Spilling Blood

By L Penn

When teenager Toni Simms is horrifically betrayed by her boyfriend David Hilton, she enters a world of bloody revenge.
As her best friend Rebecca Hayes comes under attack, they decide to take the law in to their own hands with events leaving a trail of untold plight.
Left physically and mentally broken, each girl discovers emotions and thoughts they would not have believed possible, rearing unbridled acts of attrition as secrets are revealed surrounding family and school life.
Toni and Rebecca cross boundaries no teenagers should cross and walk a path only they understand, even accepting their lives, will never be the same again.

Approximately: 410 pages. Strong dramatic fiction

• Language: English
• Publisher: L Penn
• Release date: Oct 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519984791

Book preview

Chapter 1. Cruel

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Every sound of her flowing motion shone destructive as Toni stretched her spine, stiffened her legs and made fists with her toes. Lying on the bed, blood rich veins crafted fine lines beneath her skin.

She remembered the throes he’d given her from the delights of his touch, and ending summer nights where he hungered for more, she wouldn’t let him roam free.

More often than not she enjoyed everything he offered, and would watch his body isolate in the dusk, for his moves worked on her every other evening though by tonight’s persuasion, they did not.

Still, she said his name.

David!

She tried saying it again but he came across rugged, impatient, forceful, as she sensed not for the first time, only his needs mattered forthright.

The dangerous liaison moved nearer and she wanted to pull back but he pried her legs wider with the presence of a dark hunter, ensuring to lure her close. Then it was felt.

No!

The cry is not one of pleasure...

No, David – stop!

But of pain.

David, just – stop.

Immediately he stopped manoeuvring and glared. What? his voice croaked while gasps emitted a nice scent from his warm breath as his forehead shone with sweat.

Just...please, her words were calm, Please don’t, she said, and rested to face the night.

With judicious care he pulled himself free and styled his thighs between her legs.

What... starting surprised, eh, what did I do?

After a moment shying from unhappy, she strung eyes to look at him. Get off me, she said.

He fed her an incredulous look.

Please, David, just get off of me.

With lips pursed she blew a rude sound then turned away from his annoyed stare. He clearly didn’t want to go anywhere.

Toni, come on-

I told you to get off of me!

It quietened.

The sound of the bed creaked as David went to climb off her, instead he lowered his head to command a kiss on the right side of her face. His actions unsought, Toni pushed herself free.

Oh, man! he said upset, Jeez, you’re so mardy!

Scampering clear, David reached for a plaid shirt draped over a chair. Toni slowly sat up watching him button buttons then slip on a pair of boxer shorts while mumbling under his breath.

David, her jolt lessened, Wait a second, don’t call me mardy, I’m not mardy.

He stopped to check her with jagged eyes claiming her to be his yet she wouldn’t be and snatched at the sheets wrapping them around her form.

Not mardy, eh, said with a whistle and slinging his arms wide, Well what would you call it cos you are mardy, a flipping mardy arse!

Am I?

Yeah, you are!

So what are you then?

Hey, I’m not mardy, I try to please you.

Please me?

Yeah, you! starting to pace and looking for shoes, looking for something. "I bring you all the way out here back to my place and set out to make you happy and you come onto me like you can’t wait to sleep with me and I start to make it happen then you say no, no, don’t, stop, stop."

"You start to make it happen? asked Toni shocked. Don’t go and give yourself a slap on the back, dear boy."

Yeah, sung David, well I deserve one.

Bending down he forced slippers over his feet and looked up from the bottom of the bed waiting for her to say something, anything, so she did.

You’re not some damned god, David, fidgeting with the sheets.

Isn’t that what you kept saying? he let her know, furrowing thick eyebrows.

Oh, don’t toot your flat horn.

No? Standing up he peered down at his groin. Would you like to toot it for me?

Grow up!

He laughed. You always told me I was well endowed.

Her eyelids crunched together before her stare splattered him with revulsion, You bastard! Launching off the bed she searched for her clothes scattered throughout the wool carpeted floor.

Look, Toni, a factual gesture made toward her, you won’t find your stuff in the dark, put gentlemanly. "You’re forgetting this is my place."

She stopped and snapped her head up throwing shoulder-length mousy-brown hair back down her neck and said courteously, Well then Dave, turn on the fucking lights.

He did. Now they could view one another clearly.

He tunnelled a set of light-brown eyes across her as she fumbled about. He stood by the door, muscled legs crossed with thick hands resting low on his hips he appeared mid-twenties, although nineteen, his college-boy looks easily identified by a book-straggled, one-bedroom rented flat.

