Secret Lives

by Gabriella Poole

  Three tables away sat Katerina Svensson and three older girls, sixth formers. Katerina didn’t smile, and neither did Cassie.

  ‘Did it just get colder in here?’ She nudged Isabella and giggled, but the laughter died on her lips as the restaurant door opened again. ‘Oh, hell. It’s him. No! Isabella, don’t look!’

  Too late. Isabella’s whole face brightened as she waved. ‘Jake. Hey, Jake!’

  ‘Can you act a bit cooler yourself?’ muttered Cassie. ‘Hard to get, that kind of thing?’

  ‘But I’m not,’ Isabella said mischievously. ‘Not where he is concerned. Hey, Jake!’

  But Jake Johnson, thought Cassie, had no chance of getting to their table. Poor Isabella. Katerina had turned, laying a delicate hand on Jake’s arm as he passed, smiling up beguilingly.

  ‘Jake, darling.’

  Cassie could read Katerina’s lips, though she couldn’t hear her over the lunchtime murmur of voices. The Swedish girl cast a sly sneer at Isabella as Jake came to a besotted halt. Leaning down, he kissed her proffered cheek and said something. Katerina laughed and clasped his fingers, and Cassie waited with a sinking heart for Jake to sit down and wrap an arm round her.

  He didn’t. Cassie frowned, surprised. Smiling, Jake straightened, and released the Swedish girl’s hand. Katerina’s smirk evaporated as Jake turned away, towards Cassie and Isabella. Cassie had to put her hand over her mouth to hide her grin of delight. That expression on Katerina’s face? She wanted to cast it in marble for posterity, and stick it on a bust in the entrance hall.

  ‘Hi, Isabella. Hi, Cassie.’ Jake yanked out a chair and sat down. ‘Isabella, you haven’t been shopping again? Did Daddy mortgage the ranch?’

  Isabella punched his arm. ‘You wound me, Jake. Always, you wound me.’

  ‘Speaking as the Kettle, Miss Pot, I find that remark pretty ironic. Whatcha bought?’

  Cheeks pink with pleasure, Isabella lifted her bag and opened it for his inspection. As he examined the contents, Cassie looked to the side again.

  ‘Does your back hurt?’ she said dryly. ‘’Cos it’s full of daggers.’

  ‘Huh?’ Jake turned, but Katerina had swiftly averted her venomous stare. He scratched his neck, blushing. ‘Oh. Katerina. She’s OK.’ His hawkish features melted into a helpless smile. ‘Well. Incredible, actually.’

  ‘Incredible,’ muttered Cassie. ‘You got that right. I wonder where her pal Keiko is.’

  ‘In detention,’ said Jake, winking at Cassie with wicked satisfaction. ‘She was called to Sir Alric’s office this morning. Got an absolute rocket, apparently.’

  ‘Really?’ said Cassie, feigning surprise. So Sir Alric hadn’t quite finished with the wretched girl last night? She couldn’t help grinning, though. ‘Poor Keiko.’

  ‘Oh dear. Sir Alric does get annoyed sometimes, even with the Few.’ Isabella managed to sound concerned. ‘And is Katerina upset that you are sitting with us?’

  ‘Nah. Why would she be upset? I just wanted to talk to you … guys.’

  Cassie heard the slight hesitation, and realised Jake was entirely focused on her. She gave him a frown. Not only did the boy have a sinister sleepwalking habit, he had about as much tact as Katerina. Deliberately she smiled at Isabella, not Jake. ‘Yeah? What about?’

  ‘Actually, Cassie, I wondered if I could have a … word?’

  Cassie wondered if her foot would reach far enough to give him a good hard kick. ‘With us? Course you can. What do you want?’

  ‘Well, I …’ He fidgeted, half-turning towards Isabella.

  Cassie saw the flush creep up Isabella’s throat and darken her face. Abruptly, the Argentinian stood up, her linen napkin crushed in her fist. ‘I’m sorry. I am being obtuse. Of course, it is something private.’ She bent down to kiss Cassie’s cheeks and snatched up her shopping bags. ‘You know, I am not so hungry. I’ll see you back at school, Cassie.’ Managing one over-bright smile, she turned and walked out of the restaurant.

  Cassie couldn’t miss Katerina’s satisfied smirk.

  ‘That was really rude,’ she hissed, standing up sharply. ‘I’m going with her. You’ve got anything to ask me, you can ask in front of my friend.’

