Defy the Stars by Sophie McKenzie Read Free Book Online Page A

the text I’d received outside the shed. It was
probably just Grace or Emmi looking for me, but I should check.
    I disentangled myself. Flynn said nothing, but he was staring hungrily at me. I reached for my mobile where it nestled alongside the money Mum had given me for my share of the taxi home.
    ‘Who’s texting you at this hour?’ Flynn said, an edge to his voice.
    ‘Back off, Dad,’ I said. ‘Go and have a beer and a fag with one of your girlfriends.’
    ‘They’re
Cody’s
friends, those girls we came with,’ Flynn said. ‘Airheads. Nothing to do with me.’
    ‘Whatever.’ I peered down at the screen. It was a text from Leo. I frowned. What was he messaging me about in the middle of the night? I opened the text:
Gemma just gone to
hospital. Sounds really bad but I don’t know more than that. Yr dad with her. Told him I wd let you know.
    I stared down at the screen. Gemma was in hospital? That must mean the baby was coming. It was due now. It was the right time. So why was Leo texting that things were ‘really
bad’.
    ‘Something’s wrong at home.’ I showed Flynn the message.
    A frown creased his forehead, then he looked up at me. ‘What do you want to do?’
    I tried to think. My instinct was to call Leo but he had already said he didn’t have more information than was in the text. I could ring Dad but he was presumably busy with Gemma, which
was why he hadn’t called me himself. My stomach churned over. Gemma had lost a baby a year ago – an early miscarriage that I knew had upset her. This would be a million times worse. I
couldn’t bear to think of her and Dad not having this baby.
    A sob rose in my chest. ‘I want to go to the hospital,’ I said.
    ‘Okay.’ Flynn nodded. ‘Okay, then you’re going.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    Flynn took my hand and led me out of the trees. For a few moments I was too surprised to say anything, but as we crossed the grass I uncurled my fingers from his. ‘What do you mean?’
I repeated, backing away. I checked the time on my phone again. ‘It’s one-thirty in the morning. How can I get back to Norton? It’s a ninety-minute drive away and there
won’t be any tubes or trains running this late.’
    ‘Well find a way,’ Flynn said, his mouth setting in that determined line I knew so well.
    He was striding fast across the grass. I was almost running in my bare feet to keep up. ‘I could get a taxi back to Mum’s,’ I said. ‘Do you think she’d drive me to
Norton tonight?’
    Flynn shot me a glance. ‘Your mum will say there’s nothing you can do until morning.’
    He was right.
    ‘Then it’s hopeless,’ I said.
    ‘No,’ Flynn said. ‘Come on.’
    I followed him through the house. I couldn’t see Cody though three of the girls he and Flynn had come with were still dancing. I caught sight of Emmi across the room but there was no sign
of Grace and James. Flynn was already at the front door.
    ‘Do you have a coat or anything?’
    I shook my head, stopping only to slip on my shoes. I followed Flynn outside. The house was on a wide, residential street. Traffic zoomed past at the top of the road. Flynn turned towards
it.
    ‘Where are we going?’ I said.
    ‘To get you a taxi.’
    ‘A black cab? Even a minicab will cost hundreds from here. I’ve only got my share of—’
    ‘I’m paying,’ Flynn said.
    ‘I can’t let you—’
    He turned and pulled me towards him. He lowered his face and kissed me – a hotter, swifter kiss than before. Then he started walking again, his arm around my shoulders, pulling me with
him. ‘It’s just money, Riv,’ he said. ‘You want to be there. I want to make it happen.’
    I hesitated. Two black cabs passed at the top of the road. Both had their lights on. Flynn sped up. ‘Come on.’
    We rushed to the top of the road. Another taxi was coming. Flynn held out his arm, flagging it down. As the cab pulled over, Flynn pulled his wallet out of his pocket. He shoved the whole thing
in my