CHERUB: Class A - Robert Muchamore Page 0,25

day stuck in a class with a bunch of stupid, noisy morons. I don’t want to come home and deal with another one.’
‘Touchy touchy,’ James giggled.
Kyle gave James a nudge. ‘Leave it out, eh?’
James realised he’d overdone it. He was getting a filthy look off Nicole as well.
‘Sorry, Kerry,’ James said. ‘But you were taking the mickey out of me going boxing just a second ago.’
Kerry didn’t answer. She just scowled into the bottom of her empty Coke can.
‘You don’t have to sit here all night watching telly, Kerry,’ Nicole said. ‘You can come to the youth centre with me if you want.’
‘I don’t want your pity, Nicole,’ Kerry said tersely. ‘Our mission briefing says if you can’t get on with your target, you should try and get involved in KMG through another kid. So, for your information, I won’t be sitting in front of the TV. I’ll be at the youth centre with someone tonight, the same as Nicole and Mohammed Ali over there.’
Kerry got off the sofa and stomped up to her room. Kyle reached over and punched James’ shoulder.
‘What the hell was that for?’ James asked, furiously.
‘Being an insensitive pig,’ Kyle said. ‘You know what a big deal Kerry makes about being the best at everything.’
‘Jesus,’ James said, rubbing his arm. ‘I was only having a laugh. It’s not my fault she’s so touchy.’
‘Go up and apologise,’ Kyle said.
‘I better not,’ James said. ‘She probably wants to be on her own.’
James noticed the look he was getting off Nicole.
‘OK then,’ James huffed, standing up. ‘I’ll go and say sorry.’
James went upstairs. Kerry and Nicole’s room was at the end of the corridor. As James got closer, he started to bottle it. Kerry had a violent temper and he didn’t want to get on the wrong end of it. For the first time ever, James was happy to hear Joshua crying. He leaned into Ewart and Zara’s room, making sure they weren’t in there, then walked over to the cot and picked the baby up. Joshua rested his head on James’ shoulder and changed his bawling to a gentler sucking kind of noise.
‘Come on,’ James said, rocking Joshua gently. ‘Let’s find Mummy.’
He went down to the kitchen. Ewart was at the table.
‘Cheers for picking him up, James,’ Ewart said. ‘Zara’s just gone down the shop for some bread.’
‘Get his bottle warmed up,’ James said. ‘I’ll take him into the living-room. He likes watching the telly.’
Ewart smiled at James. ‘Joshua still won’t let Kyle or the girls go near him. You know why I think he likes you?’
James shrugged. ‘Why?’
‘You’ve got blond hair, the same as me and Zara.’
‘Maybe,’ James said.
He carried Joshua through and sat next to Nicole on the sofa.
‘Look who’s here,’ Nicole said, grinning and wiggling Joshua’s big toe.
Since he’d been on the mission, James had learned something about girls: if you want them to like you, don’t worry about buying gifts, or saying the right thing, or where to take them. What you need to do is grab the nearest brat and stick it on your lap. Nicole, who’d been furious at James a few minutes earlier, shuffled up close to him on the couch.
‘You know, James,’ Nicole beamed, ‘some day you’re gonna make a really good dad.’
*
The stairs leading up to the boxing club had signed photos and newspaper cuttings of boxers James had never heard of on the walls. The door at the top of the stairs creaked and James got a nose full of thirty-degree heat and old sweat. About twenty guys were working out. Dark patches on their clothes, lifting weights, punching bags. James felt awkward, imagining they were all sizing him up, estimating how many milliseconds it would take to punch him out.
A massive guy stopped a set of crunches and started mopping his bald head with a towel.
‘New fish?’ he asked, looking at James.
James nodded. ‘I um …’
The guy pointed his thumb. ‘You want the back room, with the other kids. Try not to tread on anyone.’
James had to step over gym mats and bar-bells to get through. The back room was bigger, with twenty-odd boys aged between nine and fourteen working out. Two young coaches stood in a ring up the back, mucking about and taking punches off some little kids. James recognised Junior, Del and a couple of guys he’d seen around Thornton estate and at school.
‘You Junior’s new pal?’ a voice asked from behind.
James turned. The guy sat in a plastic chair. He wore tracksuit bottoms