Toni, you don’t have to go.

I want to go, she said, seizing blue jeans and running her legs inside them.

Looking to make a point, David stepped forward offering an open hand. Then you forgot these.

She froze seeing her white cotton briefs rolled up inside his palm; a boyish smirk covering his face.

You stupid prat! she snatched her briefs, jumbled out her jeans, rushed on her briefs, and refitted the denim.

Come on, Tone, David said, Hey look, I’m sorry, okay.

Sorry! She thrust at him the familiar two-fingered sign.

Well what do you want me to say?

Eyeing him scruffily in the middle of buttoning her shirt, she decided to stop and be faced. Realising things should be better, she proposed, You could start with apologising.

The young man’s looks twirled in to a taunt smile then reaching, he fondled a hand on to her breast and squeezed hard.

She slapped his face. You fuck!

He rubbed the stung cheek, Bitch!

Bastard!

Slag!

Oh, just get lost!

Shoving shirt ends inside her jeans Toni headed for the bedroom door when David seized her arm; contact brisk and unfriendly – very unfriendly.

"You’re just a spoilt cunt!"

Yanking herself free she fixed firmly on to familiar eyes. Not much smaller than his six-foot frame, she made a mockery of her ephemeral teen years appearing slightly older despite wearing no make-up, her blemish free complexion radiated a maturity that belied her youth.

Now that hurt, she said, licking her lips, A tiny bit but it definitely hurt.

It was meant to, he commented.

Yeah, she questioned, like the sex?

His eyes narrowed as she climbed higher. Her mutiny abound it shouldn’t read this way yet she cruised ahead.

Gathering her belongings she went to step round him and looking to disrupt, he seized her again.

Don’t kid yourself Toni, you liked it.

Oh- wrenching free, "-is that what you wanted? You stupid idiot, I wasn’t liking that."

You never complained before.

Oh I never complained?

No!

She gritted her teeth and fought the urge to swear at him. She wanted to let him know how she felt but thought swearing wouldn’t explain well so chose words, and wasn’t fussy about the ones chosen.

Jesus, David, you think you can just screw me anyway you want? Her blue eyes trimmed, I’m not some toy for you, you know. I won’t lie down and take your rough shit.

Rough shit, you loved it!

Her mouth open, fell. You self-gloating prick.

That’s right, he acknowledged, "I liked it."

"Well you can like it without me."

Making a dash for the bedroom door she had no time to open it as David flew up from behind and slammed his palm against it.

Toni, he said worried for the first time, Don’t go?

It was beginning to feel each passing second was wrong. Look, David, let’s just forget about this, okay!

"Come on, Tone?"

Please, David! She never looked at him. A confused moment dawned and as fast, it disappeared. David, just...take your hand away from the door.

Hold on, Tone, let’s talk about this.

Look, I told you before alright, I won’t tolerate your rough tactics.

I wasn’t that rough.

You were!

You’re a bit sensitive.

A bit sensitive?

Flipping hell, you’re a fourth-year, a school kid, nothing more!

She spun round to face him. A school kid! flushed by the remark. "Well if I’m just this school kid, what the hell are you doing with me?"

Look, take it easy, will you!

"Take it easy? I know why don’t you take your hand off the door?"

I don’t want you to go.

It’s late and I’ve got school in the morning.

You’ve stayed later than this.

So what?

So stay so that we can talk, alright?

Stay? I don’t want to, David, hoping her sway was felt more than his, then under tense breath she added, I want to go home.

Toni took hold of the door handle only David held his foot against it and gave her an almighty shove that sent her sprawling in to the middle of the bedroom.

Hey! staggering, What are you doing?

You’re staying, he said simply, You’re staying here tonight.

Despite rapid eye movement Toni fought not to look concerned, a trifle troubled yet not overly concerned as she squared up to him. Don’t you tell me what to do?

He pointed at her, I’ll tell you what to do whenever, and however, I like.

She did her best to sound brave, Drop the macho bullshit will you. I’m leaving I’ve got school tomorrow so let me go alright.

Let you go? He edged his ascent. How are you going to go, Toni? You gonna get past me? With those skinny arms of yours, you gonna try and get past me?

Skinny?

Well, you must think they’re toned but they’re nothing but skin and bone.

Skin and bone?

Yes, he said nodding, holding a smile of contempt, "Skin and bone, hey, you want to go home, arms wide, mocking, you’re gonna have to stop me. Arms wider, more mock, Come on, let’s see you take your best shot."

