Thyla - Kate Gordon [52]
I nodded. ‘I’m okay.’
Because, really, what else could I say? No, I’m not okay. I actually think I might be an immortal monster, and my roommate is an immortal monster, too, and she wants to kill me in my sleep.
No. Laurel and Erin were more kind and welcoming than anybody else at Cascade Falls had been, but I thought – to borrow a phrase Vinnie often used when he got grumpy with you – that might be ‘pushing it’.
‘Really? Well, if you ever need anyone, we’re here. It’s just …’ Erin looked at Laurel, and Laurel shrugged, and nodded, as if to say ‘go on’.
Erin looked back at me, her eyebrows scrunched together like two dark caterpillars kissing in the middle of her forehead. ‘Okay, it’s just that Laurel and I know it can be tough here. If you’re an “untouchable”. Princess Charlotte and those other cows think they own the place and, well, they kind of do. Mr Lord pretty much pays for everything, and the rest of their fathers are all big benefactors too. All of those girls’ dads are Van Diemen Industries head honchos. Ours aren’t. Our dads are just VDI labourers, and we only got in because of our scholarships. So we’re never going to be good enough for those posh bitches …’
As if Erin’s words had conjured them, Charlotte and Inga turned into the hallway, shooting us sharpened steel glares. As they strutted by, Inga said – without bothering to lower her voice – ‘When are they going to kick those girls out of our school? It would be a much better place without them.’
‘Daddy has always been a champion of the lower classes,’ Charlotte replied. ‘I’ve always said his kindness is his biggest flaw.’
‘Oi! I heard that!’ said Erin, her lip curling.
‘I know,’ Charlotte replied primly as they walked away.
Laurel and Erin slowly raised the backs of their hands at the retreating figures of Charlotte and Inga and then folded down three fingers, leaving only the middle one standing. I giggled, despite myself. I could not remember how I knew the gesture was dreadfully rude. But I did. And those girls deserved it.
‘Stupid cow,’ Erin snarled, just as Ms Hindmarsh came out of her office.
‘Laurel, Erin, I thought I told you both to stay silent out here,’ she said, and I noticed a tenseness in her voice that I hadn’t heard before; one that certainly had not been present the first time I’d encountered Laurel and Erin. Back then, it seemed as though their naughtiness amused her, and it was Mr Beagle doing all the grumping. Now, she seemed just as grouchy as he was.
She sighed and rubbed her temples. ‘Come on, girls. We really need to get on top of this behaviour, don’t we? Can I trust you two to be good out here while I have a quick chat to Tessa?’
Laurel and Erin both nodded, but I saw Erin’s dimple fighting to press itself into her cheek again. I had a feeling ‘good’ wasn’t a concept Laurel or Erin understood very well – or they chose not to. I wished I could spend more time with them. I would, but not now. Now, I needed to see Ms Hindmarsh. I leapt from my seat and was almost in the door before Ms Hindmarsh had a chance to invite me.
‘Tessa, won’t you come in?’ she said, too late. She followed me inside, closing the door behind her, and walked over to her desk. She sat down stiffly.
‘Take a seat, please.’ Ms Hindmarsh indicated to the leather chair on the other side of the desk.
I sat, taking in my surroundings. I had been in here on my first day, but I’d been so overwhelmed I don’t think I really noticed anything properly.
The office was quite plain compared with the opulent furnishings of the rest of the main building.
On the walls were two oil paintings that looked quite old. One was of a grand palace that looked familiar to me, as though I might have seen a painting or a photograph of it sometime before. Beneath the painting, in curlicued gold writing, was the word ‘Buckingham’.
Buckingham Palace. I did know that building. It was where the Queen of England lived. Victoria.
The other painting showed a village street, with a church and clock tower. Beneath this painting were the words, ‘Campbell Town, 1900.’
Campbell