首发偶发空缺 (临时空缺)- 第90部分

‘…　you　can　put　that　–　that　thing　that　Mum　suggested　out　of　your　head　pletely；’　Colin　was　saying　gruffly。　‘You’ve　got　no　physical　or　mental　abnormalities；　have　you？　Well　then　…　don’t　worry　about　it　any　more。　But　your　counsellor　will　help　you　with　all　of　this　…’）

Tessa　gurgled　and　snorted　into　her　sodden　tissue；　and　thought　how　little　she　had　done　for　Krystal；　dead　on　the　bathroom　floor　…　it　would　have　been　a　relief　if　St　Michael　had　stepped　down　from　his　glowing　window　and　enacted　judgement　on　them　all；　decreeing　exactly　how　much　fault　was　hers；　for　the　deaths；　for　the　broken　lives；　for　the　mess　…　A　fidgeting　young　Tully　boy　on　the　other　side　of　the　aisle　hopped　out　of　his　pew；　and　a　tattooed　woman　reached　out　a　powerful　arm；　grabbed　him　and　pulled　him　back。　Tessa’s　sobs　were　punctuated　by　a　little　gasp　of　surprise。　She　was　sure　that　she　had　recognized　her　own　lost　watch　on　the　thick　wrist。

Sukhvinder；　who　was　listening　to　Tessa’s　sobs；　felt　sorry　for　her；　but　did　not　dare　turn　around。　Parminder　was　furious　with　Tessa。　There　had　been　no　way　for　Sukhvinder　to　explain　the　scars　on　her　arms　without　mentioning　Fats　Wall。　She　had　begged　her　mother　not　to　call　the　Walls；　but　then　Tessa　had　telephoned　Parminder　to　tell　them　that　Fats　had　taken　full　responsibility　for　The_Ghost_of_　Barry_Fairbrother’s　posts　on　the　council　website；　and　Parminder　had　been　so　vitriolic　on　the　telephone　that　they　had　not　spoken　since。

It　had　been　such　a　strange　thing　for　Fats　to　do；　to　take　the　blame　for　her　post　too；　Sukhvinder　thought　of　it　almost　as　an　apology。　He　had　always　seemed　to　read　her　mind：　did　he　know　that　she　had　attacked　her　own　mother？　Sukhvinder　wondered　whether　she　would　be　able　to　confess　the　truth　to　this　new　counsellor　in　whom　her　parents　seemed　to　place　so　much　faith；　and　whether　she　would　ever　be　able　to　tell　the　newly　kind　and　contrite　Parminder　…

She　was　trying　to　follow　the　service；　but　it　was　not　helping　her　in　the　way　that　she　had　hoped。　She　was　glad　about　the　chrysanthemum　oar　and　the　teddy　bear；　which　Lauren’s　mum　had　made；　she　was　glad　that　Gaia　and　Andy　had　e；　and　the　girls　from　the　rowing　team；　but　she　wished　that　the　Fairbrother　twins　had　not　refused。

（‘It’d　upset　Mum；’　Siobhan　had　told　Sukhvinder。　‘See；　she　thinks　Dad　spent　too　much　time　on　Krystal。’

‘Oh；’　said　Sukhvinder；　taken　aback。

‘And；’　said　Niamh；　‘Mum　doesn’t　like　the　idea　that　she’ll　have　to　see　Krystal’s　grave　every　time　we　visit　Dad’s。　They’ll　probably　be　really　near　each　other。’

Sukhvinder　thought　these　objections　small　and　mean；　but　it　seemed　sacrilegious　to　apply　such　terms　to　Mrs　Fairbrother。　The　twins　walked　away；　wrapped　up　in　each　other　as　they　always　were　these　days；　and　treating　Sukhvinder　with　coolness　for　her　defection　to　the　outsider；　Gaia　Bawden。）

Sukhvinder　kept　waiting　for　somebody　to　stand　up　and　talk　about　who　Krystal　really　was；　and　what　she　had　done　in　her　life；　the　way　that　Niamh　and　Siobhan’s　uncle　had　done　for　Mr　Fairbrother；　but　apart　from　the　vicar’s　brief　reference　to　‘tragically　short　lives’　and　‘local　family　with　deep　roots　in　Pagford’；　he　seemed　determined　to　skirt　the　facts。

