Faith hated Ralph Miller. It was as simple as that. He hated Rachel and had it in for her whenever he had the chance. He even used the fact that Flick was with Marley came from Rachel. Which made no sense but that was Ralph. He was twisted and cruel.
On the day that they did drug tests. Faith felt nervous. She wasn't some drugged him teenager, but she did smoke some weed on the weekend. Bolton had given it up due to his boxing and he had one last packet left that he wanted to get rid of. So Faith got rid of it, well her and some others, including Flick. Who Ralph made take the drug test.
When they got out of the hall, Flick came over to Faith panicking out of her mind to her. But Faith shrugged and asked what she wanted her to do about it.
"Well you gave me it-"
"Because you asked" Faith said in a laugh, shaking her head "I didn't shove the flaming thing in your mouth"
"I-I know but...what if your mum finds out?"
Faith lightly scoffed and tucked her hands in her leather jacket pockets "The only way she'd find out that I had anything to do with this is through you"
Flick remained silent, Faith tilted her head and lightly snapped "Are you threatening me?"
Jesus she knew how to be intimidating. She wasn't even trying either. It was just in her blood, and her eyes. Flick quickly shook her head "No! I'm just saying"
"Well don't. I mean it Flick keep me out of it, it's not my fault that you got caught in all of this. Just take responsibility for once" Faith sighed, walking past her and hitting her shoulder against Flick's as she did so. Faith didn't want Rachel finding out, she didn't even want Rachel to get even suspicious at the fact that Faith would be involved in anyway. One she didn't need to hassle and two Rachel didn't need to stress or even the embarrassment.
Down the hallway, Faith caught up with Bolton, kissing her back before standing beside him as his arm went over her shoulder she muttered "Flick's gonna end up letting it slip to my mum"
"What? She said that?"
"No but she insinuated" Faith muttered "Christ if she finds out that I gave it to her she'll be embarrassed of me even more than she is"
"Shut up, you don't embarrass her"
Faith rolled her eyes and shook her head as they walked down the hallway. Whether it was true or not, she truly believed that Rachel was embarrassed, whenever Faith lashed out which the majority of the time she couldn't help it, she had a short fuse and was a hot head. She tried to keep control of it but sometimes she just couldn't. And that made her feel that Rachel was embarrassed, normally when a head teacher has a kid they are kind, straight A's and are level headed. Faith was the opposite. Bolton just looked at her and saw how she didn't want an argument on this. She didn't want to go back and fourth and back and fourth because it was exhausting and never comes down to a solid solution so he just let it go.
It was in the middle of lunch when Marley went storming round the school. Faith was down the hall with Chlo when they saw Marley and Flick arguing. From the eavesdropping. Marley had been framed for doing the drugs, Faith told Chlo that she'd meet up with her outside. Where the picture of her father promoting drugs was flying around that she had no clue about. Faith walked over to Flick and said "Your dad is framing Marley"
Flick remained silent for a moment. Faith shook her head as she slipped her hand in her leather pockets "And what are you going to do Flick?"
Again Flick remained silent "Flick he doesn't deserve this, he's been through enough with this school as it is" she groaned and looked away from her. She couldn't let this slide, Marley was like her in a way, only he was a better person. He tried to be so much more and was such a good student, a good kid. She couldn't let him get dragged down for this. Faith could prove Marley's innocence by coming forward and telling Rachel her that it was her that gave Flick the drugs. She knew she was to get a bollocking, but it wasn't the first time.
"Fine. If you won't do anything then I will"
"Faith please"
Faith stopped walking away and then snapped as she turned back "What the bloody hell is wrong with you? How can you let your boyfriend get dragged through the mud for something that he didn't even do. And you say you love him"
"I do!"
"Yeah it really shows" Faith muttered. She then walked away, not letting Flick get a word in edge ways. Faith walked outside to the playground and saw Donte laughed and waving around a piece of paper. Faith walked down the steps and nodded with an interested smirk on her face "What's this then?"
Her group all looked at her, settling down their laughs but still having amused grins on her face. Paul looked to the picture with his eyebrows raised and nodded as he gathered on what to say "Your err. Your dad. He's not one for anti drug lessons is he"
Faith laughed and shrugged "What?"
Bolton cleared his throat "It's Lawson babe. He's got a bit of a past" he took the paper and handed it to her. Faith looked down and saw the picture of Eddie holding up a sign that was saying to legalize drugs. They looked at her, not really knowing how she was going to react. But she couldn't help but laugh, she shook her head and said as she handed the paper back over "That's crazy"
They all then saw her amusement of the situation as a hall pass to then carry on laughing. Faith looked over her shoulder, to the office where her mother was. Probably ranting to Eddie about how disappointed she was about Marley. She would be about Flick too, but she has been trying so hard with the Kelly's. Especially after Earl. She couldn't let this carry on, Marley has disappeared, vanished from thin air and she had to do something. She had another free period after lunch, so she had plenty of time to go and see her. But it may as well be now.
Faith knocked on the open office door, finding her mum with her head in her heads, shaking her head as Eddie looked at her from standing beside her. They both looked up to her, Rachel sat back in her chair "Faith, love what is it?"