  His fingers gripped her wrist. ‘Cassie, please. Please.’

  ‘Get stuffed.’

  ‘I’m sorry, OK?’ His voice was a desperate whisper. ‘Listen, I’ll make it up to her. I swear I’ll apologise. Please stay, Cassie. This is important. Really important.’

  She scowled at him. ‘You’ll make it up to her?’

  ‘Yeah. Um, yeah, I promise.’

  Cassie gave him a hard smile. ‘Flowers.’

  ‘What?’ He blinked.

  ‘Flowers. That’s the only way to apologise to a girl. Don’t you know anything?’

  ‘Flowers?’

  Bitchy inspiration struck. He really ought to pay for this. ‘Make it an orchid. A good orchid.’

  ‘OK, OK, I promise. Now will you listen to me?’

  ‘Five minutes,’ she snapped. ‘And let go of me.’

  He released her wrist, as if shocked he was still holding it. ‘What were you up to last night, Cassie?’

  She hesitated, surprised by his directness, then sat back down. ‘Isn’t that kind of a personal question?’

  ‘Come on, please. Don’t play games. This is serious.’

  ‘Yeah? How serious?’

  Picking up a fork, he turned it over and over in his fingers. ‘Cassie, what were you doing on the third floor last night?’

  ‘Sleepwalking. I guess it’s a common habit, right?’

  There was an awkward pause.

  ‘Look, I …’ He took a breath. ‘I’m only—’

  ‘Yeah? You’re only what? What’s your game, Jake?’ She couldn’t suppress a furious sneer. ‘Are you that desperate to follow the Snow Queen around?’

  He dropped the fork back on to the linen tablecloth. ‘Cassie, I know it looks weird, but I swear I’m not doing anything wrong. Please, will you just tell me why you were there?’

  ‘Not till you do, sunshine.’

  ‘All right.’ He ran his hands across his scalp. ‘Will you just tell me this? I know Darke tore a strip off Keiko, but what did he say to you?’

  ‘Not much.’ She shrugged, scanning the room for a distraction. Where the hell was that waiter?

  Jake wasn’t letting it go. ‘Did he— Was he threatening?’

  ‘Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.’

  ‘What about Ranjit?’

  ‘What? What about him?’

  ‘Did he threaten you? In the common room, I mean. Did he say anything?’

  Cassie hesitated. But he wasn’t there, Jake …

  Thoughtfully she bit her lip. There was no reason to lie to Jake. But there was no reason to trust him, either. ‘No,’ she said at last. ‘Ranjit didn’t threaten me either. Why would he?’

  Jake didn’t answer. He seemed troubled.

  ‘I need to go now. I hope you’re fond of chicken, ’cos you’ve got two mains to get through.’ She stood up. ‘And pay for.’

  He looked as if he might grab her wrist again, but managed to restrain himself. ‘Cassie, will you please be careful? Really careful?’

  ‘You certainly are a patronising git, aren’t you?’

  ‘Maybe.’ Jake grinned, just. ‘But I’m serious.’

  ‘So am I. Don’t you dare hurt my friend’s feelings again.’

  ‘Round here?’ He gave her a thin-lipped smile. ‘I’m not the one who does the hurting.’

  Cassie turned on her heel, throwing Katerina a last ferocious glower. She could feel the girl’s loathing, and Jake’s stare, so she walked out very carefully. Now would be the worst time in the world to trip over her own feet.

  Parisian elegance, she told herself grimly. And pride. I’m a student at the Academy, dammit!

  She wasn’t going to let them forget it.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Cassie focused intently on the art master. The class had
left the Orangerie and its treasures, and now they sat blinking in the sunlight as Signor Poldino gestured enthusiastically around the Jardin des Tuileries. He was no oil painting, bless him, but at least he was relaxing to look at.

  ‘Remember Les Nymphéas,’ exclaimed the little teacher, bouncing on his heels with excitement. ‘The impact on the eye and the heart! Think of texture and light, of creating your landscape from these. See with Monet’s eyes! Use colour! Use emotion!’

  ‘Use a camera, perhaps?’ murmured a familiar English voice, carrying in the clear autumn air. ‘Technology having advanced since Monet’s day.’

  Keiko put her sketchbook over her face, snorting with mirth. Signor Poldino reddened, Jake threw Richard a filthy look, but Cormac frowned and called out, ‘Give it a rest, Richard.’