Her eyes never left his. This started to go somewhere and it was somewhere she didn’t want to be.

David, said quiet, just stop okay I’m going to leave.

He threw his arms wider, slapped his chest. Come on Toni, go for it. Let’s see your best shot, come on do it.

It dawned on her for the first time she found herself afraid. The customary chain of adrenaline mixed with fear ran through her. She knew he was serious and knowing that, she understood the danger. She recognised what was going on but couldn’t believe. No, she wouldn’t believe yet it seemed clear. He turns nasty at her defiance, then what? David surely couldn’t be so cruel, could he?

I mean it, she said, I want to leave I want to go home I won’t tell you again.

He watched her and measured a step closer.

She watched him and measured a step back.

You know, Tone, the use of his nickname for her said with disdain, I have to be honest with you. Since you plan on running out on me...since you think you can just get up and fuck off in the middle of us screwing, well...you’re gonna hear this. He turned away then met up with her eyes again. "You are such a bore! You know I’ve always wanted to tell you that that you make-out like a limp frog. He smiled wide. Your bits are like rotten meat and your kisses are so cold, I thought you were dead most of the time. I mean, I had to hold your skinny wrists to check for a bloody pulse cos I’m sure you’re some kind of sea-monster or something else fucking cold-blooded."

She kept her eyes holding his and took a moment to absorb a long breath. Fine, she said as poised as could be, You’ve used up all your intelligence for the evening, so...I’m going to go now.

She stepped sideways and he stepped with her. She stepped again, he did the same.

Over my dead body, he said, I’d like to see you get by me if you can.

Slowly she began to back up. Don’t be stupid, David. Just let me go, alright.

Sure I’ll let you go, taking a step nearer to her, after I’m done with you.

The skin on the back of her neck crawled. Fright grew heavy in her throat and a damn numbing feeling hit.

You’re crazy, she spoke gently. You’re flipping crazy.

No. He said and shook his head. "You’re crazy. You are crazy, Tone. I mean, who in their right mind would believe a story you told anyway, think about it, think hard, you – me – alone? Your parents don’t know, they think you’re spending these evenings with a friend. Come on, Toni, what the hell are you doing round my flat at nine o’clock at night except fucking? I mean, who would believe anything you told them anyway, really, who, your mate Hayes, come on Tone, who?"

She backed up and touched the wall.

There was nowhere else to go but forward.

Surging thoughts filled her head. She long suspected David never liked her best friend and her best friend’s suspicions about David being nothing but a no-good pragmatic prick who got cock-stiff every time a female catered by were proving true. She needed to think fast.

So you hate my friend, she said clearing her throat, No love lost there and we’re in the middle of falling out, so...hey...don’t do something stupid, okay.

He smiled big then scanned her up and scanned her down. I’m gonna fuck you, he told her, I’m gonna fuck you whether you want me to or not.

He stood several feet in front and she knew she had nowhere to escape to. He came nearer, and she knew there was nowhere for her to go except through him.

It was ironic she had been coming here for months now and welcomed complete sanctuary in David’s first floor flat positioned neatly at the end face of a five-storey modern built block. A place where she could talk openly about her likes and dislikes, about home, school, anything whatsoever, but now? Here she was, in fear of him, the person who she claimed to have liked very much, not exactly loved though feeling an incredible high whenever she was in his presence. David stood before her different. He was no longer someone she knew and she felt scared. She hadn’t felt this scared since she and her best friend faced a threat from bullies which they managed to avoid by escaping through dense woodland. Toni never imagined feeling this scared again especially in the company of someone she trusted and with that thought came hate, partnered by rage, and a flash of hidden strength.

A chance a very slim one.

Inches separated her from him and she went for it but he anticipated her move.

She darted toward the door but David threw an arm cinching it around her neck dragging her backwards slamming her to the wall. Her head hit the plaster hard and she let out a cry. He drafted higher forcing his weight across her and pinned her hands to her sides.

David-

Just shut up!

Let go of me, you-

What, he said, what name have you got for me this time?

She struggled to break free though abide tangled and he watched, grinning with enjoyment.

You ain’t going nowhere!

She stopped struggling and denounced him with fey eyes; Let me go, she uttered. Let me go, you idiot!

His grin faded and without any indication he whacked her across the head with an open hand. The shock of the blow quickly vanished and Toni again tried to break free only David gripped firmly effectively taping her to the wall.

David, you... tears welled, please don’t!

