‘Fuck’s sake!’ Natalia misfired her milk for her Cheerios as it splashed over the floor.
‘What’s wrong wi’ you?’ her mum frowned, sitting at the table in her love-heart dressing gown.
‘You don’t usually care,’ Natalia muttered back.
‘Tsk. You were all excited going into school t’other day. I can’t keep up. Just don’t go bloody skiving again will ya. Last thing I want is the police turning up ‘ere.’
Natalia mused on her words. She felt more tempted than ever right now to play truant again. What would be lax Neill’s punishment if she did? A chocolate bar tossed at her with a cheeky chat and cup of tea?
‘They don’t do report cards at school anymore.’
‘I don’t care, you can’t be running away from yer problems,’ as she flicked back a greasy strand of her dyed auburn hair. ‘Don’t be like your dad for god’s sake. Face up to it like I’m gonna face up to this bastard Rob who won’t pick up his calls - ’
Natalia glanced up to see her mum squinting into her phone.
‘All cos I welled up when Coldplay came on in’t pub,’ she frowned. ‘That stuff should be banned like asbestos. Rob couldn’t get out fast enough even slipping over after eight lagers!’
‘Maybe prank him,’ said Natalia.
‘You mean like Jeremy Beadle?’
‘What, the old TV prank show you always talk about?’
‘Have a fucking alien rise up in his garden? That’ll make Rob leg it faster!’
They both laughed.
‘I meant prank call him,’ said Natalia. ‘Withhold your number.’
‘I already tried that. 1471 innit?’
‘No, on mobiles it’s 141. Depends what network you’re on.’ Natalia stepped over and googled on her own phone. ‘Yeah on BT it’s 141.’
‘Oh no bloody wonder.’
She tapped into her phone and brought it to her ear.
‘Hiya, Rob! It’s Mary - ’
Natalia tried hard to stifle a grin watching her mum’s face screw up indignantly.
‘He’s ‘ung up! The bastard!’
‘Well at least you know now,’ Natalia shrugged.
‘Men, all’t fucking same! I’m going round his! Still lives with his mum, the big soft twat, he’ll be crying to her for a cuddle by’t time I’ve decked him!’
‘Please don’t,’ Natalia groaned. ‘I’d rather you go shopping instead. There’s no milk, in fact the entire fridge is bare - ’
‘Yeah, yeah, I will.’
‘Get salted caramel cookies,’ Natalia added.
Her mum pulled a face. ‘Caramel? Salty? Must taste as bloody disgusting as what Rob gave me last time we - ’
‘Jeez, mum,’ Natalia recoiled. ‘I’m going.’
YOU ARE READING
The Headmaster's Flame
RomanceA virgin schoolgirl is about to have a rude awakening! Almost everyone at Thornwood High is charmed by the boisterous alpha Neill, one of the youngest Headmasters in the country at the age of 37. But as he sets about revamping the school, there's on...
