Barry didn't need to be an expert to notice something was wrong with his sister. He noticed she was looking upset when she walked past him, Connor and Imogen one side of her, Kevin on the other. He also noticed the closer they got to the doors to the school, Dynasty waved Kevin off, Imogen looked to be telling him something. Barry watched to see if he could tell what she was saying, but he was nowhere near good at lip reading as she was.
Barry drew a heavy sigh then stormed his way over to the girls as Connor and Kevin left to go into the school. "What's goin' on?" he asked when he got close enough.
Imogen looked as though she wanted to say something, but looked to Dynasty for assurance of what to do, but Dynasty didn't look at either of them.
Barry growled impatiently. "Is one of you's gonna tell me or do I need to find out for meself?" he snapped.
"Steve-O's mam called." Dynasty muttered. "Callin' me all sorts, wants me to meet her at lunch."
"You're not goin'!" Barry told her.
"I don't have a choice, Barry. If I don't she'll go mad." Dynasty looked up, black marks around her eyes from where she'd rubbed her mascara and eyeliner in an attempt to stop her tears.
"I'll come with ya." Barry stated. He wasn't taking no for an answer. "I'll hide. She won't see me."
"Okay…" Dynasty muttered.
"Come on. Let's get you cleaned up before Connor's mum or Mrs Budgen sees you." Imogen said gently, taking her friend by the arm and lead her inside. Both girls went in search of the toilets, and eventually found them.
"The panda look doesn't suit you." Imogen added in a lighter tone, earning a little laugh from Dynasty. Imogen looked through her bag for a pack of make up wipes and handed it to her once she pulled the small blue packet from within the bag.
"Least I got some colour in me face, unlike you, Casper." Dynasty joked, looking in the mirror as she wiped at her eyes.
"Oi!" Imogen laughed, leaning against the wall.
"Not sayin' you need it, but I think you'd suit it, y'know, go up a bit in your colours." Dynasty smirked.
"I think I'll pass, I don't like being made up like a Barbie doll." Imogen commented back.
"And I am?" Dynasty shot back. "Actually, don't answer that." She decided once Imogen was about to reply and lightly threw the now sealed mascara tube at her, laughing.
Imogen ducked and picked it up when it fell to the floor. "You didn't even try." She smirked, handing it to her, taking the pack of wipes from her and shoving them back into her bag before Dynasty linked her arm and walked out with her, only to see Connor and Kevin coming down the corridor with Mrs Budgen.
"I thought you said get a teacher? Not the flippin' dinner lady?" Dynasty muttered to Imogen.
Imogen could only shrug, giving her best friend a confused look before turning her gaze on her husband and his friend. "Connor? Explain?"
"Sonya said that mum was in a meeting, and when we went out the office we saw Mrs Budgen." Connor looked at her.
"Yeah she wouldn't let us go till we told her what was going on." Kevin added.
"S'pose it's better than McFall…" Dynasty shrugged and allowed Maggie to lead them all toward the school kitchens.
"You just need a bit of time to calm down, pet. Come on, let's get a cuppa down you." Maggie stated, looking at the young girl surrounded by her friends, and she smiled. "Loyalty is a lovely thing. But the rest of you have lessons to get to. Go on." She added.
Dynasty looked up at Kevin and gave him a smile. "I'll be okay." She told him. "I'm safe here aren't I?"
Kevin nodded as Connor pulled at his arm and he reluctantly left.
"And you. I'll be fine, honestly." Dynasty said, looking to Imogen.
Imogen bit her lip, she could see in Dynasty's look she wasn't too sure if she was okay herself. "Okay." She sighed. "I'll see you later."
Dynasty nodded and watched as her friend left her. Inside she wanted Imogen to be stubborn and say she was staying, but knew it wouldn't have worked. She looked around as Maggie came back over to her with a hot cup of tea and held it out to her.
"Nothing like a good brew to help you relax." Was what the older woman said.
Dynasty took the cup and sat in silence for about two minutes, just staring at the contents while the heat of the cup warmed her cold fingers, though it should have burned.
Maggie observed the younger girl for a moment. Something wasn't quite right. "Is there something bothering you, pet?"
Dynasty barely heard the question. She was too deep in her thoughts, worrying about how best to deal with Steve-O's mother, and how to deal with her own. She needed all the support she could get, and knew straight away that she wouldn't get that from either woman, no matter what she said.
