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　room；　she　had　tried　to　tell　Andrew　that　Simon　was　only　worried　about　him。

‘The　only　thing　he’s　worried　about　is　that　he’d　have　to　miss　bloody　Match　of　the　Day　to　take　me　to　hospital。’

Andrew　returned　to　his　bedroom；　where　he　sat　shovelling　food　into　his　mouth　with　one　hand　and　texting　Fats　with　the　other。

He　thought　that　it　was　all　over；　finished；　done　with。　Andrew　had　never　yet　had　reason　to　observe　the　first　tiny　bubble　of　fermenting　yeast；　in　which　was　contained　an　inevitable；　alchemical　transformation。

VIII
The　move　to　Pagford　had　been　the　worst　thing　that　had　ever　happened　to　Gaia　Bawden。　Excepting　occasional　visits　to　her　father　in　Reading；　London　was　all　that　she　had　ever　known。　So　incredulous　had　Gaia　been；　when　Kay　had　first　said　that　she　wanted　to　move　to　a　tiny　West　Country　town；　that　it　had　been　weeks　before　she　took　the　threat　seriously。　She　had　thought　it　one　of　Kay’s　mad　ideas；　like　the　two　chickens　she　had　bought　for　their　tiny　back　garden　in　Hackney　（killed　by　a　fox　a　week　after　purchase）；　or　deciding　to　ruin　half　their　saucepans　and　permanently　scar　her　own　hand　by　making　marmalade；　when　she　hardly　ever　cooked。

Wrenched　from　friends　she　had　had　since　primary　school；　from　the　house　she　had　known　since　she　was　eight；　from　weekends　that　were；　increasingly；　about　every　kind　of　urban　fun；　Gaia　had　been　plunged；　over　her　pleas；　threats　and　protests；　into　a　life　she　had　never　dreamed　existed。　Cobbled　streets　and　no　shops　open　past　six　o’clock；　a　munal　life　that　seemed　to　revolve　around　the　church；　and　where　you　could　often　hear　birdsong　and　nothing　else：　Gaia　felt　as　though　she　had　fallen　through　a　portal　into　a　land　lost　in　time。

She　and　Kay　had　clung　tightly　to　each　other　all　Gaia’s　life　（for　her　father　had　never　lived　with　them；　and　Kay’s　two　successive　relationships　had　never　been　formalized）；　bickering；　condoling　and　growing　steadily　more　like　flat…mates　with　the　passing　years。　Now；　though；　Gaia　saw　nothing　but　an　enemy　when　she　looked　across　the　kitchen　table。　Her　only　ambition　was　to　return　to　London；　by　any　means　possible；　and　to　make　Kay　as　unhappy　as　she　could；　in　revenge。　She　could　not　decide　whether　it　would　punish　Kay　more　to　fail　all　her　GCSEs；　or　to　pass　them；　and　try　and　get　her　father　to　agree　to　house　her；　while　she　attended　a　sixth…form　college　in　London。　In　the　meantime；　she　had　to　exist　in　alien　territory；　where　her　looks　and　her　accent；　once　instant　passports　to　the　most　select　social　circles；　had　bee　foreign　currency。

Gaia　had　no　desire　to　bee　one　of　the　popular　students　at　Winterdown：　she　thought　they　were　embarrassing；　with　their　West　Country　accents　and　their　pathetic　ideas　of　what　constituted　entertainment。　Her　determined　pursuit　of　Sukhvinder　Jawanda　was；　in　part；　a　way　of　showing　the　in…crowd　that　she　found　them　laughable；　and　partly　because　she　was　in　a　mood　to　feel　kinship　with　anybody　who　seemed　to　have　outsider　status。

The　fact　that　Sukhvinder　had　agreed　to　join　Gaia　as　a　waitress　had　moved　their　friendship　to　a　different　level。　In　their　next　period　of　double　biology；　Gaia　unbent　as　she　had　never　done　before；　and　Sukhvinder　glimpsed；　at　last；　part　of　the　mysterious　reason　why　this　beautiful；　cool　newer　had　selected　her　as　a　friend。　Adjusting　the　focus　on　their　shared　microscope；　Gaia　muttered；　‘It’s　so　frigging　white　here；　isn’t　it？’

