Something I Said by Ben Bailey Smith

Author:Ben Bailey Smith [Smith, Ben Bailey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781526628695
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2021-04-28T00:00:00+00:00

The four of us sat around the table.

Mum took a deep breath, then pulled out her phone. Dad guzzled water from his sports bottle.

‘Dear Mr and Mrs Taylor,’ she read. ‘All of us here at Wainbridge would very much like to see Carmichael return to school this Monday …’ She raised her eyebrows in a satisfactory smile and Dad exhaled with relief. Then she scrolled down and, even though it’s not technically possible for a black person, her face seemed to drain of all colour.

‘However, as you can imagine, I was deeply shocked and disappointed to be told that footage of Carmichael’s antics at the Talent Show has been uploaded to a public forum.’

WHAT? Wait … But Al, you said …

‘I watched the footage this morning and, whilst I appreciate this may well not have been Carmichael’s doing, the celebratory comments by many of his peers frankly fly in the face of his apology and make a mockery of any remorse he might have displayed.’

This morning? You promised me you deleted it, there and then.

‘I am currently investigating who was responsible for filming and posting the footage, but I must warn you that should we find any collusion in this act from Carmichael, he will be permanently excluded with immediate effect. I would like to meet with Carmichael and one or both of you tomorrow at a convenient time. Regards, Michael French, Head of Year Eight.’

You said you’d deleted it. How … ?

Mum looked up at me, a tiny shake of the head that weighed a ton.

‘A video, Car?’

Air left my body like a popped balloon. I was speechless.

‘Oh, Car,’ my dad said tragically.

How?

‘It … It can’t – there must be a mistake.’

Mum shoved her chair back and stood.

‘Get up.’

I rose sheepishly as she stomped to the computer in the hallway. I looked at Dad and Malky, who actually both looked a little worried for me.

‘Get over here!’

I shuffled over to join her. She had opened a fresh Google page, its empty, patient search box innocent of the potential nightmare it could provide me. Mum hovered over the keyboard.

‘What am I looking for?’

‘This doesn’t make any sense!’

‘Car.’ Mum shot me a look.

Stop.

‘Tell me what the video’s called?’

‘War of Wainbridge,’ I mumbled, and turned away.

If it was still there, I didn’t want to see it. I didn’t want to hear another word.

‘Oh, Car,’ Mum said, as the unmistakeable atmosphere of a packed Wainbridge Gym crackled through the computer speakers.

How … ?

She closed the page.

‘Look at me.’

I couldn’t.

‘Turn around and look at me.’

I did.

‘What the hell were you thinking, Car?’

I balked.

‘I didn’t put it up there!’

‘Then who did?’

I fell silent. Realisation dawned on Mum’s face.

‘Don’t protect her, Car.’

I looked down to the ground.

‘Car. This is serious.’

How … ?

I shook my head.

‘Have you seriously got nothing to say?’

I looked away bitterly. My mum exhaled deeply and threw her hands up.

‘Get out of my sight, Car. Just – go to your room, I need a minute.’

I spun on my heels, stomped off and slammed my door behind me.

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