Her heart maddened a beat as she grew increasingly terrified of the passion put upon her.

Did you like that? he said, coating his lips, Did it turn you on?

David...just...please let me go.

Shit, you’ve said that crap before and I haven’t, so give it a rest, give me something new, girl.

Let me go, she repeated, forcing back tears, I mean it, you bastard!

He laughed. "Your mouth is so hot, Toni, did I ever tell you that?"

She remembered him telling her that. On a better day she remembered it.

I’m telling you to let me go, you wanker!

He slapped her head again much harder this time and she had no defence as he gripped the front of her shirt and drove his knee in to her midriff. She slumped over gagging for breath and there was no time to recover as he forced her body upright pinning her back.

Wanker, do you want me to show you a wanker? He tightened his grip. "All these months I’ve had to put up with your insults and frigidity and you come out with wanker? Is that the best you can do, bitch? Captivated, he banged her against the wall, Is it? pressing his forehead to hers, Well, Toni Simms...after all we’ve been through...I think I deserve better than that."

Without another word he cast her down and she landed on all fours. Relieved more than hurt, Toni’s relief isn’t long as David came forward and delivered a kick to her side. Pain coveted. Eyes closed, she tried to imagine the pain wasn’t there only her imaginings came to nothing when he amassed himself on top and sat back on her middle. The indignation of his being there made her cover her face with weak hands.

Toni!

She regained some breath and sensed him lean across her, his rasps distorted he sounded delirious, she went for his eyes.

He tumbled back shouting obscenities, both hands grasping his face, and hurried, Toni rolled herself over reeling to her feet.

After mere steps she fell again, exhaustion and pain overcoming as David transformed right before her in to an unrecognisable figure.

A frantic desire eclipsed everything as Toni stayed fallen and David attacked her with such ferocity, he himself is left breathless.

The kick to her arm disabled it. Another kick to her side kept her down then a calculated stomp to her thigh and one to her abdomen submerged her in pain.

See?! David leaning over her crumpled body, You want to fight me! Come on Toni, get up! I know I just said some mean things but you’re such a turn-on.

Starved of strength, Toni cradled up coughing and wheezing trying to recapture her wares.

Are you getting up or not?

She made no gesture to look up or move or say words.

I told you to get up!

Still, she stayed.

Am I gonna have to drag you to your fucking feet?

She glanced up and saw him towering over her. He appeared to sway like he was about to fall but balanced, he rooted to the spot.

I told you to get up, didn’t I?

Still fighting to revive precious breath, Toni looked away. Her mind told her none of this is happening yet the hurt inside reminded her it was all too real. Struggling to one knee, she turned to see a way clear only David grabbed hold of her face preventing her to go anywhere.

Why don’t you do as you’re told, Tone, why do you make things so bloody difficult?

He shook her and her mouth contorted as if to say something, make for it to stop, but there was nothing she wanted to say. Instead what leapt forth was a loud cry of spirit scalding her lungs as her right hand sprung up through his legs and sunk in to his scrotum.

A scream broke David’s throat and he bent double stuttering backwards then Toni saw her chance.

Willing, she strived toward the bedroom door. It was gruelling making it inside the living-room where a brief show of freedom shone but pain permeated her being and she again found herself slowing. With no energy to make it out of there and no energy to be free, Toni was open prey.

Recapturing the commitment to attack, David forayed in, his face a bevelled mess of aggression to desirously level a shoulder-charge knocking Toni down. Open to everything, he delivered a callous kick to her stomach.

Limp, her body demolished, she ceased moving.

David swore ferociously. He used a foot to flip Toni on to her back then sat across her taking off her shirt.

She registered his onslaught to unbutton her jeans and doggedly burst in to life wildly impeding and slapping his range. She was crying. She was also determined to fight him with every ounce of strength left in her.

She drew blood from his nose.

He tried to take hold of her flailing hands but she desperately pushed and pawed when he delivered a punch to her midsection that was enough to make her succumb, and enough to render her helpless.

Stop. Just stop now.

She fought to breathe as she lay powerless to forbid him pulling down her jeans, climb on top of her, pin her arms above her head, and start to roughly kiss her face.

Chapter 2. Her

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Rebecca Hayes swallowed the last piece of a nougat chocolate bar and folded the wrapper eight times over before tossing it in to a roadside bin. Leaning off a lamp post that was supporting her the last five minutes, she peered lazily down a long suburban street and noticed everything was quiet. All the houses were quiet. The estate of Leenster is quiet in this north-east part of a city that too, felt quiet. Nothing stirred. No cats scuttled the road, no car lights shone in the distance, just stillness. The moon poetised the night sky with its accompanying stars seeming much closer than usual on this unusually quiet night.