Sukhvinder　heard　herself　saying　‘yeah’　before　she　had　fully　considered　the　question。　Gaia　was　still　talking；　but　Sukhvinder　was　only　half　listening。　‘So　frigging　white。’　She　supposed　that　it　was。

At　St　Thomas’s；　she　had　been　made　to　get　up；　the　only　brown　person　in　the　class；　and　talk　about　the　Sikh　religion。　She　had　stood　obediently　at　the　front　of　the　class　and　told　the　story　of　the　Sikh　religion’s　founder　Guru　Nanak；　who　disappeared　into　a　river；　and　was　believed　drowned；　but　re…emerged　after　three　days　underwater　to　announce：　‘There　is　no　Hindu；　there　is　no　Moslem。’

The　other　children　had　sniggered　at　the　idea　of　anyone　surviving　underwater　for　three　days。　Sukhvinder　had　not　had　the　courage　to　point　out　that　Jesus　had　died　and　then　e　back　to　life。　She　had　cut　the　story　of　Guru　Nanak　short；　desperate　to　get　back　to　her　seat。　She　had　only　ever　visited　a　gurdwara　a　handful　of　times　in　her　life；　there　was　none　in　Pagford；　and　the　one　in　Yarvil　was　tiny　and　dominated；　according　to　her　parents；　by　Chamars；　a　different　caste　from　their　own。　Sukhvinder　did　not　even　know　why　that　mattered；　because　she　knew　that　Guru　Nanak　explicitly　forbade　caste　distinctions。　It　was　all　very　confusing；　and　she　continued　to　enjoy　Easter　eggs　and　decorating　the　Christmas　tree；　and　found　the　books　that　Parminder　pressed　upon　her　children；　explaining　the　lives　of　the　gurus　and　the　tes　of　Khalsa；　extremely　difficult　to　read。

‘Because　my　mother　wanted　to　be　near　her　twat　of　a　boyfriend；’　muttered　Gaia。　‘Gavin　Hughes；　d’you　know　him？’

Sukhvinder　shook　her　head。

‘You’ve　probably　heard　them　shagging；’　said　Gaia。　‘The　whole　street　hears　when　they’re　at　it。　Just　keep　your　windows　open　some　night。’

Sukhvinder　tried　not　to　look　shocked；　but　the　idea　of　overhearing　her　parents；　her　married　parents；　having　sex　was　quite　bad　enough。　Gaia　herself　was　flushed；　not；　Sukhvinder　thought；　with　embarrassment　but　with　anger。　‘He’s　going　to　ditch　her。　She’s　so　deluded。　He　can’t　wait　to　leave　after　they’ve　done　it。’

Sukhvinder　would　never　have　talked　about　her　mother　like　this；　and　nor　would　the　Fairbrother　twins　（still；　in　theory；　her　best　friends）。　Niamh　and　Siobhan　were　working　together　at　a　microscope　not　far　away。　Since　their　father　had　died；　they　seemed　to　have　closed　in　on　themselves；　choosing　each　other’s　pany；　drifting　away　from　Sukhvinder。

Andrew　Price　was　staring　almost　constantly　at　Gaia　through　a　gap　in　the　white　faces　all　around　them。　Sukhvinder；　who　had　noticed　this；　thought　that　Gaia　had　not；　but　she　was　wrong。　Gaia　was　simply　not　bothering　to　stare　back　or　preen　herself；　because　she　was　used　to　boys　staring　at　her；　it　had　been　happening　since　she　was　twelve。　Two　boys　in　the　lower　sixth　kept　turning　up　in　the　corridors　as　she　moved　between　classes；　far　more　often　than　the　law　of　averages　would　seem　to　dictate；　and　both　were　better…looking　than　Andrew。　However；　none　of　them　could　pare　to　the　boy　to　whom　Gaia　had　lost　her　virginity　shortly　before　moving　to　Pagford。