So　Sukhvinder　focused　her　thoughts　on　the　day　that　their　crew　had　peted　in　the　regional　finals。　Mr　Fairbrother　had　driven　them　in　the　minibus　to　face　the　girls　from　St　Anne’s。　The　canal　ran　right　through　the　private　school’s　grounds；　and　it　had　been　decided　that　they　were　to　change　in　the　St　Anne’s　sports　hall；　and　start　the　race　there。

‘Unsporting；　course　it　is；’　Mr　Fairbrother　had　told　them　on　the　way。　‘Home…ground　advantage。　I　tried　to　get　it　changed；　but　they　wouldn’t。　Just　don’t　be　intimidated；　all　right？’

‘I　ain’　fuck—’

‘Krys—’

‘I　ain’　scared。’

But　when　they　turned　into　the　grounds；　Sukhvinder　was　scared。　Long　stretches　of　soft　green　lawn；　and　a　big　symmetrical　golden…stoned　building　with　spires　and　a　hundred　windows：　she　had　never　seen　anything　like　it；　except　on　picture　postcards。

‘It’s　like　Buckingham　Palace！’　Lauren　shrieked　from　the　back；　and　Krystal’s　mouth　had　formed　a　round　O；　she　had　been　as　unaffected　as　a　child　sometimes。

All　of　their　parents；　and　Krystal’s　great…grandmother；　were　waiting　at　the　finishing　line；　wherever　that　was。　Sukhvinder　was　sure　that　she　was　not　the　only　one　who　felt　small；　scared　and　inferior　as　they　approached　the　entrance　of　the　beautiful　building。

A　woman　in　academic　dress　came　swooping　out　to　greet　Mr　Fairbrother；　in　his　tracksuit。

‘You　must　be　Winterdown！’

‘Course　’e’s　not；　does　’e　look　like　a　fuckin’　buildin’？’　said　Krystal　loudly。

They　were　sure　that　the　teacher　from　St　Anne’s　had　heard；　and　Mr　Fairbrother　turned　and　tried　to　scowl　at　Krystal；　but　they　could　tell　that　he　thought　it　was　funny；　really。　The　whole　team　started　to　giggle；　and　they　were　still　snorting　and　cackling　when　Mr　Fairbrother　saw　them　off　at　the　entrance　to　the　changing　rooms。

‘Stretch！’　he　shouted　after　them。

The　team　from　St　Anne’s　was　inside　with　their　own　coach。　The　two　sets　of　girls　eyed　each　other　across　the　benches。　Sukhvinder　was　struck　by　the　other　team’s　hair。　All　of　them　wore　it　long；　natural　and　shiny：　they　could　have　starred　in　shampoo　adverts。　On　their　own　team；　Siobhan　and　Niamh　had　bobs；　Lauren’s　hair　was　short；　Krystal　always　wore　hers　in　a　tight；　high　pony　tail；　and　Sukhvinder’s　was　rough；　thick　and　unruly　as　a　horse’s　mane。

She　thought　she　saw　two　of　the　St　Anne’s　girls　exchange　whispers　and　smirks；　and　was　sure　of　it　when　Krystal　suddenly　stood　tall；　glaring　at　them；　and　said；　‘S’pose　your　shit　smells　of　roses；　does　it？’

‘I　beg　your　pardon？’　said　their　coach。

‘Jus’　askin’；’　said　Krystal　sweetly；　turning　her　back　to　pull　off　her　tracksuit　bottoms。

The　urge　to　giggle　had　been　too　powerful　to　resist；　the　Winterdown　team　snorted　with　laughter　as　they　changed。　Krystal　clowned　away；　and　as　the　St　Anne’s　crew　filed　out　she　mooned　them。

‘Charming；’　said　the　last　girl　to　leave。

‘Thanks　a　lot；’　Krystal　called　after　her。　‘I’ll　let　yer　’ave　another　look　later；　if　yeh　want。　I　know　yeh’re　all　lezzers；’　she　yelled；　‘stuck　in　’ere　together　with　no　boys！’

