by Lyn Gardner
Olivia and the others watched open-mouthed in disbelief. It was the best firework display that any of them had seen. Ever. She glanced towards Jack, who was standing on the wire with his head in his hands.
The display was so spectacular and so prolonged that it was almost nine o’clock by the time it finished. As the final rockets exploded they spelled out Viktor’s initials in red sparks in the sky and, as the finale came to an end, it began to rain, a heavy miserable drizzle that soaked everyone to the skin.
The crowds, thrilled by what they had seen, began to put up their umbrellas, and many hurried off to the tube station. A few drifted back towards Tower Bridge. By the time the chimes of Big Ben signalled the hour, the rain had turned to great sheets and the wind had begun to gust.
Out on the wire, Jack attempted to light his first firework. It fizzled damply and promptly went out.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Olivia and the others were once again staring gloomily at a double-page spread in the Comet. The headline read: Viktor’s Gift to London! and then underneath in smaller letters: Rival’s display turns into a damp squib. There was a picture of Jack, taken with a long lens from the bridge, trying to light a firework and looking miserable.
He had eventually managed to get the display underway but it was nothing compared with Viktor’s spectacular effort, and the driving rain meant that there was only a small huddle of people, mostly friends and supporters from the Swan, who stayed watching until the end. A stunt that everyone had felt certain would be a surefire winner now looked like a total failure. Once again Viktor had got the upper hand.
Tom squeezed Olivia’s shoulder. “Your dad will bounce back. He always does.”
“I expect you’re right, but he looked so miserable,” said Olivia, plaintively.
“It was such bad luck that Viktor had exactly the same idea,” said Georgia, squeezing Olivia’s hand sympathetically.
“If it was bad luck,” said Olivia ominously. “Pablo doesn’t think it was a coincidence that Viktor came up with the firework stunt. He thinks he somehow got wind of what was planned and set out to sabotage it. He thinks someone’s deliberately giving Viktor’s camp information. He’s really worried.”
“But who would do such a terrible thing?” asked Georgia.
“Sometimes people don’t realise what they’re doing by letting something slip,” said Eel, quietly.
Aeysha suddenly looked really worried. “I did tell my mum about the fireworks when we were chatting before school,” she said.
Olivia smiled. “Listen, Aeysha, I really don’t think your mum is a spy for Viktor or his manager, do you?”
“No,” said Aeysha, smiling, “I’d lay my life on the line to say she wasn’t. You have to trust the people you love.”
“Well, from now on,” said Tom, “everyone’s lips must remain sealed about any of Jack’s exploits or movements.”
“Yes,” agreed Olivia. “Pablo said we shouldn’t even talk about when he’ll be taking any of his breaks.” A text came through on her phone. “That was Pablo to say Jack’s coming off the wire shortly. I’m going down there.”
“We’ll all come,” chorused the others.
Olivia smiled. “Thank you. I know he’s really touched by all your support.”
“Actually,” said Aeysha, shyly, “that reminds me. I don’t know if you’ll want to come but I’ll definitely need your support.” She pulled a letter out of her pocket. “They liked my songs. I’m through to the live final of the songwriting contest!” Everyone squealed with excitement.
“Of course we’ll come,” said Georgia happily. “That’s what friends do.”
“You should tell Kasha,” said Olivia. “He’ll be thrilled for you.”
Aeysha nodded and hugged the letter to her chest.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Aeysha just managed to squeeze on to the bus before the driver closed the doors. She’d stayed late at school to practice her song and now she just wanted to get home. There were no seats on the bottom deck so she climbed the stairs. It was pretty full up there too, and the windows of the bus had steamed up.
She gave a start as she saw Alex sitting right at the front of the bus. There was a woman with heavy shopping bags sitting beside him. Even if the seat had been free, Aeysha wouldn’t have sat down next to him. He had been spreading untrue rumours about Olivia and him around the school, and as far as Aeysha could see, a surprising number of normally quite intelligent people seemed to believe him. Particularly the female ones. It was extraordinary what good looks and a winning smile could get away with.
