Page 137 of Vying Girls

‘Callum. Please. Let me get my phone. This is important.’

Pursing his lips, he leans on the armchair with folded arms, blocking the path to my phone.

‘Won’t be at that poncy place forever, you know. Then what, huh? Think your mum is just gonna take you in again? After ignoring her for months.’ His dry lips curl up. ‘Was it because of me, eh? Not liking us back together? Better get used to it, that’s all I can say.’

His eyes drift to the doorway where Mum stands, holding three mugs.

‘You told her yet, love?’

Mum shakes her head as she silently deposits the teas.

A lick of dread crawls up my spine. ‘Told me what?’

Mum sits down, fiddling with her dressing gown and still not saying anything. I’ve seen this look before. Cowed. Submissive. I hate it. I fucking hate it.

Gritting my teeth, I lunge again for my phone. Callum steps in front of me, causing me to collide with him. He smells musty, like days-old deodorant.

‘No, you’ll wanna hear this. Sit down.’

‘I don’t want to sit down,’ I snap.

Is Nic still there? Is she hearing all this?

Mum reaches out, beckoning me over. I sink next to her, hating myself more than ever. Why the fuck did I sneak out like that? What was I thinking?

Just about my own pain as usual. Like there aren’t bigger things in the world I need to be worrying about. I fiddle with myfingers, suddenly feeling way younger than the twenty years I’m supposed to be.

Callum sits on the armchair with a self-satisfied groan. ‘Tell her, love.’

I look away from my phone screen, still lit up with Nic’s call, and peek at Mum. She’s sipping tea, blowing on the surface. Her leg jiggles.

‘I’m pregnant.’

A crack of laughter escapes before I can stop it. ‘Give over.’

‘Eleven weeks. Got scan pictures if you wanna see them.’

I glance at Callum and back again. ‘Are you fucking serious? Withhim?’

‘Tilda,’ Mum hisses, ducking her head.

I release an incredulous breath, my intimidation morphing into something bordering delirious. ‘This is—wow.Are you actually pregnant? With this psycho? You’re not keeping it, surely. You can’t fuck up another kid.’

Mum flinches when Callum shoots to his feet, dark intent all over his face.

‘Callum.’ She lifts a hand. ‘She’s just shocked. Like I was. Doesn’t mean it. She’ll come round.’ She nudges me, a fake lilt to her voice. ‘New brother or sister. You love babies, don’t you, Tilds?’

‘Yeah, I’m fucking shocked.’ I get to my feet too, welcoming the bastard. He can knock me out, kill me. Wouldn’t have to deal with any of this then.

‘You’re crazy if you think you’re getting near that kid. Police would never let you.I’llnever let you. Fucking abusive piece of shit.’

I want to hit him, my fingers twitch with it. But before I can, he gets hold of me instead, face a blank mask as he pushes me to the floor.

I hear Mum cry out. My heart’s pounding so hard I can barely see. I grab my phone from where I’ve landed beside it, despair filling me at the sight of the blank screen. I tap it, seeing the icon at the top that shows the call’s still connected. Don’t know why it matters. I’m too far away to be saved.

I nearly drop it again as Callum hauls me up. He pushes me into the armchair, the thing almost tipping back with the force, and pins me there with a hand on my throat.

I grasp at it, my earlier bravery vanished.