Page 88

SOLSTICE

“HI NATHAN,” I SAY. HE glares back at me. He’s in a black hoodie now even though it’s about a hundred degrees, the hood pulled up over his head like he thinks he’s some kind of gangster.

“I’ll leave you guys to it,” Ruby says, in an undertone. “I’m meant to be getting people to the tables. But call me if you need help. Yeah?” She looks at me pointedly before striding off toward the lawns.

“Ah,” Tate says, when she’s gone. “My old mate Eddie Eddie Eddie. What you up to, my old mugger?”

But his eyes don’t match his tone. His eyes are like a wounded animal’s, like the deer Dad once had to finish off with a shotgun after someone hit it on the road by the farm. The lighter in his hand, clicking and flickering away. Then I realize that he’s also trying to hide something behind him, something bulky. I feel a kick of adrenaline.

“What have you got there, mate?” I ask. He shifts to hide whatever it is. I shine the torch past him: three jerry cans of petrol.

“What are you going to do with those, Nathan?” I ask.

“Oh come on, old Eddie. You can’t really give a shit about this place? These people? You seen them all by the way? Off their fucking rockers on something. Fucking hilarious.”

“What are they on, Nathan?” I say, trying to sound as stern as possible. “I know it was you.”

“Anyway.” He turns to the other guy, ignoring me. “Gaz and I just thought we’d enjoy the party a bit, have a little look around, didn’t we Gaz? All very innocent. Then we just happened to stumble across these, which someone has so carelessly left lying around. Just wanted to make sure they didn’t get into the wrong hands, you know? Cos that would be a real shame.”

“Come on Nathan.”

“Nah, don’t think I will, thanks. She took everything. You’ve seen my dad. He’s a mess. This place has good as killed him.” His voice is low and raw now. “We’ll never get him back.” Then he pulls himself up to his full height (not very tall) and hisses: “I want to see it fucking burn. You’re not telling me you choose these rich wankers over Tome... your own people?”

I don’t have any love for this place. Definitely not now. But innocent people could get hurt. “Just leave it, Nathan,” I say. “I’m sorry about your dad. But this won’t make it better. Just... just go home, yeah?”

He picks up a can of petrol. “Pass me the lighter, Gaz.”

“I won’t say it again,” I tell him, taking several steps closer. “And I know you spiked the cider tonight, too.”

“Dunno what you’re talking about.”

I don’t believe him for a second. Telling Bella about my brother has brought something else back too, something I’ve always kind of known but have never said out loud. “And I know you were the one who supplied Jake, back then.”

“Don’t give me that,” he says, mockingly, “he was a big boy. Did all that by himself. Fucked up his own life. Not that it wasn’t kind of entertaining to watch. The golden boy, all that.”

I punch him. Didn’t even know I was going to do it before it happened. I’ve never actually punched someone before and it hurts, but I think it hurts Tate more. He staggers backward clutching his face. My whole body’s trembling. But I’m not going to lie: after everything I’ve heard tonight, all these feelings churning inside me, it’s also a kind of release.

“Fuck!” Gaz whispers, sounding almost impressed. “Maaaate!”

“You little shit!” Nathan moans through his fingers. He takes his hand away and it’s now I see the blood trickling from his nose. I’m so shocked at what I’ve done I start half-stumbling, half-jogging away.

“Yeah, yeah!” I hear Nathan shout after me, “Pretty clear which side you’re on, narc! But you can’t stop us now. We’ll keep coming for her like the fucking tide!”