Read Online The New Girl by Cathy Cole - Free Book Online

went up from somewhere.
    â€œFire!”
    Doors burst open on all sides. Empty moments before, the corridor was suddenly full of running people. The cry passed among them, loud and fearful.
    â€œFire! There’s a fire!”
    The alarm wailed on like a banshee. Frozen to the spot, Lila thought of the old building they stood in: the old timbers, and the dry, threadbare carpets, the wooden stairs and the plush curtains that hung on either side of the stage. It didn’t take much imagination to picture the whole place burning to the ground.
    Ollie abandoned whatever he had been going to say. “We have to get out of here,” he said urgently. “Where’s the closest exit?”
    Lila felt someone grab her arm. As she was pulled down the corridor, pushed and shoved on all sides by people trying to reach the exit, she noticed the fire alarm on the wall beside the disabled toilet door. The handle pointed downwards. Someone had pulled it. But . . . that didn’t make sense! There was no fire here .
    â€œNo need to panic! Everyone this way!” said a boy Lila recognized from behind the café counter. He stood calmly by the door into the bar, ushering frightened people past. “Exit through the kitchen.”
    Then it hit her. Eve had pulled the alarm to save face. She wasn’t stupid. She knew Ollie had been about to dump her in public. She had created the perfect diversion.
    Lila wanted to tell someone what Eve had done. But no one was looking at her or listening to her as she tried to speak. The alarm screamed on above her head, making it hard to think straight as she was pushed and jostled onwards.
    The hand was still firmly on her arm. As she stumbled into the kitchens on a wave of people, she looked down – and recognized the silver watch on the wrist that held her.
    Eve shoved her sideways, vicious and determined. Lila stumbled and almost fell through a half-open door to the left of the exit.
    Eve’s grey eyes drilled into her. Lila realized with a kick of adrenaline that this was the first time she and Eve had been alone.
    â€œLet me put this really simply, new girl, so that even a lowlife like you can understand.” Eve advanced towards Lila. “Leave. Ollie. Alone.”
    â€œWe were just talking,” Lila gasped, steadying herself against a nearby shelf. They were in a walk-in pantry, among shelves stacked with huge tubs of mayonnaise and ketchup. “There’s no law against talking.”
    Eve curled her lip into a sneer. “Oh dear. Still not listening, are you? You think it’s been bad so far? You have no idea what I can do to you. I can make your life hell. You can’t waltz into Heartside and help yourself to my cookie jar.”
    â€œOllie’s not a cookie,” Lila snapped, finding the courage from somewhere. “I know you pulled the fire alarm, Eve. You could get into a lot of trouble for that. I could tell someone.”
    Eve flicked the threat away like a fly. “Maybe it worked like that back in London, but it’s not going to work here. I know about you, you see. I know you’re a nasty piece of work. Rhi’s little stories were very . . . illuminating on the subject of your past.”
    Lila squirmed helplessly. “Eve, you—”
    â€œIf you don’t leave him alone, I will tell Ollie everything.” Eve gave a giggle, relishing her power. “Every nasty little detail. When everyone hears what you’re really like, you won’t last five minutes in Heartside. But of course, they’ll have to find you first. Won’t they?”
    With a smile and a little wave, Eve backed out of the pantry, shut the door – and locked Lila inside.

TWELVE
    Lila ran to the door and pounded on it. A quick scan of it told her the bad news. No handle.
    â€œLet me out!” she hollered. “Let me out of here!”
    Eve wasn’t there. No one was listening. Lila’s heart jumped