Rebecca liked being out there alone. It presented time to relax, to think, and to simply be. She arrived at the lamp post from a cautious walk in the operatic park christened Burrowood. There fed many stories about the park with its surrounding hills, bushes, and crowded trails. Crazies were out there, she knew that. People who wanted to hurt others, she knew that too. She had no intentions of getting caught up in something weird. No, it’s getting late, she needed to be home and to go through her books and prepare next day’s clothes in order to get a chunk of sleep to stream bright-eyed and pointy-eared for school come morning. Yes, school, that mandatory place you couldn’t avoid due to cultural commissions from a society pretending to care. At least that’s how the teachers played it. Strolling through parks wrangled time to fill young minds with sedition and of such is given no encouragement. Plenty of studying, lots of homework, which is what, and only, todays striplings needed. Yes, school. Rebecca got reminded of it many times.

The youngster missed taking long walks. A growing menace in society suffocated her indulgence and restricted her independence for Burrowood had in abundance great scenic treks and secluded spots. It was Rebecca’s place, even temporarily. On the greens she didn’t have to think what interfering teachers wanted her to think. Inside the park her thoughts were all hers, and the quiet? Well, no one in authority to shout at her, slate late work, warn her to be punctual, place her on report, insist she does this not that, so yes, the park, it was her place to be.

The evening tranquil traced Rebecca back to Lambeth Street. Soon she would make her way down, enter her home, pause, listen to her mother’s words about coming in at this hour, try to avoid a quarrel, get something to eat and hopefully go to bed. She could obtain nine hours sleep and not worry being late for school to make the eight-thirty rendezvous with her best friend. It was encouraged to walk in school with a companion otherwise being alone usually meant victimisation.

Unfortunately Rebecca had learned the hard way about entry to the local comprehensive. Solitary entrants were eyeballed and secretly followed to have their dinner monies stolen, their shins kicked, and forced to hear a torrent of abuse concerning the right clothes, right luggage, and employing the right associates, or bodyguards, as the teenagers preferred said. Though having the right ones didn’t stop ever increasing brutes to meddle in affairs they weren’t asked of. Yes, there were fights and beatings and robbery on the usual scale, but the authorities could do nothing aside from hiring security and install video cameras, budgets were stretched tight. The British economy proved durable in the Eighties recession however education unless afforded, quicksand financially.

Rebecca checked her watch; nine-thirty. One minute to walk to her house, five minutes to endure her mother’s spiel, add two more to fix a snack before being alone inside her bedroom. Which entailed at around nine-forty she could prepare her school items, litter her comfy bed, listen to the radio, and unceremoniously eat the sandwich; a closed mouth is requested by her mother at eating times. Manners befit every act of grace.

And so she set off.

One minute later after placing the key in the front door of number twenty-seven; a spacious and modern, clean, two-up two-down, with a large garage home to her mother’s little run-around, familiar footsteps highlighted as Rebecca closed the door. For a moment she imagined her father striding to meet her fuelling a barrage of words demanding to know where the hell she’d been at this time of night. Grateful it wasn’t her father but her mother because after four years without having seen him, the youngster wasn’t exactly broken-hearted about it either. On the night he walked out vowing never to return, Rebecca prayed he wouldn’t. So far, her prayers were answered. That night her father’s conduct was unbecoming and deservedly called for her parent’s divorce only it never did bring peace and understanding between the burgeoning Rebecca and her warring mum. Divorces reflected the norm and family meltdowns blamed for increased social unrest. It was 1989; a decade of great change was passing though not all welcomed those changes.

By the living-room door leaning against the jamb masking a perturbed face, stood the well-groomed Karen Hayes. Thirty-four-years-old and hiding it well, the teenagers at school wanted to know if Karen were Rebecca’s older sister for she indeed appeared to be a comely treasure honing a classic dancer’s body matched with a dark brown, bob-styled haircut shaping her face. God given traits passed down to her daughter as Rebecca watched her mother watching her, guessing her mother probably thought; why couldn’t her lovely daughter wear a skirt instead of jeans all the time and a nice fitted top instead of those boyish white cotton shirts that just added the boyish look to her slim frame then complaining the only thing feminine about her daughter’s look is her long, dark hair.

Patiently Rebecca awaited her mother to begin. It was unusual she ever needed to wait long and so felt her mother, not really angry, would grant any spiel cut short.

