chapter four
mishap

...

I lean on Missy's kitchen counter next to Nas while Hayley and her sister attempt to look for their Nan's missing 80 quid. I watch with an amused look, trying not to laugh at the old woman's anger.

"It's your mother to blame!" Nana waves her finger around, "She's been in here again!"

"You sure you didn't loose it?" Missy asks, throwing things around, "What were you doing with 80 quid anyway?"

"For bingo." She sighs, shrugging, "I'm ringing the police."

At that I rush forward, snatching the phone from her hand and slowly placing it back down on the stand.

I glance at her, "Give us an hour, Nana." I say softly.

Nas hums in agreement, "If we haven't got your money back, then we'll go to police together, okay?"

Nana huffs, "Okay."

The three of us step into the kitchen together, while Hayley attempts to distract Nana with the TV.

"What do we do?" Missy asks.

"Find your Mum, innit." Nas says.

I open the door and once they're through, I leave as well, shutting it gently behind me. It's pitch black outside, and freezing while I walk between my two best friends.

"Can someone say something?" I grumble, shoving my hands into my pockets, "If I don't die from the cold, I'm going to throw myself in front of a moving car because of how awkward this is."

"I get that I were out of order, you know, with Cory and that." Missy sighs, crosses her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, too right." Nas agrees and I nod.

"Fine, hate me, both of ya." She throws her arms up into the air, "I don't care. Nas, I came round to yours to apologise, ya know, but forget it."

"Right, we'll find your Mum, and then you both can stay out of my life!" Nas raises her voice.

"That's a bit extreme." I say, gritting my teeth.

"Hey, girlsss." A old guy shouts, from an open window of his car as he slowly rolls past, "Looking good!"

Letting out shrill surprised scrams, Missy and Nas run ahead but I just calmly turn and flick him off, "Fuck off, pervert!" I yell before joining the two girls to go up the stairs to Missy's mums apartment.

Missy knocks repeatedly, but still no answer. I go to knock harder but the door is pulled open, revealing her Simone, causing my hand to drop back to my side.

"You came!" She squeals, before grabbing Missy's arm and dragging her away.

I look at Nas and we both shrug before following them in, shutting the door carefully behind us. The apartment is dirty, not a kids bedroom dirty, more like a prison cell dirty. It stinks of every disgusting smell possible, and rubbish is littered all over.

"My daughter came!" Simone says towards a guy, who's slumped on a destroyed couch.

"You alright?" He smiles creepily, then he spots Nas and I, "Who are they?"

"This is Peyton and this is Nas." Simone squeezes my arm gently, and I step away slowly, not wanting to be bluntly rude, "Missy's best friends in the world."

"Mum! You stole Nana's bingo money!" Missy says, not being tricked by her mum's nice act.

"I didn't." She shakes her head defiantly.

"What did you think I came her for, to hang out?" Missy snaps, "Give it back."

"I haven't got out." Her face softens, "Oh, are you skint, darling? Adam, lend her somet."

"No chance!" He grimaces.

"Oh, it's no big deal." Simone sighs, "It's me daughter. I can't let her starve."

She bends down to grab Adam's wallet from the coffee table, but he stands up angrily, pushing her onto the sofa behind her.

"What did I say?" He scowls down to her.

I see Nas reaching for his wallet, supposedly for money, so I step forward, making sure he wouldn't see.

"You're a fucking creep. You can't just push woman! Do you—" I snap, and as I go to get closer to him, Missy grabs my wrist, stopping me.

"Get out!" Adam yells, pointing towards the door.

"What? Are you scared of a girl?" I smirk, tilting my head, "Or are you scared that I could get you done for theft and abuse.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Nas place his wallet back down, so I take a step back, turning on my hell and pushing Missy towards the door.

"No, we can't leave yet—" She starts, trying to turn around to go interrogate her mum some more.

"Come on, Missy. Trust me." I mutter, shoving her out of the door, and slamming it behind me.

Nas hands Missy the money, earning a nudge from me, "Look at you, Nas Paracha," I laugh, "Becoming a true Ackley Bridger."

