Isabelle?’ interrupted Caro.
Davina glared at Caro and then turned her attention back to April.
‘Didn’t you know? Her name was Isabelle Davis, she was a student here a few years ago. A friend of mine at the Royal Opera House knew her quite well, lovely skin, great hair - such a waste, don’t you think?’
April couldn’t reply. Somehow knowing the girl’s name made the whole thing seem all the more real.
‘You okay, A?’ asked Caro, touching her arm.
‘Oh no, I haven’t made things worse, have I?’ said Davina. ‘Do you want some Evian? Why don’t you come and sit with us while you calm down? I think Chessy’s got some of her mum’s Valium.’
‘Why don’t you just leave her alone?’ snapped Caro. ‘She was fine until you got here.’
‘No, please, I’ll be okay, I just need some air,’ said April, getting to her feet. Both Caro and Davina moved to help her, but she brushed them off and headed for the door. ‘Thanks, but I need to ... I need to be alone for a while,’ she said as she left.
April pushed through the refectory’s double doors, aware that every eye in the room was watching her, and burst out into the corridor. I will not cry, I will not cry , she said to herself over and over again. She ran blindly down the halls, turning corners at random, finally coming to a stop next to a mercifully abandoned cloakroom where she sat down on a bench. ‘Breathe,’ she whispered to herself, pulling in air through her nose and letting it out through her mouth. She tried to remember what you were supposed to think of to calm yourself down - cool wet grass, was it? She was finding it hard to think of anything except those dark eyes.
‘ash, Ravenwood’s latest bad girl,’ said a voice. ‘I was wondering when our paths would cross.’
April looked up. Benjamin Osbourne looked down at her through his mop of blond hair and gave her a sardonic smile.
‘Sorry, I have terrible manners,’ he said, offering April a slight bow. ‘We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Benjamin. I believe you know my sister, Davina?’
April could only nod. Without taking his blue eyes from her, Benjamin tilted his head slightly to the left. ‘And this is my friend Marcus Brent.’ April saw another tall boy behind him, this one with dark brown hair and pronounced eyebrows that gave his eyes a rather hooded look. She had seen him staring at her earlier in the refectory - in fact ‘glaring’ would be a more accurate description. Clearly Marcus was one of the students who thought the new girl was bringing Ravenwood into disrepute.
‘Come on, Ben,’ said Marcus impatiently. ‘We’re already late.’
‘Don’t mind him.’ Benjamin smiled. ‘Beautiful girls unnerve Marcus.’ He allowed Marcus to pull him away, calling over his shoulder as they went, ‘See you soon.’
April sat there in shock. Had the sexiest boy in school just called her beautiful? Or was he like that with everyone? Probably. That sort of good-looking wealthy boy thought they could charm the pants off any girl they liked. Well, he wasn’t going to have that effect on her. No way. She stood up, then sat down again with a thump, her knees having turned to jelly.
‘Whoa ...’ she said, rubbing her temples. Maybe Benjamin’s charm had worked after all. She walked into the Ladies and looked at herself in the mirror; her cheeks were distinctly flushed. Nothing to do with Benjamin, she assured herself, nothing at all. Although, he was really good-looking. But she wasn’t about to go gooey over a boy, not after Neil. No way.
That’ll teach me to go out on cold, damp nights, she scolded herself as the bell rang and she walked to her next lesson. I must be coming down with something.
Chapter Eight
April had spent the rest of the week just trying to keep her head above water. By Friday, she was surprised to find that she was actually enjoying coming to
Davina glared at Caro and then turned her attention back to April.
‘Didn’t you know? Her name was Isabelle Davis, she was a student here a few years ago. A friend of mine at the Royal Opera House knew her quite well, lovely skin, great hair - such a waste, don’t you think?’
April couldn’t reply. Somehow knowing the girl’s name made the whole thing seem all the more real.
‘You okay, A?’ asked Caro, touching her arm.
‘Oh no, I haven’t made things worse, have I?’ said Davina. ‘Do you want some Evian? Why don’t you come and sit with us while you calm down? I think Chessy’s got some of her mum’s Valium.’
‘Why don’t you just leave her alone?’ snapped Caro. ‘She was fine until you got here.’
‘No, please, I’ll be okay, I just need some air,’ said April, getting to her feet. Both Caro and Davina moved to help her, but she brushed them off and headed for the door. ‘Thanks, but I need to ... I need to be alone for a while,’ she said as she left.
April pushed through the refectory’s double doors, aware that every eye in the room was watching her, and burst out into the corridor. I will not cry, I will not cry , she said to herself over and over again. She ran blindly down the halls, turning corners at random, finally coming to a stop next to a mercifully abandoned cloakroom where she sat down on a bench. ‘Breathe,’ she whispered to herself, pulling in air through her nose and letting it out through her mouth. She tried to remember what you were supposed to think of to calm yourself down - cool wet grass, was it? She was finding it hard to think of anything except those dark eyes.
‘ash, Ravenwood’s latest bad girl,’ said a voice. ‘I was wondering when our paths would cross.’
April looked up. Benjamin Osbourne looked down at her through his mop of blond hair and gave her a sardonic smile.
‘Sorry, I have terrible manners,’ he said, offering April a slight bow. ‘We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Benjamin. I believe you know my sister, Davina?’
April could only nod. Without taking his blue eyes from her, Benjamin tilted his head slightly to the left. ‘And this is my friend Marcus Brent.’ April saw another tall boy behind him, this one with dark brown hair and pronounced eyebrows that gave his eyes a rather hooded look. She had seen him staring at her earlier in the refectory - in fact ‘glaring’ would be a more accurate description. Clearly Marcus was one of the students who thought the new girl was bringing Ravenwood into disrepute.
‘Come on, Ben,’ said Marcus impatiently. ‘We’re already late.’
‘Don’t mind him.’ Benjamin smiled. ‘Beautiful girls unnerve Marcus.’ He allowed Marcus to pull him away, calling over his shoulder as they went, ‘See you soon.’
April sat there in shock. Had the sexiest boy in school just called her beautiful? Or was he like that with everyone? Probably. That sort of good-looking wealthy boy thought they could charm the pants off any girl they liked. Well, he wasn’t going to have that effect on her. No way. She stood up, then sat down again with a thump, her knees having turned to jelly.
‘Whoa ...’ she said, rubbing her temples. Maybe Benjamin’s charm had worked after all. She walked into the Ladies and looked at herself in the mirror; her cheeks were distinctly flushed. Nothing to do with Benjamin, she assured herself, nothing at all. Although, he was really good-looking. But she wasn’t about to go gooey over a boy, not after Neil. No way.
That’ll teach me to go out on cold, damp nights, she scolded herself as the bell rang and she walked to her next lesson. I must be coming down with something.
Chapter Eight
April had spent the rest of the week just trying to keep her head above water. By Friday, she was surprised to find that she was actually enjoying coming to
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