The Set Up by Sophie McKenzie Page B

Paterson. And, obviously, no more telekinesis.’
    ‘That’s not fair,’ I said.
    Fergus leaned forwards. I noticed, for the first time, that there were deep lines etched across his forehead. ‘I wish you understood just how much you mean to me, Nico.’ His voice was strained.
    I looked down at the scuffed and scratched wooden floor. Fergus never talked about feelings like this. What was going on?
    ‘I loved your mother very much,’ Fergus stammered on. ‘And . . . and I love you.’
    I focused on a patch of floor where the whorl of wood combined with a particularly deep scratch. My face burned. It wasn’t that I didn’t love Fergus back. I did. It was just that talking about it felt awkward and embarrassing.
    ‘I realise we live in . . . in strange circumstances, what with this being a school and me being your head teacher. And I also know that I’m not the most demonstrative person in the world,’ Fergus said stiffly. ‘But I’ve tried to be a good stepfather. Up until a couple of years ago I think we had a good relationship. And then . . . I don’t know what’s happened since, Nico . . .’ Fergus tailed off.
    You don’t want to let me grow up.
    You try to control my life.
    You don’t listen.
    I was staring so hard at my patch of floor it had started to look like a face with only one ear.
    ‘Nico?’
    ‘’S all fine,’ I mumbled.
    Fergus sat back. ‘But it’s not all fine, is it? Come on, talk to me, Nico. I’m listening.’
    I looked up at last. Maybe if I tried to explain to him . . . maybe he’d see I hadn’t done anything deliberately to hurt him. I just wanted . . . needed . . . to be treated with respect.
    ‘I just . . . I just wish you would stop treating me like a baby.’
    ‘How do I . . .?’
    ‘Well, take the Medusa gene . . . you knew that it was inside me . . . that the virus William Fox used to implant it actually killed Mum. And yet you let me think she died of some random cancer.’
    ‘But she did,’ Fergus said. ‘A cancer that my brother created. I know William didn’t mean to create it, but he took risks, egged on by Jack and paid for by Geri.’
    ‘But you didn’t even tell me he existed,’ I said.
    ‘Don’t you understand, Nico?’ Fergus sighed. ‘My brother and I were reconciled before his death, but we hadn’t been close for months . . . years, even. Not since he got obsessed with the Medusa gene. And after he’d come to me and told me what he’d done – and the effect it was going to have on your mum – I got rid of all reminders of him . . . because every time I saw his face, I saw her death too. I decided you were better off not knowing anything about him or his work. And, I’m sorry, but I still think you’re better off not knowing—’
    ‘That’s what I’m talking about. Right there. You deciding what’s best for me.’
    ‘Of course that’s what I do.’ Fergus’s voice rose. ‘That’s my job as your stepfather.’
    I sighed. What was the point of trying to talk to him? He was never going to understand.
    We sat in silence for a few more moments, then Fergus muttered something about cooking me some breakfast and I muttered something back about getting my breakfast as usual at the canteen and I stumbled out of the flat.
    As planned, I waited until the afternoon, then went to look for Ketty. She was nowhere to be found. Lola thought she was still out running, though Lauren said she’d seen her strolling in the grounds with Ed. I checked several times later and they were both still missing.
    I could only assume they were outside somewhere, discussing what a horrible person I was.
    I felt really ill that evening. Flu, probably brought on by getting soaked the night before – or so Fergus insisted. He found me in the common room, still hoping to see Ketty that night, and hauled me up to the flat. I spent the next three days in bed, feeling extremely sorry for myself. I called Ketty over and over on my mobile and left at least three apologetic