Carter’s hands had dropped to his sides as he stared at her. ‘You’re going to be in Night School? Isabelle actually said that?’
Nobody was reacting the way she’d thought they would.
Where’s the joy at my big opportunity? Where’s the ‘Yay Allie’?
‘God, what’s wrong with everyone?’ She threw up her hands. ‘Why isn’t anyone happy for me?’
‘I’m sorry … I’m just surprised.’ Carter seemed unsure of what to say. ‘I didn’t think … We hadn’t really talked …’ He pulled himself together. ‘It’s a big deal, Allie.’
‘I know it’s a big deal. I’m not a complete idiot.’ Her voice rose sharply. ‘And I was all excited about it until I started telling people and everybody acted like I’d just told them I had tuberculosis. Now I’m all, like … Whatever.’
Fully aware she was the picture of self-pity, she flopped down on the bed.
After a second, Carter sat next to her and took her hand, twining his fingers between hers. Even in the midst of her misery, she liked the way his hand felt – warm and strong.
‘Look,’ he said, ‘I’m glad you’re excited. I just need a couple of minutes to sort of process this. What exactly did Isabelle say?’
‘She said I’d showed, like, grace under pressure, or something, in London, and that I was … I don’t know … I had good marks. And that I needed to be able to protect myself so she was putting me in Night School on an accelerated training module.’
Carter gave a low whistle. ‘Accelerated module? They never do that. Are you sure?’
Allie nodded so vigorously her hair bounced.
‘Bloody hell,’ he said, mostly to himself.
‘What does it mean?’ she asked.
‘She didn’t tell you?’
When she shook her head, he exhaled loudly.
‘It just means you’ll skip the early stuff that we all spend the first term doing, and you’ll train with the most senior people.’ He studied her with curious eyes, as if he was trying to figure her out. ‘You’ll go straight in at the deep end.’
Something in his tone made Allie nervous, and she was glad when he changed the subject. ‘So, what exactly did Rachel say that pissed you off?’
Pulling her hand free, she twisted the hem of her shirt tightly around her finger, frowning with thought. ‘She acted like it was this evil thing, and like she thought I was stupid for joining. She was really angry.’ She added worriedly, ‘Rachel never gets angry.’
He didn’t seem very surprised. ‘You know she doesn’t approve of Night School, right?’ he said. ‘I mean, she’s told you that. Everyone knows she’s been asked to join several times and turned it down. And, I mean, nobody turns Night School down. It’s a big thing between her and her dad.’
Allie’s head shot up. ‘What … really? She never told me that. She just said her dad wanted her to do it and she didn’t want to.’
‘Yeah well …’ Carter said. ‘She really hates it.’
‘But why?’ Allie asked. ‘Why does she hate it so much?’
‘Rachel’s a genius, you know that. She’s got political objections to it, which are totally reasonable. Night School isn’t fair. Never has been. It makes things easier for rich kids – like they need things to be easier for them.’ He stretched out his legs. ‘But I think there’s more to it than that. Something to do with her dad. You should ask her.’
Worry twisted Allie’s stomach. ‘I hope she’s not too mad at me. I didn’t mean to be thoughtless. I just … wasn’t thinking.’
Carter barked a laugh then grew serious again. ‘Al …’
His tone was so hesitant she looked up at him with concern.
‘I’m glad you’ll learn to defend yourself, and obviously that’s a good thing, but I have concerns, too. You know I don’t trust the people running Night School – we’ve talked and talked about it.’ When she opened her mouth to object, he rested his finger lightly on her lips. ‘I know I’m in it and I’m a total hypocrite, but I had my own reasons for joining. But that doesn’t mean I want you to get caught up in it, too. It kind of scares me that you’re going to be right in the middle of it now.’
‘Here’s the thing.’ She pulled his hand away from her mouth and held it against her cheek for a second before dropping it. Then, sitting straight, she filled him in on what her mother and Isabelle had told her. When she’d told him everything she finished by saying, ‘I think I’ve been in Night School my whole life. I just didn’t know it until now. And now maybe it can help me … I don’t know … stay safe. Stay alive.’
For a long moment Carter looked away, lost in thought. Then he turned his dark eyes back to her.
‘OK.’
‘OK what?’ she said cautiously.
‘OK Night School.’ His jaw was set in a grim line. ‘You need to learn to defend yourself. So, welcome to Night School. I hope you don’t like it too much.’
SIX
Somewhere in the dark distance she could hear voices calling her name. But she was running fast – as fast as she could.
Night School: Legacy
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