Home by Robert Muchamore

girlfriend today,’ I said, in the shower one Saturday after a match. ‘Dumped her,’ the boyfriend shrugged. ‘She drove me crazy, followed me everywhere I went.’ I knew it was a stupid crush, but it ripped my heart out knowing I’d never see red tracksuit girl again. I
    stood in a corner of the shower, facing the tiles and trying not to cry. It had been the same ever since I started getting into girls. Dumb infatuations, clumsy snogs, striking out in front of all my mates. I never seemed to get it right. The girls in my class rated all the boys out of ten and I finished third out of eleven guys. So I knew I wasn’t a freak; but I was still paranoid that I’d end up some lonely old guy doddering back from Sainsburys carrying cans of dog food and frozen meals for one.
    The thought of going through it all again over Sami filled me with dread. Then I’d think about her. Some little detail, like the shape or her eyes, or how great it was when she had her arm around me and I’d get a twinge of happiness. I’d got it so bad it wasn’t funny.
. . .
    I crawled out of bed and wandered down to the pool. Amin was there fetching water, he gave me a thumbs up sign and a smile. He muttered something, but you could never understand a word he said. I nodded and returned the thumbs up. Don was now the only one left who hadn’t accepted me.
    As soon as Amo saw me, she slapped a fish in her pan and started cooking it for me with some tomato and banana slices. ‘Sami and Desi said you did a good job. You should be proud of yourself’ ‘Thanks,’ I nodded. ‘Did you get the medicine?’ ‘I’ve got all I need. Replaced the morphine I used on Ben. Loads of bandages, antiseptic and dressings. There’s even some antibiotics.’ ‘Where did Sami go?’ I asked. ‘Same as everyone else I expect: helping to unload the truck.’ ‘I should go and help.’ I stood up to leave. ‘I’m making your breakfast, Jake.’ ‘Oh, right,’ I said, sitting back down. ‘I’m starving.’ ‘Beck was looking for you to go hunting. He said you didn’t sleep in Ben’s hut last night.’ ‘No, I stayed with Sami.’ ‘Did you now?’ Amo said, grinning from ear to ear. ‘We didn’t do anything. Just had a few beers and went to sleep.’ Amo scraped my food onto a metal plate. I started eating with my fingers. Amo’s cooking was pretty
    basic, but it always tasted good. ‘Sami’s got a soft spot for you,’ Amo said. ‘But you want to be careful. Captain is very protective
    towards her and if you upset him, it’ll be you that comes off worst.’ I walked down the hill to help the others unload the truck. I passed a few people carrying stuff on the
    path. They all smiled and told me I did a good job. Sami was down by the truck, helping some of the others chop off branches and cut a clearing to hide the truck in. She went up on tiptoes and kissed my cheek. ‘MorningKiller.’ Jesus started singing, ‘Love is in the air.’ Sami gave him a filthy look, ‘Go stick your head down a toilet.’ Don loaded me up with three sacks of rice. By the time I got them up to camp, my camouflage was drowned in sweat. I threw my top off and headed back down the hill for a second load. I lost my footing and slipped. The dirt stuck to my wet skin, like breadcrumbs on a piece of fish.
    There wasn’t much left to carry. The truck had been driven as deep into the trees as possible. Palms and branches were laid all over it. Don and Jesus headed off with the last sacks slung over their backs, leaving me and Sami to carry four catering sized cans of beans. ‘Race you,’ Sami said. She stuck a giant can under each arm and started off running up the hill. Before I’d even had time to pick my cans up, Sami stumbled and hit the dirt. I burst out laughing, then started running with my cans. Sami stuck her leg out and tripped me up. One of my cans rolled off down the hill. I was too tired to go after it. We sat there and watched it crash through the