Night School

‘Who else could it be?’ Matthew asked.

‘Right. There are two days left in the term,’ Isabelle said to the room as a whole. ‘Already Night School is stretched to capacity trying to ensure the grounds are safe. But there are not enough of us – somebody made it through and we noticed nothing. I don’t know what you think you know about Nathaniel, but I can tell you he is very dangerous and vindictive. He was behind some of what happened the night of the summer ball. So we need to change our strategy. I will speak to the others but in the meantime, Sylvain and Carter, your role from now on will be to stay close to Allie at all times. Night and day. At least one of you will accompany her constantly. Never leave her side. Work in shifts. Agreed?’

Carter glowered at Sylvain, but he nodded.

Sylvain looked beatifically innocent. ‘Agreed.’

‘Allie,’ Isabelle turned towards her. ‘I want you to continue your life as normal. Go to class. Sleep in your own room. But do not go anywhere without Carter or Sylvain.’

Although she was unable to imagine how this was going to work (What about the bathroom?) Allie nodded, mutely.

‘Rachel, I know you’re doing this already, but stay with Allie as much as possible, too. She will need your support.’

‘Of course,’ Rachel said.

Isabelle continued, ‘I will speak with your father to make sure he’s fine with this, but I’m sure he will be.’

‘Now.’ Isabelle’s eyes swept the students. ‘Please leave us. We have work to do.’

In the hallway outside her office, tension was thick in the air. Carter gripped Allie’s hand possessively.

‘Would you like me to take the first shift?’ Sylvain’s voice was pure silk.

A tendon worked in Carter’s jaw.

‘I want you to go f …’ he started, but Allie grabbed his arm.

‘Carter no. Calm down.’ She looked at the two of them. ‘You can both stay with me until one of you has to go somewhere, OK? Then the other will take over. No fighting. With each other, anyway.’

Neither of them responded.

‘I’ll be in the library with Rachel for the rest of the day. We can all study together,’ Allie continued. ‘It will be fine. It’s just two days.’

‘That is fine with me,’ Sylvain purred.

Carter still hadn’t spoken and now Allie looked up into his face, stroking his tense cheek with her fingertips.

‘Come on,’ she whispered.

‘Fine,’ he said through clenched teeth. ‘We’ll both take care of you.’

Allie breathed out. ‘Good.’

‘Anyway … There’s a chemistry book calling my name.’ Rachel said.

Allie shot her a grateful look. ‘And I’ve still got to finish that bloody history paper. I just need to run up to my room to get my notes.’

‘I’ll go with you,’ Carter and Sylvain chorused.

They glared at each other.

‘Oh God,’ Allie muttered wearily. ‘This is just perfect.’

For the rest of the evening, aside from a brief break for dinner, the four of them worked in the library where the no-talking rule meant no fights, something for which Allie was grateful. But whenever she took a coffee break, Sylvain and Carter both stood up to accompany her. Carter would glower at Sylvain, who always innocently shrugged. ‘But I am thirsty.’

‘Bloody cheek,’ Carter would mutter, reaching for Allie’s hand.

Allie turned to Rachel as he pulled her away, mouthing: ‘Help. Me.’

Rachel grimaced sympathetically.

Later, when Rachel suggested a loo break, Allie followed her eagerly. Sylvain and Carter waited outside the door.

‘So, basically, this is my worst nightmare. My current and former would-be boyfriend at my side constantly … together.’ Allie splashed cold water on her face.

‘Carter’s handling this really badly,’ Rachel sighed as Allie dried her face. ‘I wish for his own sake he’d have a big steaming cup of calm the hell down.’

‘He has to. No way can I take this for two whole days,’ Allie said, applying a sweep of pale pink lip gloss. ‘I’ll lose it.’

She stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair had grown while she’d been here, and the henna had faded away. Now it hung in glossy dark waves to her shoulder blades. Her wide-set grey eyes were framed by long lashes, feathery black against her pale skin. She wore only minimal makeup; she didn’t need more. The crisp white blouse and pleated short skirt of her uniform emphasised her curves and made the most of her athletic legs. It struck her that she didn’t look anything like the tomboy she’d always been. For the first time she thought she could see something of what Carter and Sylvain saw when they looked at her.

I’ve changed, she thought, and saw a pleased expression in the mirror. I’m kind of … pretty.

‘Ready?’ Rachel asked, tossing her paper towel in the bin.

Allie tucked her lip gloss into her pocket.

‘Ready.’

‘It’s got to stop, Carter,’ Allie said. ‘It’s just two days. I really want you to do this.’