september free chapter - pretty girl by j.c. burke

7/29/2019 September Free Chapter - Pretty Girl by J.C. Burke

1/27

Copyright JC Burke 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

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http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/jane-burke/pretty-girl-9781741663136.aspx


2/27

1

1

SARAH THE

SENSIBLE

Te wind has picked up. Pink balls o blossom uzz drop

onto the tidy lawns o Galston College as i it were a spring

snowall. ypically, allulah is the frst to swat it rom her

hair and mouth, her wrist icking in swi, cranky move-

ments. Te other girls, all residents o Galstons second

oor, see what shes doing and ollow.

Even at university, allulah is the girl everyone wants

to be, Sarah thinks. She remains still, happier to let the

blossom uzz settle on her lips than ollow the others.

Teyre on their way to happy hour at the Sebbies bar.

Its a Sunday night Crossley University tradition, i you live

on campus.

Sarah stops at the wilting arrangement o lilies sitting

in the doorway o Galstons laundry. Tey were placed

there on the day o Jessica Walskis memorial, almost three



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2

weeks ago. Maybe we should move Jesss owers? she says.

Teyre not looking so good.

Teyre fne. Just prop them up a bit, allulah instructsSarah. Its not like shes going to know. Teres a collec-

tive gasp rom the other girls. Well, shes not. Im just being

honest. allulah squeezes in ront o Sarah and rearranges

the oppy stems, speaking to them as though they are Jess.

Oh sweetheart, sweetheart. What were you doing up there

on the roo? Hey? I wish you could tell us.Tats not what I meant, Sarah says, stepping over

allulah and picking up the vase, an undignifed grunt

escaping her lips. It shouldnt be right outside the door. I

cant believe someone hasnt tripped over it already. Tatd

be nice, a lawsuit or the college. Like Galston needs another

drama.Oh, youre so bloody sensible, Sarah. allulah turns

to the girls and says, Did you know I made up that title

Sarah the Sensible? It was in a year 8 pastoral care class.

Didnt Jess make it up? Sarah mutters. Aer I cleaned

up your mess in the art room?

O course allulah catches it. No! I did. Remember?

Whatever you say, allulah.

You see allulahs still acing the others we were

paired o or this trust exercise. You know those stupid

exercises you do in pastoral care . . .

I dont think anyones interested in what we did in

year 8, Sarah mumbles. Surely no one wants to know what

they did back then, and Sarah doesnt want to hear about it

now either.

But Dee insists. Go on, she begs allulah. Te other



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3

girls are nodding, a line o heads bobbing. We werent

allowed to have nicknames written on our year 12 jerseys.

My school was so boring. Deanna Parsons is what minesaid. Exciting, not. I love all o your rinity Hall ones. Sarah

the Sensible, Just allulah . . . Her voice trails o.

Jess Wannabe and Paige the Brave. allulah fnishes the

list or her. Te mention o these names brings the dropping

o heads, an unexpected ascination with the concrete theyre

standing on. Sarah tries to stare allulah out. ries to makeher turn her head so she can shoot allulah the look that

says shut up. But allulahs back fnishing the able o Sarah

the Sensible. So in this pastoral care class, way, way back in

year 8, we had to describe ourselves and our partner in one

word only and it had to be positive and honest . . .

Sarah is mute and staring at the ground, wishingallulah would stop it because just the thought o those

days hurts. Sometimes the urge to shout and yell rushes

up Sarahs throat so ast she fnds hersel grabbing hold o

something to keep hersel rom losing balance.

. . . sensible was the only word or Sarah. She told me that

in kindy she was the kid who fgured out Santa wasnt real.

She said, how did one bloke get around the whole world in

twenty-our hours, and i he was so good how come all the

starving kids in Arica missed out.

Te other girls are looking up and laughing, the tension

dissolving around them. But its not or Sarah. Where Sarah

and allulah have ound themselves in their frst year o

college is worse than Sarah could ever have imagined.





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4

At the bar, Sarahs boyriend, Wil, stands in a tight circle o

boys, all rom St Sebastians or Sebbies, the only all-male

college le at Crossley University. Its happy hour so mosto them are up to their third beer. Wil still sips at his frst

because he and Sarah are having dinner with his parents

tonight. Its his mothers fieth birthday.

