Night School

‘Most important meal of the day, girlfriend,’ Rachel said, chewing. ‘Hey, did you know people are spreading a really sick rumour about you?’


Allie froze, her spoon halfway to her mouth. ‘I’ve heard something about that,’ she said cautiously. ‘I heard it’s something crazy.’

Rachel nodded. ‘The whole “Allie’s a psycho-killer”? That’s the one I heard anyway. I got it from Sharon McInnon, do you know her?’

Allie shook her head.

‘Well,’ Rachel said taking a bite of her sandwich, ‘I told her to go fuck herself.’

A wave of relief washed over Allie. It wasn’t Rachel after all. I knew it wasn’t.

‘How’d she take that?’ she asked.

‘She was OK with it,’ Rachel said. ‘I think she’s used to me telling her that because she’s such a bitch.’

Now they were both giggling, but Allie’s worries wouldn’t let her relax for long.

‘Who’s saying these things, Rachel?’ she asked. ‘They’re such horrible lies – who would do that?’

‘I’ve been trying to figure that out all morning,’ Rachel said, frowning. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll get to the bottom of it.’

She raised her cup of tea. ‘With you on my side, Rachel, they don’t stand a chance.’

But for some reason, Allie still felt uneasy.

As she walked down the hallway after breakfast she was lost in her worried thoughts.

I can trust Rachel now. Right?

She’d nearly made it to the stairs when Katie’s straight-razor voice sliced the normal Saturday morning quiet.

‘Hello Killer! How are you feeling this morning?’

Allie spun around to face her. ‘Fuck off, Katie.’

‘Language.’ The redhead’s perfect lips curved into a vicious smile. ‘We should have known if they let you into the school everything would go to hell.’

Her circle of glossy acolytes giggled around her, whispering to one another while waiting for Allie’s response.

‘What are you talking about, Katie?’ Allie fought to keep her voice steady, despite the anger coursing through her. While she was trying to think of the best way to handle the situation, the overwhelming desire to punch Katie in the face was winning out. Her hands curled into fists.

As her internal battle raged, Katie took a step towards her. ‘I hear you have anger issues,’ her voice was low and malicious. ‘Is that what happened to Ruth, Allie? Did she upset you? Make you angry?’

Allie felt her fist go up before she knew what she was doing, but before it made contact with Katie’s pert nose someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her back so quickly her feet briefly left the ground.

‘Katie, shouldn’t you be bingeing and purging?’ Sylvain’s silken voice asked as Allie struggled in his arms.

Katie stared at him in disbelief. ‘You can’t be serious, Sylvain. What are you doing? Why are you defending the little nobody? What on earth do you see in her?’

Allie had stopped fighting now, but he still held her firmly. The warmth of his body against hers brought back unwelcome memories.

‘I see somebody with more class than you will ever have in your miserable life.’ His clear blue eyes swept her group of friends. ‘And that goes for all of you. Now you can all go on with your business, please.’

After a brief fluttering of indecision, the group began migrating to the dining hall. Katie led the way, her head high.

Only when they were completely out of sight did Sylvain drop his arms and step back.

‘I wish you’d have let me hit her,’ Allie said ungratefully.

‘The thought did cross my mind,’ he said.

‘She’s so horrible. I just … Anyway.’ Allie scuffed at the floor with the toe of her shoe and didn’t meet his eyes. ‘Thanks.’

‘You are welcome. But I am afraid that you will have many problems now. These rumours they are …’ Sylvain swirled his finger around in the air, ‘everywhere. And she will use them against you.’

‘I know,’ Allie said. ‘I just wish I knew who was saying these things.’

He looked at her seriously. ‘When everybody is saying it, I think it no longer matters who said it first. But I believe the first rumours were spread by somebody who is known to be jealous of you.’

Allie glared at the dining room door. ‘Like Katie.’

‘Like Katie,’ he said.

‘Is she behind it all, Sylvain?’

‘I do not know for certain. But it is something I have … heard. I will ask around. And if I find out, I will speak with Isabelle.’

Allie didn’t want to be beholden to him, not after what had happened. But if he could stop this from getting worse …

‘That would be good, Sylvain.’

‘Don’t worry about it. As you British say, I owe you one.’ She flushed but he continued, his accent thickening as he talked. ‘I have to say this, Allie. The night of the ball – I am sorry about how rough … I hurt you, I know. It was wrong of me. You are different from the girls I have been with before. I know that I cannot treat you like them.’