Holly　had　laughed　so　much　that　she　had　doubled　over　and　banged　her　head　on　the　locker　door。

‘Fuckin’　watch　it；　Hol；’　Krystal　had　said；　delighted　with　the　effect　she　was　having　on　them　all。　‘Yeh’ll　need　yer　’ead。’

As　they　had　trooped　down　to　the　canal；　Sukhvinder　could　see　why　Mr　Fairbrother　had　wanted　the　venue　changed。　There　was　nobody　but　him　here　to　support　them　at　the　start；　whereas　the　St　Anne’s　crew　had　lots　of　friends　shrieking　and　applauding　and　jumping　up　and　down　on　the　spot；　all　with　the　same　kind　of　glossy　long　hair。

‘Look！’　shouted　Krystal；　pointing　into　this　group　as　they　passed。　‘It’s　Lexie　Mollison！　Remember　when　I　knocked　yer　teeth　out；　Lex？’

Sukhvinder　had　a　pain　from　laughing。　She　was　glad　and　proud　to　be　walking　along　behind　Krystal；　and　she　could　tell　that　the　others　were　too。　Something　about　how　Krystal　faced　the　world　was　protecting　them　from　the　effect　of　the　staring　eyes　and　the　fluttering　bunting；　and　the　building　like　a　palace　in　the　background。

But　she　could　tell　that　even　Krystal　was　feeling　the　pressure　as　they　climbed　into　their　boat。　Krystal　turned　to　Sukhvinder；　who　always　sat　behind　her。　She　was　holding　something　in　her　hand。

‘Good…luck　charm；’　she　said；　showing　her。

It　was　a　red　plastic　heart　on　a　key…ring；　with　a　picture　of　her　little　brother　in　it。

‘I’ve　told　’im　I’m　gonna　bring　’im　back　a　medal；’　said　Krystal。

‘Yeah；’　said　Sukhvinder；　with　a　rush　of　faith　and　fear。　‘We　will。’

‘Yeah；’　said　Krystal；　facing　front　again；　and　tucking　the　key…ring　back　inside　her　bra。　‘No　petition；　this　lot；’　she　said　loudly；　so　the　whole　crew　could　hear。　‘Bunch　o’　muff　munchers。　Le’s　do　’em！’

Sukhvinder　remembered　the　starting　gun　and　the　crowd’s　cheers　and　her　muscles　screaming。　She　remembered　her　elation　at　their　perfect　rhythm；　and　the　pleasure　of　their　deadly　seriousness　after　laughter。　Krystal　had　won　it　for　them。　Krystal　had　taken　away　the　home…ground　advantage。　Sukhvinder　wished　that　she　could　be　like　Krystal：　funny　and　tough；　impossible　to　intimidate；　always　ing　out　fighting。

She　had　asked　Terri　Weedon　for　two　things；　and　they　had　been　granted；　because　Terri　agreed　with　everyone；　always。　The　medal　that　Krystal　had　won　that　day　was　around　her　neck　for　her　burial。　The　other　request　came；　at　the　very　end　of　the　service；　and　this　time；　as　he　announced　it；　the　vicar　sounded　resigned。

Good　girl　gone　bad　–

Take　three　–

Action。

No　clouds　in　my　storms　…

Let　it　rain；　I　hydroplane　into　fame

in’　down　with　the　Dow　Jones　…
Ｚei8。电子书
Her　family　half　carried　Terri　Weedon　back　down　the　royal…blue　carpet；　and　the　congregation　averted　its　eyes。

Copyright
First　published　in　Great　Britain　in　2012　by　Little；　Brown　and　Hachette　Digital

Copyright　？　J。K。　Rowling　2012

The　moral　right　of　the　author　has　been　asserted。

All　characters　and　events　in　this　publication；　other　than　those　clearly　in　the　public　domain；　are　fictitious　and　any　resemblance　to　real　persons；　living　or　dead；　is　purely　coincidental。

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