Page 35 of The Dead Ex

‘Five and … and a small one over two.’

‘Brilliant. It just goes to show what hard work can do.Now what about you?’ The teacher glanced at the register in front of her. ‘Scarlet, isn’t it?’

‘Get it wrong,’ hissed Dawn.

‘What?’

‘Then she won’t suspect you gavemethe answer.’

But six times six was thirty-six. Everyone knew that, didn’t they? Mum was good at sums. She’d been going to learn maths at university before she’d had Scarlet.

‘Thirty-four,’ said Scarlet dutifully.

‘Thirty-six,actually. Never mind.’

‘That’s not fair,’ hissed Scarlet when they moved on to the next sheet.

‘Course it is. I’m looking after you, aren’t I? So you’ve got to do stuff for me in return.’

At last it was lunch. Chips and baked beans! Yummy.

‘I’ll let you off lightly,’ said Dawn. ‘You only need give me half.’

‘Why can’t I eat it all?’

‘Because I’m your protector, stupid. It’s how you pay meto keep you safe.’

‘Safe from who?’

Dawn pointed towards three girls by the window. ‘See them? They’re real cows. Scratch your eyes out in the playground unless I’m around.’

As she spoke, one of them looked across and gave her a hard stare. Scarlet felt a cold shiver pass through her. ‘They live on the estate. A different one from ours. The Badlands.’

Silently, Scarlet pushed across her plate.Dawn swapped her empty one back in return.

A few minutes later there was a sharp whistle sound. ‘Outside, everyone.’

‘This is it.’ Dawn’s voice was low. ‘Stick to me.’

‘But aren’t the teachers on duty? At my old school, they’d stop anyone hurting others.’

‘Not here, they don’t. Can’t be arsed.’

The biting air hit Scarlet as soon as she stepped outside. The old anorak which Mrs W had givenher was too small and had a broken zip.

‘Someone cold, are they?’ asked one of the Badlands girls. She was wearing a black top which was so low you could see her bra.

‘No,’ said Scarlet but her voice quivered.

‘Maybe it’s cos you’re not wearing no knickers.’

How did she know?

‘One of my mates saw when she dropped her pencil on the floor. Trying to flash your fanny around, are you? Or maybeyou’re used to being somewhere hotter. Which country do you come from?’

‘Here.’

‘Then why are you black?’