Kimberley Chambers 3-Book Collection: The Schemer, The Trap, Payback. Kimberley Chambers

I ain’t done nothing wrong,’ Stephanie cried out.

      ‘That’ll be for me to decide. Now get upstairs and say sorry to your sister. I’ve got enough on me plate without yous two at one another’s throats. I’ve given the pair of you far too much leeway and now it’s all going to stop.’

      When her mum walked into the kitchen, Stephanie let out a huge, racking sob.

      Barry Franklin stood on the corner of Ford Road the following morning. Within seconds of spotting Steph walking towards him, he just knew that there was something wrong. ‘What’s up, babe?’ he asked, genuinely concerned.

      ‘Everything. I had a big row with Angie and then she grassed me up to Mum. She told her that me and you were going out together and me mum went mad. I’m grounded now. I ain’t allowed out no more,’ Steph explained, her eyes welling up with frustration.

      ‘Don’t worry. We’ll still find a way to see one another. What about if I have a word with your mum? I’m sure if she meets me, and realizes I’m no monster, she’ll change her tune.’

      ‘No! That will just make things worse. I wouldn’t mind but Angie ain’t even been grounded. If she hadn’t had sex with Jacko and then cried rape, none of this would have happened.’

      Barry held his tearful girlfriend in his arms. ‘I’m gonna jib school today and shoot up to Bethnal Green again. My dad’s trial starts on Wednesday and he’s having a going-away bash in the Bishop Bonner. Jacko’s coming with me, I’m meeting him at the Heathway. He remembers me dad well and he ain’t seen him for yonks.’

      Stephanie looked at her boyfriend in dismay. The thought of being near Barry all day at school was the only thing that had got her out of bed this morning, and now he wasn’t even going to be there. ‘Can I come with you?’

      ‘Course you can. But what about your mum? Say she finds out you ain’t gone to school. I don’t want to get you into even more trouble.’

      Furious with her mother for siding with her sister rather than her, Stephanie shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Bollocks to my mum. I’m coming with you, Bal.’

      Unaware that her sister had decided to play truant, Angela Crouch had to suffer the humiliation of facing Tanya MacKenzie again.

      ‘Look, girls. The silly slag’s dyed her hair blond so we don’t recognize her. How’s Jacko, Crouchie? Seen him lately, have ya?’ Tanya asked, gloating.

      Instead of retaliating like she usually would, Angela held her head high and, with her nose in the air, walked past Tanya and her childish mates. She was still gutted that she and Wayne weren’t together, but after spending two days moping about and crying, Angie had now decided it was time to move on. Wayne Jackman might be as fit as a butcher’s dog, but he wasn’t the only fit boy in the world and, with her stunning beauty, Angie was confident that she could get virtually any boy she wanted.

      ‘Why weren’t you at school yesterday? Was it because of Jacko? I heard what happened. That slut Tanya’s told half the school,’ Chloe asked, catching up with her friend.

      Angela smiled. Chloe was her only true mate, but even though they were close, Angela had no intention of admitting how devastated she’d been over the Jacko saga. ‘I had a sore throat yesterday, so me mum told me to stay home,’ she lied.

      ‘So, has Jacko packed you up now? That’s what Tanya’s been telling everyone.’

      ‘No one’s packed no one up. I just don’t wanna go out with Jacko no more. He’s a bit boring, to be honest,’ Angie replied, untruthfully.

      Chloe linked arms with her pal. ‘You’ll never guess who’s asked me out?’

      ‘Who?’

      ‘Darren O’Brien, and Dal reckons that his older brother Jason fancies you.’

      Angela Crouch could barely believe her luck. Jason O’Brien was in the year above her and Chloe. Not only was he extremely hot, but Angie knew for a fact that Tanya MacKenzie had recently got one of her mates to ask him out for her, and he’d said no.

      ‘I’ll go out with Jason. Arrange it for me,’ Angela said, her eyes shining with glee. Her mum had always said that when one door shuts, another one opens and Angie couldn’t help but think what a wise mother she had.

      The atmosphere between Stephanie and Wayne was somewhat icy on the train journey, but by the time they’d had a few drinks in the pub, the frostiness had all but thawed.

      ‘I always knew yous two would get along just fine. Can’t have me best mate and me bird hating one another, can I now?’ Barry said, happily.

      Stephanie looked at her boyfriend and raised her eyebrows. ‘So how come this pub is open at ten o’clock in the morning then? I didn’t think pubs opened till lunchtime,’ she remarked, changing the subject. She had been ultra-polite to Wayne for Barry’s sake, but she still wasn’t sure of him.

      ‘Pubs open whenever you want ’em to in this neck of the woods, especially if you’re loaded like my dad is. This boozer’s owned by a famous footballer, you know,’ Barry informed her.

      ‘Really! Where is he?’ Stephanie asked, expecting to see the man in question serving behind the bar.

      Wayne and Barry both chuckled. ‘He don’t bloody work here. He plays for Tottenham and his family run the pub for him,’ Barry explained.

      ‘What’s his name then?’ Stephanie enquired. She didn’t know the first thing about footballers, but was hoping it was Glenn Hoddle because she knew who he was and thought he was lush.

      ‘His name’s Steve Archibald. Look, I’m just gonna have a quiet word with me dad outside. Yous two will be all right for a bit on your own, won’t ya?’ Barry asked.

      Glancing at one another, Wayne and Stephanie both nodded. When Barry walked away, Stephanie felt her earlier awkwardness suddenly return and, not knowing what to say, stared at her glass of cider.

      Wanting to put things right between them, it was Wayne who decided to say something first. ‘Listen, I’m sorry about what happened with your sister, Steph. I swear I wouldn’t have gone out with her if I’d known her proper age. She told me she was fifteen, I swear she did.’

      ‘That’s OK,’ Stephanie replied, meaning it. The way she felt at the moment, she hated her bloody sister, and any trouble Angie might have got herself into was all her own doing, nobody else’s.

      ‘I’m also sorry about the way I spoke to you an’ all, and your mate, Tammy,’ Wayne said, honestly.

      ‘Don’t worry about it. We all say silly things at times, me included. I’m sorry for calling you a rapist,’ Stephanie said, feeling incredibly stupid.

      Sensing that Steph felt a bit embarrassed, Wayne grinned at her. ‘Don’t worry about that either. I’ve been called a lot worse things in me time. I’ll get us another drink, shall I? What do you want, another half of cider?’

      Stephanie nodded and studied Wayne as he sauntered up to the bar. His bark seemed far worse than his bite all of a sudden.

      ‘There you go,’ Wayne said, handing Stephanie her drink. He sat back down opposite her and raised his pint glass. ‘To new beginnings, eh?’

      Stephanie smiled. ‘To new beginnings.’

      Angela Crouch spent the entire maths class doodling on the cover of her exercise book. Angela loves Wayne had now been scrubbed out completely and had been replaced by Angela + Jason with a love heart surrounding it. As the bell rang for lunchtime, Angie grabbed Chloe’s arm. ‘Where do Darren and Jason go at lunchtime?’ she asked her friend.

      ‘I don’t think they hang about together at school. Darren goes to the tucky, I think, then goes round Gel Parker’s house. He only lives in Ridgewell Close.’

      ‘Well, let’s go to the tucky.