Night School

Allie patted her hand. ‘Isabelle says you’re fine – have you got a concussion or something? My brother had one once and he couldn’t remember falling down until two weeks later.’


‘Yes, the nurse said I hit my head on something when I fell, and cut myself somehow – I have twelve stitches.’ She touched her bandage unconsciously.

‘What about your arms?’ Leaning closer, Allie carefully pushed up Lisa’s short hospital gown sleeves so she could see her skin better. ‘Those bruises – they look like … like handprints.’

Looking looked down at her arms, Lisa said: ‘Do they? I have no idea how they got there. And I sprained my wrist when I fell, I guess.’

‘Did they …’ Allie faltered and started again. ‘I suppose they told you about Ruth?’

Nodding, Lisa looked as if she might cry. ‘I don’t believe it though,’ she whispered. ‘How could she … kill herself? She never seemed sad or depressed. And she had all these plans for when she was older. She wanted to travel around the world, you know? I don’t understand why she would do something like that.’

Allie contemplated telling her that she had doubts about the official story surrounding Ruth’s death, but she didn’t feel like Lisa was the right person to confide in. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her, but more that she didn’t want to worry her.

For a while after that they sat quietly, and Lisa dozed, but when Allie shifted in her chair, the creaking sound woke her up again.

‘You’re still here.’ Lisa’s drowsy voice sounded pleased.

‘’Course I am,’ Allie said. ‘You shouldn’t be alone all the time. It’s too boring. Where are the nurses anyway?’

Lisa glanced around as if she expected to see them jump out from behind a cupboard.

‘I don’t know. It’s weird, they were here a lot yesterday, but I’ve hardly seen them today.’ She yawned. ‘Tell me what’s going on out in the real world? What’s been happening?’

Allie wondered how much to tell her. Then she decided that Lisa knew Jo even better than she did.

‘Not much. Everything just feels kind of weird. And … Lisa, Jo kind of freaked out this morning, and now she’s seriously busted.’

Lisa looked more alert. ‘What do you mean? Why is she in trouble?’

Allie told her what happened that morning on the roof. When she finished, she expected Lisa to look shocked, but instead she just shook her head.

‘Oh poor Jo. She must be so upset. I wish I could go and talk to her.’

‘Lisa, Carter told me she’s done this kind of thing before …?’

Lisa nodded. ‘You know Jo,’ she said. ‘She’s absolutely lovely. But her parents ignore her. They always have. I think she used to do this sort of thing to get them to notice her. Then it just sort of became a habit, I guess. They got tired of it and sent her here. But she’s happy here, so it hasn’t happened in a long time. The only thing I can think is, what happened at the ball was too much.’

She looked sorrowful. ‘She really liked Ruth, you know?’

Allie nodded. ‘I guess it makes sense. I’ve just never seen her like that before. I didn’t know what to do.’

Lisa reached out for her hand and squeezed it. ‘Poor you. You must think Cimmeria is a madhouse. It’s really not you know. Not usually anyway.’

‘I’m OK.’ Allie put her hand over Lisa’s. ‘When are they letting you out?’

Lisa shrugged. ‘Nobody’s said.’

Glancing at her watch, Allie stood up. ‘I should probably go and see what’s happening out there. Things have been so weird. I feel like if I’m not there the whole school could just … blow up. It’s freaky.’

She leaned over to hug Lisa, who felt so bony in her arms she barely dared apply any pressure at all.

Lisa smiled up at her. ‘Thanks for coming to check on me.’

‘I’ll come back,’ Allie promised. ‘If you feel well enough to see her, Jo is two doors down. But give her some time to sober up first.’

As Allie shut the door, she heard Lisa say: ‘Don’t forget about me …’





TWENTY


‘Hey Allie!’

The voice came from the common room as Allie walked back across the school building from the medical ward, and she turned to see Lucas waving her over.

‘Hey, I was just with Lisa,’ Allie said. ‘She looked good.’

‘Great!’ he said. ‘I know she wanted to see you. Did Jo go, too?’

Allie shook her head. Does he still not know what’s been happening?

‘Have you talked to Gabe lately?’ Her tone was cautious.

‘No, I haven’t seen Gabe, Carter or Jo. Do you know what’s going on?’

She lowered her voice. ‘There was a thing this morning.’ She told him briefly about what happened up on the roof.

Lucas rolled his eyes. ‘Oh God. Not this again.’