Sure Fire. Justin Richards

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ Jade said.

      “We don’t share. We’re fifteen,” Rich added.

      “There are only two bedrooms,” Chance told him.

      “Why can’t Rich share with you?” Jade asked. “Boys together?”

      Chance shook his head. “Because I’m sleeping on the sofa in here and there’s only room on it for one. There are a couple of single beds in there.”

      “You said there were two bedrooms,” Rich reminded him.

      “I’m using the other one as a study. I have to work. You get a bedroom and beds; I get a study and the sofa. That’s the best deal I can give you.”

      “That’s no deal,” Jade said.

      “A deal is something that’s agreed between two or more parties,” Rich said.

      “And do you know what a pedant is?” Chance asked.

      “Yes, I do actually. It’s—”

      “I know what it is,” Chance told him.

      “Then why did you ask?” Rich asked.

      “Dad’s little joke,” Jade told him. She shot a glance at Chance. “Very little joke. Come on.” She led Rich through to the bedroom.

      The room was bare apart from two single beds, two bedside cabinets and a mirror on one wall.

      “No place like home,” Jade said.

      “And this is certainly no place like home,” Rich agreed. “Let’s get our stuff. Must have some posters or something to liven the place up.”

      The room that Chance was using as a study was opposite their bedroom door. Jade pushed it open and they looked inside. It was a contrast to the rest of the flat.

      There was a single desk with a chair beside it. On the desk was an open laptop computer and a telephone. The rest of the desk was covered in piles of paper that extended to the floor and against the walls – piles of magazines and books. A bookshelf strained under the weight of files and heavy books.

      “Oil industry stuff,” Rich said, glancing at some of the titles. “Did he tell us he worked in the oil industry?”

      “He’s hardly told us anything,” Jade said. She walked over to the desk.

      “We shouldn’t really be here,” Rich said, following hesitantly.

      “You’re telling me.” She pointed to a small box attached to the telephone wire. It was about the size of a cigarette packet, plain grey plastic with several buttons on one side. “What’s that? A modem?”

      “Don’t think so,” Rich said. “Weird-looking thing.”

      “I know what this is though,” Jade announced, grabbing a sheet of paper from beside the phone. “Look – a list of schools. Boarding schools I bet. He’s been crossing them off. God, he’s already trying to get rid of us.”

      “What are you doing in here?” Chance asked. He was standing at the door to the study.

      “Just having a look around,” Jade said.

      “Look – I think we have to have certain rules around here, and one of them is that you never come into my study.”

      “But we’re your kids!”

      “I’m sorry, but those are the rules,” he said. He put his arm out, gesturing for them to leave the room.

      “Come on,” Rich said. He took the sheet of paper from his sister and put it back on the desk. He glanced down the two columns of names – some of the schools he recognised. “There are two lists here,” he said.

      “What do you mean?” Jade asked.

      “Come on now,” Chance said.

      “Two lists,” Rich repeated. “As in two sets of boarding schools. As in boys’ schools and girls’ schools.”

      “No way. Oh, no way on earth,” Jade said.

      “You’re not splitting us up,” Rich agreed. He turned angrily to face his father. “Jade and me – we’ve got nothing except each other. You’re not taking that from us too.”

      Rich was slumped on the sofa, watching the telly. It was a cartoon and he wasn’t interested, but it was better than listening to Chance, who was sitting on the floor talking to him.

      “I tried mixed schools first. Of course I did. But none of them had two spaces in the same year group.”

      “So you just thought you’d split us up,” Rich said.

      “What was I supposed to do?” Chance asked.

      Rich said nothing. He turned up the volume of the television.

      But he still heard Jade’s shout from the kitchen, where she’d gone to empty the ashtray into the bin: “What is this? You are one seriously weird guy.”

      Rich clicked off the telly and followed Chance to the kitchen. Jade had the fridge door open and was unloading its contents on to the side. Bottles of beer.

      “Is that all there is?” Rich asked.

      “No. There’s this too.” She pulled out two bigger bottles and put those with the beer. Champagne. “I mean, where’s the butter? Milk? Eggs? Food of any sort? Anything at all really?”

      “It’s down the road,” Chance said. He gently eased Jade to one side and started to repack the fridge.

      “What do you mean, down the road?”

      “I get a takeaway or I eat at the pub. They’re down the road.”

      “And that’s how you live?” Jade was aghast. “No wonder the kitchen’s so clean. At least you do the washing up.”

      “Eat out of the cartons usually,” Chance said casually. He turned and winked at Rich, who stifled a smile.

      “You are so gross,” Jade told him. “Just don’t expect us to sink to your level.”

      Chance shrugged.

      “What about a Chinese?” Rich asked.

      They ate Chinese with the telly on. It meant they didn’t have to talk to one another. Jade took herself off to bed almost as soon as she’d finished her egg-fried rice and spring roll. Rich pushed his sweet and sour chicken around the plate, not really hungry.

      “I’m tired,” he said awkwardly. “I think I’ll get to bed too.”

      “That’s OK,” Chance said. “I’ve got work to do anyway. Some calls to make. Don’t worry – I’ll tidy away. And wash up.”

      Rich gave a weak smile СКАЧАТЬ