“Actually, we’re the same age, remember?”
“Anyway, I’m not having it. And he’s got a crush on this lad Kit in his form. Couldn’t talk about anyone else all summer.”
“Do I know him?” asks Olive.
“He’s not a boarder, he’s an Irvine. His parents run the shop, and he’s an Aquarius too, obviously. I mean, he wears leather jackets and smokes in secret,” Tori says. “If you ever need anything, that place sells everything, Emma. I’ll show you when we go to Ebrington.”
“Oh, does he help out there sometimes?” Olive straightens slightly. “I know who you mean then. Will ought to get together with him—they’d make such a cute couple.”
“You’re right.” Tori falls silent as we head for the dining room, and I stop myself wondering about Henry’s star sign. I don’t believe in astrology, so why should I care? No way he’s a Gemini, though, whatever that means.
The murmur of voices and laughter floats through the large double doors and mingles with the echo of our footsteps on the stone floor. I gasp involuntarily as we enter the hall. The stained-glass windows at the far end make it very clear that this used to be a church. Golden evening light falls onto the old stone tiles and the countless tables of dark wood, where loads of pupils are already sitting. There are chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, and to the right of the door is a serving hatch, with a tempting aroma wafting from it.
I follow Tori and Olive down the central aisle. The tables seem to be allocated by age group. The long ones at the front are occupied by intimidated-looking juniors, but everyone behind them seems more relaxed. Tori and Olive head toward the back, andmy heart skips treacherously as I spot Henry. He’s sitting next to Sinclair, and they’re deep in conversation with another guy, making wild hand gestures.
“Stop havering, Omar!” Sinclair yells, giving him a playful punch on the forearm. Henry looks up as we sit down opposite him. His lips form a silent “Hi,” and I feel calmer. At that moment, the dining-room doors are shut. Conversation ebbs away, and complete silence falls as a gong sounds. The others stand up, so I copy them. I can see Mrs.Sinclair right at the front, by the staff tables. She waits a moment, then nods, and we sit.
“Nice to see you all again,” she says once there’s a hush. Her voice has a somewhat solemn tone. “I know some of you have had a long journey and that you’re all hungry, so all I will say is: Welcome back to Dunbridge Academy, and enjoy your meal.”
I join in the applause and glance at Tori.
“Oldest first,” she explains, over the noise, nodding at the tables next to us where the upper sixth are standing up. “And after today, there’ll be a table-duty rota, which changes every week. When it’s your turn, you have to be here a bit early to get everything ready for everyone else. And in return, the rest of the time, you get to sit down with the table already laid.”
I nod.
“Hey, everyone, this is Emma!” Tori calls to the table in general. I look into a sea of smiling faces and raise my hand to greet them.
“Hi, Emma,” people say around me. I’m glad they haven’t all told me their names. There’s no way I’d remember them all right now.
“Don’t worry about everyone’s names,” says Henry, as if he’d read my mind. “You’ll pick them up by osmosis in lessons.”
“What subjects are you doing?” Tori asks, beside me.
“English, maths, and PE,” I say, “plus chemistry and history.”
“PE?” Tori groans. “God, Emma, do you know what that means?”
“No.”
“A morning run, every day, before breakfast.”
“Doesn’t everyone have to do that anyway?”
Tori shrugs. “Yeah, but you guys get marked down if you don’t turn up. I skive as often as I can.”
“Like Ms.Barnett’s going to fall for you having period pain every week,” murmurs Sinclair.
“Yeah, but there’s hay fever too, you know,” Tori reminds him cheerfully.
He raises his eyebrows. “Not at this time of year there isn’t.”
“Formyhay fever there is,” she retorts.
“Grace and I are doing PE too,” says Olive. I don’t know if I’m imagining it, but she still sounds kind of cold. I’m not the only person to notice it because Henry gives her a funny look, then turns to me.
“I’m doing English, maths, biology, chemistry, and Latin,” he says, unprompted.
“An interesting combination,” I say.
