Uh-huh.Colin, is it?I follow Mrs.Sinclair and feel his eyes burning into the back of my neck.Colin Fantino, the newbie from the USA.The name sounds too soft for him.Too...nice.But it kind of fits him too.I noticed his accent last night of course.It’s a total turn-off.
“Colin, full uniform is compulsory on Mondays,” Mrs.Sinclair says almost as soon as we’ve sat down in front of her desk.“As I told you yesterday.”
Colin leans back provocatively.“I guess I forgot.”
What the...?I stare at him in disbelief.It’s one thing to take that silly tone toward me, but speaking to the head like that is bang out of line.Not even Valentine Ward would have dared, and he had zero respect for this school.
Mrs.Sinclair pauses in front of her desk and gives Colin a long look.She stays calm, which is exactly what I’d expect of her, but her expression will tolerate no contradiction as she replies, “Well,such a thing may happen on your first day.After our meeting here, you will go up to your room and change.”
“Yes, ma’am.”He slides back in his chair and crosses his ankle over his knee.
“Kindly sit up straight.”
Colin actually does as she says, but rolls his eyes when Mrs.Sinclair looks away for a moment.I’ve lost all respect for him.
“There’s no need for a long chat now,” Mrs.Sinclair says.“We met only yesterday, Colin, and Olive, you already know how things work here.But I wanted the two of you to get to know each other seeing that you’re both starting the lower sixth together now.”
Something in me tenses as she speaks.Her words sound so damn final.
Seven weeks, Olive.Seven weeks until you can make your own decisions.
“You’re starting a few weeks into term, but your teachers have drawn up individual plans to help the two of you catch up, so you can both, please, see them all to discuss that in detail.And you can each arrange additional tutoring from them if you like.I would particularly encourage you to take up that offer, Colin, if you find that the level here is higher than at your old school.”
He laughs quietly.“With all due respect, I was at Ainslee, Manhattan.”
“And with all due respect, Colin,” Mrs.Sinclair says slowly, not looking away from the challenge in his eyes, “you’re now at Dunbridge Academy.”Colin glances at me as a snort of amusement escapes me.I bite my bottom lip and look away.I love Sinclair’s mum.But Colin hates her.I can see it in his face.“And I’m sure you’llsoon be feeling at home here.I’m certain that Olive and the others will be only too happy to answer any questions you may have about everyday school life.I am very proud of every pupil at this school, and I’m sure that you’ll soon find your place in our community.”
Colin stays defiantly silent, and I wonder how old he is.Twelve?He’s acting like it.
Mrs.Sinclair doesn’t say anything more, so I look inquiringly at her.But then he does speak again.
“Is that it?”
“No, there’s one more thing, as it happens.”Mrs.Sinclair is pacing slowly up and down in front of her desk.A sure sign that a lecture is coming.And I can guess why.“You might not have had time to read the school rules yet, Colin.And Olive, I’m very happy to give you an up-to-date copy, as a reminder that malicious damage to school property will not be tolerated.”
I don’t dare look at Mrs.Sinclair, so I stare fixedly at the edge of her desk.
“I will ask the two of you only once.Have you anything to say to me?Now would be the time.”
Colin blinks innocently.“About what?”
“Last night, a display case was smashed in one of the corridors.”I don’t need to raise my head to feel Mrs.Sinclair’s eyes on me.“The one for the swimming team.”
I didn’t do anything.But I didn’t stop Colin smashing that case for me.I might even have been happy that he did it.
“That’s terrible,” he says, turning to me.That’s when I start feeling scared.Surely he won’t...“I hope you find the perpetrator.”
When I glance at him, a challenge sparkles in his chestnut eyes.
“I hope so too,” I say with a threatening undertone, but Colin just twitches the corner of his lips.Bite me, Fantino.Seriously.I have no proof that it was him, and if I grassed on him, Mrs.Sinclair would ask questions.Like why I was even down there, watching him do something out of bounds.What gave Colin the idea of smashing the swimming-team trophy cabinet?After all, he’s not the one raging at being out of the team.Although heisangry, I can tell.But it’s a different kind of rage.I need to find out what that’s all about.
“Well?”Mrs.Sinclair asks, and I tear my eyes off him.
“I didn’t see anything.”I keep my voice steady.
Colin clicks his tongue quietly.“Me neither.”
“Fine.”She crosses her arms over her chest as somebody knocks on the door.
