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

his arms around Stephanie. ‘Why don’t we skip school for the rest of the week? My sister will be out and about with her bloke, so we should have the place to ourselves. We might as well make the most of it while me mum’s away and, if you’re gonna forge a note, you might as well write one for being off for a whole week rather than just two days.’

      Seeing a woman walking along the street with a bag of shopping, Stephanie ducked out of Barry’s arms in case the woman knew her mum. She was truly tempted to have the rest of the week off school, but knew that by doing so, she was asking to get caught. ‘I’d better not have no more time off, Bal. I ain’t even spoken to Tammy yet – say she rings my house and puts her foot in it or something?’

      ‘Ring her as soon as you get in. Please Steph, my old man’s up in court tomorrow and I really don’t wanna be sitting in a classroom worrying about him. I wanna be with you.’

      Feeling desperately sorry for her boyfriend for having such a tough family life, Stephanie looked into his soulful eyes and melted. How could she say no when his dad was about to be banged up? ‘OK. I’ll meet you same time, same place.’

      Hearing the front door slam, Angela Crouch bolted down the stairs like a whippet. She had no intention of missing one second of her stuck-up sister getting the scolding of her life.

      ‘All right, sis? How was school?’ she asked, chirpily.

      Steph eyed her little sister suspiciously. Angela had never asked her how her day at school had gone before, even when they were on good terms. Steph could see by the evil glint in Angie’s eyes that she knew that she had been playing truant. About to plead with her sister to keep her big mouth shut, Steph was stopped from doing so by her mother marching into the hallway.

      ‘Get your arse up them stairs and freshen yourself up before dinner. You and I are gonna have a nice long chat, young lady. In fact, we’re all gonna have a nice long chat, because I ain’t having this family going off the rails.’

      Feeling anxious, Stephanie ran up the stairs. Angela had obviously grassed her up, which would put paid to her spending the rest of the week with Barry, but at least nobody knew she had spent the day with him at the old slapper’s house. Her mother would have strangled her as soon as she had walked through the front door if she’d known that.

      Desperate to speak to Tammy, Steph kicked herself for not coming home a bit later and using a phone box. There was only one phone indoors. It was downstairs, and Steph knew she wouldn’t be able to speak properly with her mum and sister earwigging. Taking a deep breath, Steph looked into the mirror and smiled. Barry Franklin had told her he loved her today, and nothing that her mother said to her could mar the happiness she currently felt inside.

      Usually, Pam and the girls ate their dinner sitting in front of the TV with a tray on their laps, but wanting to eat and chat like a proper family for once, Pam set the dining table. Cathy was staying for dinner as well and Lin would be there, too – it was unusual for Linda to even be in at meal times, as she usually finished work and went straight to the pub.

      Angela was the first to sit down at the table. ‘What we got for dinner then, Mum?’ she enquired. She couldn’t wait to watch her sister squirm, and just knew she was going to enjoy this meal whatever old crap her mum decided to serve up.

      Knowing what a fussy little mare her youngest daughter could be, Pam immediately went on the defensive. ‘Minced beef hotpot and don’t you dare start whinging and saying you want something else, ’cause I ain’t in the bloody mood today, Angela.’

      When the phone rang, Lin answered it immediately. ‘Steph, Tammy’s on the phone,’ she shouted out.

      Stephanie bounded down the stairs, snatched the phone out of her aunt’s hand and dragged the lead into the hallway.

      ‘Can you talk?’ Tammy asked.

      ‘Not really,’ Steph replied. The kitchen and the lounge opened off the hallway and her mum was no more than ten feet away from her, serving the dinner up.

      ‘I thought I’d better warn you, I think I might have put my foot in it with your sister today. I asked her why you hadn’t been at school and I could tell by her reaction that she didn’t know. I’m really sorry, Steph. I know what a bitch Angie can be, but I made her swear on her life that she wouldn’t tell your mum.’

      Stephanie was feeling more confused by the minute. Something was wrong. The house had had a strange kind of atmosphere about it when she’d first come home, but her mum had just smiled at her, so perhaps Angela hadn’t opened her big gob after all. ‘Don’t worry about it, mate,’ Steph whispered.

      ‘Have you been spending time with Barry? Will you be in school tomorrow?’ Tammy asked.

      ‘Yes, and I dunno. Listen, I’ve gotta go, Tam, me dinner’s ready I think.’

      ‘If you ain’t at school tomorrow, try and ring me from somewhere else. I’m dying to hear all the goss,’ Tammy said. School just wasn’t the same without her best pal by her side. She was beginning to wish that Steph had never met Barry bloody Franklin, as she felt she was losing her friend.

      ‘Will do. Bye Tam,’ Steph replied.

      ‘So, why are we all sitting at the table, Mum? Is this a special occasion or something?’ Angela asked innocently, when her sister sat down between Cathy and Linda.

      ‘Eat your dinner first and then me and yous girls will have a nice little chat afterwards,’ Pam replied, quite calmly.

      Stephanie locked eyes with her sister, then stared at her plate. She wasn’t at all hungry. She felt far too loved-up to eat, but knew if she didn’t try and force her dinner down her gullet, her mum would go apeshit.

      ‘I can’t eat no more, but that was lovely, Mum,’ Angela lied a few minutes later. She was a bit worried that her mum kept saying she wanted a chat with both her and Steph, and Angie really hoped Mr Jones hadn’t dobbed her in the shit.

      ‘I’ve had enough as well, Mum,’ Stephanie mumbled. She wanted to know what was wrong, as the waiting to find out was doing her head in.

      Seeing her mother leave her own dinner, Stephanie began to feel more nervous than ever. Her mother usually ate like a horse; if her appetite had deserted her, perhaps she was seriously ill or something. She might have that terrible disease, cancer. One of her friend’s mums at school had just died from that. ‘Are you ill, Mum? Please tell me what this is all about? Because you’re really worrying me now.’

      Pam took a gulp of her wine and stared at her deceitful eldest daughter. ‘The only thing that is making me ill is the worry over you and that boy. I know you’ve been bunking off school to spend time with him, and I’m sure you were in his house today, as I kept seeing the curtains twitch. Now, don’t lie to me, Steph. Were you in that house?’

      ‘You cow!’ Stephanie spat, glaring at her sister.

      ‘Now don’t you start blaming her. It was your head of year, Mr Jones, that told me, not Angela. Well, was you with that boy in that old slapper’s house or not?’

      ‘Just tell your mum the truth, sweetheart,’ Lin urged, squeezing her favourite neice’s hand.

      ‘Yeah I was, but all we did was play some records. We’ve nowhere else to go, have we? I’m too frightened to be seen with him in case you go off your head, and I only bunked off ’cause you grounded me. I love him, Mum. Barry is the kindest, nicest boy I have ever met in my life and I won’t let you stop me seeing him just because of who his mother is. It ain’t fair,’ Stephanie whinged.

      Angela’s smirk was completely wiped off her face as her mother stood up and urged Steph to give her a hug. ‘I need you to promise me that you’ll never play truant again. These last two years at school are your most important and I’ll be so disappointed if you don’t get good marks in your exams, Steph.’

      Surprised by her mother being so understanding, Stephanie began to cry. ‘But, what about Barry? How am I meant to concentrate on me school work