“You see.” Tori turns proudly to Sinclair.
“Yeah, great. So now you reckon he’s into you.”
“You think he isn’t? He DMed me after that.”
“What did he want?” Sinclair asks, without looking at Tori.
“He asked how my holidays were.” She seems to be holding back a sigh.
“The guy’s a tool,” Sinclair tells me.
“Hey!” Tori glares at him.
“No, really. Just keep away from the upper sixth. They’re so arrogant.”
“Apart from Eleanor Attenborough, huh?” I might not haveknown Tori long but there’s no mistaking the hint of mockery in her voice. Sinclair glances sharply at her. “In the fourth form, he was in undying love with her,” she explains.
“Oh, man, everyone had a crush on Ellie,” mumbles Sinclair. “But that doesn’t change the fact that Valentine’s an arse. Hardly surprising, with an uncle like Mr.Ward. I’ll pray you don’t get him as a teacher, Emma.”
“Mr.Ward is dire,” agrees Tori. “But Valentine can’t help his family.”
“No, he just runs squealing to him about every little thing, and there’s no way he’d be rugby captain without him.”
“He’s rugby captain because he’s class!”
“Puh-lease.”
“What do you know about it?” mutters Tori. We turn a corner, and Sinclair stops with a bunch of guys who greet him loudly. Tori leads me up another staircase and down two more corridors. I’ve lost all sense of direction by the time she stops outside an open set of double doors; next to them on the wall is a sign reading, “Head Teacher’s Office.”
“Here you are.” She glances through an outer office to another door, also open, beyond which I can hear quiet voices. “Mrs.Sinclair’s office is here, to the left, and the assembly will be next door in the hall. Go right in. You’re not the only newbie. Can you find your way back, or shall I come and meet you?”
I’d normally decline at once. I don’t want to get on Tori’s nerves, but right now, I’m not at all sure that I’d ever find my room again. I’m just opening my mouth to speak when I feel a light touch on my shoulder.
“Don’t worry, I’ll show her the way back.”
“Hey, there he is!” Tori beams as Henry appears beside us, now in uniform too. My silly, treacherous heart skips a beat at the sound of his voice. “How was your flight? You look knackered, Bennington.”
Henry laughs and gives her a hug. “Wow, thanks a bunch, Tori. You’re too kind.”
“It’s all true.” She smiles at him, and her teasing expression shows me what close friends they are.
“How about you? Good journey back? How were the holidays?”
“Yeah, great.” Tori shoves Henry and me toward the door. “I’ll tell you later. You’ve got a hot date.”
I enter the room. Henry laughs and runs a hand through his freshly washed curls. In all other respects, he does look bleary. Even so, his eyes are infinitely green. I was right. He looks way too good in this uniform.
We walk into the hall, where the new pupils are sitting in rows of chairs. Most of them are superyoung, but I spot a few older faces further back.
“Does it matter where I sit?” I ask.
“No, no.” Henry turns to me. “Sit anywhere you like.”
I head down the central aisle to the back and sit in a free seat, while Henry stays at the front.
He’s talking to a much younger girl, and I take the chance to watch him inconspicuously. The dark-blue blazer fits his slim torso like a second skin.
When Henry’s eyes meet mine, I hastily look away. I hope he didn’t notice I was watching him.
