Cal - Ackley Bridge

Chapter 12

Callum's P.O.V.

Missy left and shortly after Mum and Chloe arrived home. 

"Have you seen Missy today?" Mum asked. Chloe rolled her eyes.

"No. Why?" I asked.

"She wasn't in that's all," Mum said. 

"Has Marcus been expelled?" I asked.

"No, his dad pulled him out. 'Too many Muslims' or something," Mum said, shaking her head.

"What a prick," I muttered.

"Callum?!" Mum shouted. How can Mums literally hear everything? 

"How's Jordan?" I asked, changing the subject as quickly as possible.

"Refusing to say anything," Mum replied. At the mention of Jordan's name, Chloe had gone sort of rigid and run upstairs. Mum didn't seem to notice but I thought it was odd. I followed her up and knocked on her door.

"GO AWAY!" she shouted. Her voice was shaky. I opened the door anyway and saw that Chloe was crying into her pillow.

"I said go away, didn't I?" she yelled.

"Sorry but, are you, are you alright?" I asked.

"Jordan dumped me, didn't he?" she spluttered and she broke down into renewed sobs. I sat on her bed and pulled her into a hug. We do get on sometimes. Chloe pulled me in closer and cried into my shoulder. 

"Woah. Be careful of the arm," I said. She eventually calmed down.

"You can't tell Mum," Chloe sniffled.

"I won't," I reassured her. 

"You know you're not a total prick," Chloe told me.

"Aww thanks," I said sarcastically. Without thinking about it, Chloe punched me jokingly on the arm. My arm felt like fire.

"OH SHIT!" I screamed.

"Fuck! I'm sorry, don't tell mum," Chloe begged but Mum had already run upstairs.

"What is going on here? Why are your eyes red?" Mum asked.

"Oh I fell and err Chloe had an incident with some make up," I lied. Mum rose her eyebrows.

"Really?" she asked, skeptically.

"Mum, my arm really hurts," I said as I tried to distract her from Chloe.

"Oh come on, we'll get you some medicine," Mum said and strode out onto the corridor.

"Thanks," Chloe muttered and I ran after Mum. Somehow I had managed to milk out my arm injury for a whole week and I spent the time binge watching series on Netflix. 

"Right you're going in today," Mum said.

"Aww but..." I started to say.

"No buts, you're going in," Mum said.

"Please," I begged with puppy dog eyes.

"No it's the play auditions, I want you to take part," Mum said. After much grumbling and moaning we got to school. Missy came running over to me and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Alright beautiful?" I asked.

"Better now you're here," she said. We walked hand in hand to the hall where the auditions were being held. I didn't really get the point. We all knew Missy was going to get a lead. She was brilliant.

"I'm so nervous," Missy said.

"You'll be fine. You're so dramatic I'm sure you'll get a part," I joked. She elbowed me in the ribs.

"You're lucky you have broken your arm," she laughed. The auditions actually went well. I managed to not fall over so all was good. 

"I'M GOING TO MEET MISSY," I yelled up the stairs the next morning.

"Well be careful," Mum said. I grabbed my bike and cycled one handed to Missy's house. She was waiting outside wearing her signature jacket. I hopped off my bike.

"My lady," I said as I did a bow. Missy was roaring with laughter.

"Hop on," I said. She looked reluctant to clamber on to the pegs. To be honest I don't blame her for not wanting to, especially me being one handed and all that.

"Are you sure it's safe?" she asked.

"No of course it isn't," I laughed. She hopped on the back and I pedaled us to school. Her hands were gripped so tightly around my waist I thought I was going to pop. We pulled up to school and Mum and Miss Carter were standing by reception.

"Well that's one way to make an entrance," Miss Carter said.

"Very classy," Mum said.

"You know me mum, full of class," I said.

"Cast list is up today," Mum said.

"Ooo I hope I got a good part," Missy squealed.

"I'm sure you did," I said. I could tell by the looks on Mum and Miss Carter's faces that she had. At break we all raced to see what we got. Missy got cast as Titania and I was Puk.

"I think you suit being a little elf guy," Missy said.

"Oi," I said but I wasn't offended. 

I woke up the next morning to a snap from Jordan. I opened it and it was a video of Mr Qureshi punching someone. I think it was one of the best punches I have ever seen. I got dressed and went downstairs.

"Chlo have you seen this?" I asked.

"What the video of Mr Qureshi?" Chloe asked. I nodded.

"What video?" Mum asked as she entered the room. I looked at Chloe.

"Go on show me," Mum told me. I showed her the video and she looked sort of shocked.

"Well I'm sure he had his reasons," Mum said.

"Oooo getting all defensive for him, are we?" I asked. Mum glared at me and I didn't say anything else.

We had play rehearsals all the time and I basically had no time for anything else. Jordan had become a total prick. I know he had it hard at home but he kept on picking on Mo and Zain.

"You coming boxing bro?" Zain asked.

"Do I look like I could thump anyone with this thing?" I said as I held up my arm. I was getting the cast off soon but I still couldn't do sport for a few weeks after. 

"It would probably hurt like madness bro," Zain said. I shook my head. Zain couldn't half be a dip stick.

In english we were studying Romeo and Juliet. Jordan was reading and it was sort of painful to listen to. He could barely read and Mo and Zain kept picking on him. Jordan eventually lost it and rugby tackled Mo to the ground. Zain was trying to pull them apart and so was Mum. 

"Jordan leave it," I said.

"Like you care," Jordan spat. Mum managed to grab Jordan and as they were leaving he shoved me. I fell over and landed on my arm.

"FUCK!" I shouted.

"Oi what you playing at?" Missy screamed at Jordan.

"Everyone calm down," Mum said as she wrestled Jordan out the room.