Sarahs expression crumbles when she spots Wils back.

She taps him on the shoulder.

Wil, why arent you wearing your new shirt? Shesoblivious to the others exchanging glances, one guy even

raising his hand as i to crack a whip. I told you to put it

Calm down. Its in the car.

Sure?

Yes! Remember, you stuck a big note on my cupboard

door to remind me. And its on a hanger.Good boy. Sarah pecks his cheek. Maybe I can train

you aer all.

Oh, Willy, Harry chuckles. Can you be trained into

submission?

Sarah opens her mouth to say something back but thatd

mean eye contact with Harry. So she swallows the words in

a yawn and looks the other way.

Ewans asking Wil i he visited Paige at the hospital last

weekend.

Yeah, he answers.

How was she?

Not so good.

Harry reaches out, thumping Wil on the back and

squeezing his shoulder. Has Paige remembered what

happened? Harry asks.



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5

No, nothing.

Harrys rubbing his chin and shaking his head as though

hes trying to solve some mathematical conundrum. Idlove to know what really happened. None o it makes sense.

Sarah eels her fngers tightening around her glass o soda

while her other hand fnds the edge o the table, her fngers

gripping it tightly. I know the pool was about to close but

there mustve been someone else who saw something beore

Sarah got there.Sarah just about slams her glass into Wils chest. I have

to go.

Hey?

I have that meeting at college.

But youve got almost an hour.

I have to . . .Are you okay?

Sarah nods. Ill meet you at the car, okay?

Yeah. ext me when the meetings fnished.

Sarah goes to peck him but this time Wil takes her hand.

Youre shaking. Are you sure youre okay?

Ive got to go, Wil.

No rush. We can get to the restaurant late. Mum will

understand. Wil still holds onto her. Are you sure you

want to drive? We can get a taxi. Dadll pick up the tab.

Lets just leave it the way it is, Sarah says. Ill see you

later.

Wil turns back to the boys while Sarah stares out into

the crowd. Te Sebbies bar has almost flled to capacity.

Shoulders are slammed against each other, arms reaching

out like tentacles to pass bottles o beer and multicoloured





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6

concoctions over heads and through the crowd, the liquid

tipping and spilling on its way.

Tere seem to be lots o aces rom Galston, although itamazes Sarah that, aer six months, there are still people

shes never laid eyes on. Just yesterday, she met a girl or the

very frst time, another resher rom the oor above. But

then, Galston is the biggest co-ed college in the state and

Sarah wouldnt be anywhere else.

Sarah wonders i everyones remembered the meeting.How could they not when all they seem to do is swap stories

o the incident outside the laundry. Sarah knows that i she

wanted to listen shed hear these strangers pass Jesss name

around like a piece o gossip. It used to be Paiges name. Not

any more. Shes almost orgotten.

Sarahs wearing the blue dress she bought last year orher year 12 valedictory dinner. Its a bit tight across the bum

and thighs but she knows Wils mother has never seen it.

Shes avoided spending money on clothes and wasting time

shopping. For Sarah thats a victory.

Her eyes sweep over the crowd one last time. Ten Sarah

hunches over, trying to make hersel as small as possible,

and begins a calculated squeeze through the tangle o

bodies. Te throng is pulsating towards the bar but theres

a gap up ahead thanks to a guy who keeps looking at his

watch, adding up how much more he can consume in the

happy hour. Sarah heads straight or the gap.

Oi, Galstoner! he grunts, slopping his drink down her

cleavage. Back o the queue, sweetheart.

Shit! Shit! Shit! is all Sarah can say as she stumbles to

the saety o the open doors.





8/27

7

Outside, Sarah checks her dress or damage. Luckily

most o his drink landed inside her dress and only a tiny

circle shows through the abric. Her fngers are busy

dabbing at the spot when she hears someone call her name.

Sarah? Rosie, a senior and the supervisor o their oor,

is coming towards her. Are you eeling okay about the

meeting tonight?

Oh, hi. I was actually going to see i you needed help

setting up. But I just need to run to the laundry and spongemy dress. Ive got my boyriends mums fieth tonight.

Sarah cant resist adding, At Le Charcuterie.

Dont be late. Dr Littman will start bang on six-feen.

