“Laigh, Laigh? Oh come on, wake up!” She felt someone rocking her backwards and forwards.
“Oh leave me alone would you?” she groaned. She’d hardly been able to sleep after what she’d heard the night before.
“Please it’s time for breakfast!” Laigh opened her eyes, and found Patsy and Cloe looking down at her.
“Yeah, Bray told us to get you up” Patsy said, she then lowered her voice and added “I think him and Amber have fallen out.”
Laigh decided she’d better get up and see for herself, she hoped that it wasn’t too major because she’d feel even more guilty for coming because she already felt bad about what Amber had said before, about not wanting to marry Bray because of what had happened between her and Max.
“Let me get ready then kids,” she smiled at them “Tell the others I’ll be there in a moment” Cloe and Patsy left and Laigh got out of bed.
What met her in the cafe was a big argument. She’d heard it as she was leaving her room and ran. Amber and Bray were stood in the middle of the room, glaring at each other, the others were watching.
“Hey what’s going on?” Laigh asked, putting herself between the feuding couple.
“He started it” Amber muttered.
“No she did” Bray said back.
“Hang on, you two are starting to sound like five-year-olds “ Laigh said “Now both of you sit down and eat your breakfast, we’ll sort it out later.”
Bray, taken aback at his cousin’s attitude, sat down immediately, next to Trudy. Amber sat next to Laigh and Laigh whispered “Now what’s going on?”
“It’s awful!” Amber said, looking hurt and confused. “I think he got out of the wrong side of bed this morning, all I did was ask him if he’d get you up and he exploded! He told me to let you rest, but I thought you’d want breakfast with all of us, you know, so you can get to know us better. But he kept saying no, so I said fine but then the next thing I know he was telling Cloe and Patsy to go and fetch you, so I asked him why he’d done that and that’s when the argument started.” There were tears running down her face, but then her expression changed as if she had just realised something “Oh, I know why now, sorry I just thought...”
“What is it then?” Laigh asked, even though she knew herself why Bray was being so nasty.
“Sorry I can’t say. Bray, can we talk?” Amber got up and went to him “In private?” Bray looked softly at her and nodded, they went out of the room.
“What was that all about?” Zandra asked, looking at Laigh.
“Sorry, she wouldn’t say,” Laigh answered.
Lex and Zandra looked at each other as if to say ‘she’s knows, she’s just keeping it secret, just like Bray would’ and then left the room, hand in hand. Salene came and sat with Laigh, followed by Ryan.
“It’s OK if you can’t say. Just ignore Lex and Zandra, they’re like that all the time.” Salene smiled at Laigh, who smiled back.
Ryan said, gesturing to her plate,
“Laigh? Aren’t you hungry? Can I have your share?” Laigh gave her plate to Ryan.
“Amber told us your story, it’s terrible” Tai San said from her seat .
“Yeah, it was,” Trudy said “I don’t know how you could have felt when you were told about Max and Harley.”
“It was awful” Laigh sighed “But that’s the past, I don’t want to think about it.”
“Who was in your tribe, Laigh? Apart from Max and Harley?” Cloe asked.
“There was only two others, Lucy and Josh” Laigh replied.
“What were they like?” Cloe continued.
“My two best friends in the world, I could have trusted them through anything” Laigh answered. “I think they really fancy each other but Josh would NEVER say and Lucy’s really shy, but who knows?”
“Yeah I mean Bray and Amber got together!” Trudy said.
“Yeah but everyone saw that coming didn’t they?” Salene said.
“Talking of those two...” Laigh said and left the room. There, at the bottom of the stairs, were Bray and Amber hugging each other happily. Laigh sighed a sigh of relief, and went to her room.
“How could he? How?” Lucy was still distraught now after about an hour.
“Calm down, you saw Max leave,” Josh had his arm round Lucy’s shoulders as they sat on the beach.
“Yeah but he’ll be back, I know he will!” she said angrily. “How could he?” She shook her head and Josh held her even closer.