"I have to talk to you"
"Can it wait, we're dealing with-"
"Marley. I know that's why I'm here...the test is wrong"
They both looked at her oddly, wondering how on earth she could know something like that. Faith sighed and closed the office door behind her. Rubbing her palms together, she cleared her throat and crossed her arms "I erm...it's Flick who should have tested positive. Mellor has framed Marley or something"
"What makes you think that?" Rachel as, leaning forward in her chair to her. Faith took a deep breath, she looked out the window and then just came out with it "Because I gave it to her"
It went deafeningly silent. Faith looked back to them both and saw the gobsmacked faces on both of them. Faith held her hands up and said "Look I know how this might sound-"
"Do you" Rachel quaked.
Faith grabbed a chair and sat in front of them. She stared at Rachel and shook her head "I'm not some druggie. I don't do it I swear. I mean I used to but...the weed was Bolton's and he's stopped it because of his boxing and he wanted to get rid of it so I-"
"Why didn't you throw it away?" Rachel snapped. Faith shrugged and muttered "Come on mum it's not that simple, they don't come cheap"
"Faith!"
Faith awkward laughed and shrugged "I don't know what you want me to say! Flick asked me for it, I didn't shove it down her throat" Faith stared at her and saw how the look on Rachel's face made her feel like she was being doubted. Faith looked to Eddie and then back to Rachel as she sat back in her chair, she looked to the ceiling and shook her head "You don't believe me"
"I didn't say that"
"Yeah well by the look on your face you may as well have" She snapped as she looked back to Rachel "What? Flick is the daughter you wish you had. Straight A's, calm and kind"
Rachel shook her head "No, love, that is not what I think. Not in the slightest"
"I'm a lost cause I get it. I'm sorry I screwed up with all of this, but I didn't ask her for anything. I didn't want it on me, I didn't want to take it. Like I said the perfect head girl asked me and if you don't believe me then...whatever" Faith stood up and sighed, putting her bag on her shoulder. Faith scratched her forehead and recovered her composure and tried to level her head. Rachel looked to Eddie who nodded to her, letting her know that it was good she was doing this. It was showing progress on her anger control.
"I just wanted to tell you. Cause I didn't want Marley to get dragged through the mud, do with the information what you will but I just thought I'd come here. Tell you both so you didn't find out through anyone else...I'm sorry"
Eddie slid his hands in his pockets and nodded to her "We know and we are grateful that you told us"
"We'll talk later, okay?" Rachel said, giving her a faint smile. She wasn't exactly mad, that' be the wrong word. She was just surprised and yes a little disappointed but she was actually relieved that Faith came to her like that. Sure she snapped and made assumptions about what Rachel was thinking, but she showed progress by not storming out and actually apologized.
Faith went over to the door and then turned to Eddie "By the way, there's a picture of you going around. From a few years back, protesting to legalize drugs"
Rachel's head practically snapped to Eddie and Faith quickly made herself scarce to leave them alone. Eddie looked to Rachel as the door shut and then let out a nervous laugh as he tried to gather his words.
By the end of it. Ralph came forward and admitted to swapping the names on the test. But he wouldn't have accepted that it was all his fault or Flick's for that matter, he had to make Rachel seem that she was at fault somewhere "This isn't all on her or me"
Rachel's eyebrows pinched together, she glanced to Eddie, then Flick and then couldn't help but scoff "I'm sorry?"
"That toerag of a daughter of yours. She's involved in some way"
Rachel stood up straight from leaning against the desk and sharply snapped back "Don't talk about my daughter that way. Our daughter that way"
Ralph looked from Rachel and Eddie and then smirked as he nodded "Of course. Almost forgot it was a dysfunctional family affair. A misfit of a daughter when your fiance had her with someone else"
"That's enough, Ralph" Eddie snarled, standing in front of Rachel, he nodded to outside and ordered "I think its time you leave, before you say something that really upsets me"
Ralph glanced to Rachel before getting pushed by Flick who said "Just go dad, just go" she looked back to them and said in a weak voice "I'm sorry. About all of it"
Rachel and Eddie said nothing to her, they just watched her and Ralph leave the office, and through the gap of the window, Rachel saw how Ralph shoulder barged Faith as he walked past and she wanted to go out the and rip his head off. But Eddie put his hand on her arm and shook his head to her, even though he would love to do that same. Ralph wasn't worth it.
Faith walked in the office, looking back at them from watching Ralph leave from over her shoulder "Everything alright?"
"Yes. Fine" Rachel muttered as she grabbed her coat. Faith took in a deep breath and looked back and forth between her and Eddie before asking "So what happens now with all of this?"
"You're grounded. For a week" Rachel said, with Eddie nodding along. Faith raised her eyebrows to them "Is that all?"
Eddie laughed and shrugged "Would you care for more"
"No no. I'm just surprised"
Rachel looked to Eddie as she fixed the collar of her coat and said "Well, although we aren't all too pleased about it. We appreciate you coming to us and being honest. But if it happens again then there will be trouble, understood?"
Faith nodded, she wasn't going to argue with that. She was grateful that Rachel especially was so okay with all of this, Rachel sighed and then put her arm over Faith's shoulder as they walked out with Eddie trailing behind them.