After taking Karyn to the station and reporting what had happened, Mum had stepped back, probably telling herself she’d done her bit. Mum thought the police would help Karyn, that was the trouble. Holly shook her head as if the idea was crazy, grabbed the Kit Kat and ran away up the stairs. ‘Yeah.’ If this wasn’t an emergency, he didn’t know what was. He rummaged in the carrier bag, pulled out one of the bars and dangled it at her. How the hell did she know about that? ‘Listen, Holly, if you promise to go and get dressed, I’ll give you a Kit Kat.’ ‘I can’t go to school, it’s the bail hearing!’ She collapsed backwards against the fridge, her head flung up towards the ceiling. Mikey waggled the collar of her pyjama top. Holly came in and dumped the cereal box on the counter. The rain was slowing down and it smelled fresh out there now. He went to the kitchen and filled the kettle. ‘Well, I’ve got some now, so you want a cup of tea?’ Holly needed milk for cereal and I couldn’t even manage that.’ Karyn had stopped crying and was kneeling behind her, quietly brushing her sister’s hair. When he got back to the flat, Holly was sitting on the carpet in front of the TV, eating Cookie Crisps from the packet. He yanked up his hood and crossed the road back to the estate. He breathed in deep, trying to smell the sea, but the air smelled of fridges – something to do with the fans blowing warm from the shop behind him. Outside, the rain was still going, a fine mist falling into light from the fluorescent strip above the door. Still, he managed a quick nod of thanks, grabbed the bag and legged it. ‘Don’t be daft, take it.’ Ajay put a couple of Kit Kats in the carrier bag with the milk. And here, take some chocolate for your sisters.’ ‘Take the milk and pay me tomorrow, it’s all right. ‘I’ll have to leave it.’Ījay shook his head. Behind her, a bloke coughed impatiently.Īnger stirred Mikey’s gut. A woman in the queue behind him shuffled her feet. And here was Mikey, scrabbling for coins among the old receipts and bits of tissue in his jacket pocket.

Here was the milk on the counter in front of him.

You Against Me by Jenny Downham