punch. In fact, it wasn’t even a punch, it was a slap.’
‘You just don’t get it, do you?’ Lauren said, grinding her palm against the side of her head in frustration.
‘Get what?’
‘This keeps happening, James. You lose your temper and lash out at people.’
‘Like when?’
‘When you were in Year Five and you beat that kid up and smashed all the art equipment. In Year Six when you twisted that kid’s leg around and nearly broke his ankle. You beat up Samantha Jennings the day Mum died. You got in trouble when you were at Nebraska House. You lost your temper and stomped on Kerry’s hand in basic training. Come to think of it, you’ve battered me a couple of times as well.’
‘We were always getting in fights when we were little, Lauren. All kids do that.’
Lauren shook her head. ‘That time you gave me a black eye. We told Mum it was an accident, but it wasn’t, was it? You went nuts because I ate a tiny piece of your Easter egg.’
‘Come on, Lauren. I was ten years old. You’re making me sound like some foaming at the mouth psychopath.’
‘You might not be a psycho, but you have got a nasty side. I hope you do end up losing all your friends over this, James. I hope you never get back with Kerry. Maybe that will make you see that you can’t go around throwing wobblers and beating people up.’
James felt punch drunk from Lauren’s onslaught. ‘Thanks a lot,’ he sniffed. ‘I needed that.’
‘Ah diddums,’ Lauren shrugged. ‘I thought you’d finally grown out of this nonsense.’
‘Kerry dumped me,’ James sniffed. ‘There was no reason behind it.’
Lauren knew her brother was fishing for sympathy and totally ignored him. ‘So what’s gonna happen if you don’t grow out of this, James? Are you gonna end up battering your wife and kids some day?’
James gasped. ‘Lauren, don’t be stupid. I’d never do that.’
Lauren mocked James’ voice, ‘You know I’ve got a bad
temper, I can’t help it sometimes. So, if you can’t help it, how can you know?’
‘Lauren, I’d never touch my wife and kids. I swear to god.’
‘Well here’s an oath for you,’ Lauren said, waggling her finger under her brother’s nose. ‘I’m sick of you acting like a moron. So on our mum’s grave: if this happens one more time, I’m never speaking to you again.’
Lauren stood up and headed for the door.
‘Lauren,’ James shouted desperately.
She stopped. ‘What?’
James shrugged. ‘I don’t know … Stay with me for a bit, watch TV. I don’t feel like being on my own.’
Lauren shook her head. ‘There’s a birthday party on my floor. I’m gonna go upstairs and try to enjoy myself. If you’re stuck here on your own feeling miserable, whose fault is that?’
Lauren turned around and slammed the door after herself.
James collapsed on to his bed. Lauren hadn’t so much touched a raw nerve as rubbed over a whole bunch of them with a cheese grater. As he choked back more tears, James realised that every time he lashed out it was him that got hurt most. He had to learn to control his temper.
11. PROMISES
CHERUB – Good Behaviour Contract
I, James Robert Adams, promise to abide by the following:
(1)??I agree to respect all my fellow cherubs and CHERUB staff.
(2)??I will not behave in an abusive way to anyone. Either verbally or physically.
(3)??I will go to regular anger management sessions with a counsellor.
(4)??If I feel angry, I will use the techniques taught by my counsellor to control my mood. I will not lash out.
(5)??I will write an apology to Andy Lagan.
(6)??I will catch up on my backlog of homework. I will not ask to copy work off my classmates and I understand that I will not be allowed to go off campus until I have completely caught up.
(7)??I agree to clean the mission preparation building between 5 and 7 p.m. every day except Sunday, either for three months or until I am sent on a mission.
(8)??I will be banned from missions for one month. This ban will be extended to three months if I have not caught up with my homework within this time.
(9)??I agree that I will not be entitled to a holiday at the CHERUB summer hostel this year because of what I did.
(10)?I agree not to go moaning to my handler Meryl Spencer, asking her to change stuff in this contract after I have signed it.
I understand that this contract will be reviewed after three months. If I have not met ALL