Caramel Hearts Read Online Free Page A

seconds, Harriet has everything under control – shortbread and tray dumped into the sink, oven shelf quickly following.
    â€œWhat are you playing at? You know that if we don’t keep things under control, they’ll take you away. Is that what you want?”
    â€œOf course not.”
    â€œWell you’ve a funny way of showing it. I thought you were going to act responsibly?”
    â€œI am! I was just—”
    â€œNicking off school and setting the place on fire?”
    My heart sinks. I only wanted to make Harriet smile.
    â€œIf Mam hears about this,” continues Hatty. “It’ll set her right back.”
    â€œAnd it’ll be all my fault. You sound just like her.” It’s too late to stay out of trouble and I can’t seem to stop my mouth. “Maybe I’d be better off if the Social Services did take me away?”
    â€œSometimes I wonder why the hell I bother!” snaps Harriet.
    I roll my eyes. “Go back to your precious uni. I don’t need you to look after me.”
    Harriet grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me harder than I expect, her face puckering with anger.
    â€œDon’t be such an ungrateful bitch!” she spits.
    My ears and teeth rattle, but I don’t bother to fight back. Instead, I focus on the points of her fingers digging intomy flesh, my eyes resting on the sink where my ruined shortbread lies black and smouldering. My stomach growls as I watch the red cinders of my shortbread die out, one by one. Why can’t Harriet see I’m trying to do something nice?
    Wriggling free, I snatch up the recipe book and stomp up to my room.
    â€œI’m a bitch? Then what are you?” I shout down the stairs before slamming the door.
    It’s our first fight since Mam went away and the lovely lemony flavour turns sour in my mouth. I ball my fists and punch into my mattress. Only when my knuckles start getting sore do I feel a bit better.
    â€œIt’s all your stupid fault,” I say, flinging the cookbook across the room. “It was a ridiculous idea.”
    The book slams against the wall and lands on the floor, open on the inscription page. I can see my dad’s words from here, full of love and tenderness.
    â€œWhy did you have to leave?” I say, my voice cracking.
    Pushing my face into my pillow, I let the tears fall, resolving to never set foot in the kitchen again.

Chapter Five
    The Three Amigos
    It’s almost 8.15 a.m. when Hatty shakes me awake, a freshly laundered and ironed uniform in her hands. She drops the uniform on my bed as I clamber out, but there’s no sign of any note to explain my absence. I’m expecting fireworks and lectures, but it doesn’t happen. Instead, her voice is cool and clipped.
    â€œYou know you can’t keep nicking off school, right?” says Harriet, her best frown in place.
    â€œRight,” I agree, my head hung low.
    â€œI know you were trying to do something nice, and it’s good you’ve got an interest, but…”
    â€œBut?”
    My voice is more defiant than I mean it to be, but there’s bound to be something bad coming. Like getting grounded or being walked to school to make sure I get there. For the rest of my life.
    â€œWe have to keep our noses clean if we’re to keep things as they are.”
    â€œYou don’t even want to be here!”
    It’s hard to keep my voice from wobbling. My head feels heavy, my heart heavier still, and my hands shake as I turn my back to my sister and start getting dressed. My shirt smells of wild flowers, and I breathe it in.
    â€œI’m sorry for what I said, but I was worried – what if the place burned down? With you trapped inside?” She reaches out and touches my shoulder. “Where would I be without my lil sis?”
    I pull away, but only because she’s making me feel bad. I’m the one that messed up, and she’s apologizing!
    â€œI’m sorry