"They are." Annabelle smiled. "And you're very good with them."
"I wouldn't go that far."
"I would." Annabelle meant it too. "You've been lovely."
Raven looked up sharply, something flickering across her face that Annabelle couldn't quite read. But before she could say anything, Nina burst through the door, slightly out of breath.
"Sorry I'm late," Nina gasped. "I was helping with the photocopying and the machine jammed and… oh!" She stopped, noticing Raven. "You're here! How did it go?"
"Brilliantly," Annabelle said.
"Oh, that's wonderful." Nina pulled out her phone. "Can I get a quick photo? For the school's social media? The parents would love to see this."
Annabelle glanced at Raven, who had gone very still.
"I don't think…" Raven started.
"Just one," Nina said brightly, already framing the shot. "You don't even have to smile. Just… there. Perfect."
She snapped the photo before Raven could protest: Raven standing there with her guitar case, surrounded by beaming children, looking like she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't.
"Nina," Annabelle said gently, "perhaps we should ask…"
"It's fine," Raven said curtly, already heading for the door. "I need to go."
"But…"
"Thanks for having me. Kids, good work today." And she was gone, the classroom door swinging shut behind her.
Annabelle frowned. That had been… abrupt.
"Did I do something wrong?" Nina asked, looking worried.
"No, no," Annabelle assured her. "I'm sure it's fine. She's just… private, that's all."
But she couldn't shake the feeling that something had just gone terribly wrong.
BY THAT EVENING, Annabelle knew exactly how wrong things had gone.
She'd come home from school, made herself a cup of tea, and settled in to do some marking when her phone began to buzz. Text after text from people she barely knew, parents fromschool, even her cousin in Manchester she hadn't spoken to in months.
Did you see???
OMG Annabelle you're all over the internet!
I can't believe Raven is in Bankton!!!
Confused, Annabelle opened her laptop and searched Raven’s name.
The first result made her stomach drop.
"RAVEN'S SECRET VILLAGE HIDEAWAY EXPOSED!"
The photo Nina had taken was everywhere. Not just on the school's Facebook page, but shared across Twitter, Instagram, reposted to fan sites and gossip blogs. And beneath it, hundreds of comments.
So THIS is where she's been hiding!
Bankton Primary School—guess we know where to find her now
