He drops his sandwich into his lap. ‘Morky?’

‘Stop laughing at me.’

‘I’m not laughing, mate,’ he whines.

‘This isn’t all some big joke.’

‘Calm down, man. Please.’ His bottom lip wobbles. He scrapes at his left eye with the back of his wrist.

I’m standing right over him. He flinches as I reach above his head for the door handle. I’m sure I can just shove him and the chair out of the way as I drag it open.

‘Why are you being like this?’ His eyes are wet and defenceless as he stares up at me.

I step back from him. ‘You didn’t need to get involved in this, Amit. But you had to, didn’t you?’

Next time, we’ll all be having a go on you.

He shakes his head, a look of confusion twisting his face. ‘I don’t know what to say, Morky. I don’t know what you want me to say.’

‘Say nothing. Just get out of here and let me get on with my day.’

He stands shakily and spreads his arms, palms turned towards me.

‘Don’t square up to me,’ I snap, failing to keep the volume of my voice under control. My face is burning. A cool tear etches its way down each cheek.

‘I’m not squaring up to you, mate.’ His breaking voice cracks the sentence into pieces. ‘I just want to know how to make this right.

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