“Mum, what are you doing?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” Marlena said, eyeing them both suspiciously.
“This is Clint,” Aurora said, as if she’d asked for an introduction. “He’s my boyfriend.”
Clint seemed to shrink back, unsure what to do or say, and Aurora felt the urge to take him in her arms and save him from whatever vile words would come spilling out of her mother’s mouth aimed at him.
But Marlena surprised her. Instead of the outburst of anger and suspicion that Aurora had expected, Marlena simply shrugged.
“Come on, get to school,” she said, still eyeing them both through narrowed eyes. “I don’t want to get a call from your teachers telling me your skiving.”
“Sorry, mum,” Aurora said, unable to hide the surprise in her voice, “We’ll start walking now.”
She took Clint’s hand in hers and led him down the corridor and down the stairs, relieved but thrown by her mother’s surprising reaction, but aware that Marlena’s eyes were watching them until they disappeared from view.
“That was lucky,” Clint said, his voice sounding slightly strangled.
“Yeah,” Aurora agreed, “I thought she’d flip out and go mental.”
“Me too. I thought she’d have my nuts in a vice by now, for sure.”
Aurora laughed, “We should be more careful next time.”
“Somewhere away from your mum’s front door,” Clint nodded.
“Yeah, definitely.”
“Like here,” Clint grinned, and backed Aurora into a dark corner of the courtyard.
He pressed against her, their lips meeting again, and Aurora found herself wishing they could take the day off and spend all morning like this, kissing and holding hands.
A few minutes later, Clint took her hand and led her across the courtyard and down the road, and Aurora felt a new stride in her step that she liked.
The school gates looked quiet, except for a few stragglers, and Aurora remembered assembly on Monday mornings. Suddenly, a more pressing matter wormed its way into the front of Aurora’s thoughts.
“Clint, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, of course,” Clint said, looking at her with bright eyes, “Anything.”
“It’s just, well, at the party, you didn’t want Troy or anyone knowing about us being together, so I was just wondering if you still wanted us to pretend like we’re just friends, or something?”
Clint seemed surprised by the question, but started to smile.
“Troy knows about us,” Clint said, “Tamar told him. I talked to him about it and it’s all fine, so you don’t have to worry about anything.”
“So, we can walk into school like this?” Aurora said, clutching his hand more tightly.
“Yeah,” Clint grinned, “Show everyone that you’re my girl now.”
Aurora couldn’t help but smile at the look of satisfaction on Clint’s face as he said it.
* * *
In the main corridor, Troy looked over at Brandy, standing by her locker talking to Sasha, her back turned towards him. She was still in a bad mood, and he didn’t want to make a show of himself trying to talk to her when she was still mad. He would wait until lunch, then he’d make his move.
“Look at that,” Tamar said, pointing down the corridor, “Damn, he’s letting himself down, all the girls will know he’s a taken man now.”
“Not that it’d stop most girls,” Amal laughed, “And she is so damn fine I’d probably let her hold my hand and all.”
“Hold my hand? Nah, bro, but I’d let her hold my -”
“For fuck’s sake,” Troy groaned.
He had just spotted the object of Tamar and Amal’s conversation, walking towards him down the corridor. Brandy, it seemed, had spotted them too, for her head had snapped towards them and her eyes followed them down the corridor past where she and Sasha stood talking. Clint and Aurora, hand-in-hand, looking very much like a loved-up couple.
“You alright guys?” Clint asked, as they neared.
“Yeah, we’re great, bro, how about you?” Amal asked.
“I’m good,” Clint said, grinning, “I mean, we’re good.”
Aurora smiled, showing her perfect teeth.
Troy nodded a greeting to them both, but his eyes lingered on Aurora. Although she was in school uniform, the same that he’d always seen her in, the image of her from the party resurfaced in his mind, and he felt himself stir, knowing the beautiful body that the white blouse and black skirt hid beneath them.
“What’s up with Brandy?” Clint asked, gesturing down the corridor, where Brandy and Sasha were in deep discussion, with occasional glances towards where Troy stood.