"Can't believe you robbed him," Missy smiles, flicking through the notes, "What's got into ya?" She chuckles.

"I just thought it would. . . make me feel more like meself." Nas shrugs, her face dropping slightly.

I furrow my eyebrows, "You're like yourself already."

"You can't be not like yourself, it's impossible," Missy adds, smiling at Nas, "Ugh, fine. Don't talk to me then. I get you hate me after the Cory thing. It were-"

"Yeah, we know what it was," I roll my eyes, earning a playful smack from Missy.

"Sorry he kissed you and that," She says to Nas, "I didn't think he actually—"

"I kissed him." Nas rushes.

I swallow, and try to keep quiet and not start something. It's not like she, or anyone, knows I have small feelings for Cory. I didn't even know until recently, and it's killing me.  I clear my throat, "I have to go." I turn on my heel and begin to jog down a side alley.

"Bye then!" Missy shouts.

"See you at school!" Nas says.

I wave back at them, not bothering to turn. I don't want to go home but I have to.

I shove open the door before locking it with the spare house key and a quiet voices causes me to pause for a moment, taking in a deep breath.

"Peytonnnmn??" Mum whines from the living room.

I mentally groan before walking in. Jacob is scurrying around, picking rubbish up from the floor and dropping them into a black bin bag.

"What happened?" I ask him.

"She had a party, though she claims it was only a few mates. I came home late because I was in detention." He explains, going into the kitchen with me following.

"Detention? How unlike you!" I laugh.

"It was for shouting at a teacher." He smirks, trying not to seem too happy with himself.

"Starting to act like me." I chuckle.

"That's what Miss Sheane said."

I roll my eyes before entering the living room again to see Mum asleep on the couch, some of her limbs dangling off the edge.

"She's coked out," I sigh, glancing over at my brother, nodding for him to help, "Help me get her to her room."

"She hasn't slept in her room in months, she always sleeps here. The bed sheets on her bed are the same ones you put one a whole year ago."

"A whole fucking year?" I furrow my eyebrows, "She has been sleeping on the couch for a year?"

"Yeah. She prefers it apparently. Just leave her." He shrugs, jogging up the stairs.

—

I rub my eyes with my free hand, yawning. My other arm is interlocked with Nas' as we walk to school. "So you're a lesbian?" I ask Nas with a small smile.

She hums, nodding, "Yep. But, don't worry, I don't like ya." She chuckles quietly.

"I wouldn't mind if you did," I smirk, "I'd feel honoured."

A hand grabs my free wrist and I turn to see Riz. I roll my eyes, glancing over my shoulder at Nas, "I'll see you later." I say, earning a soft nod in response, "What'd you want?"

"About the date—"

She holds up her palm, silencing him, "You started that sentence as if I actually agreed to a date. I didn't. It's not happening."

"It's only one date." He clasps his hands together.

"Riz, you are not going on a date with that thing." Alya stands next to her brother.

"That thing?" I scoff, "What the fuck is your problem with me? I've barley done owt to ya."

"Well, you definitely aren't a girl. Not a civilised one anyway," She murmurs, her head raised and her voice somehow more posh then before.

My jaw clenches and before I know it I'mI jumping at her but Cory appears, managing to hold me back with his arms wrapped around my waist.

"Let me go," I hiss at him.

"No can do."

"She's a fucking bitch."

Riz chuckles before walking away, saying nothing else. Alya smirks and steps closer to me.

"You have to be held back by someone. Imagine being that off the rails." She whispers into my ear, "Is your Mummy really that unstable? I heard she was a drunk."

I rip myself from Cory's grip and throw her to the floor before jumping on top of her. I raise my fist to punch her but I'm dragged off her by Mr Quereshi while Mr Bell checks over Alya.

"Peyton." He repeats over and over, trying to calm me, "Don't let your anger get the best of you."

Mr Bell moves over to us, his eyebrows furrowed. He looks at my angry face.

"Peyton, calm down, okay?"

"Sir, you heard what she said, she— she..." I trail off, watching as Mr Nawaz helps his shocked daughter up.

Cory stands in front of me, holding my shoulders, "Don't listen to her. Okay?" He pulls me into a tight hug, holding the back of my head while I place my forehead on his chest.

