Read Online Dishonour by Helen Black - Free Book Online Page A

cook. Her father and brothers would have to fend for themselves. Unthinkable. That’s something else she likes about Ryan, his independence.
    Ryan offers her a chip. She isn’t hungry but she takes one all the same and nibbles the end.
    ‘So what you up to after this?’ Ryan asks.
    ‘I’ve got to finish my history assignment,’ she says.
    He sucks in his breath. ‘Living dangerously.’
    ‘Shut up,’ she laughs.
    He finishes every last scrap of his food and licks ketchup from his fingers.
    ‘You need to have some fun,’ he says.
    ‘I have plenty of fun,’ says Aasha.
    ‘Like what?’
    ‘Like…’ Aasha smoothes back her ponytail, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ears, ‘well, I’m not going to tell you, am I?’
    Ryan wipes the back of his hand across his mouth and closes it over hers. She can see the greasy streak gleam.
    ‘Why don’t we do something really bad?’ he says.
    Aasha gulps. Her throat feels like she’s swallowed his dirty plate whole. She knows Ryan has had a lot of girlfriends and maybe this is how it is with other girls. Maybe they just speak freely about stuff like sex. She swallows down the dregs of her tea where the sugar has settled. It’s sweet and grainy in her mouth.
    He leans in towards her so she can smell the lamb on his breath. ‘Let’s do a runner,’ he says.
    ‘What?’
    ‘Let’s have it away on our toes without paying.’
    ‘Oh.’ She can feel sweat starting to prickle in her armpits. ‘I thought you meant…’
    He cocks his head and half closes one of his eyes. ‘You’ve got a dirty mind.’
    Aasha feels embarrassment open every pore in her body and she jumps up to leave. There is only one thought in her mind: escape.
    ‘Come on then,’ she stutters, and heads for the door.
    She can feel Ryan following closely behind.
    ‘Where do you think you’re going?’ shouts the owner from behind his counter.
    Aasha looks back, hesitates, but Ryan pushes her outside.
    ‘Run,’ he shouts.
    She dashes across the road, hearing the blare of a horn, the screech of brakes and her feet pounding down the pavement. Three Polish girls block her path, chatting and smoking as they compare the waistbands of their skinny jeans. Aasha bursts through them, knocking them sideways in their plastic high heels. They shout after her but she doesn’t miss a beat.
    She streaks past Bangla Groceries, the skips outside overflowing with stinking vegetables and bubble-wrap. A group of old men have gathered outside the Holiday Shop next door, pointing at the special offers on flights to Kashmir advertised in the window. They stare as she races past them but she doesn’t care.
    She keeps on going, her strides long, until she reaches the other side of Sainsbury’s car park. She pauses at the trolley station, her chest heaving. Ryan arrives seconds later and sinks to a crouch to catch his breath.
    ‘What kept you?’ she asks.
    Ryan is still panting but laughs. ‘I’ve just eaten, you cheeky cow.’
    ‘Maybe you should change your diet,’ she says.
    Ryan stands and pushes his hair out of the sweat on his forehead. ‘Maybe I should kiss you,’ he says.
    She looks at him, crippled by embarrassment. She has no idea what to do next.
    Ryan cocks his head to one side. ‘So you going to let me then?’
    ‘OK,’ she says slowly.
    Ryan smiles, his eyes greedy.
    ‘But you’ll have to catch me first.’ Aasha laughs and sets off at a run.
    Raffy banged his head against the cell wall.
    ‘Stop,’ Lilly said.
    He didn’t register that she was there, let alone that she had spoken. Instead he continued to headbutt the wall with frightening ferocity.
    ‘Raffy,’ Lilly shouted, and pulled him by the shoulders.
    The grey plaster was smeared with blood, Raffy’s forehead grazed and angry.
    ‘You need to listen to me.’ Lilly held his shoulders tightly.
    His eyes were blurry, his face contorted.
    ‘They are going to charge you with murder,’ she said. ‘Do you understand?’
    Raffy