Gaia　could　hardly　bear　that　Marco　de　Luca　was　still　physically　alive　in　the　universe；　and　separated　from　her　by　a　hundred　and　thirty…two　miles　of　aching；　useless　space。

‘He’s　eighteen；’　she　told　Sukhvinder。　‘He’s　half　Italian。　He　plays　football　really　well。　He’s　supposed　to　be　getting　a　try…out　for　Arsenal’s　youth　squad。’

Gaia　had　had　sex　with　Marco　four　times　before　leaving　Hackney；　each　time　stealing　condoms　out　of　Kay’s　bedside　table。　She　had　half　wanted　Kay　to　know　to　what　lengths　she　was　driven；　to　brand　herself　on　Marco’s　memory　because　she　was　being　forced　to　leave　him。

Sukhvinder　listened；　fascinated；　but　not　admitting　to　Gaia　that　she　had　already　seen　Marco　on　her　new　friend’s　Facebook　page。　There　was　nobody　like　that　in　the　whole　of　Winterdown：　he　looked　like　Johnny　Depp。

Gaia　slumped　against　the　desk；　playing　absent…mindedly　with　the　focus　on　the　microscope；　and　across　the　room　Andrew　Price　continued　to　stare　at　Gaia　whenever　he　thought　Fats　would　not　notice。

‘Maybe　he’ll　be　faithful。　Sherelle’s　having　a　party　on　Saturday　night。　She’s　invited　him。　She’s　sworn　she　won’t　let　him　get　up　to　anything。　But　shit；　I　wish　…’

She　stared　at　the　desk　with　her　flecked　eyes　out　of　focus　and　Sukhvinder　watched　her　humbly；　marvelling　at　her　good　looks；　lost　in　admiration　for　her　life。　The　idea　of　having　another　world　where　you　belonged　pletely；　where　you　had　a　footballer　boyfriend　and　a　gang　of　cool；　devoted　friends；　seemed　to　her；　even　if　you　had　been　forcibly　removed　from　it　all；　an　awe…inspiring　and　enviable　state　of　affairs。

They　walked　together　to　the　shops　at　lunchtime；　something　Sukhvinder　almost　never　did；　she　and　the　Fairbrother　twins　usually　ate　in　the　canteen。

As　they　hung　about　on　the　pavement　outside　the　newsagent’s　where　they　had　bought　sandwiches；　they　heard　words　uttered　in　a　piercing　scream。

‘Your　fucking　mum　killed　my　Nan！’

All　the　Winterdown　students　clustered　by　the　newsagent’s　looked　around　for　the　source　of　the　shouting；　puzzled；　and　Sukhvinder　imitated　them；　as　confused　as　everyone　else。　Then　she　spotted　Krystal　Weedon；　who　was　standing　on　the　other　side　of　the　road；　pointing　a　stubby　finger　like　a　gun。　She　had　four　other　girls　with　her；　all　of　them　strung　along　the　pavement　in　a　line；　held　back　by　the　traffic。

‘Your　fucking　mum　killed　my　Nan！　She’s　gonna　get　fucking　done　and　so　are　you！’

Sukhvinder’s　stomach　seemed　to　melt　clean　away。　People　were　staring　at　her。　A　couple　of　third…year　girls　scuttled　out　of　sight。　Sukhvinder　sensed　the　bystanders　nearby　transforming　into　a　watchful；　eager　pack。　Krystal　and　her　gang　were　dancing　on　tiptoes；　waiting　for　a　break　in　the　cars。

‘What’s　she　talking　about？’　Gaia　asked　Sukhvinder；　whose　mouth　was　so　dry　that　she　could　not　reply。　There　was　no　point　in　running。　She　would　never　make　it。　Leanne　Carter　was　the　fastest　girl　in　their　year。　All　that　seemed　to　move　in　the　world　were　the　passing　cars；　giving　her　a　few　final　seconds　of　safety。