Aeysha took a seat a couple of rows behind Alex and got out her copy of Animal Farm, which they were reading for English. She looked up at the sound of a mobile phone ringing. It was Alex’s. Aeysha felt embarrassed to be eavesdropping, but she couldn’t help it. Most of the front of the bus would be able to hear him.
Alex was making an arrangement with a friend to play football on Saturday. Then she heard him say: “A party? Tonight?”
There was a pause while the person at the other end spoke. Then Alex replied: “No, mate, I can’t. I said I’d see this girl. Yes, Georgia, the one I told you about. She’s pretty enough, but a bit of a pain.”
Aeysha sat bolt upright and scowled at the back of Alex’s head. He continued, “Yeah, I’ll dump her soon. But she suits my purpose at the moment. Actually, I’m quite enjoying keeping the whole thing hush-hush. Adds a bit of spice. Otherwise it’d all just be a dreadful yawn.”
There was another pause. Then he said: “Why didn’t you say that Kerry was going to be there? Of course I’m coming if she’s split up with Josh. You know I’ve always really liked her! I’ll ring Georgia and come up with some excuse. She believes anything I tell her. I can twist her round my little finger.”
Aeysha was beside herself with fury. She could barely contain the urge to storm up to him and confront him. But she couldn’t bear to make such a public scene, and it wouldn’t help Georgia.
Aeysha glared at the back of his head, hoping he might spontaneously combust right there on the top deck of the bus. It would serve him right. Then it occurred to her that if he got up to leave the bus, he’d see her sitting there and guess that she’d heard every word. She didn’t want that to happen. She wanted to get to Georgia before he did.
Quickly, Aeysha stuffed her book back in her bag and got off the bus even though it was still ages until her own stop. She watched its tail-lights disappear and then began walking in the direction of home. It was too cold to hang around the bus stop waiting for the next one. Besides the walk would give her some thinking time, and Aeysha knew that she needed to think hard. How was she going to warn Georgia about what Alex was really like without causing Georgia too much pain?
“It’s not true!” said Georgia. Her cheeks were red and her eyes dark and fierce. “You’re making it up.” She suddenly blazed. “Did Livy put you up to this? What’s going on? Is she jealous that I’m the one that Alex chose in the end after he turned her down? That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”
“Georgia,” said Aeysha gently. “Do you really believe that Alex turned Livy down? Remember the way he used to moon over her? You can’t have forgotten how unhappy it made you. If anyone did the turning down it was almost certainly Livy.”
“What matters is that he’s with me now,” cried Georgia. “So why are you trying to spoil it by telling me he’s not to be trusted? What do you know?”
Aeysha sighed heavily. This was not going well. “I told you what I overheard him saying on the bus. And anyway, why does he want to keep your friendship a secret? Seems odd to me.”
“There’s nothing the least bit odd about it,” said Georgia huffily. “We just don’t want people gossiping about us. You know what a hotbed the Swan is for that kind of thing. The only thing I think is odd is that you’ve been going round spying on Alex. I thought you were supposed to be my friend, someone who I can trust.”
“Oh Georgie,�
�� said Aeysha, suddenly feeling tearful. “I am your friend. That’s why I’m telling you this. I’m just trying to look out for you. I really care about you and don’t want you to get hurt. I can’t help what I heard on the bus.”
“That’s rubbish!” said Georgia, furiously. “You just don’t want me to be happy. You can’t bear to think that I don’t need you and the others as much as I did because I’ve got Alex. But you were the one who told me when we were in Edinburgh that things change, and that change is a good thing. Well, I’m changing, and you’re changing, too. Everything’s going to be different at the end of this year because you’re leaving the Swan. You never consulted me about that. You never considered how that would make me feel. So why are you so bothered about my feelings now? Just leave me and Alex alone and stop treating me as if I’m a stupid baby who can’t look after herself.”
