Night School: Resistance (Night School 4)

She saw Zoe roll her eyes as Rachel and Nicole both rushed over to give her a hug.

‘That was a lovely thing to say,’ Nicole said. ‘I’m sorry about what I said the other day. It wasn’t fair.’

‘And I’m sorry we listened to my dad,’ Rachel said. ‘I should have known better.’

‘It’s cool,’ Allie insisted. ‘I deserved it. And … to be fair, if your dad was trying scare me, it bloody worked. I’m terrified now.’

When the girls walked away chatting, Sylvain came over to her.

‘I know that must have been hard,’ he said when no one else could hear . ‘I’m really proud of you. And I’m sorry about everything. I handled it all badly. But I was afraid for you.’ He paused. ‘I wish there was a way to take it all back.’

His tone was fervent, but he kept his distance. As if he wasn’t sure she’d welcome his touch.

The caution in his eyes hurt her.

Allie wished she knew what to do. They’d been so close while they were in France. But, somehow, after they came back to Cimmeria that changed.

Everything was so confusing here, it was so easy to lose your way. Maybe that was what had happened.

Breaking the space between them, she rested her hand on his arm. ‘No, I’m sorry. I was selfish. I didn’t think. And I really just want us to go back to the way we were before everything happened. I miss us, the way we were.’

Some of the tension left Sylvain’s shoulders. Taking her hand in his, he lifted it to his lips.

‘I miss us, too,’ he said softly. ‘Let’s be us again.’

But even as Allie smiled up at him, some part of her knew that wanting something and having it are two very different things.





21





Twenty-one





Over the days that followed, Allie had little time to worry about Sylvain. Night School training became increasingly intense. Raj ratcheted up the pressure, assigning difficult martial arts. Extending training hours. Demanding more of them. All the students were training with weapons now, and tensions were high.

Each night he and the other trainers circled the room barking out criticism and demands. And always he wanted them to be faster. Hit harder.

Allie didn’t mind. She poured herself into the physical effort of training. Running until she was exhausted. Kick-boxing until her muscles felt like jelly. Practising the precise vicious movements of martial arts until every part of her ached.

It was the only time her mind was quiet. The only time she didn’t doubt herself. Didn’t worry about Sylvain and Carter.

And Rachel.

Rachel was falling further and further behind the Night School group. Everyone knew she wasn’t cut out for it but she stubbornly refused to give up.

Allie couldn’t bear to watch her have to fight so hard.

It was worse on the nights when Raj trained with them. As she and Carter had expected, he was tough on his daughter.

‘Your kick isn’t high enough, Rachel,’ he said one evening as she tried again to swing her leg up to Nicole’s neck. Rachel took the criticism with stoicism. But Nicole’s disapproving eyes were fixed on Raj as if she was willing him to stop.

‘You have to be fast or you’re just giving your enemy another weapon to use against you,’ Raj continued. ‘It’s all pointless if you’re just giving someone a part of you to twist or break, leaving you weaker than you were before.’

Rachel had been struggling with the move for some time by now. Most of the other students had completed the move and they stopped to watch the scene play out.

‘I’m trying …’ Somehow, Rachel’s tone remained reasonable. But her face was red from exertion and embarrassment, and perspiration rolled down her cheeks. Her long, curly hair was pulled back in a pony tail that bounced with ironic perkiness as she tried the move again.

To be fair, Allie thought with a sigh, it was a simple move. All she had to do was block the fake gun in Nicole’s hand with her forearm, then swing a kick under the French girl’s chin to knock her back.

The others had got it the first time.

‘Try again.’ Raj’s voice was icy. ‘Try harder.’

As Allie watched, wincing at Rachel’s awkward moves, Carter joined her. They exchanged worried glances.

‘She’s not getting any better …’ He whispered the words in Allie’s ear. The warmth of his breath sent shivers down her spine.

‘I know,’ she said as Rachel prepared to try again.

This time Rachel’s kick went too high. Nicole had to jump back and Rachel nearly toppled over from the effort.

‘Not good enough,’ Raj said through gritted teeth. ‘No one leaves until you get this right. We’ll stay here all night if necessary.’

Jerry said something to Raj too quietly for Allie to hear, but Raj waved him away. ‘No. She has to get this.’

Carter shot Allie a telling look.

‘What’s the problem?’ Zoe walked up to join them. ‘It’s an easy move. I don’t get it.’