Fighting Back Page 3

  Rob shrugged again. He smiled at Amita and moved away to talk to the policewoman.

  Eventually they were all allowed to go home. Rob had promised to make a statement to the police later.

  Javin and Rajeeb were both there when they got back.

  ‘Where have you been? We were worried about you!’

  Gayan looked at his brother.

  ‘I was worried about Amita. I didn’t want her meeting that boy again, so I went to meet her.’

  He turned to Rajeeb.

  ‘This is all your fault! Amita, attacked in the street! If you’d done what you were told this would never have happened!’

  ‘My fault? Look, Dad, I told you. I’ve got work to do. You’re the one sitting around all day.’

  If Amita hadn’t felt so shocked, she would have been angry, but the last thing she wanted was a family row. She was the one who had been attacked, but no one seemed to care about her. Pride. Being in control. Sometimes she thought her brother was as bad as her dad.

  Amita was off school for a couple of days. When she got back, Cath was back too. She was very pleased to see Amita and gave her a hug.

  ‘I wanted to come round and see you. But …’

  Amita knew why she felt she couldn’t. Dad. If only she could say, ‘It’s fine now. When Dad saw Rob in the fight, he knew how wrong he’d been. You can come round anytime!’

  If only.

  At least things were better at school. Tony was permanently excluded. Carrying a knife was serious and the police were talking about prosecuting. Brian was going to be moved to a different school. Luke and Maddy were excluded too, but for shorter times.

  Things were still difficult at home, but there were good signs even there. Rajeeb was still doing well, but by the summer it was clear that the computer side of things wasn’t for him. He just couldn’t get his head round it. But someone else could – Gayan! He was discovering he had a real knack with computers. He began to take on the computer side of the business. He talked of setting up his own computer business one day. Slowly, slowly, he was becoming more settled, back in control of his life.

  Then came the day when Javin invited the entire Davis family round for a meal. Rob couldn’t come, but Cath would be there. Amita was anxious. How would her father react?

  In the end, it was a great success. Everyone was relaxed, and there was lots of laughter around the table.

  At the end of the meal Gayan spoke quietly to Cath’s mum.

  ‘Mrs Davis, you have a fine daughter in Cath. I am very pleased that she is Amita’s friend.’

  Amita had feared that the dinner party would cause more trouble, but it turned out to be a healing moment for her family.

  Rajeeb was now at college in Portsmouth. Much to Rob’s disgust, he had deserted Southampton football team. He was now a full Pompey supporter.

  ‘There’s no choice at my college,’ he said. ‘If I turn up there wearing a Southampton scarf, I’ll get slaughtered!’

  One day in the autumn, two football supporters, one wearing red, the other blue, stopped under a lamp-post.

  ‘Coming in for a minute?’ asked Rajeeb.

  ‘Alright, but I’d better hide the scarf,’ said Rob.

  ‘Why? Dad, you mean? Don’t worry about him. He’s getting quite tolerant, these days. Even with Southampton supporters!’

  More great reads in the SHADES 2.0 series:

  Witness by Anne Cassidy

  Shouting at the Stars by David Belbin

  Blitz by David Orme

  Virus by Mary Chapman

  Hunter’s Moon by John Townsend

  Animal Lab by Malcolm Rose

  Tears of a Friend by Jo Cotterill

  Danger Money by Mary Chapman

  A Murder of Crows by Penny Bates

  Doing the Double by Alan Durant

  Mantrap by Tish Farrell

  Coming in to Land by Dennis Hamley

  Life of the Party by Gillian Philip

  Plague by David Orme

  Treachery by Night by Ann Ruffell

  Mind’s Eye by Gillian Philip

  Gateway from Hell by David Orme

  Four Degrees More by Malcolm Rose

  Who Cares? by Helen Orme

  Cry, Baby by Jill Atkins

  The Messenger by John Townsend

  Asteroid by Malcolm Rose

  Space Explorers by David Orme

  Hauntings by Mary Chapman

  The Scream by Penny Bates

  Rising Tide by Anne Rooney

  Stone Robbers by Tish Farrell

  Fire! by David Orme

  Invasion by Mary Chapman

  Copyright

  SHADES 2.0

  Fighting Back

  by Helen Orme

  Published by Ransom Publishing Ltd.

  Radley House, 8 St. Cross Road, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9HX, UK

  www.ransom.co.uk

  ISBN 978 178127 380 7

  First published in 2005

  This updated edition published by Ransom Publishing 2013

  Copyright © 2013 Ransom Publishing Ltd.

  Text copyright © 2013 Helen Orme

  Cover photograph copyright © Maciej Noskowski

  A CIP catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library.

  All rights reserved. This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

  The right of Helen Orme to be identified as the author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.

  MORE GREAT SHADES 2.0 READS

  Who Cares?

  by Helen Orme

  Tara hates her situation and everyone around her. Most of all, she hates her special school, the Unit, which she thinks is a dumping ground for kids who don't fit in at school. After meeting Liam things start to get better, but he wants Tara to kick her drug habit. Can she? Will she?

  Cry, Baby

  by Jill Atkins

  This is Charlie’s diary. Charlie is fifteen and in her last year of high school. When she discovers she is pregnant, she is almost certain she’s not ready to be a mother. How will she cope with telling her mum and dad – and making the difficult decisions that follow?

  The Scream

  by Penny Bates

  No matter how hard Sally tries to forget the past, the scar on her face always reminds her of the time when local bullies set their dogs on her. After her family moves house, Sally tries to start her life again. But she is terrified when she sees a ghostly white hare, which is supposed to be the sign of a death to come.

  Hunter’s Moon

  by John Townsend

  When his boss is mysteriously hurt, young gamekeeper Neil is left to look after the woods on his own. There have been rumours of a panther on the loose, and now Neil notices some odd scratch marks on the trees. Is this message a warning? And will Neil take action before it's too late?