Ruby by Heather Burnside (carter reed txt) 📗

clamoured to win Trina’s favour, chatting to her as they made their way to classes.

When Trina arrived at the head teacher’s office after school, Nicole was already standing outside waiting. Trina had seen Nicole as she walked up the corridor and had expected a hostile reception. But Nicole surprised her by flashing a grin as soon as she arrived.

‘He knows I’m here,’ she said. ‘You’re best knocking on the door and letting him know you’re here as well. He said he’ll deal with us once you arrive.’

Trina shrugged and knocked on the door. A female member of staff answered it and looked at her contemptuously. Then she told her to wait till the head was ready for them before shutting the door again.

Nicole giggled. ‘She looked at me like that too.’

Trina couldn’t help but smile back. ‘You scared?’ she asked.

‘Nah, they can’t do much, can they? They’re not allowed to give us the strap anymore. Are you?’

‘Nah,’ said Trina. ‘Teachers don’t scare me.’

‘You’re a good fighter,’ said Nicole.

‘Thanks,’ Trina replied.

‘You’re good at netball too.’

‘I used to play it at primary school. I was the best runner in our year too.’

‘Wow! Cool,’ said Nicole. She then shifted awkwardly from foot to foot before asking. ‘Who do you hang around with?’

‘No one really. Just different girls in our class.’

‘Do you wanna hang around with me and my mates?’

Trina grinned. ‘Yeah,’ she said, overjoyed.

It was the seal of approval she had been looking for. She was now a member of the coolest group of girls in her year, which would make her popular. Trina wasn’t interested in being a good pupil. She had never been academically gifted anyway. For her, school was more about having a good time, and that meant hanging about with the right crowd.

Within the first week of secondary school Trina had already found her place. Nicole was just the sort of wanton girl that Trina’s mother would have warned her against but that didn’t bother Trina. She was determined to fit in and have fun no matter what the cost.

20

August 1994

‘Trina, would you bring the washing in from outside please?’ asked Daisy.

‘Why?’

Daisy looked at her daughter, astonished, and Trina knew she was finding it difficult to cope with the way she had changed since starting secondary school almost a year ago. ‘Don’t ask why, child. Just do as you’re told!’ she said.

‘But why should I? Why can’t they do it?’ asked Trina, nodding in the direction of her brothers, Ellis and Jarell, who were toy fighting on the living room floor.

‘Because I asked you,’ said Daisy. ‘And will you stop that fighting!’ she said to her sons before turning her attention back to Trina, adding, ‘Anyway they’re too young.’

‘No they’re not! Ellis is nine now. I helped you when I was nine,’ said Trina.

‘Do I have to ask you again? Why does everything have to be an argument with you? You never used to be like this,’ said Daisy. ‘You’re a girl. You should be helping around the house.’

Trina had been on the brink of helping, her shame at letting her mother down battling with her bid to be her own person. Ever since she had become friends with Nicole, she had been testing the boundaries. Nicole was always telling her what a mug she was for helping her mother when her brothers got away with it, as well as offering advice and criticism on other aspects of her life.

Why couldn’t she stop out late at night? Why didn’t she get more pocket money from her mother? Why didn’t she ask her mother to buy her some new, more fashionable clothes?

It had made Trina think about things. Previously she’d been willing to help her mother around the house and to fit in with whatever else her mother wanted her to do. It was automatic, something she’d always done. But the more she found out about her friend’s lives, the more she was starting to rebel. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her mother; she had a deep love for her, but when it came to respecting her it was another matter.

As soon as she said the words, ‘you’re a girl’ it was like igniting a flame of fury within Trina and she immediately made her mind up. There was no way she was going to help her mother with the housework on the basis that she was a girl. Unlike her mother, she didn’t think that women had to fit into a specified role. She resented men and the hold they had had over the family throughout her life, and she wanted to break away from the path her mother had set.

‘That’s rubbish!’ she yelled. ‘We’re not living in the dark ages now, y’know. Ellis and Jarell should help too.’

‘How dare you defy me, child!’ her mother yelled back. ‘And don’t speak to me in that tone of voice. Are you going to help out or do I have to punish you?’

‘What are you gonna do?’ asked Trina, mockingly.

‘Right, that’s it. Go to your room and don’t come back out till I tell you. You can go without your tea too.’

‘For God’s sake! I’m not a little kid, y’know, I’m twelve,’ said Trina, stomping up the stairs.

‘Well start acting like it then,’ her mother shouted after her.

Trina stormed into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her. It took her a while to calm down and, while she did, she kept thinking about the injustice of it all. Her friend, Nicole, was right; her brothers should help out more. Why did she always have to do everything her mam said just because she was the oldest and a girl? It was like being an unpaid skivvy and, when all was said and done, they were her mother’s kids, not hers, so why should she have to help look after them?

She also began to ponder on all the other injustices in her life and became trapped in a cycle of negativity. Why did