“She’s always stroppy,” Tamar grinned.
“They fell out,” Amal added, “And now she’s pissed.”
“Thanks guys,” Troy interrupted, glaring at them. “It’ll all be sorted by lunchtime, don’t worry. How about you two?”
Clint and Aurora looked uncertain and exchanged bewildered looks.
“I mean, everything going good between you two?” Troy explained.
Clint nodded, “Yeah, it’s all good.”
“I’d better go,” Aurora said, “I’ve got class. I’ll see you later.”
She kissed Clint playfully on the lips and went down the corridor, and was quickly joined by Sasha, who had managed to separate herself from Brandy.
Troy watched Aurora walk away, admiring her legs and the way her hips twisted slightly when she walked. A blur of colour pushed past him, and Brandy sashayed down the corridor without saying a word to him.
“Come on, bro, let’s get to class,” Amal said.
Clint and Tamar followed him down the corridor, but Troy let them drift away and motioned towards the bathroom. Clint nodded, and Troy slipped into the men’s room.
The cracked mirror and dirty tiled floor made Troy’s skin crawl, but he checked the other cubicles to make sure he was alone, and went into the far cubicle, locking the door behind him. Thoughts of Aurora floated through his mind. Her body in the tight-fitting white dress at the party. Her short school skirt as she walked away from him. Damn, he thought. She was getting under his skin like few girls ever did.
He unclipped his belt and unzipped his school trousers. He listened to the silence in the bathroom and knew that he was still completely alone. Hardly aware of what he was doing, he slipped his hand down into his boxers. Aurora and Brandy vied for position in the front of his mind as his body stirred, but Aurora won. He thought of what it would be like to be with her. Perhaps she was still a virgin. The way Clint talked about her, she probably was.
Fully aroused now, Troy slipped his hands down his boxers once again.
Suddenly the bathroom door opened and Troy withdrew his hand, straining to hear. Footsteps crossed the room, and Troy sat on the dirty toilet seat and lifted his legs up. He didn’t want to be caught jerking off in a school toilet, it would be the end of his rep. Whoever it was seemed satisfied that they were alone.
“You got the heat?” a boy’s voice asked, his voice serious.
Heat. Troy listened more closely. This was about guns, and that was serious.
“Yeah, I got it,” another voice replied, “You got my money?”
“When you’ve handed it over.”
There was silence for a few moments except the rustling of a plastic bag. Troy strained to hear more, but was scared to move closer in case he made a noise and gave himself away.
“Here’s your money then,” the first voice said.
“Cheers, and you tell Jayden I’m getting a new supply in soon,” the second voice said, “He wants to take out them Banks brothers, he’ll need more than just one gun.”
The two voices said goodbye, followed by footsteps and the sound of the door closing behind them. Troy waited a few minutes, before doing back up his trousers and leaving the cubicle. He washed his hands in the chipped wash basin and looked in the mirror, his mind racing.
* * *
At the end of second lesson, Clint left his classroom with Tamar and Amal and looked around for Troy. Since he had gone to the bathroom before first lesson, he hadn’t been in any classes and Clint was suspicious.
“You guys seen Troy?” Clint asked, although he knew they hadn’t.
Tamar and Amal shook their heads.
“We’re off to the canteen,” Amal said, “Check out the talent.”
“Laters,” Tamar waved, and they disappeared down the corridor.
His phone began to vibrate in his coat pocket and Clint saw the caller ID - Troy.
“Yeah?” Clint said, answering the phone, “Where are you? You should’ve told me if you were going to skive off, I’d have come with you.”
“Nah mate, it was a last-minute thing,” Troy said, “I left school, I’m down the road by the bus stop. You want to come hang with me for a bit?”
“Yeah sure mate, I’ll be there in a few.”
He hung up and turned towards the main entrance, just as Aurora came into view, tailed by Sasha and a reluctant-looking Brandy.
“Where are you off to?” Aurora asked when they got closer.
