Let's Put the Past Behind Us (Prequel to Forbidden Love)

Chapter 22

And you open your eyes into mine and everything feels better “Morning baby” I said to Tariq as he opened his eyes, he smiled and kissed me before I got up in the bed. “Do you want any help?” I asked Tariq as I put my feet down on the ground, I looked behind me and Tariq shook his head. “Okay” I said and got up from the bed, I looked at him and pushed his wheelchair closer to the bed before walking into the bathroom that was on the bottom floor. I brushed my teeth then started washing myself before pulling on my uniform “It’s all yours” I said to Tariq and walked out with my bag, I ran up the stairs and knocked on Scouts door “Can I borrow your mirror?” I shouted through the door and it was suddenly pulled open revealing Scout in just her pyjamas, she nodded and stepped back for me. I sat at her dressing table and started drying my hair then straightened it and did my make-up. I’d just finished when I heard shouting from down stairs and went down to see what was going on “What’s all the shouting about?” Tariq asked as he wheeled himself into the kitchen before me “Too much dillydallying in the morning, you will be down stairs and at the table by 8 o’clock or no breakfast” Maggie said, I looked at her and smirked before sitting at a table with Scout, Phoenix and Harley as Tariq went to a table on his own. “You sound just like my dad, Maggie” I said to her and she smiled as she put a plate in front of me with a cooked breakfast on. We’d been eating quietly for a couple of minutes when a car alarm started going off “My car!” Budgen said and ran from the table quickly followed by me, Scout and Phoenix, we ran out to see 3 boys spray painting Mr Budgen’s car “Havelock” I heard Phoenix say while me and Scout just stood there laughing at it. “Get back inside! Both of you!” Budgen shouted at me and Scout before we walked back in, still in fits of laughter. 

