Spiralling Out of the Shadow (The Spiralling Trilogy) by Michelle Dennis Evans

school. On the first day, we were given no grace. It was straight into assessments with due dates.
    ‘Don’t expect a free ride this year. If you want to get into uni, you’ll have to work your tails off,’ was the message from our welcome back assembly.
    I had assignments for three subjects due way too close to ignore. So much more work than I wanted to do, but I couldn’t get out of it.
    During the first few weeks, I couldn ’t fathom how Steph kept up. She worked late nearly every night. I was already in bed when she got home, yet somehow she managed to get to school and be organised.
    Just as I was finishing my homework, Steph ran in.
    ‘Tabbie, Tabbie, he’s back. Mum just told me Jason’s back.’
    No way! He’ s meant to be out of her life. ‘I thought you were moving on. He can’t neglect to call you for over two months and expect you to hang around for him.’
    ‘ He dropped by Mum and Dad’s yesterday and asked for my number.’ Stephanie bounced on my bed like a pre-schooler.
    ‘ Steph, careful.’
    ‘ Why?’
    ‘ Just be careful. I don’t want to see you getting hurt.’ Like in the major tears and dark depression kind of way.
    ‘ Jason wouldn’t ever hurt me. He’s just really bad at keeping in touch when he’s away. But now that he’s back—’
    ‘ Steph, he’s in Toowoomba, and you’re here. Remember? Hometown, Sydney?’
    ‘ I guess.’
    Her face glazed over. I’d burst her bubble. My realistic comment had cut her deep. I wondered how I could smooth over the blow.
    But there was still a little piece of nasty in me that almost delighted in seeing her miserable. Where on earth did it come from? I detested it. I did want her to be happy. Yet in all of her elegant and sophisticated beauty, she was a mess when it came to Jason. I left for youth group appalled at my own behaviour. I was nasty. Stephanie was hurting. It wasn’t something to delight over.
     
    *~*~*~*
     
    While engaged in reading my Biology text book, the phone snapped me out of a trance.
    ‘ Hello.’
    ‘ Hi, is Stephanie there?’ A male voice. Oh no, not Jason. I hoped it wasn’t.
    ‘She’ s sleeping. Can I take a message?’ I smiled, trying to keep my voice pleasant but I knew a snarky tone had already slipped through the phone. 
    ‘ It’s Jason. Can you get her to ring me?’
    ‘ Umm ...’ I could hear water running upstairs. Steph was up, but I didn’t want to let him know. The nasty Tabbie monster reared its face again.
    ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ ll call her back later.’
    ' No rush,' I wanted to tell him. But all I said was, ‘Okay,’ before hanging up with a broad smile.
    ‘ Jason just rang,’ I told her when she came downstairs.
    ‘ Why didn’t you come and get me?’
    ‘Because y ou were in the shower. He can ring back. You’ve got to make him chase you after what he put you through.’
    ‘ Did he say when he’d ring back?’ Stephanie checked her fingernails.
    ‘He said he’d call back later. Don’t worry about him, let’s go see a movie.’ I was ready to take the night off schoolwork. ‘Mum and Dad have gone out to some work dinner.’
    ‘ Is there something we can watch on TV?’
    ‘ Nothing’s on.’ I’d already checked the guide.
    ‘What about the video store?’
    ‘Sure, let’s go.’
    ‘ Can you go by yourself?’ she asked.
    ‘ No, I don’t want to go by myself. Look it’s twenty past six. The crazies might be out.’
    Steph started shuffling through the DVDs piled under the TV and asked if we could watch an oldie.
    ‘You’re hoping he’ ll ring back right now, aren’t you?’
    She grinned.
    ‘That’s why we have an answering machine. Look—it’s turned on. So let’s go. It’ll take us fifteen minutes max.’
    Stephanie nearly sprinted down and back with me skipping along to keep up. We returned in record time to find no messages on the answering machine. It was hard to relax while the movie was on. It seemed Jason had edged his way back into