Above the Vaulted Sky - Page 128

                   I want to hit him. Graham does this, explodes, causes hurt to everyone around him and then acts like it was no big deal.

                  'Don't do that,' I say. 'You can't treat people like that.'

                  Graham sighs. 'I don't know what you want me to say.'

                  'Why did you blow up like that,' I say.

                  'Because you pushed me,' Graham says. 'Digging at my mum and dad.'

                  'And you weren't,' I reply. 'That's not it.'

                  Graham goes silent. He looks at his shoes.

                  'You like him, don't you,' I say. 'I've seen you looking at him, all the way through London.'

                  'That wasn't it,' Graham says, too quickly. 'He reminds me of someone.'

                  'You can lie to yourself if you want. You can lie to Yates, you can lie to me and Elle. Do what you like. Just don't treat a human being like that.'

                  Graham nods slowly. 'I know I shouldn't have.'

                  Come on, I nod.

                  We go back into the room. Graham follows sheepishly, kicking his heels.

                  'I'm going, Elle, you can't stop me,' Yates says, as soon as we reenter.

                  'Easton,' she says. 'Please help me.'

                  'Let go of me, Elle.'

                  I cross the room and grip his arm. 'Yates, I won't let you do that. You'll die.'

                  Yates nods and looks down. Sometimes you know when your words have fallen on deaf ears.

                  'Yates,' Graham says. In his apology voice. I know the apology voice so well. It's the cloying voice that melts the heart of any grandma. I can imagine he never got in trouble as a child.

                  'What do you want?' Yates replies.

                  'To apologise,' he says.

                  'For how long? How long until the freak irritates you?'

                  'I didn't mean it,' Graham says. 'I nearly just died.' He laughs, trying to make light of it. Graham's apology tactic number two.

                  'Maybe we'd all be better off.'

                  Elle squeezes his arm. Yates drops his head and stays quiet.

                  'I deserved that,' Graham says.

                  'Yeah, you did,' says Elle. 'Dick.'

                  Yates snorts. Tears roll down his face but he's ceased to cry.

                  'I really am sorry,' Graham says.

                  I wonder if he does like him. Did he ever love me like he said he did? I've never really imagined Graham liking anyone. He always seemed to exist simply to take the piss and annoy people. I know his parents have always made him insecure. Everyone knew how rich he was at school. You couldn't go a day without someone stealing his money for lunch or later on just pushing him around through the corridors. That's why we met originally, we were two outcasts.