We pull away, and I can’t help but laugh as I look at Roxie. She’s got a combination of a grin and a smirk on her face.
“We’re not exactly a couple,” I say, as Amias winks at me and returns to the canteen.
“Sure, if I had Declan kiss me like that, I may have let him finish with that bint a lot sooner.”
“I’m serious, we’re friends. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a serious attraction there but it’s complicated,” I say as I sort out my screwed up lips since he pretty much kissed my lipstick right off of me.
“He’s single, your single what’s complicated about it?” she asks as Bella comes in and walks straight over to hear the gossip, bloody gossiping girls.
“He’s not the only one I like,” I mumble and see their mouths drop open.
“Date all of them, I would but Declan’s the only guy in this school I can stand. I’m a bit like you girl, I usually don’t like people but after you went for Octavia, I’ve been dying to get to know you,” she says and Bella nods enthusiastically.
“I thought you might be interested in Amias.”
“What no, I mean he’s gorgeous, but I’ve got my eye on someone else,” Bella says wistfully and makes it clear she will say no more on the subject.
We soon return to the guys and the other girls have now joined, I can’t believe how nice it feels as Amias wraps his arm around my waist and guides me towards the hall where we’re having the impromptu movie night. I think these two weeks are going to be interesting.
We end up watching a complete Stars Wars marathon and it is epic, well not everyone. Declan and Roxie spend most of the time playing tonsil tennis and Bella keeps looking wistfully at the door.
“Are you okay?” I ask, laying my hand on her arm.
“I thought he might have come tonight, I know he didn’t go home, and he loves Star Wars.” She sounds so down, and I have no idea how to help in these kind of situations.
“Who’s caught her eye?” asks Amias and I just shrug in reply.
“He doesn’t even know I exist. We talk occasionally but it’s mainly about what we’re doing in class. Maybe I should stop holding out hope.” She sounds so sad and despondent, she must really like this guy.
“No don’t do that, not until you know for sure,” I say to her and I feel Amias squeeze my shoulder as he drops down behind me and I lean back against him.
Best pillow ever, although it does make me drift off, so I miss the newer Star Wars and I don’t wake up until I’m being lowered onto a mattress. I start to stir but someone strokes my hair back and it’s so soothing I lose the urge to fully wake up.
“She’s out for the night, you’re not gonna turn against her, are you?”
“No, she’s good people, my girls and I will look out for her. Never hurts to have more friends,” the lovely voice of my new friend says, how did I get so lucky?
Nine
I awake at seven in the morning and I feel happy. I almost didn’t recognise the emotion, it feels like it’s been too long since I woke up with a smile on my face.
I boot up my laptop, seeing as I forgot to charge my tablet and I can’t believe my replacement is a Mac. I guess someone on the staff must have been bothered by a guilty conscience, that or Noah put the fear into Mrs. Hutchinson.
I open my emails and see one from my dad and seven from three different email addresses that aren’t familiar to me. Sod it, I’m hungry and I’m not taking this with me, guess I’ll have to turn my phone on and actually use it.
I’ve had it turned off ever since my dad put me in the car to bring me down here, it’s petty, sure, but I didn’t want to speak to him. I know he was angry and disappointed with me but what about her. Oh no, he helps my mother and sends me away so he doesn't have to deal with me, he’ll end up regretting it if I ever find my way back to London. Honestly, I don’t want to cause them any more pain or worry, but I’m too far down the rabbit hole to turn back now.
I slip my phone into my back pocket and head straight for the canteen, it’s practically empty so I grab myself some pancakes and a mixture of toppings before claiming my seat and boo
ting up my phone.
I delete the voicemails, all but one, without listening to them, before starting on the texts. Once I’ve dealt with them, I open my emails and start on the one from my dad first.
Hey little one,
I know you’re probably still angry at me for sending you to Cornwall, but I didn’t have much of a choice. After what you did, it was the only way to keep you out of jail. There are still those that want that outcome. But I’m not writing this to make you feel bad, I’m writing this because it really hurt your mother and me when you chose to stay at school rather than come home for Christmas.
She’s still in rehab but she’s been given a pass so she could spend the holidays with us and she’s doing a lot better. She’s been told she needs to write letters to everyone she has hurt, and you are on her list, I hope you will read the letter and maybe you could even reply to her. I’m sure she would appreciate that.