You know what a control reak he is.

Do you think everyone in the bar has remembered?

Teyre all grown-ups. Rosies answer makes Sarah eelsmall. Tey dont have to come i they dont want to. Its not

school.

Yeah.

Dont worry, when we were reshers wed be the frst

ones lining up outside the study room so we could all sit

together in the ront row. Big dags, we were.Sarah nods. She can eel hersel smiling but its one o

those smiles that squeezes your heart too tight and ends up

hurting.

At school, the our o them always sat together at

assembly. Whoever got to the hall frst would save the

next three seats in the row. Sometimes other girls wouldmind a seat or Paige or allulah, because they were the

ones everyone wanted to be riends with, but Paige and

allulahs answer was always the same: Tanks, but Im

sitting with the others.





9/27

8

Sarah, Rosies saying. I should probably warn you that

theres going to be a big photo o Jess up on the screen.

Dr Littman thought it was better that way. No conusionabout who she is . . .

Its okay.

Rosie gives Sarahs shoulder a squeeze. Really? Its been

so tough on you girls. I still think about Paige and then I

think about you and how scared . . .

Please stop, Sarahs saying to hersel. Rosie doesnt knowthat Sarah still hasnt been back inside the Sports Centre.

Tat even picturing the walk through the entrance to the

swimming pool makes Sarah want to throw up, and that

her ear doesnt stop there.

. . . how scared you mustve been that night when you

ound Paige, Rosie says. I dont know how you managed tobe so level-headed. I wouldve reaked out. But you probably

saved Paiges lie.

Its . . . its fne.

I reckon you rinity Hall girls are incredible. So strong.

Honestly, everyones saying it, Sarah.

At the beginning o the year, all the residents wanted

to know which reshers were coming to Galston and what

school they were rom. Te description o them was simple:

allulah Martin-Jones, Paige Blackman, Jessica Walski

and Sarah Murphy are rom rinity Hall. But because o

everything thatd happened, now everyone said: Tose

girls rom rinity Hall, theyre like sisters.

And they had been once. Tey measured their trust with

How longs a piece o string? No secrets between them.

No lies ever told. But as much as these strangers wanted





10/27

9

to believe it was still like that because it added an extra

touch to the tragedy it simply didnt eel like the truth any

more. At least, not to Sarah.

Sarah hitches up her blue dress, tucks her stilettos under

her arm and trots across the lawn to the laundry.

Shes ocusing on the stain on the ront o her dressbecause that problem is fxable. Like the glued-in le heel

o the shoes shes holding, its fxable. Although, when her

shoe broke at Wils year 12 ormal, it had elt like the worlds

worst disaster.

Wil, Harry and Ewan had all gone to Bartholomew

House. Its ormal was the one all the girls hoped to beinvited to. allulah, Paige and Sarah were. Not Jess. Shed

been a good sport, though.

Jess lent Sarah her best suck-in undies and held up allu-

lahs dress all the way down the stairs and outside to where

the candy-pink stretch hummer and their dates waited.

She sent them o with waves and kisses and watched while

their limousine looped around the centre oval, back along

the driveway and out the gates o rinity Hall.

Sarah elt proud to be with this group; proud o her girl-

riends and that Wil was hers. She sat high in the seat, her

back straight against the leather, but gradually her attention

was caught by how incredible the other girls dresses were.

allulahs was green silk. It was glossy and rich and glided

along with her. And why hadnt Sarah noticed the delicate

oyster-coloured sequins that sparkled on Paiges dress?



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11/27

10

Sarah had thought hers beautiul too and she loved

that it gave her a little cleavage, but next to the others, she

wondered i it looked cheap. Was the abric too shiny and

the hem the wrong length?

allulahs was split all the way to the thigh on one side.

Every now and then a oal-like leg would untangle and

recross itsel. Each time, Sarah answered that smooth,

tanned limb by recrossing her arms and sinking urther

into the seat. She was araid that i her hands were ree they

might end up slapping Wil, because he was practically drib-bling on his tuxedo.

When they were walking down the driveway o the

waterront mansion where the pre-ormal cocktails were

being held, the le heel o Sarahs stiletto suddenly snapped,

landing her ace-frst in the gutter. She knew it was not

going to be her starring night.Te palms o her hands were grazed and her right knee

was beginning to bleed. But what hurt the most was when

allulah took Sarahs shoe rom her to inspect the damage.

