Beautiful Broken Things(Beautiful Broken Things #1)(48)

14.07: OK, this might take a few texts so sorry. At lunchtime Dylan and his friends were being dicks, trying to wind Sz up.

14.07: It was just funny at first. Dylan said she was easy and Sz was like, lucky for your ugly mug, you know how she is, everythings a joke. She seemed like she didn’t care.

14.08: But then Dylan said give it easy, take it hard, and she told him to fuck off. And he called her a bitch, said she wasn’t even good, just cheap.

14.08: Then he said damaged goods come cheaper and Sz LOST IT. She threw a chair across the room, we had to hold her back

14.09: She would’ve gone for him. Mr Daniels was next door in his office, & he came in yelling at us. Sz got taken to the head, now she’s suspended.



I read the messages as they came through, one after the other, my heart pounding. My fingers angled over the keypad as I tried to figure out how to respond. I decided to text Suzanne first.

14.10: Here if you need me xxx

And then, to Rosie:

14.10: How come she got suspended? What about D?

14.12: They’re really strict about destructive behaviour here. Plus she’s on thin ice cos of all the detentions. D just got a detention.

14.13: That’s unbelievable.

14.14: I know. Wait, how are you texting from class?

14.15: I’m in the toilets.

14.16: Are you skipping class???



I looked at the time. If I went straight to maths now, I’d be fifteen minutes late and in trouble anyway.

14.17: Yes. Can’t believe any of this. Did you see her?

14.18: Wow, is that a 1st? Didnt see her. Lev did. Says she was crying, Sarah picked her up at the end of lunch.



Before I could reply to Rosie, Suzanne’s name appeared on my screen.

14.19: Are you at school?

14.20: Yes x

14.21: What good is that then.

14.21: Sorry. Just leave me alone OK.



Stung, I read over the messages again, trying to understand her hostility. I considered sending her a message reminding her that it wasn’t exactly my fault and I was only trying to help, but there didn’t seem to be much point, so I texted Rosie instead.

14.23: Did you text her?

14.25: Yep, but she hasn’t replied. Just told her to msg me whenever. All you can do.



Not replying was at least better than ‘leave me alone’, I thought. I was about to ask for more details, when I heard the main door open and then a tentative voice.

‘Caddy?’ It was Mishka.

I hesitated. ‘Yeah?’ I leaned over and released the catch on the door, letting it swing open to reveal Mishka’s earnest, searching face.

‘There you are,’ she said, looking relieved. ‘Are you OK?’

‘Yeah, there’s a big drama going on with Suzanne,’ I said, waving my phone as evidence.

‘I told Mr Henderson you felt sick,’ Mishka said, ‘so you should probably go to the nurse now and get a note. That way you don’t have to go back to class. I’ll cover for you.’

‘Thanks, Mish,’ I said, meaning it. I pushed my phone back into my pocket and stood up. ‘Tell him it’s cramps.’ It was cheap, but claiming cramps never failed with the male teachers.

She grinned. ‘Will do.’

We headed out of the toilets together, going our separate ways at the end of the hall. As I walked towards the nurse’s office, making sure to slow my pace and hunch slightly, it occurred to me that this was the first time I’d ever tried to skip class at Esther’s. Surely a momentous occasion, never mind that it had taken me almost five years. I wanted to text Suzanne – You’re rubbing off on me! – but I clearly couldn’t right now.

As the nurse fussed over me, apparently not suspicious of my vague symptoms, I could only think about Suzanne. Suspension. What would that mean for her? Things between her and Sarah were strained enough already. If I was suspended, it would be a big deal, but for Suzanne it could be a disaster.

My phone buzzed again in my pocket, but I had to wait a few minutes until the nurse left the room before I could look.

14.38: Whoops. Sz jst txt me, v pissed off I told you. What did u say to her?

14.46: Literally just here if u need me.

14.48: Fucks sake, y does she have to be such a bitch. I didnt throw any chairs. As if I wouldn’t tell u!

14.49: She told me to leave her alone.

14.52: !! Unbelievable. K I actually hv to do some work now. Call me after school x

14.53: Will do xx





22.31: Have you heard from Suze?

22.32: No, have you?

22.33: No, I left a message just after 6, no reply. I text her like an hour ago, but no reply.

22.35: :/

Wednesday 11.49

From: Suzanne Watts {[email protected]}

To: Caddy Oliver {[email protected]}; Rosie Caron {[email protected]}

Hi guys,

Sorry for communication outage last night. I just really, really didn’t want to talk. I’m rubbish, I know.

Just wanted to give you an update. Things are fine, really. Sarah is steaming mad, but not at me(!!!). She’s at school right now trying to appeal the suspension. It probs won’t work but nice that shes trying. I thought she’d be so mad at me but she says a suspension is completely unnecessary, because of the circs, esp as Dylan just got a detention. She was like, you should have just ignored him. Tbh I think she was kind of distracted by finding out I’ve had sex. I was so upset I told her what he said – not all of it, but enough for her to get it. HER FACE. GOD. Now we’re both kind of pretending that bit of the conversation didn’t happen.