And　then　Jaswant　appeared；　acpanied　by　several　sixth…year　boys。

‘All　right；　Jolly？’　she　said。　‘What’s　up？’

Jaswant　had　not　heard　Krystal；　it　was　mere　luck　that　she　had　drifted　this　way　with　her　entourage。　Over　the　road；　Krystal　and　her　friends　had　gone　into　a　huddle。

‘Nothing　much；’　said　Sukhvinder；　dizzy　with　relief　at　her　temporary　reprieve。　She　could　not　tell　Jaz　what　was　happening　in　front　of　the　boys。　Two　of　them　were　nearly　six　feet　tall。　All　were　staring　at　Gaia。

Jaz　and　her　friends　moved　towards　the　newsagent’s　door；　and　Sukhvinder；　with　an　urgent　look　at　Gaia；　followed　them。　She　and　Gaia　watched　through　the　window　as　Krystal　and　her　gang　moved　on；　glancing　back　every　few　steps。

‘What　was　that　about？’　Gaia　asked。

‘Her　great…gran　was　my　mum’s　patient；　and　she　died；’　said　Sukhvinder。　She　wanted　to　cry　so　much　that　the　muscles　in　her　throat　were　painful。

‘Silly　bitch；’　said　Gaia。

But　Sukhvinder’s　suppressed　sobs　were　born　not　only　from　the　shaky　aftermath　of　fear。　She　had　liked　Krystal　very　much；　and　she　knew　that　Krystal　had　liked　her　too。　All　those　afternoons　on　the　canal；　all　those　journeys　in　the　minibus；　she　knew　the　anatomy　of　Krystal’s　back　and　shoulders　better　than　she　knew　her　own。

They　returned　to　school　with　Jaswant　and　her　friends。　The　best…looking　of　the　boys　struck　up　a　conversation　with　Gaia。　By　the　time　they　had　turned　in　at　the　gates；　he　was　teasing　her　about　her　London　accent。　Sukhvinder　could　not　see　Krystal　anywhere；　but　she　spotted　Fats　Wall　at　a　distance；　loping　along　with　Andrew　Price。　She　would　have　known　his　shape　and　his　walk　anywhere；　the　way　something　primal　inside　you　helped　you　recognize　a　spider　moving　across　a　shadowy　floor。

Wave　upon　wave　of　nausea　rippled　through　her　as　she　approached　the　school　building。　There　would　be　two　of　them　from　now　on：　Fats　and　Krystal　together。　Everyone　knew　that　they　were　seeing　each　other。　And　into　Sukhvinder’s　mind　dropped　a　vividly　coloured　picture　of　herself　bleeding　on　the　floor；　and　Krystal　and　her　gang　kicking　her；　and　Fats　Wall　watching；　laughing。

‘Need　the　loo；’　she　told　Gaia。　‘Meet　you　up　there。’

She　dived　into　the　first　girls’　bathroom　they　passed；　locked　herself　in　a　cubicle　and　sat　down　on　the　closed　seat。　If　she　could　have　died　…　if　she　could　have　disappeared　for　ever　…　but　the　solid　surface　of　things　refused　to　dissolve　around　her；　and　her　body；　her　hateful　hermaphrodite’s　body；　continued；　in　its　stubborn；　lumpen　way；　to　live　…

She　heard　the　bell　for　the　start　of　afternoon　lessons；　jumped　up　and　hurried　out　of　the　bathroom。　Queues　were　forming　along　the　corridor。　She　turned　her　back　on　all　of　them　and　marched　out　of　the　building。

Other　people　truanted。　Krystal　did　it　and　so　did　Fats　Wall。　If　she　could　only　get　away　and　stay　away　this　afternoon；　she　might　be　able　to　think　of　something　to　protect　her　before　she　had　to　go　back　in。　Or　she　could　walk　in　fr