"Earth to Dynasty." Maggie called, waving a tea towel in front of her face to get her attention.
"Sorry miss…" Dynasty said as she jumped in her seat, and gasped when some of the tea escaped from the cup and on to her hand. Quickly she put it on the shelf beside her and shook her hand to rid it of the burning sensation.
"I was wondering when that would burn you." Maggie commented as she lead the girl by the arm to run her hand under the cold tap before handing her a paper towel to dry it. She knew she didn't need to take such measures, it was only tea, but the mother inside her told her she had to take care of whoever was in her care. If that meant going over the top sometimes then she'd do it. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong? Or do I have to get my crystal ball to find out?" she questioned, smiling.
Dynasty allowed herself to smile at the comment. As overbearing as she was, Dynasty knew she meant well, and only looked after the pupils' best interests. "It's just… all this stuff with Steve-O… What if no one believes me or anythin'? Not exactly done meself any favours have I."
"Of course people will believe you." Maggie looked at the girl, she felt so sorry for her. "You'll get some people that want to stir it, you'll get people that won't believe it's as bad as it's made out to be. But you've got a good support network here, Dynasty."
As she listened, she looked up at the older woman.
"You've got your brother, who maybe doesn't go about it in the right way, but he cares very deeply for you. And for Kacey. Anyone can see that."
"Barry don't care about nothin' but himself most of the time miss." Dynasty sighed.
"But he's still there isn't he?" Maggie pointed out. "You've got Kevin, now, he loves the world of you. To him it doesn't matter about your family and what they think, all he ever talks about is you. Drives the others mad in our school house." She carried on. "You've got Imogen, wasn't that long ago you were at each other's throats now was it?"
Dynasty shook her head, letting out a small laugh at the memory. "Still can't believe I was so stupid to be sayin' the stuff I was. Specially with what she had to deal with." She shrugged.
"But you got over it, thankfully. And now you're best friends." Maggie looked at her.
"Yeah… and I've only got Connor through her, so that's not much support."
"If he knows what's good for him, lady he'll be by your side or risk losing his valuables. And that's even before Imogen finds out." Maggie smiled.
Dynasty couldn't help but laugh and she nodded. "Yeah… I think his mam might lynch him… Poor lad."
"But I also know that's not the full reason you're away with the fairies. A lot more than Imogen." Maggie continued.
"Steve-O's mam wants me to meet her at lunchtime by the school…" Dynasty finally admitted, looking at her. "If I don't go, she's more than likely gonna cause trouble for me."
"Dynasty, you could get yourself into trouble." Maggie said gently. "You can't possibly give into her."
"I have to! They're a dangerous family, and if you get on with them, you're safe, if you're a grass you're almost definitely in trouble." Dynasty sighed.
"You're safe in this school, Dynasty. She is not coming for you as long as I am here." Maggie told her. "I'm sorry, pet I can't let you do this, not when I know you could well be in danger."
"Then she'll find another way to come for me!" Dynasty said desperately.
"So tell the police. Keep yourself out of danger. Forget about pride, forget about being a grass. You can't let people treat you like this. You are a smart girl, Dynasty Barry. And if you used what's up there you'll get somewhere."
Dynasty sighed, her shoulders slumped in defeat.
"And you know I'm right." Maggie looked at her. "I'll clear it with Christine, but how would you like to help me in the kitchen, might help keep you occupied over lunch?" she suggested.
"Think I could, miss?" Dynasty asked, not even caring at the slight hopeful tone to her voice.
"Course, you're not that bad a cook. You might even take over from me when I give this up." Maggie smiled.
"I think I'll go one better than a dinner lady, miss." Dynasty teased, smirking.
"Hey you cheeky-!" Maggie started, but couldn't help but smile. "Nothing wrong with being a dinner lady."
"Course not Miss." Dynasty smirked.
Maggie gave her a stern look, a look that didn't last as she caught sight of the smile on the girl's face, and the slight shake of her shoulders, clearly through her giggles being held in. "Right, come on before I change my mind. Surely Christine can't still be in that meeting." She stated, checking the clock on the wall.
Dynasty nodded and walked with her, the cup of tea long forgotten n the shelf as they both made their way to the Head's office.