  ‘Quite,’ snapped Ayeesha. ‘Do go on, Signor Poldino. Please. Some of us were quite overwhelmed by the waterlilies. Some of us would like to learn more.’

  Poldino shot her a grateful look. ‘I shall leave you all to wander in the gardens. Please return here in …’ he checked his old-fashioned pocket watch, ‘… two hours. I am sure some of you will produce delightful sketches.’ He smiled at Ayeesha and Cormac, then at Cassie.

  ‘God,’ Richard murmured to Perry as he stood up and stretched. ‘Ayeesha’s turning into an insufferable prig. And old Oirish-Eyes is almost as bad.’

  Perry sniggered. ‘I think he fancies her.’

  ‘Perry!’ called Keiko imperiously.

  ‘Go on, you’ve been summoned. Do try to get some work done too, Peregrine. I don’t want my roommate’s poor performance reflecting on me.’

  With another sycophantic chuckle, Perry was gone. Richard was close to Cassie’s shoulder, and she felt her heartbeat quicken as he leaned down. ‘Come and see my sketchings?’ he said seductively.

  ‘Ha ha,’ she said, not turning. If he only knew how close he was to a good slap … But which of his two faces would she go for? No, better to keep pretending that everything was fine. Cassie wasn’t about to have a row with him in front of everybody. He’d caused her enough embarrassment already.

  ‘Sorry. Not funny. Come and be my muse, then, lovely Cassie?’

  Cassie concentrated hard on sorting the half-squashed tubes in her paintbox. ‘Richard, if it’s OK with you, I’d like to … um … be on my own?’ Taking a deep breath, she managed to glance up and force a smile. ‘I’ve never been here before. It’s pretty amazing. I need to think about it. If you don’t mind.’

  ‘Oh. Of course not.’

  His puzzled disappointment sounded genuine. But, then again, so had all his compliments, and Cassie knew now how much they were worth. For a few seconds Richard hovered, as if expecting her to change her mind, then he wandered away.

  She breathed out a relieved sigh, and turned. Damn. She hadn’t thought Ranjit would still be there. He glanced over in her direction, and their eyes met for a split-second, before the unsmiling Indian turned away.

  Crossly, Cassie got to her feet and walked swiftly in the opposite direction. There were two hours to kill: surely she could find something paintable, since Poldino obviously expected good work from her again. The gardens were not vast, but she had to avoid Ranjit. And Richard. And Jake, who was in a surly mood. And preferably Keiko too … Lordy, her room for manoeuvre was limited.

  When she was certain that she was far enough away from everybody else, Cassie sat down on a low wall and began to draw desultory figures in her sketchbook. It was more fun and a lot more involving than she’d expected, but just as her fascination with the tourists was wearing thin, and the crowds were dwindling, she spotted a little girl in a yellow raincoat holding a bright-blue balloon. That was better.

  The child noticed the attention, made a face. Cassie made one back. A small tongue came out, and so did Cassie’s. Hurriedly sketching the balloon clutched in one fist, Cassie found herself in a face-pulling contest. They were both giggling by the time a parent seized the child’s hand and swept her off towards the gallery.

  Drat. She hadn’t got the collar right: it looked like an Elizabethan ruff. Frustrated, she stared at the gap where the girl had been, and let her eyes wander for the first time in over an hour. They ached from concentrating, so she rubbed them. As her vision cleared, she made out two familiar figures, barely twenty feet away.

  Ranjit and Jake.

  Ranjit had been sitting on a bench, but he had half-risen to confront Jake, who was standing over him. Jake’s posture was aggressive, his expression was twisted with rage, and he was giving Ranjit an earful. Ranjit seemed stunned, as if he’d been caught off guard, and as Jake raised his voice, so did he.

  ‘Jake, would you listen to me, for God’s sake—’

  Cassie stood up, took a few steps towards them. Both their heads snapped round simultaneously. Without a word, Jake turned and stormed off, his feet crunching on the gravel path. Ranjit sat down heavily.

  Cassie hesitated, but something in Ranjit’s expression was so miserable she couldn’t help herself. She sauntered up to him, trying to look casual.

  ‘What was all that about? Artistic differences?’

  With a low groan, he put his face in his hands. Cassie waited, happy to study him. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing golden arms. His hands were beautiful too, and strong, but right now they were white-knuckled and tense.

  ‘Don’t want to talk about it, eh?’

