Roadkill (LiveWire) Read Online Free Page B

like my reflection in the mirror, and I feel a little bit sorry. Sorry that he lost his wonderful girlfriend, but I lost my wonderful sister and I think that comes first.
    “Why were you sitting by The Road?” I repeat, conscious of Matt’s restless eyes on my face, and also suddenly realising how rough I look, in yesterday’s clothes with my wild hair escaping in red tendrils from its twisted knot. This shouldn’t matter but somehow it does.
    “Calm down Caz. We were just having a smoke.”
    They both look slightly shamefaced and I realise suddenly what kind of smoke. Oh. On the plus side I didn’t actually get as far as accusing them of anything. Thank God.
    “I am really sorry about Rose, and for you and Ashley. Must be crap. My cousin died last year, and all that stuff about getting over it is rubbish. You don’t, you just carry on living without them.” Matt smiles awkwardly and I stare at him.
    Sometimes I get so caught up in my own life I forget other people have stuff happen to them as well.
    Ashley leans in and squeezes my arm gently, face still frozen in grief, “Do you want us to walk you home?”
    Stung, I snap that I’m fine and actually off to Leo’s. Which makes me seem even more like piqued toddler. Nice one Caz. They exchange glances.
    “What? Do you two have a problem with that?”
    “No. Just be careful Caz. Are you going down the park tomorrow?” Weird, if I didn’t know better I’d say Matt was checking me out. And be careful; please! I could find my way around here blindfold. The Estate might be dodgy but it’s not inner city.
    I remember that tomorrow is a big skate competition and all the Estate will be heading down to check out the talent.
    “Are you both competing?” For some reason, and it’s not the heat of the night, I feel my face burn, and stumble shyly over my sentence. I wipe my sweaty palms on my shabby blue jeans.
    “Ash is, and I’m going to make up the numbers,” Matt smiles, and nudges his mate “Can’t win with the pro team heading the line up!”
    A glimmer of a smile and Ashley’s eyes soften a fraction, “Crap! You could beat most of them there.”
    “Not you?”
    “Whatever!” He almost laughed.
    In the face of their easy teasy friendship I feel uncomfortable, like a gooseberry. The feeling is not new. That was how I first hooked up with Leo. I was tagging along with Rose and a big group of her friends for a night out. Everyone was nice to me but only, I see now, because I was Rose’s sister. She was like a shooting star, taking me with her on a glittery trail. Then the star went out and I lost my taxi ride through life.
    Matt asks me again where I’m headed, and just nods when I say Leo’s. I have noticed blokes aren’t really keen to get to know Leo, but he says it’s just because they don’t understand him.
    The boys are showing no sign of moving off, so I make as if to walk down the road, muttering about being late, when Matt says, “So how did you and Leo meet?”
    I am surprised at his interest, “At the fair, you know that crap ‘Peter Loomers Star Attractions’ that was here last winter.”
    “I don’t remember seeing him,” Ash wrinkles his forehead, puzzled. His phone beeps, and he glances quickly at me and turns away, talking urgently. Far below us I hear a lorry rumbling to a stop in the lay-by. Another late night driver pulling over for a kip.
    “I was away for the half term. My uncle lives near Geneva, so I got some snowboarding in. Did I miss out?” He is teasing, and very close in the darkness.
    I stutter, telling Matt it was a dirty cheap place filled with stalls of rubbish toys, popcorn, candyfloss. All the things kids love, but which lose their gloss when you get older. Rose, Ashley and couple of others hit the Big Wheel, the rickety roller coaster, anything to get their adrenalin fix. I was lagging behind, trailing the glamorous, screeching group. So my big sister called me a wimp and I stood there, gripping the safety