Once Scout and I had finished our breakfast she came with me to put all my things away then we walked out the house, me carrying my school bag and overnight bag from the night before. We waited outside until Tariq and Phoenix came out then started walking to school together, “I don’t get it though, what did Budgen ever do to the Havelock lot?” Scout said as we walked down the corridor “It’s not just about ‘im though is it?” Tariq said “It’s about all of us, Scout, us lot coming up here being on their patch” I said to Scout, we were walking past the main doors when a boy shouted “Coming through” then kicked a football inside towards Tariq which he luckily caught “Are you a fucking idiot?” I said to the boy but he didn’t say anything to me just took the ball back off Tariq “Good save, mate” he said and walked off “I’m gonna go drop my bag into my dad’s office, I’ll catch you later” I said to them and kissed Tariq before walking away and up the stairs to my dad’s office. “Morning, love. How was last night?” he asked when I walked through his door, I dropped my overnight bag behind his desk then slumped down on the chair opposite him “It’s was alright actually, pretty sure Maggie’s turning into you though making everyone be at the table for breakfast by 8” I said and my dad laughed as he discarded some paperwork on his desk and smiled at me “Well tell Tariq, he’s welcome to come for dinner any time he wants” my dad said, I nodded and walked out and down the corridor. Luckily Tariq, Phoenix and Scout were still in the entrance corridor so I walked over to them. “Is Tom still saying something at Denzil’s memorial?” I asked Scout as we walked down the corridor, she looked at me and shrugged “Rose is supposed to be coming up for it isn’t she? Thought she’d be here by now” Scout said to me, “Maybe she’s just running late” I shrugged and we walked down the corridor, stopping when we got to the sofa’s that were situated in the open corridor, we all sat down and carried on talking about the memorial service that was today. As soon as the bell went we all walked outside to where they were bringing a tree over, I looked at Scout then was pulled back onto Tariq’s knee. “Okay then, I think we’re all here. First of all I’d like to thank you all for coming, I think you know that we’re all here to pay tribute to Denzil. But I think before we started the actual planting on the tree, both Mr Clarkson and Kaitlin and Scout are going to say a few words” my dad said, he looked at me then at Tom but I stayed in Tariq’s lap as Tom walked over to the tree obviously deciding to go first “I’ve been asked to talk about Denzil, what is there to say? Denzil was a great kid, full of life, too young to have something like this happen to him. Ya know what you all know what a great kid Denzil was, you don’t need me going on about it. Kaitlin and Scout you can talk” Tom said and he walked away, I looked at Tariq then over at Scout as I got up and Scout walked with me. “Denzil was like Mr Clarkson said a great kid, he was friends with everyone and knew how to make anyway smile and cheer them up. He could just say one word and everyone would be laughing, he was both mine and Scout’s best friend and he was the greatest friend anyone could have” I started then looked at Scout, we’d pretty much been practising this speech ever since my dad had told us about the memorial garden “I remember on my first day, me and Denzil kind of took a disliking to each other, saying crude things to each other at every chance we got. But when Denzil found out about my home life he changed, we bonded over our similar pasts and became friends. Ever since that day we’ve had amazing memories together, just us two but also with Kaitlin, Phoenix and so many of our other friends” Scout said, we looked at each other and we both had tears in our eyes as we took each other’s hand “Denzil, we’ll miss you but we know that you’re up in heaven with Sam, we know that you’re having fun and making everyone laugh like you did to us so remember this, we’ll never forget you and we’ll never stop loving and caring for you” me and Scout said and smiled when we finished our speech, Phoenix came over and helped us put the tree into the hole that had been dug before we all stayed silent for a minute. We were all stood in silence just remembering things of Denzil when the doors opened and a dark girl pretty much lashed out at another girl then hit Sian in the face before she was taken away by Mr Clarkson. Scout and I looked at each other in disbelief but also in annoyance before we walked back into school and went to English together along with Phoenix, we were still doing about The Great Gatsby and I was still finding it boring so I wasn’t listening much just thinking about what had happened at Denzil memorial, “Wasn’t Fitch Gerald an alcoholic?” Connor suddenly said and I was drawn back into the lesson and turned around to see what he was going on about and where it would lead to “I’m just wondering why we’re reading a book written by a guy who was out of his head” Connor added when Miss Mulgrew turned around, I looked at Scout and we both smiled expecting something big to happen. “Because it’s in the exam, Connor” Miss Mulgrew answered him back and went to turn around again “But don’t you think he’d of written a better book if he was sober?” Connor asked and I smirked, agreeing with him. “Well I guess we’ll never know” Miss Mulgrew shrugged, I looked at Connor then at Miss Mulgrew again “It is a pretty shitty book though, miss, couldn’t he of just got sober then written the book?” I asked and she just stared at me not saying a word “Kaitlin’s right though, Gerald isn’t the only one. Why are we listening to a bunch of drunks?” Connor asked, I could tell he was trying to wind his mum up but I couldn’t think why, it wasn’t like she was drunk. “Because, Connor, they have been celebrated for over a century, whereas you’ve just been annoying for the past 10 minutes” Miss Mulgrew said and the class laughed, I looked at Connor then forwards again “Connor’s right though, miss, surely we shouldn’t be celebrating these books otherwise we’re just glorifying alcoholism” I said to her and Miss Mulgrew looked at me as if she could stab me at any minute ”Cooler now, Kaitlin” she barked at me and turned around, I looked at Scout “Aw, what? For stating my point you’re sending me to the cooler? Aw that’s just a load of bollocks like you are as a teacher, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the same as the damn authors of these shitty books and are an alcoholic yourself” I snapped and stormed out the classroom with my bag. I stalked down the stairs and down the corridor, I walked into the cooler then froze when I saw the girl from before who’d interrupted Denzil’s memorial. “Do you think you’re funny?” I said to her as I stood by the door, she looked up from the desk and just stared at me “Could you get any more disrespectful?! We were remembering a friend and you think it’s okay to just come out there in the middle of it and start fighting?!” I snapped at her and walked forwards towards her “It wouldn’t have brought him back” she muttered but didn’t turn to me “Excuse me? It doesn’t matter if it wouldn’t bring him back, you don’t go to a funeral expecting the person to rise up from the coffin do you” I snapped at her and stood in front of her “Next time you do anything like that, I don’t care who to, I will hunt you down!” I spat at her then sat down at the back of the cooler, pulling out my phone. I was in the cooler for the rest of the morning until lunch “Oh, Kaitlin” Sian said when she walked in “Can I go? I don’t want to be in the same room as her” I said and nodded over at the girl who I’d had a go at “Go on” Sian said and I got up from my chair, storming out again. I walked down the corridor and into the canteen; I sat down with Scout and Phoenix once I’d got my food and started ranting to them about how out of order Miss Mulgrew had been. Once I’d finished eating I got up from the table and walked out the canteen saying I was going to find my dad, I was walking through the corridor when I heard Josh’s voice “Kaitlin, have you seen Tariq?” he asked, I stopped and shook my head “Not since this morning, why?” I asked, I looked at Josh and he suddenly grabbed my wrist, pulling me away. We ran into the sports hall and heard talking in the cupboard so we ran over, we walked in and I stuck my arm out in front of Josh to stop him saying something. The girl from before was talking to Tariq about god’s will and how Tariq’ had obviously done something bad to get put in a wheel chair. “Tariq” I said when the girl walked out, I looked at Josh “Go and get your dad” I said to him, I knew Tariq was about to go mad and I was right. As soon as Josh ran off, Tariq started shouting and throwing stuff about and wrecking the cupboard. “TARIQ! TARIQ STOP” I shouted and tried to but he pushed me back and I fell to the floor as Tom and Sian ran in. Tom grabbed Tariq and stopped him from doing anything else, Josh helped me up off the ground and I just stood there as Sian spoke to him. “Josh, just give them a minute” Sian said to Josh and they walked out leaving me alone with Tariq since Tom had gone off to find Lula. I pulled up a chair and sat down in front of him “I’m sorry for pushing you” he said and looked down; I looked at him and took his hands in mine. “Tariq, look at me” I said and he raised his head slowly. “You can’t let the likes of her get to you” I said and stroked his face before putting my hand on his cheek. “If she’s saying god’s punishing you then he must be punishing me by making me lose the baby. And what about Denzil? Is he punishing him too?” I asked and stroked his cheek “You can’t let her get to you babe, she’s one of the few people who don’t believe in you. You need to start focusing on the important people in your life, the people who do believe in you like me and Josh and Tom and Sian and every other teacher and student from Rochdale who believes that you can make something of yourself because trust me, I know that you can and will” I told him, he looked at me and I saw a slight flicker of a smile appear “This isn’t the answer, wrecking a drama cupboard, what’s that gonna do apart from give the caretaker more of a job to do later? You have to prove those people wrong, show them that you can do everything they can even in a chair” I said to him and kissed him quickly before Sian came back into the drama cupboard. I helped Josh to tidy up the drama supplies but didn’t really listen to what Sian was saying since she was pretty much saying the same as I had done.

