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Authors: Sarah Pinborough
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activities. The house has returned to its undisturbed state, locked out of the world. My bed feels cold and unfamiliar as I peel my socks off and slide between the sheets. She’s crazy, I think, imagining the madness of going over the wall. But my heart races and I can’t sleep.
Even though Clara has been up every night since she got here, this breakfast is the first time I feel we’re sharing a secret instead of me resenting her for stealing mine. We don’t look at each other at all as the dorms file in, although she laughs and jokes with Tom when he goes to the food station while she’s there. He comes back looking slightly flushed and pleased with himself, and somehow that makes me feel pleased with myself.
‘Anyone want milk?’ Tom says.
‘Why did you get it if you don’t want it?’ Louis asks.
‘He fancies Clara.’ Will snickers.
‘No, I don’t,’ Tom says. ‘I just changed my mind after I got it.’
‘Yeah, right.’
Tom’s face is so red-blotched he looks like he’s got a fever. I don’t pay any attention. It’s not like Will said anything I wasn’t already thinking.
‘Hey, check Joe out,’ Louis says, nodding at the Dorm 7 table. I look across and Tom turns around in his seat to stare. The final three of Dorm 7 have moved themselves to one end of the table, leaving Joe isolated at the other. They’re chatting away like he doesn’t even exist, Jake at the centre, with Daniel – who’s beaming to be suddenly closer to Jake – on one side, and a black kid called Albi who spends most of his spare time playing jazz on a sax in the music room on the other. If the nurses had somehow missed the fact that Joe’s sick, it’s obvious now.
As well as being isolated from his room-mates, his shoulders are hunched and he’s listlessly spooning Weetabix into his mouth. He flinches as he swallows and his nose is so blocked he has to suck in a breath as he chews. It’s like a flashback to Ellory, except no one’s trying to protect Joe.
‘Get your washing-up gloves ready, Toby.’ Louis bites into his toast. ‘You have some chores coming.’
A chair grates beside me as it’s pushed away and Ashley gets up. At first I think he’s going to get more toast or something, but then he picks up his plate and his cup of tea. His mouth is tight.
‘You done?’ I ask. He doesn’t answer. With his back ramrod straight, he walks over to the Dorm 7 table. Their chatter stops for a moment as they stare at him, but he ignores them and sits down opposite Joe.
‘Why can’t he just be normal?’ Will whines. ‘He’s going to get us all in the shit with Jake. Why would he do that?’
‘And why at breakfast?’ I grumble, my good mood evaporating. ‘I don’t need this crap first thing in the morning.’
At the other table, Joe smiles gratefully at Ashley and his shoulders lift slightly. I look from Joe to Jake and can see that Daniel and Albi are watching him intently, their eyes shining, sure he’s going to kick-off. It’s literally survival of the fittest here. There’s no room for sympathy for the weak, and the twins broke Dorm 7’s run of luck. Jake’s jaw tightens and he’s about to get to his feet when suddenly Harriet appears and takes the final free chair at the end of the table, Joe on one side of her and Ashley on the other. She’s brought a stack of toast with her and puts it in the middle, smiling at both of the boys.
Jake glances back to where Clara and Eleanor are still eating their breakfast, continuing as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening. My heart’s beating faster and we’re all watching. This is not how it goes. Not since Henry and his terrible tears and pleading when he got sick. It’s easier to simply cut them off. If it had just been Ashley, Jake would have said something, and I’d have let him, but one of the girls is different – especially now that Clara is here. After a moment, Jake goes back to his breakfast and ignores the two extras at the
Even though Clara has been up every night since she got here, this breakfast is the first time I feel we’re sharing a secret instead of me resenting her for stealing mine. We don’t look at each other at all as the dorms file in, although she laughs and jokes with Tom when he goes to the food station while she’s there. He comes back looking slightly flushed and pleased with himself, and somehow that makes me feel pleased with myself.
‘Anyone want milk?’ Tom says.
‘Why did you get it if you don’t want it?’ Louis asks.
‘He fancies Clara.’ Will snickers.
‘No, I don’t,’ Tom says. ‘I just changed my mind after I got it.’
‘Yeah, right.’
Tom’s face is so red-blotched he looks like he’s got a fever. I don’t pay any attention. It’s not like Will said anything I wasn’t already thinking.
‘Hey, check Joe out,’ Louis says, nodding at the Dorm 7 table. I look across and Tom turns around in his seat to stare. The final three of Dorm 7 have moved themselves to one end of the table, leaving Joe isolated at the other. They’re chatting away like he doesn’t even exist, Jake at the centre, with Daniel – who’s beaming to be suddenly closer to Jake – on one side, and a black kid called Albi who spends most of his spare time playing jazz on a sax in the music room on the other. If the nurses had somehow missed the fact that Joe’s sick, it’s obvious now.
As well as being isolated from his room-mates, his shoulders are hunched and he’s listlessly spooning Weetabix into his mouth. He flinches as he swallows and his nose is so blocked he has to suck in a breath as he chews. It’s like a flashback to Ellory, except no one’s trying to protect Joe.
‘Get your washing-up gloves ready, Toby.’ Louis bites into his toast. ‘You have some chores coming.’
A chair grates beside me as it’s pushed away and Ashley gets up. At first I think he’s going to get more toast or something, but then he picks up his plate and his cup of tea. His mouth is tight.
‘You done?’ I ask. He doesn’t answer. With his back ramrod straight, he walks over to the Dorm 7 table. Their chatter stops for a moment as they stare at him, but he ignores them and sits down opposite Joe.
‘Why can’t he just be normal?’ Will whines. ‘He’s going to get us all in the shit with Jake. Why would he do that?’
‘And why at breakfast?’ I grumble, my good mood evaporating. ‘I don’t need this crap first thing in the morning.’
At the other table, Joe smiles gratefully at Ashley and his shoulders lift slightly. I look from Joe to Jake and can see that Daniel and Albi are watching him intently, their eyes shining, sure he’s going to kick-off. It’s literally survival of the fittest here. There’s no room for sympathy for the weak, and the twins broke Dorm 7’s run of luck. Jake’s jaw tightens and he’s about to get to his feet when suddenly Harriet appears and takes the final free chair at the end of the table, Joe on one side of her and Ashley on the other. She’s brought a stack of toast with her and puts it in the middle, smiling at both of the boys.
Jake glances back to where Clara and Eleanor are still eating their breakfast, continuing as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening. My heart’s beating faster and we’re all watching. This is not how it goes. Not since Henry and his terrible tears and pleading when he got sick. It’s easier to simply cut them off. If it had just been Ashley, Jake would have said something, and I’d have let him, but one of the girls is different – especially now that Clara is here. After a moment, Jake goes back to his breakfast and ignores the two extras at the
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