Worse Than Boys Read Online Free Page A

‘Don’t think if there’s any trouble you won’t get the blame. Just because you lot manage to avoid it most of the time.’ He was one of the few teachers who didn’t give us anyslack. He thought we were every bit as much to blame for trouble as the Hell Cats. ‘You think because you live in a better area you must be better than they are. Actually, that’s what makes you worse.’
    We all looked at each other as if he was talking Chinese.
    ‘What are we supposed to have done wrong?’ I managed to get his attention at last. He turned to me.
    ‘You were on that train too. Don’t think I don’t know it. And I know how it works, Hannah. They got the blame, so Wizzie will get back at you for it. I know Wizzie and I know you lot. And you’re all trouble. Not one of you any better than the other.’
    ‘We keep back from trouble, sir. You ask anybody.’ I was all wide-eyed innocence. I could see that was really annoying him.
    As he finally stomped away from us, I whispered to Erin, ‘But if trouble comes to us, we don’t turn our back on it.’
    And trouble was coming. But when? I didn’t feel scared thinking about it. It was more like excitement I felt. Every time I passed Wizzie or her mates in the corridors I tensed, expecting them to lunge at me, expecting a fight at any moment. I even imagined ithappening. And I’d win. Then I’d go back to Erin and tell her. ‘Sorted.’ I’d sorted it. Me. Hannah. I wanted to be the one who sorted everything.
    I walked into the canteen and there they were, at their table. Wizzie was lying along it on her belly Lauren and Sonya were sitting on it. Big Grace had her feet resting on it. Why couldn’t they ever just sit at a table like normal people? I wondered.
    I decided I wasn’t going to wait for them to come to me. I barged up to them instead. ‘That’s very unhygienic,’ I said, pointing out Wizzie’s bare midriff. I noticed she’d had her belly button pierced. It had a ring attached to it. Even more unhygienic. ‘Especially since it’s your belly that’s on the table.’
    Wizzie sat up. Did she have a fresh scar on her neck? Red raw, I was sure she did.
    ‘Cut yourself shaving?’ I asked.
    It was Sonya who leapt at me. Wizzie held her back. ‘Not here, Sonya hen. We’ll get them later. And we’ll pick the time.’
    ‘You … and what army?’ I suppose I was trying to egg them on. Here in the canteen, I wanted all of them jumping on me. Boy, would they be in trouble then.
    Wizzie knew that too. ‘I’m going to make you so sorry, Driscoll.’
    ‘In your dreams,’ I said and I turned away from her. I bumped right into Zak Riley, nearly knocked his tray and his lunch all over him.
    ‘I don’t believe you!’ he moaned. ‘You’re talking like a couple of gangsters. Did you never play with dolls?’
    ‘No,’ I said. ‘Did you?’
    Zak ignored that. ‘Girls are supposed to be interested in pink fluffy things. Shop till you drop. Sugar and spice and all things nice?’
    He had stopped in front of me. I pushed him aside. ‘You’re in the wrong school if you want girls like that, Zak,’ I told him. ‘Miss Marchmont’s Academy for Young Ladies this ain’t.’
    I heard Wizzie laughing behind me. I couldn’t help smiling either. Zak was right, I guess. Girls weren’t supposed to fight, were they? But here at Cameron High, you had to be tough. You had to make sure gangs like Wizzie’s knew they couldn’t walk all over you.
    Wizzie and her friends didn’t waste any time. That same day, after school, they were gathered across the road, waiting for us. Grace stood straight when she saw us, so did Sonya. Only Wizzie ignored us, picking at hernails, calm and unconcerned. You had to admire how cool she always was. Lauren was beside her, looking as usual like an unmade bed. Had she never heard of an iron … or a comb?
    ‘Wizzie’s mine,’ Erin whispered to me.
    My heart was throbbing, I could feel the perspiration on my upper lip. But other than