Make a Hard Fist by Tina Shaw

Author:Tina Shaw
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: OneTree House Publishers
Published: 2020-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

Nine

She was running, wind whipping her hair, beside Tamsin. Was it her imagination, or did Tamsin seem faster these days? As if reading her thoughts, Tamsin pulled out her earbuds and glanced at Lizzie.

‘What happened to you the other night?’

She had missed practice and there was a meet in Hamilton next Saturday. The way she was going, the Hamilton people would gallop right over the top of her.

‘Didn’t feel like it,’ muttered Lizzie.

Pause. ‘Right,’ said Tamsin. She started putting her earplugs back in.

‘No, that’s not the reason,’ Lizzie said quickly, feeling like an idiot. She was sick of giving people the wrong impression. ‘I just . . . I don’t know, since the mugging, everything seems different somehow. Like things don’t fit properly any more.’ They were jogging around the wide curve of the track. ‘Or like I don’t fit any more.’

Tamsin eased back a little on her pace, much to Lizzie’s relief. It was an effort keeping up with Miss Perfect.

‘Maybe you need to talk to a counsellor,’ she said quietly.

‘I already am.’

‘Yeah, me too.’ That was a surprise. What would Tamsin know about counsellors? ‘I had to go to one when Mum and Dad split up,’ she explained. ‘Mum thought I had anger issues.’

‘And did you?’

‘Yeah – with her.’

They laughed.

‘Hey,’ said Tamsin, ‘I’m having a party this weekend, after the meet. There’s a couple of other people from your school coming. Friends of my boyfriend. D’you want to come?’

Lizzie was taken aback. ‘Dunno. I’ll have to check my busy social calendar.’

‘You do that,’ said Tamsin.

Junior was sprawled in one of the chairs in the corner of the library. It was as if he had materialised out of her very head. All day she’d been thinking about him, counting down the days ‘till Thursday . . . and there he was.

‘Have you finished Heart of Darkness already?’

‘Nah,’ he grinned. ‘It’s taking me forever. Needed something light to read.’ He waved the graphic novel he’d been looking at.

She examined the cover. ‘I’ve read that one. Vampires and stuff. It’s good.’

‘You read a lot of books?’

‘Not that many,’ admitted Lizzie. ‘Don’t have much time.’

‘Me neither,’ said Junior, turning the book in his hands. ‘Especially now I’m working for my uncle, doing house removals.’

Mrs McKelvie had started looking their way, so Lizzie set to straightening the magazine rack, hoping she’d leave them alone.

‘Um,’ said Junior, ‘would you mind if I walked you home?’

‘I’ve still got another hour.’

‘That’s cool.’ He flicked open the graphic novel. ‘I can read this.’

‘Are you sure?’ she asked. It seemed a long time to wait.

‘Yup,’ said Junior.

Lizzie got the trolley of books and went to do some shelving. She tried not to look in Junior’s direction, but when she did glance over he was reading. The hour dragged on and on. Finally, Mrs McKelvie flicked the lights on and off – the signal to readers that the library was about to close. Lizzie didn’t have to help close up, so she hurried to get her things from behind the counter.

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