After lunch I walked with Josh and Tariq to Maths and sat with Tariq with Josh and Scout in front “Right today we’re doing equations” Chalky announced and we all groaned as he brought up a slide about equations and how they’re done. “Sir you taught us this in Rochdale” I shouted out and he turned to me “Ah yes Kaitlin but that was year 12 level, this is year 13 level” he told me and I groaned again but sat listened as he told us what we had to do and how. After Maths I had art with Imogen who I’d become pretty good friends with so I stood talking with her while doing my work all lesson until the last bell went and I walked out with Imogen. “Hey dad” I said and walked over to him and Sian “Ah so you are coming home tonight?” he said and I laughed and stood with him while he spoke to Sian “Have you seen Tariq?” Josh asked for the second time that day “Not since Maths, why?” I asked and looked at my dad “I don’t know where he is and Scout said he was supposed to be walking with her and Phoenix” Josh said, I looked at him and sighed “Josh, you need to give him a break…But I’ll help you look, you go check in the canteen I’ll go look in the sports hall” I told him, I left my bags with dad then walked down the corridor and into the hall. I scanned round a second then gasped “Oh my god, Tariq!” I shouted then ran over him “DAD!” I shouted and after a second he ran in and came over, he helped me get Tariq up and back into his chair before my dad drove him back to the school house then us back home. 

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