"Peyton Evershed! Miss Carter's office now!" Mr Nawaz roars, hugging his daughter.

Cory releases me and cups my face, "It's okay. Just tell them what happened."

"It's his fucking daughter." I groan, "He'll take her side and Miss Carter, as much as I'm her favourite, will have to take his side."

Cory sighs, "I'll wait in reception for you."

"Now!" Mr Nawaz stomps inside, and I follow close behind, rolling my jaw.

He bursts open Miss Carter's office door and immediately stands behind her, "Sit." He directs and I do as told, glaring at him.

"What's going on?" Miss Carter looks at him then back at me.

"She attacked my daughter."

Miss Carter's jaw drops, "Peyton-"

"Why is she not in here?" I furrow my eyebrows, cutting the headmistress off.

"Who?"

"Alya." I state, "She said horrid fucking things, that caused me to get angry and, as sir put it, attack her."

"She is cleaning herself up." Mr Nawaz says sternly.

"Cleaning? Cleaning what, the tiny bit of dirt she got on her blazer? She only fell on the dry fucking floor and I didn't even get to lay a hand on her, so she can't be bruised." I raise my voice.

"Peyton. Calm down and watch your language." Miss Carter says, "You know you can't start fights-"

"It wouldn't of been much of a fight as seen as she wouldn't of fought back." I cross my arms.

"She wouldn't fight back because she was raised properly!" Mr Nawaz snarls..

"Sadiq, don't." Miss Carter warns, glancing over at him.

"Miss, you don't know what she said." I sit up, running my hands over my face.

"What did she say?"

"That Mum was unstable and she was a drunk." I explain, "She also called me a thing and said I was off the rails."

Her face drops even more and Mr Nawaz scoffs, catching my attention.

"What? So you think she didn't say that stuff because she was brought up properly. Because you rich people are better than us, right?" I tilt my head.

"I never said that." He grumbles.

"You wanted to." I snap.

"Did anyone hear her say those things?" Miss Carter asks.

"Mr Bell, Mr Quereshi and Cory," I lick my lips in annoyance, "And probably any other student in the vicinity as she made no attempted to be quiet."

"I'll be right backcl She stands up from her seat, before leaving.

I slouch down in the chair, picking at my nails while trying to ignore Mr Nawaz's presence.

"She should be punished for saying those things!" Mr Bell says as he enters the office, following his wife with his eyebrows cinched together.

Miss Carter sits down in her seat and Mr Bell stands next to me, sending me a smile.

"Mandy, no kid should be allowed to say stuff like that and just get away with it!" He shouts, "It's wrong."

I sit up with an arm in the air, "My point exactly!"

"I'm not saying she deserved to have Peyton jump on her but she was also in the wrong." Mr Bell nods.

"Do you always take the naughty kids sides?" Mr Nawaz pipes up, "First Jordan, now her."

"Why are you bringing that up now?" Mr Bell's face screws up, mostly in disgust, "Jordan got the punishment he deserved, now I think your child should."

"What about her?" Mr Nawaz points at me, "What punishment should she get?"

"I have a name," I grumble.

"Peyton will get the right punishment, she knows she will. But your daughter shouldn't be allowed to get out of hers." Mr Bell states roughly.

"What did she even do?"

"Have you been listening?" I ask.

"Oh, right. She said something about your Mum." Mr Nawaz tilts his head, "What's bad about that?"

"Are you dim?" I stand up, leaning forward on the desk to scowl at him, "Hav—"

"Peyton, sit." Miss Carter says gently and I follow her instructions, grumbling under my breath.

"It's not that hard, just let us talk to Alya and tell her that what she said was wrong!" Mr Bell says.

"Fine, but only if Peyton is in detention everyday after school." Mr Nawaz sighs.

"Not after school." I turn to Miss Carter, "I can't do after school. I'll do three days of full isolation instead."

"Yes, that's okay." She smiles, "Peyton, you can go now, just head straight to iso, Mr Bell will take you."

"Thanks, Miss." I mutter, standing up and leaving, digging my hands into my blazer pockets.