Late again, Rebecca, have you been through the park?

The child sighed. Maybe the spiel wouldn’t be short after all.

I left early.

And where have you been?

Up the road.

Up the road, so why didn’t you come home straight away?

An unhelpful shrug, I wasn’t ready to come home.

You mean you didn’t want to?

"Mum, I never said that and are you going to twist everything I do say?"

Soulful, the mother reached out accordingly, Hey, Rebecca-

What? the youngster drew back, "Whatever I say to you, Mum, you always twist it around anyway."

Oh Rebecca, I do not!

The daughter rolled her dark eyes because for her, these trains of words ran the same journey each time and she was itching to be derailed. Mum, what – what do you want?

Rebecca!

Come on Mum, you’re being smoochy.

Smoochy?

"Yes, smoochy, you know, a little bit lovey-dovey."

Look, I worry about you, young lady.

Oh, since when?

What do you mean since when – don’t you dare say stuff like that to me.

What stuff?

You know well what stuff!

Okay, fine, alright. Standing safely several feet away Rebecca aimed for the stairs, Mum, I’m really tired.

Don’t run away from me, Rebecca.

Look I’m home, aren’t I? Turning round she faced her mother with hands outstretched showing nothing untoward. I’m back, I’m okay, nothing’s happened to me. I haven’t been arrested, I haven’t been selling my body, I’m not in any trouble, I’m home I’m safe I’m going to bed.

Starting a teenage jog up thick lined treads, her mother’s medley of tones stopped her in her tracks.

Wait just a bleeding minute, young lady, exactly where do you get off talking to me like that?

Eh! What? Like what?

That sarcastic tone you’ve developed?

She looked about the space they shared; her young mind saying okay, when, where before tallying her mother’s eyes. Mum, I’m not being sarcastic.

Yes, you were.

I swear I wasn’t.

"You were!"

Mum-

I won’t let you talk to me like that.

Mum, I just-

"Mum I just yes I know! You’re just tired, you’re just something aren’t you?"

Dark eyes turned upward sensed stout trouble brewing. Something was off, really off. Okay, a new teenage surrender while seeking to take note, Mum...what is it?

Given her daughter’s go-ahead the mother assembled her authority. You’re not sixteen, Rebecca. You don’t just come in here any time you feel like and talk to me like an adult.

Mum, I’m sorry if-

From now on its nine o’clock for you, young lady.

What do you mean nine o’clock?

One hour before ten.

"But I’m fourteen!"

Exactly Rebecca, you’re fourteen years old and I’m your mother and I’m telling you what time to be home.

She pulled a face. If I were a boy-

But you’re not a boy are you, you’re my daughter.

"Oh that’s just great. I can just about manage to say hi to my mate before I have to drag myself back in here."

That’s right, young lady, drag yourself back in here.

Rebecca flared her nostrils and shifted her weight to one side. The bolas at her feet about to be pulled, her mouth wavered as she sorted words. Well...no. No, I’m not coming in at nine.

Yes you will.

No. No I won’t.

Do you want me to lock you out?

You wouldn’t.

Just try me.

Then I’ll stop out all night. I’ll sleep at my mate’s I’ll sleep on the streets. I won’t even bother to come home.

Rebecca, is that your friend talking?

No, Mum, this is me.

Well it doesn’t sound like you.

"Well you’re not sounding like you, either. Teenagers change you know."

Yes, and more likely for the worse, showing a parent having to win this. "Since you got with that friend of yours, you’ve changed a lot."

Well maybe she helped me to realise some things.

Like what, flaming cheek?

Oh, come on-

"No you come on, Rebecca, shelving on to the bottom step the mother etched a stare in to her daughter’s eyes. These late nights with your friend are getting to be too much. You say you do homework yet how come I see all of your books in your room – you don’t do any homework at all you’ve been lying to me all along."

So it’s alright for you to have late nights and not me?

I’m a grown woman.

Well I’m getting there.

You won’t get anywhere if you carry on the way you do.

And what does that mean? You think I’m sleeping around or something?

Now I never said that.

Oh, so, do you want to fill me in on what you get up to?

I don’t have to answer to you, Rebecca.

"Why not, Mum? I worry about you, you know. I wonder who you’re getting off with, I think like everybody else."

The mother glowed red-faced. "I don’t get off with anybody."

Really, Mum? For the past few months every weekend you’ve gone off gallivanting and left me all alone.

"I don’t leave you!"

"So you crawl back in at one in the morning, how