برخلاف قوانین

Chapter six

Against the rules

I was not allowed to make friends with the asylum seekers. But when George saw me, he always came to talk to me. And I enjoyed talking to George. I tried to stop liking him, but I couldn’t.

One evening I was in the dining room helping with the coffee. George was waiting for a drink.

‘I talked to some people today,’ he said to me as he passed. ‘I’m leaving the centre tomorrow.’

My heart jumped.

‘Are you staying in this country? Or…?’ I asked.

‘I don’t know. They’re going to tell me tomorrow.’

I felt afraid for him.

Suddenly I decided to do something - something dangerous. When I started at the centre, they told me never to give anyone my phone number or my address. They told me that I could lose my job. But I didn’t want to lose George.

I looked about. Nobody was watching.

‘George,’ I said. ‘Here’s my phone number. If you have problems, call me. Perhaps I can help you.’ I gave him a piece of paper. ‘Thank you,’ he said and he put it quickly in his pocket.

He walked away then, without another word.

And the next time I went to work, George was not there.