There was a coldness in Georgia’s eyes that Aeysha had never seen before. “Just answer me one question, Georgia,” she said to her friend.
“What?”
“Were you supposed to see Alex last night and did he cancel on you?”
For a second, Georgia looked surprised but then she rallied and stuck out her chin defiantly. “So what if he did? He couldn’t help it. His mum was bad again. He said he couldn’t bear not to stay with her when she’s sick. It just goes to show what a really nice boy he is.”
“But Georgia, I think he was lying. I heard him say that he was—” But Aeysha never got to finish the sentence. Georgia turned on her in fury, her eyes blazing in a face that had taken on the pallor of a wax candle.
“I thought you were my friend, Aeysha! But you’re not. You’re just a nasty little gossip. Alex and I were right to keep things secret, away from the prying eyes and ears of people like you. Go away, I don’t want to talk to you.”
Aeysha’s heart felt as if someone had skewered it, as if something had been broken that would never fully mend. “OK, Georgia, I’ll back off,” she said, quietly. “But remember I’ll always be here if you need me.”
“I won’t need you,” snapped back Georgia.
Aeysha walked to the door, heavy-hearted. Outside she burst into tears and leaned her forehead against the cool wall. Everything had been horrible since Alex arrived at the school. She’d worried that he would tear Georgia and Olivia’s friendship apart, but she’d never imagined that he would come between her and her best friend.
Everything seemed so bleak. She tried to comfort herself by thinking about the final of the songwriting contest, but without Georgia there to support her, it just wouldn’t be the same. She was missing her already.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Georgia and Alex were sitting together on the windowsill of the rehearsal room that overlooked the path down to the river. Alex was listening to Georgia with his eyes narrowed.
“So she says she overheard me on the bus?” he asked. Georgia nodded. “Well, well, well, who’d have thought that little Aeysha was cut out for a career in the secret service,” said Alex, and there was a sneer in his voice that made Georgia feel uncomfortable.
Alex grinned. “It’s obvious, isn’t it? She’s just jealous and she thinks I’m going to take you away from her and the others.”
“That’s what I thought,” said Georgia, eagerly. “But she’ll just have to deal with it. I’d much rather spend time with you, anyway, instead of Aeysha and the others. I’ve grown out of being with them.”
An anxious look flashed across Alex’s face. “Don’t say that. They’re your friends. I don’t want to keep you from them even if they haven’t exactly welcomed me into their little group with open arms. You shouldn’t stop going about with them. Besides, I like to hear what you get up to together and what’s happening down at the river with Jack. You know he’s one of my heroes.”
“They’re all off to see him in a minute,” said Georgia.
“Well, you’d better hurry then, or they’ll go without you,” said Alex quite sharply.
Georgia looked at him, surprised. “But I’m not going to go, not after what Aeysha said to me. There’s sure to be an atmosphere. It would be really awkward. Anyway, I want to hang out with you.”
“Actually, I’ve got things to do,” said Alex. “Run along and you can ring me later and tell me everything.”
Georgia felt hurt, but Alex had already scrambled off the windowsill and was holding open the door. “Quick, Georgia, you don’t want to miss them.”
Georgia felt as if he was trying to get rid of her and she wasn’t entirely sure she liked his tone. She was torn between standing her ground and wanting to please him. In the end, the latter feeling won out, but she felt she had compromised herself in some way.
“I’ll call you later,” she said.
“I can’t wait,” said Alex, turning the full force of his smile upon her. “Every minute will feel like an hour.”
Georgia looked at him. “Alex,” she said, slowly, “where were you last night?”
“I told you, I was safe at home looking after my poor old mum. My dad, he had to go to a business meeting. He may be in with a shot of a US tour. My mum was bad and couldn’t be left alone.” He considered Georgia’s wan face. “Trust me, babe. I’d never lie to you.”
Georgia beamed. “I know that.”
Alex watched her go, a tiny hint of sadness in his eyes. Georgia was so trusting she made him want to protect her from himself.