“I don’t know, but I know I don’t want to be here any longer” Josh looked out at the sea, the waves smashing themselves at the rocks as usual.
“Me too” Lucy said.
“I just need to get away from here, start again.” Josh looked at Lucy. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he asked.
“You mean... Run away?”
“Yeah let’s try and find Laigh, we can all start again!” he looked at Lucy. “What do you think?”
“I think,” Lucy said smiling at Josh. “That you are a genius!” She kissed him, and he kissed her back, they looked at each other, both shocked at what they had done, and then looked down at their feet.
“When shall we go then?” he asked her.
“How about now, when we’ve got our things” Lucy said excitedly.
“Great! Let’s go and get our stuff together then!” They both got up and ran towards the warehouse.
Laigh was singing along to a B*Witched CD, thanks to Jack and Dal’s wind turbine as she’d borrowed a battery from them.
“Wow! You’ve got a great voice!” Patsy exclaimed. Laigh realised she had gained an audience and took a sweeping bow, they laughed and applauded her as the song finished. She stopped the disc, and Cloe asked
“Will you teach me to sing?”
“Me too!” Patsy jumped up and down.
“Sure! If you want to!” Laigh laughed and said “Why don’t you practice now and I’ll be back in a minute? I just want to talk to Bray for a moment.”
Cloe and Patsy started to sing loudly and tunelessly as Laigh went looking for Bray, she found him in Trudy’s room with Trudy and Brady.
“Have you told Laigh about Martin yet?” Trudy was asking.
“No I can’t, it would break her in two” Bray sighed “But I guess I’d better...”
“Why what’s wrong with Martin? What’s happened?” Laigh demanded to know as she walked into the room.
“Laigh, I don’t know how to say this but” Bray sighed again “He died.”
“WHAT!?! He hasn’t, NO! I won’t believe you!” Laigh was furious. How could Bray say that?
“It’s true, he fell from the first floor of the mall,” Trudy said gently “He’d only just met Brady.”
“You mean he died here? How come he was here? Who did this?” Laigh needed answers.
“No one did anything, it was an accident” Bray explained, “I promise it wasn’t meant to happen.”
“Yeah but it did, didn’t it? Anyway, I still don’t believe you” Laigh retorted.
“It’s true though,” Ebony walked into the room. “Sorry, I was passing by and couldn’t help overhearing. Well Laigh, long time no see.” Laigh stood up and looked at Ebony, who put her arms out and they hugged.
“Where have you been?” Bray asked Ebony.
“Around, but I’m back now” Ebony said “So, how did you get here Laigh?” She turned around, and realised Laigh had left the room.
Meanwhile, back at the warehouse, Josh and Lucy had got their things and were about to leave when Max walked in.
“Where are you going?” Max demanded to know.
“We’re leaving” Josh replied, “We don’t want to be anywhere either you or Harley anymore."
“What? Where are you going to go?” Max was shocked.
“We’re going to find Laigh” Lucy said. “Just think, you and Harley’ll have the whole place to yourselves.” With that, they both left.
“No, come back!” Max shouted. “You can’t do this!” But it was too late, they’d gone.
Laigh was still giving Bray the silent treatment.
“Laigh, please talk to me,” he begged.
“Why should I?” Laigh said nastily. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier about Martin? How could you let me believe that he was still alive?” Tears were running down her face, it felt like there was a boulder in her stomach.
Amber walked in, Trudy and Ebony had explained what had happened so she went up to Bray and whispered “Come on, let her have some time to herself now.” She put her arm around his shoulders and they walked away together. Laigh then broke down. Sobbing uncontrollably she sat alone, wishing she had had the chance to say goodbye to him. Why him, she thought, I loved him so much and he had so much to live for so why? She got up, she knew that she had to say goodbye properly so she went to find someone, anyone, who would know where Martin was buried. The first person she bumped into was Jack, he could see she was upset straight away.
“Hey what’s wrong?” he asked. She smiled tearfully at him, she couldn’t help it, his lisp was extremely cute.
“Did you know about Martin?” she asked him.