“I said I’d go meet Troy for a bit,” Clint replied, suddenly aware that Aurora might not be impressed by his skiving. “I’m going to try and get back before lunch.”
Aurora raised an eyebrow at him, “Really?”
“I’ll try,” Clint said, nodding fervently.
Aurora and Sasha burst into laughter, and even Brandy managed to crack a smile.
“I was only joking,” Aurora said, “Just don’t get into any trouble.”
Clint grinned, and took her hand in his. Aurora moved forward and kissed him on the lips, before waving him off and setting off down the corridor with Sasha and Brandy.
Clint watched them leave, and Brandy turned, looking at him with suspicion. Clint averted his gaze and headed down the corridor in the opposite direction.
Getting out of the school gates was easy, and it took him only a few minutes to find Troy slumped against the bus stop, looking irritable and bad-tempered.
Clint hesitated, aware of what Troy could be like when he was angry, but Troy saw him and smiled, motioning for him to sit down beside him.
“What’s up?” Clint asked, “How come you didn’t come in?”
“I heard something,” Troy said.
“What do you mean?”
“In the bathroom,” Troy explained. “You know, this morning.”
“Yeah,” Clint said, although he thought he saw Troy blush under his dark skin.
“Well, these two guys come in and started talking, like. One of them was selling a gun to the other one, right.”
“Shit, man,” Clint said, surprised, “In school? Damn, that’s just stupid.”
“Nah, I’m glad they were stupid, bro.”
“How come? What happened?”
Troy looked uncomfortable, but he continued.
“Well, they were talking. They done the deal, one gun. It turns out the guy buying it works for Jayden Healy.”
“Shit, the guy your brothers hate?”
“Yeah, but that’s not all of it,” Troy continued, “Turns out that this guy who works for Jayden is buying it because they want to take someone out.”
“Who?” Clint asked, although he thought he might already know the answer.
“My brothers,” Troy replied.
“Shit.”
There was a moment’s silence, and Clint wondered whether Troy was looking for advice or support or just needed somebody to talk to about it.
“You okay?” Clint asked eventually.
“Yeah, of course.”
“You told Tyrese and Trent yet?”
Troy shook his head, “Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“I’m going to do it. I’ll walk home now and tell them,” Troy said, sounding as if he was still trying to work up the courage.
Clint couldn’t blame Troy for being nervous about delivering the news to them. Tyrese and Trent were scary at the best of times.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Clint asked, trying to keep the nerves out of his own voice.
Troy surveyed him for a few minutes and then nodded.
“You might as well,” he said, rising to his feet. “You can have a beer at mine too.”
“Cheers,” Clint said.
As they set off towards the Goldsworth, Clint felt his heartbeat quicken. A beer would be good, but it didn’t make up for the fact that he was sweating like a pig with nerves.
* * *
At the flat, Tyrese and Trent were sat at the kitchen table when Troy and Clint walked in, looking apprehensive.
“What you doing back so soon?” Tyrese asked, “Couldn’t even manage half a day, eh?”
Troy nodded and sat down at the kitchen table, and Clint followed his lead.
“Everything okay?” Tyrese asked, eyeing Troy and Clint with suspicion. “You two look like you’re shitting yourselves.”
“Nah, we’re alright,” Clint said, surprising even himself with his false bravado, “Just couldn’t be doing with school today.”
“Ah, right,” Trent said, grinning now, “That because you’ve been up all night?”
Clint and Troy exchanged bewildered looks, and Trent sniggered even more.
“You know, you and your new bird,” Trent said, winking at Clint. “Heard she’s right fit and all. If you finish with her, let me have a go on her will you.”
He burst out laughing, but Clint kept his face straight. He would’ve punched someone if they’d talked about Aurora like that in front of him, but he didn’t dare say anything to Trent. Tyrese seemed to pick up on the unease, because he nudged Trent hard in the shoulder and Trent went silent at once.
“Yeah, congrats on the new girlfriend, mate,” Tyrese said, nodding towards Clint, “But is something up? You two are acting right weird.”