“Do you think it’s true?” asked Olivia.
The Swans and Pablo were gathered in the little tent that provided Jack with some shelter when he came off the wire.
Pablo shrugged. “It could be that they’re putting out false information to make us over-confident. But from what I hear it seems to be true. Viktor is in pretty bad shape. He’s spent the last couple of days mostly in his hammock. When he’s been out on the wire, he seems to have difficulty staying on it. He’s showing all the signs of mental and physical exhaustion. And if he really is suffering from exhaustion, he’ll have to throw in the towel. The conditions are just too awful.”
Olivia’s phone began to ring. Kasha. She let it go to voicemail, too distracted to talk to him now.
“So you’d be the winner, Dad,” said Eel.
Jack shook his head. “I’d still have to get through the last ten days, but I reckon if Viktor was gone all the pressure would be off and it would be a cinch. It’s the competition that creates the stress.”
“But,” said Olivia, “it works the other way too. Even if Viktor is at his lowest ebb, he’d get a tremendous boost if you were out of the running.”
“Yes,” said Pablo, “that’s why we’ve got to be extra vigilant and make sure Jack keeps his strength up over the next few days.” He turned to Jack. “Time you got back on. When are you planning your next break?”
“About one in the morning,” said Jack.
“OK,” said Pablo. “It’s such a wild night I’m going to send most of the security team off to get some sleep. That still leaves me and one other guy to keep watch tonight, and there’ll be people nearby if we need reinforcements. With this foul weather, though, I reckon we won’t have any trouble.”
They all said their goodbyes and started the walk back to the Swan.
“Aeysha,” said Olivia, suddenly. “Is everything all right between you and Georgia?” She looked ahead to where Georgia and Tom were walking together.
Aeysha gave a wan little smile. “I thought you were supposed to be the unobservant one, Livy.”
“It’s just things seem really tense between you.”
Aeysha sighed. “We’ve had a disagreement. We’re not talking.”
Olivia’s eyes were wide. “Not talking? It must be pretty serious.”
“She thinks I’m trying to interfere in her life.”
“It wouldn’t have anything to do with Alex Parks, would it?” asked Olivia.
Aeysha shrugged her shoulders. “I’d love to tell you, Livy, but I can’t say. She’ll feel completely betrayed if she finds
out I’ve been talking about her. I don’t want her to think worse of me than she already does.”
Olivia suddenly remembered her missed phone call. “Did you tell Kasha about the songwriting final?”
“I left him a message,” said Aeysha, “but he hasn’t called me back. I expect he’s really busy. He’s got his first gig coming up soon.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Viktor staggered off the wire and half-fell into the arms of one of his team.
“I can’t go on,” he murmured.
“Get him in the tent,” said Ethan, brusquely. “We don’t want anyone spotting him in this state. I’ve got the doctor waiting.”
“The doctor?” There was a glimmer of hope in Viktor’s eyes. “He will certify I can’t go on. He must. Then I’ll be able to get some sleep.”
“In your dreams,” snorted Ethan, unsympathetically. “He’ll give you a shot to keep you going.”
“I can’t, Ethan. I can’t go back out there.”
Ethan put his face very close to Viktor’s pale one. “You can and you will,” he said. “I’ve too much riding on this to let Jack Marvell carry off the prize now. I promise you, Viktor, if you can just hang on for another couple of days Jack Marvell will be gone and the way will be clear.”
“How can you be certain?” asked Viktor, exhaustedly. “He’s got guts. He won’t give up easily.”
“Oh, I don’t think he’ll have any choice,” said Ethan, with a grim little chuckle. “I’m going to make quite sure of that.”
Viktor looked horrified. “I didn’t sign up for this,” he whispered. “You promised me there’d be no dirty tricks.”
“I didn’t realise at the time that you had so much growing up to do,” said Ethan crushingly. “You don’t really have a choice, Viktor. Walk away now and you will forever be known as Viktor the loser.”