“You mean Zoot? It depends what you mean.” He didn’t want to bring up the fact that he was dead if she didn’t know.
“That he died,” she said sadly. “You knew what I meant, but it was nice of you to be careful not to say anything about it, just in case.”
He smiled at her. “Yeah of course I did, I’m really sorry that you didn’t get to say goodbye. I understand that you, him and Bray have always been close, am I right?”
“Yes, we have” she smiled dreamily, thinking of the good old times again. “I was wondering, do you know where he was buried?”
“I was there at the funeral, it was a really sad moment, even though I really didn’t know Zoo... I mean, Martin.” He looked at her, and she could see he meant it. “The Demon Dogs had taken over the cemetery so we went to the beach and put him on a boat, we sent it out to sea alight.” He sighed, remembering how upset Bray had been. “A real warrior’s funeral.”
“Thanks a lot, Jack!” She suddenly seemed a lot brighter and she started to run, calling out behind her “If the others ask where I am, just tell them I’ve gone to say farewell to my cousin!”
The beach. It didn’t seem two minutes since she’d last been there. She was looked out to sea and thought of Martin. He had been such laugh when he was younger, he always had a good joke to tell her. But then he changed, why, she didn’t know but she did know how gutted he had been when his parents, her aunt and uncle, had died. He’d been so angry and he was in a permanent bad mood. What had happened to the gentle, happy go lucky boy she had known? It was the same with Bray, he’d grown up so much since the last time they’d been together, more responsible than ever. I guess that’s what happens when everything you ever knew disappears, she thought, you have to change for the best, or worst. Once again she looked out at the stormy waves and reached for the necklace around her neck. She took it off and put it up in the air. The wind blew her hair back as she shouted “Goodbye my friend! May you rest in peace forever, I hope you’re back with your parents. If you are, give them my love.” She pulled her arm back and was about to throw the necklace into the foamy waters when she felt a hand hold her back. She turned and there was Bray.
“I don’t think that Martin would want you to do that,” he smiled. “He knew how much you loved that necklace.”
Laigh smiled back at Bray, and threw her arms around him.
“I’m sorry for being so angry with you. It’s not your fault that this happened." She held him close to her. “Just don’t you go and leave me now, I want at least one of you around.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.” He held her and then pushed her back, looking at her face. “You’ve grown up so much, I realised that this morning with how you handled me and Amber. We’re sorry about that, by the way, it was just a stupid argument.”
“I know what happened last night,” she owned up. “I couldn’t help eavesdropping on your conversation”
“What did you hear?” he asked her wonderingly
“I heard you ask her to marry you, and I heard her answer,” she replied. “Sorry, I feel it’s all my fault.”
“It’s OK, really” Bray told her “It’s all sorted now, she was just a little shocked, that’s all.”
“I think you should ask her again, and tell her I really don’t mind at all!” Laigh looked at her cousin. “Thank you for taking me in. I feel like I have a family again, except for Lex and Zandra, what’s wrong with them?”
“Don’t ask, if Lex seems over protective over Zandra it’s because she’s having his baby” Bray explained.
“Oh, I thought she looked a little... large,” she said carefully, not wanting to seem offensive. “Shall we go back?”
“Yeah, Salene was just going to start dinner,” Bray said, and put his arm around his cousin’s back as they started to go back towards the mall.
It was very quiet in the mall when they returned, Laigh was puzzled, where was everyone? Bray seemed to know what was going on but obviously wasn’t letting on. “Come on, let’s go up to the cafe and see what’s going on,” he said, leading her by the hand up the stairs.
“SURPRISE!!!” everyone shouted. They were all standing under a banner which read ‘Welcome to the Mall Rats, Laigh!’ Laigh was so shocked it felt like her heart missed a couple of beats.
“What’s all this?” she asked, totally amazed.
“We had a vote while you were out to see whether you could stay or not,” Amber explained. “It was unanimous, well almost...” Her voice trailed off as she looked at Lex, who was sat in the corner sulking.