  ‘That’s right.’ He took his hands away from his face and stared after Jake. ‘Just like you, Cassandra.’

  She shrugged, allowing herself a smile, since he wouldn’t see it. His sketchbook was half-open beside him, so she took another sly peek at his face. He still wasn’t looking. Leaning down, she flipped the cover back.

  If she hadn’t gasped, she might have had longer to examine the picture. As it was, he whipped round as fast as a cobra and snatched it away, his dark cheekbones flushed. ‘It isn’t finished!’

  She chewed the corner of her mouth, not quite able to look at him. ‘Can I see it when it is?’

  ‘If I ever finish it,’ he said curtly as he got to his feet. ‘We’d better get back.’

  He didn’t say another word to her, even though she walked at his side all the way to the Orangerie. They were the last to arrive and Cassie felt several pairs of eyes on them as they arrived. Keiko’s glare was ferocious: no doubt it wouldn’t be long before Katerina heard how Cassie and Ranjit had emerged from the shrubbery together. Richard’s smile was a little less assured than usual; Jake didn’t look at anyone or anything.

  At least Signor Poldino was delighted to see them. He clapped his chubby hands. ‘Wonderful. Now we must return to school, but Cassie, Ranjit! I am looking forward to seeing your finished work.’

  I hope Ranjit does finish his, Cassie thought wistfully. And she really hoped he’d let her see it. He’d drawn two simple figures who were watching one another with open delight and amusement: a small girl in a yellow raincoat holding a balloon, and a laughing teenager cross-legged on a low wall, sketching her. The older girl looked so carefree, it would have been easy not to recognise herself.

  She did, though.

  *

  ‘Ooh, pretty woman,’ sang an American voice.

  Cassie snapped her head up, expecting to see Jake’s familiar features.

  But it was Richard. He dumped his books on Jake’s desk, pulled out his chair and slumped down, linking his hands behind his head in a fair imitation of the American’s cocky attitude.

  Cassie scrutinised him. ‘You’re good at that.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Mimicking. You sounded just like him.’

  ‘Why, thank you.’ He batted his long lashes at her.

  ‘Pretty good actor all round, really.’

  ‘Hm?’ His body tensed, very slightly.

  It put her in mind of a snake, somehow. Like the way a snake’s whole length tightened like a spring, just before it struck out. Be careful, Jake had said in the restaurant. Falling out with Ri
chard could be really, really stupid, for more than one reason.

  Not that she was taking Jake’s advice. But she wouldn’t find out the Academy’s secrets by having a strop with anyone who hacked her off. So don’t get mad, she told herself: get even.

  Besides, Richard wasn’t the only decent actor around here. Cassie gave him a grin that put the big, easy smile back on his face. ‘Where’s Jake?’

  ‘He’s not coming to classes today.’ Richard’s shoulders lifted slightly. ‘He isn’t too well, I heard. Suffers from insomnia, you know. Perhaps he had a particularly bad night.’

  ‘Shame,’ said Cassie lightly. ‘So. You been avoiding me or something?’

  ‘Darling!’ He sat a little straighter. ‘I thought you’d been avoiding me!’

  ‘Course not. I’ve been busy, that’s all.’

  ‘And a bit sleepless yourself. I nearly fell off my chair when I saw you at the common-room door the other night.’ He was all concern, leaning forward. ‘Listen, if you want to see the place that much, I can try and arrange something.’

  She gave him a sheepish grin. ‘Actually, I’d really like that. I got a bit lost, that’s all. I like walking round at night when I can’t sleep. I always did. Better than just lying there, staring at the ceiling.’

  ‘Thinking of England,’ drawled Richard. ‘I do like the image you conjure up.’

  Cassie laughed. ‘I’ll say it again. You’re the limit, you.’

  From the front of the classroom there was a cough. ‘Victor Hugo, ladies and gentlemen. Would you please turn to page fourteen …’

  Madame Lefèvre wasn’t exactly the hardest disciplinarian in the school, and she was short-sighted into the bargain. Cassie could sense Richard fidgeting and flicking ahead through the pages. At last he leaned across.

  ‘You’re interested in the Few, aren’t you?’ he whispered.

  Cassie tapped her open book with a forefinger, feigning disapproval. He sat back and sighed. In less than a minute, though, he was leaning towards her again. ‘Look, I can tell you what happens. I’ve seen the movie.’

  ‘There’s a movie?’ she whispered. ‘About the Few?’