“Yeah, something’s come up,” Troy said slowly, and Clint watched as a bead of sweat formed on his friend’s forehead.
“Like what?” Trent asked, suddenly serious.
“At school, I heard someone talking,” Troy continued. “This guy was selling a gun.”
He paused, looking at Clint as if for confirmation, but all Clint could manage to do was nod.
“Anyway, this guy who was buying the gun works for Jayden Healy,” Troy said.
Trent and Tyrese exchanged dubious looks.
“You sure?” Tyrese asked.
“Positive.”
“Did you hear it as well?” Tyrese asked, turning to Clint.
“No,” Clint stammered.
“Of course he didn’t,” Troy interrupted, “I was in the toilet.”
“You never know,” Trent laughed, “Always thought you two made a sweet couple.”
“Fuck off,” Troy growled.
Trent continued laughing, but Tyrese’s glare silenced him again.
“So you’re definitely sure it was for Jayden?”
“Yes,” Troy said, sounding impatient now.
“Anything else?”
“Yeah, one more thing,” Troy said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “They mentioned they might get some more guns, because Jayden’s going to try and take you two out.”
The silence in the room pounded in Clint’s eardrums and he felt his body tighten, ready in case the brothers flew at them in anger.
But the brothers didn’t move. Tyrese seemed deep in thought, whilst Trent seemed frozen in shock at the fact that anybody would have the nerve to try and take them out.
“Right,” Tyrese said after several minutes of silence, “Thanks.”
Troy and Clint exchanged confused glances.
“What do you mean?” Troy asked.
“Thanks for the heads-up, but we’ll sort it from here,” Tyrese said.
“What?” Troy said, eyes wide now, “You’re not going to do anything about it?”
“No, I said we’ll deal with it,” Ty
rese said.
“As in, not with you two here,” Trent added.
“Oh, come on,” Troy said, his voice rising, “I helped you out big time.”
Trent looked at Tyrese and shrugged. Tyrese took a few moments to consider it, and sighed.
“Alright, alright,” he sighed, “Clint, you alright with hearing about it?”
“Yeah,” Clint said, his mouth feeling dry, “Sure thing.”
“And I don’t need to tell you what’ll happen if you breathe a word of this to anyone,” Trent added, “So keep your mouths shut.”
Clint nodded, “Sure.”
“Okay, well, we figured this might happen at some point,” Tyrese began, lighting a cigarette. “After we beat-up that guy who worked for Jayden for dealing on our patch, we found something out. The guy we put in hospital is called Kurt Brown.”
“That name mean anything to you two?” Trent interrupted.
“No,” Troy and Clint shook their heads.
“Not surprised,” Trent said, “He was -”
Tyrese glared at him, and Trent went quiet.
“Sorry, you carry on,” Trent said.
“Right, so Kurt Brown works for Jayden Healy, but he’s always been way down the pecking order, or at least that’s what we thought. Turns out he’s second-in-command, Jayden’s right-hand man. So anyway, we put Jayden’s deputy in hospital and he wants revenge. That means he was always going to come after us, we just didn’t know how or when. Now, thanks to you” he gestured towards Troy, “We know he’s getting himself armed up.”
“So what are we going to do?” Troy asked.
Tyrese seemed to ponder the answer for a moment, “We get armed up too.”
“Guns?” Troy asked, eyes widening.
“Yeah,” Tyrese nodded, “Fight back. Take out Jayden if we have to.”
“Awesome,” Troy said, nodding his head.
“Trent, you work on getting hold of some,” Tyrese instructed his brother, “Shouldn’t be too difficult, call up some of the boys and see what’s floating around.”
“What about me?” Troy asked expectantly.
“You keep your head down for a while,” Tyrese said. Troy looked disappointed, and Tyrese gave a small smile, “Don’t worry, your time will come.”
Troy nodded, although he looked unimpressed with his brother’s words. Clint felt his body begin to relax as Trent passed around beers for everyone, and they all lit cigarettes.
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