Zandra went up to Laigh and said “I’m sorry that we didn’t get off to a good start, I hope we can become friends” and smiled hopefully, Laigh smiled back.
“Of course we can” she said.
Cloe piped up “I’m hungry, can we eat now?”
“Of course” Salene smiled, and they all sat down to dinner.
Max was still in a daze. Why had everyone left him on his own? With Harley? He put his head on the table and sighed, he knew that he could only blame himself for all of this, he was the one who’d gone and slept with her. She entered the room, and put her hand on his back, he jumped and looked at her, she smiled at him, he just glared back.
“You manipulative cow” he said nastily, his eyes narrowed to slits, “This is all your doing, last night’s tears was just a show weren’t they?”
“No, I was genuinely upset, but not about everyone falling out with me, but because you wouldn’t admit the truth” she said, sitting next to him.
“And what exactly IS the truth?” he asked.
“That you love me, and always have, that you were never really bothered about Laigh as she’s just a little girl compared to me?” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and gave him a smouldering look, he turned his back to her.
“The only little girl I see is you” he said, and was about to walk away when Harley said “Don’t try and blame me for all this, there’s only one guilty person and that’s you. I was just following my feelings.” He sighed, she was right, it was his fault, and it always would be.
Lucy was shivering. The evening had turned very cold and she was only wearing a thin shirt and jeans. Josh was holding her close to him, trying to keep her warm.
“Don’t worry, it’ll get better than this, I promise” he said.
“Are you sure? I don’t think it will, I think I made a big mistake by coming.” Lucy’s teeth were chattering, Josh knew they wouldn’t survive long if they had to live like this.
“Tomorrow we’ll look for a proper place to live, just for tonight we’ll have to stay here. Just try and get some sleep.” He held her closer to him, and kissed the top of her head. He’d always been really fond of Lucy but just lately his feelings had become a lot stronger. It’s funny how the worst of times bring people together, he thought.
“Josh? Do you think we’ll find Laigh?” Lucy asked weakly, she felt awful once again, she felt that everything that had happened was her fault and at that moment in time she felt she had lost all hope of ever being happy again.
“Let’s just hope so Luce,” He sighed “Let’s just hope...”
Lucy was barely conscious, Josh was cradling her in his arms.
“I can’t go on Josh, I’m too cold and hungry” Lucy said weakly.
“Don’t say that Lucy! You can do it. Look, there’s shelter not far from here, the old mall, I’m sure it’s empty. You can make it, I promise you.” He rocked her gently, he felt tears in his eyes, he couldn’t let her die, not now they’d got this far. “Luce? Please, I beg you, don’t leave me now,” he whispered. “I love you.” He picked her up and started to walk towards the mall...
Max was sat on the edge of his bed, just thinking about his sad and worthless life. He thought about when he’d asked Laigh to marry him, how happy and proud he’d felt. She probably now thought that that had been a plan to hide him and Harley, that’s if she was even thinking about him. He wondered if she had managed to find Bray or Martin, what she was doing at that moment. He fell back and looked at the roof, why did he ever come along and ruin her life? That’s how he felt about her, he’d wrecked her life by hiding in the same place that she had all that time ago, he sighed and carried on staring. Little did he know that Harley was standing at the door watching him. She rolled her eyes and said “Get over it Max! What are you gonna do? Stay in hear and waste your life away?”
“I might as well” he rolled onto his side and sighed again, this time more grumpily. He was fed up with Harley trying to get his attention all of the time, he just wanted to be left alone. “Go away, stop pestering me” he said sulkily.
“Fine, if that’s how you want to be.” She sauntered off, smiling smugly to herself. She’d got just what she’d wanted - Max to herself.
Amber was sat in her room, making yet another one of her famous cleaning rotas and humming the wedding march, Laigh smiled at her. She was stood behind her so Amber didn’t know she was there until she looked up and saw her in the mirror in front of her.
“Oh, hi Laigh, I didn’t know you were there, sit down” Amber gestured to the edge of her bed. Laigh sat and asked “So what happened then, how did you feel?”
“What do you mean?” Amber asked, slightly confused.
