Read Online Angel's Fury by Bryony Pearce - Free Book Online Page B

flicked to my parents but he spoke to me. ‘Are you going to sit there all day?’
    Embarrassed into movement, I unlocked my seatbelt and slid towards the door. ‘We’ve come all this way . . . I might as well get out of the car.’
    But my legs had cramped after hours in one position. When I winced the boy offered me a hand. Automatically I wrapped my fingers round his. One of the boy’s knuckles was swollen. Thoughtlessly I ran the pad of my thumb over the old injury.
    He cleared his throat and flushing hotly I leaped from the car and pulled my hand free.
    What am I doing?
    Dad stood next to me and held out his palm. ‘Dave Farrier.’
    They shook hands. ‘Seth Alexander.’
    Dad nodded. ‘This is my daughter, Cassie, and my wife, Marie.’
    ‘Hi.’ Seth turned to me.
    ‘H-hi.’
    My thoughts stuttered. Seth looked like a hero from an old story. Nicola would have called him ‘well fit’ but he was more than that. He was beautiful. Immediately I clamped down on the thought as if he could read my mind.
    ‘I’ve been sent to help with your bags and show you to your room.’
    With an uncharacteristic show of heartiness, Dad patted my back and went to open the boot.
    I had a wheeled case and a smaller bag. Dad took the case and Seth hefted the bag on to his shoulder. His shirt strained across his back and I exhaled. I tried to look away, but my gaze shifted to the fit of his jeans. For something to do I sank my hands into my hair and tightened my ponytail. Mumcaught my elbow as Dad and Seth crunched towards the steps.
    ‘You’re here to get better.’ Her voice was exasperated.
    ‘I know.’
    Why did she have to see me looking at him?
    ‘You need to focus on your health, not on boys.’
    I dug my toes into wet gravel. ‘
I know
.’
    Mum touched my chin. ‘I know you know, pumpkin, but please be careful. That lad is older than you. You haven’t had much experience with this sort of thing and now isn’t the time. When you’re well you’ll meet someone.’
    I ducked away. ‘He’s hardly spoken to me, Mum. And he wouldn’t be interested anyway.’ Angrily I gestured, taking in my cheap clothes, lazy hair and pallid complexion.
    Mum shook her head again, slowly, and her mouth turned down. ‘I don’t want you to get hurt.’
    I moved to follow Dad. ‘No one’s going to get hurt.’
    Mum was one step behind me as I stomped up the stairs.
    If Mum had spotted me looking at Seth, he might have noticed too.
    Humiliation carried me straight through the large double doors.
    Inside, I stopped and my mouth fell open. Seth and Dad were ahead; they waited on the carpet at the top of a sweeping staircase that peeled off in two directions. The carpet was the colour of weeds, the wood something dark . . . mahogany maybe. The light that spilled in from the windows, already rain-washed, was absorbed into the pile and gave the place a murky look, as if we stood in a cavern.
    On the ground floor the carpet arced around the staircase and disappeared into dark glass doors to both left and right. Embossed plaques hung over each entrance. To my right the brass was etched with
Dining
,
Leisure
,
Classrooms
. To my left it simply said
Treatment Area
.
    Seth waved his free hand. ‘I’ll give you the tour later.’
    My trainers whispered on the stairs and I trailed my fingertips along the banister as I climbed. The wood was smooth and unmarked. My hand twitched with the sudden urge to find some way of making an impression on the indifferent wood and stone. Suddenly dizzy I blinked and had to shake my head to clear it.
    Seth twisted to the left and his scar stood out over his skin likea wire. ‘Boys’ accommodation.’ He nodded right as Mum stretched to see past him. ‘Girls’. We each have our own room.’ He glanced at the bags under my eyes. ‘I guess you know why the rooms here aren’t shared.’
    I nodded and a small weight lifted from my chest. I’d been wondering if I’d have a roommate. For some reason I’d