Page 122

‘You bitch.’

‘Dylan!’ Billy stood up and shook a finger in his face.‘Don’t you dare speak to your mother like that. Calm down and tell us what’s going on.’

‘She,’ Dylan shouted, jabbing a finger towards Lucy, ‘senta photo of Taylor topless from my phone to all my friends and it’s gone viral. The whole fucking country is looking at it. Taylor hates me now.’ His face crumpled. ‘She doesn’t believe it wasn’t me. She’s hurt and humiliated. How could you do this?You’re a psycho.’

‘Jesus, I barely understand the world any more.’ Billy pulled Dylan into a chair and stood behind him. ‘Now let’s just take a minute and sort this out.’

Lucy was staring at her son. ‘You’re saying a photo of Taylor was sent from your phone and you’re blaming me? You think I’d do that? Have you lost your mind?’

‘I know you did it, Mum. You told me to break up with Taylor andyou knew I wouldn’t do it, so last night when I went to bed you sent the photo out. I know you did so you can stop lying now. You’re so obsessed with me being the perfect scholarship student that you’d do anything to stop me messing up. I just never thought you’d stoop that low.’

‘I didn’t do it,’ Lucy said. ‘It’s ridiculous. You must have done it by mistake or pressed the wrong button last nightwhen you came in. You were drunk, after all.’

‘I wasn’t that drunk! I’d never ever hurt Taylor, but you would. You wanted to get rid of her. Well, congratulations, Mum, it worked. She hates me. She’s sent me tons of messages letting me know how much she hates me and how devastated she is. I will never forgive you for this, never.’

‘Stop it, Dylan,’ Lucy snapped. ‘You only have yourself to blamebecause I didn’t touch your phone. Besides, the fact that Taylor is stupid enough to send photos of her breasts to you speaks for itself, doesn’t it? I won’t have you speaking to me like this. I didn’t send any picture. You were drunk enough to do that all by yourself.’

‘I didn’t do it!’ Dylan shouted. ‘I’m mad about Taylor.’

Lucy folded her arms. ‘Well, I feel sorry for Taylor and I’msorryyou’re upset, but you know what? Maybe your drunk actions last night are going to save you from making a serious mistake. Now that Taylor’s out of the picture, you can focus on what’s important. This might actually be a blessing in disguise.’

Dylan’s mouth fell open. He stared at his mother. Then he stood up and walked over to her. He put his face close to hers. ‘I know you did it and I hopeyou’re happy. You’ve ruined my life and hers. Well done.’

He stormed up to his bedroom.

‘What in the name of God is going on?’ Billy asked.

‘Stupid teenage nonsense, Dad. Don’t worry about it. It’ll blow over. Go on and open up the shop. I’ll be there in a minute,’ Lucy told him.

‘Bloody phones, they’re the scourge of life, I tell you,’ Billy muttered, as he unlocked the door leading fromthe kitchen into the shop.

Lucy turned to Kelly, who was sitting quietly at the table. She hadn’t uttered a word. ‘Are you all right?’ she asked.

Kelly nodded.

‘Don’t worry, pet, he’ll soon realize he sent it by mistake last night and hopefully he’ll learn something from it. He’ll stop drinking now he sees what stupid things he does when he’s drunk. I do feel sorry for Taylor, but then again,she’s very foolish to send photos of her body to anyone. Let this be a lesson to you too, Kelly. Never send anyone an intimate photo of yourself. Nothing is private.’ She looked towards the stairs. ‘Hopefully Dylan will calm down soon and apologize.’

Kelly said nothing. She got up and put her plate into the dishwasher. Lucy watched her go up the stairs as she finished tidying up the kitchen.She only realized her hands were shaking when she tried to put her coffee cup into the dishwasher. She’d tried to appear calm in front of Kelly and herdad, but she’d been thrown by the force of Dylan’s rage. She’d give him a few more minutes to calm down and then she’d go up and try to talk to him reasonably.

She never got the chance. Five minutes later, Dylan thumped down the stairs carryinga suitcase and headed for the front door.

Lucy rushed into the hall. ‘What on earth are you doing?’

‘Leaving.’ Dylan pushed past her. ‘I’m not staying in this house with you.’

‘Stop this nonsense, Dylan. I’ve had enough now. I did not send any photo to anyone. Calm down and stop behaving like a child. You obviously sent it by mistake last night and blaming me is ridiculous.’

Dylan shoved hisfinger into her face, his eyes blazing. ‘I will never forgive you. I’m going to stay at Jenny’s because I can’t live under the same roof as someone who could be so cruel. I hate you. I really mean that. I hate you.’

Lucy gasped. ‘Come on, Dylan, this is ridiculous. Stop now. Come back. We need to talk about this. Dylan, you can’t leave.’

He shoved her out of the way and walked out of the door,his suitcase trailing behind him.

‘Dylan,’ she called. ‘Dylan, come back.’ She began to cry. ‘Please. You sent it by mistake. Please, come back.’

‘I’m never coming back. Don’t try to contact to me. You’re dead to me.’