“Y’know, when Bray asked you to marry him?” she was being cryptic on purpose, as she was making sure that Amber didn’t know that she knew that she’d been the one to propose.
“Oh he didn’t,” Amber said smugly “I asked him.”
“Cool! How did it happen then, why did you ask him?”
“Well, it all started the other night, the night before the argument,” Amber explained. “He asked me to marry him and I said no. He was upset and that’s why we argued the next day. Sorry I couldn’t tell you.” Laigh nodded understandingly. “Anyway after we made up I felt guilty about it because I love him so much and I guess he just sort of caught me off guard, so I thought about it and this morning I asked him. You should have seen his face!” She smiled dreamily.
“Any ideas to what kind of wedding you want?” Laigh asked. She loved weddings and the more romantic, the better.
“Nothing too much, I don’t think,” Amber looked up from the rota and directly at Laigh. “Probably just a small ceremony here then a party of some kind.”
“Who’s going to marry you?”
“Probably Tai San, she did the first attempt at Lex and Zandra’s,” Amber said.
That confused Laigh. “First attempt?” she asked.
“Yeah, it was rudely interrupted by Ebony and by the time they finally did get married, Zandra and Tai San had fallen out and so I had to do it in the end.”
“I couldn’t imagine you doing the ceremony,” Laigh smiled.
Amber smiled back. “Neither could I, it took a lot of persuasion from Zandra, and Sasha.” A sad look came into her eye as she mentioned his name.
“Sasha? Who’s that?” Laigh asked gently, she could tell that this was a difficult thing for Amber to talk about.
“He’s who I was with before Bray. I loved him, I was even going to leave this place for him.” She looked around her “But I couldn’t do it in the end,” she sighed.
“Why not?” Laigh was feeling a little sad for Amber.
“The Mall Rats needed me, and I had feelings for your cousin, he would have left if I’d gone.” She looked quite upset and Laigh decided that she needed to change the subject quickly.
“While we’re on the subject of Bray,” Laigh asked, “Can I ask a question?”
“Sure, what?” Amber seemed a little suspicious about this, as she thought that Laigh knew everything about him.
“Did anything ever happen between him and Trudy?” Laigh needed to know this, it was starting to annoy her as it was stuck in the back of her mind.
“Not really, no.” Amber started “She was really hung up on him when she first had Brady. She was suffering with post-natal depression. But there was something going on between him and Salene and her and Trudy had a major fight over him. Well it all ended with Trudy having an overdose, then when we managed to save her she ran away and Salene started to suffer with bulimia because she felt guilty as she had left Trudy to die.” She sighed, it had obviously been a stressful time for the whole tribe. “Luckily for us they’re both over him now. Why did you want to know?”
“Oh just wondered, are you sure she’s over him?” Laigh asked, she remembered Trudy’s face earlier.
“Yeah, why would you think otherwise?” Amber was mystified by Laigh’s question, why wouldn’t she be over him?
“Well, when you announced your engagement this morning she looked so angry, well more jealous” Laigh explained “So I just thought...”
“No, it’s OK, I’m sure there’s some logical explanation for it.” Amber looked back at her rota and filled in the last blank square. “There. Done at last, let’s go and put this up, shall we?”
They were just about to get up when they heard an almighty crash, they jumped out of their seats and ran out of the room, the others were already out in the main part when they got out of Amber’s room “What’s going on!?!” Amber exclaimed.
“It was one of the trip wires in the sewers!” Dal shouted agitatedly, and they stood ready for an attack. Josh entered, carrying a half-dead Lucy. Laigh was shocked, she ran down the stairs exclaiming “Josh! What’s happened? Lucy! Oh no she isn’t...”
“Almost, help us, please” he looked painfully at Lucy then at Laigh, then at the rest of the tribe.
“Who’s this, Laigh?” Lex asked suspiciously as usual.
“This is Josh and Lucy, from my old tribe,” Laigh said quickly. “Please, you have to help Luce, I’ll never forgive myself if she dies...”
Episodes 7-9
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