No wonder, allulah announced to whoever was in

earshot. Made-in-China cheapies. What do you expect,

Sarah!Paige said to allulah, Dont be a snobby bitch, Lulah!

Just because your ather bought you Jimmy Choos.

For the rest o the night, Paige and allulah cracked up

every time they spotted Sarah clip-clopping through the

crowd. Tey werent aware how much their laughter hurt

and humiliated her, because Sarah had already come upwith a line. Im doing the povo limp, she joked every time

she saw them.





12/27

11

Outside the laundry, Sarahs still holding her le shoe,

staring at the bubbles o glue around the heel and thinking

that she shouldve taken her mums advice and boughta new pair. Instead, shed delivered her stock-standard

answer: Mum, you know I would rather shoot mysel than

go shopping.

Sarah puts her shoe back on and pulls at her dress, at-

tening the abric across her thighs. She scans the tiny vodka

stain on the ront and tells her outft it had better hold upor the night.

Another little thing about Wils ormal still bugs her. Did

Wil tell her she looked nice that night? Jess did. allulah

slapped her on the bum and sang, Lookin good, girl-

riend. And while Paige patiently applied Sarahs mascara

she mouthed, You look so beautiul, Sarah.She can still clearly hear Wil suck in his breath and

utter wow as allulah climbed into the stretch hummer.

But she cant recall him saying anything nice to her and,

call her pathetic and tragic, which is what Sarah eels when

she fnds hersel thinking about this, that thought bugs her.

Sometimes it bugs her a lot.

Shes just about to ick on the laundry light when she

spots Jesss lilies. Suddenly she eels oolish. Tats the thing

about her cheap, broken shoe and the Bartholomew House

ormal. None o it matters now.

When Sarah switches on the light she sees a guy in a

grey beanie sitting on an old chair, his eet up on a washing

machine.

Shite! Sarah gasps. You scared me.

Sorry.





13/27

12

I didnt think anyone was in here.

I have a shocker o a headache. He glances up and Sarah

sees that he has the greenest eyes, as though theyve been

coloured in with a texta. Tats why the light was o.

Oh, sorry. Sarah is standing there waiting or him to

let her through, surprised again to encounter a Galstoner

shes never seen beore. Um, excuse me. I need to get to the

basin.

He drops his legs and she squeezes through to the lineo silver tubs. Never one to be good with silences, Sarah

begins conversation. So . . . are you going to the meeting?

Which one?

Te one tonight, in the study room.

Really? Whats it about?

You know, about Jess.Oh! Shit, yeah. He jumps up. Hes tall, maybe even taller

than Harry, and Sarah wonders i she has seen him beore.

Or is it just that his look is amiliar? It can be hard to tell

one person rom another when you live among the genet-

ically privileged. Tats how Sarah thinks o them. Rich

and good-looking. o Sarah, it seems the two go together.Which she considers unair, as i theyve hogged all the

good genes. I knew there was something on tonight, hes

saying. What times it on?

In feen minutes.

Hes yawning now. Stretching his arms above his head.

Whats it about? Specifcally, I mean.Im not really sure. Maybe about saety or something.

Did you know Jess Wollaski?

Walski. Its Jess Walski, she says. I went to . . . to school

with her.





14/27

13

Oh. Sorry.

Now Sarahs squeezing past him again. Id better go.

As Sarah leaves, he whispers what sounds like, Youpoor little girl. But as she turns the corner, she almost trips

in her China cheapies. You poor pretty girl. Tats what he

said.

Teres no time to think about it because there are voices

coming rom the path outside the laundry.

Were a bit early, arent we? Its a guy. He sounds drunk.I hadnt fnished my beer.

Were early because Im not using those disgusting

toilets in the Sebbies bar, a girls voice answers. Tere was

already spew all over the oor.

It was that resher Brylie. I dont think shes ever had a

drink beore.Brylie? What kind o a name is that? Im going up to my

room to pee. Save me a seat?

Hey, the police tapes gone! Its the drunk guy again.

Shows how much washing you do.

People start laughing and Sarahs legs move aster.

Te tapes been gone or over a week, