7.2
‘Nice bruise, Satya,’ began Sukhbir when he found her, pulling her into an empty classroom. ‘You really got smacked, didn’t you?’ he said, closing the door behind them. ‘I heard all about it. So what’s the story? What’s going on?’
Her eye did not hurt, but she could feel that the skin was swollen all around it; it caused her to hold her right eyelid half closed. ‘None of your business,’ she said, staring at him through the other one.
‘Ah, don’t worry, Satya, I’ve already got a pretty good idea. I’ve heard all about your big sulk from Nirman. So it turns out that Johnson prick was to blame. That’s cool. I’m glad he managed to piss you off. So he got his friends to sort you out, did he? And that’s why you’ve been sulking for the past three months. Man, that’s hilarious. You really are pathetic, Satya. Don’t you think Jas has been in fights like that before? Do you think she went into a three-month sulk? No, the rest of us just pick ourselves up and get on with our lives. You’re a wet blanket.’
‘Well I picked myself up today, didn’t I? Am I sulking now?’
‘I don’t know. It looks like you’ve been crying.’
His sister frowned, catching a glimpse of herself in the wired safety glass in the door. Even in that obscured reflection, she could see her black eye, her chestnut skin turned a reddish-purple. ‘Well so bloody what, Sukhbir?’ she cried, tired of his perpetual malice, ‘It’s not against the law.’
He only laughed at her. ‘So is it true he fancies you?’ he asked, smirking at her spitefully. ‘I’m relieved you told him where to go. At least it shows you have some taste. You’re so insecure; I was worried you’d jump straight into his arms. Now that would’ve been funny.’ He nodded his head vigorously. ‘It would’ve just about made my day, because you’re a lot like him, really. You’re both wet blankets, you’re both complete squares, you’re both total embarrassments. Actually, you were like the perfect match. It’s a shame really.’
Satya stepped away from him and reached for the door handle. ‘Ben’s a million times better than you, veerji,’ she said.
‘Ben? What, you’re on first name terms with him now? What happened to dickhead? I thought you think he’s a loser.’
‘Maybe I do, but when Sid and that lot harassed me, you just laughed about it. When Ben found out, he punched his lights out. I have a lot more respect for him now than I do for you.’
Her brother looked back at her confused. ‘When did that happen?’ he asked.
‘I thought you knew everything, Sukh,’ she cried, pulling the door open, ‘Haven’t you been paying attention?’ She let the door swing back on him as she fumed away. ‘You’re the pathetic loser,’ she yelled back at him down the corridor.
Instinct should have caused him to chase after her, interrogate her startling revelation, and demand an account of every detail, but another course of action stirred inside him. Nirman had become so unreliable these days, always relaying outdated information filtered through his sister’s frontal lobe. Perplexed, he headed off in the opposite direction, taking the quickest route to the common room, intent on quizzing Siddique in person about that curious disclosure. When he could not find him, he searched for Kevin and Lee instead, but only discovered his cousin, sitting alone, scribbling notes into his ring binder.
‘What’s this I hear about Johnson thumping Sid?’ sneered Sukhbir, hovering over him edgily.
‘Not now, bro,’ muttered Nirman, barely glancing away from his page. ‘I have a deadline.’
‘You didn’t tell me about that.’
‘I’m not the Gestapo.’
‘Only half the time, eh? You were happy to tell me my sis was upset.’
‘Yeah, because I thought you might be nice to her. Just give it a break, bro. You’re doing my head in.’
‘Feeling’s mutual, cous. So what’s the story? Why did that dick thump Sid?’
‘You know I don’t call him that,’ croaked Nirman impatiently. ‘He has a name. “Mithia sarvan par ninda suneh.” False the ears that listen.’
‘Give over, cous. You’re worse than Satya.’
‘I’ll take that as a compliment. It’s an honour.’
‘And a distraction,’ spat Sukhbir. ‘So what’s the story? I heard it had something to do with my sis.’
‘Then you know more than me.’
‘Seriously? You have no idea why he thumped his best mate?’
‘What do you want me to say?’
‘Just trying to find out what’s going on.’
‘All I know is Johnson’s been going around complaining his mates keep saying things on his behalf. He’s pissed off. Maybe that’s it. Otherwise, sorry, don’t know. And, yeah, I have a deadline, so…’
‘Fine nerd boy, I’ll leave you to it,’ tittered Sukhbir, turning to leave. ‘I guess you confirming it happened is enough.’
