here love,” the hairy man says. “You might try Tyre Right round the back of the market, that’s the only other place that’s local.”
I’m running out of time so I jog towards the market and down the little street behind. There are loads of cars queuing to get new tyres this morning because of the big sign at the end of the road saying “25 per cent Discount Day”.
“Does a boy called Tyler work for you?” I ask a skinny boy who’s using a loud machine to whizz the tyres off fast.
“He did,” shouts the boy, over the machine, “but not any more. Why, who wants to know?”
“I do,” I say. And then the whole story spills out and the skinny boy takes me to his boss who sits me down, makes me a coffee and sits on his desk to listen to me.
“I need you to give him his job back,” I say. “I mean, it’s not fair, is it? It wasn’t his fault he got the detention, it was mine.”
When I start looking for Tyler at lunchtime, Cali can’t believe her eyes.
“You’re crazy,” she warns. “Stay away from him, Libs, he’s bad news.”
“His bark is louder than his bite,” I say and then I realise that the same is true for my dad. He might shout and rage and go on and on at me, but he’s never actually hurt me. Well, not physically, that is. He has hurt my feelings though and I wonder which is worse.
“You really are all right, you are,” smiles Tyler, when I tell him he’s got his job back. “You’ve got spark, you have, I’m sorry I put you in the wrong box, Liberty Parfitt.”
“Never judge a book by its cover,” I brave.
Tyler gives me a high five and laughs, “Don’t push your luck, pipsqueak.”
Chapter 15
today is my birthday…
T oday is my birthday. I don’t even know if my dad’s actually remembered and I’m delaying getting get up in case he hasn’t, because I wouldn’t know what to do or say and I don’t know if I could actually just go off to school without mentioning it. If my mum were still alive I know she’d never forget my birthday. I think having a baby must be something a mum can never forget, even if they’re far away and don’t even see you. I’d like to think that my mum is remembering me today, even though she’s dead. Maybe she’ll be having a little tea party in the sky to celebrate me being twelve.
Twelve is big. It means I’ve got used to being doublefigures and I’m only six years away from being eighteen, which must be amazing! A little flutter of hope is still alive in my heart. It keeps on reminding me that I did see a violin on my dad’s bed and that the only person living in this flat that likes the violin is me. But there’s also a big fat heavy hammer in my head that keeps smashing my hope away. If my dad had planned a surprise for me I know that my recent behaviour would have definitely made him change his mind.
I haven’t been with my dad on my birthday since I was six years old. My birthday is always in term-time, so usually I have them at school. My day always starts with Alice leaping on my bed, showering me with presents and glittery cards. Then we always do something special in our boarding house to celebrate, like having a movie and pizza and I always have a wonderful lemon cake with tea. My dad usually sends my present through the post and Sebastian always makes sure we eat lunch together or something like that. I wonder if Alice has remembered my birthday or whether she’s so busy now with Thea Quaddy that she’s totally forgotten I exist?
I stay in bed for as long as possible, without making myself late for school. I feel cosy and safe in here withMr Ted. When I’m up and dressed I creep out of my room and find my dad sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for me. He’s made coffee and toast.
“Happy birthday, Liberty,” he says, stretching a forced smile on his face. “I’m sorry it’s not going to be a very exciting one, but here, I have this for you.”
On the table is a long, fat box wrapped in pink paper
I’m running out of time so I jog towards the market and down the little street behind. There are loads of cars queuing to get new tyres this morning because of the big sign at the end of the road saying “25 per cent Discount Day”.
“Does a boy called Tyler work for you?” I ask a skinny boy who’s using a loud machine to whizz the tyres off fast.
“He did,” shouts the boy, over the machine, “but not any more. Why, who wants to know?”
“I do,” I say. And then the whole story spills out and the skinny boy takes me to his boss who sits me down, makes me a coffee and sits on his desk to listen to me.
“I need you to give him his job back,” I say. “I mean, it’s not fair, is it? It wasn’t his fault he got the detention, it was mine.”
When I start looking for Tyler at lunchtime, Cali can’t believe her eyes.
“You’re crazy,” she warns. “Stay away from him, Libs, he’s bad news.”
“His bark is louder than his bite,” I say and then I realise that the same is true for my dad. He might shout and rage and go on and on at me, but he’s never actually hurt me. Well, not physically, that is. He has hurt my feelings though and I wonder which is worse.
“You really are all right, you are,” smiles Tyler, when I tell him he’s got his job back. “You’ve got spark, you have, I’m sorry I put you in the wrong box, Liberty Parfitt.”
“Never judge a book by its cover,” I brave.
Tyler gives me a high five and laughs, “Don’t push your luck, pipsqueak.”
Chapter 15
today is my birthday…
T oday is my birthday. I don’t even know if my dad’s actually remembered and I’m delaying getting get up in case he hasn’t, because I wouldn’t know what to do or say and I don’t know if I could actually just go off to school without mentioning it. If my mum were still alive I know she’d never forget my birthday. I think having a baby must be something a mum can never forget, even if they’re far away and don’t even see you. I’d like to think that my mum is remembering me today, even though she’s dead. Maybe she’ll be having a little tea party in the sky to celebrate me being twelve.
Twelve is big. It means I’ve got used to being doublefigures and I’m only six years away from being eighteen, which must be amazing! A little flutter of hope is still alive in my heart. It keeps on reminding me that I did see a violin on my dad’s bed and that the only person living in this flat that likes the violin is me. But there’s also a big fat heavy hammer in my head that keeps smashing my hope away. If my dad had planned a surprise for me I know that my recent behaviour would have definitely made him change his mind.
I haven’t been with my dad on my birthday since I was six years old. My birthday is always in term-time, so usually I have them at school. My day always starts with Alice leaping on my bed, showering me with presents and glittery cards. Then we always do something special in our boarding house to celebrate, like having a movie and pizza and I always have a wonderful lemon cake with tea. My dad usually sends my present through the post and Sebastian always makes sure we eat lunch together or something like that. I wonder if Alice has remembered my birthday or whether she’s so busy now with Thea Quaddy that she’s totally forgotten I exist?
I stay in bed for as long as possible, without making myself late for school. I feel cosy and safe in here withMr Ted. When I’m up and dressed I creep out of my room and find my dad sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for me. He’s made coffee and toast.
“Happy birthday, Liberty,” he says, stretching a forced smile on his face. “I’m sorry it’s not going to be a very exciting one, but here, I have this for you.”
On the table is a long, fat box wrapped in pink paper
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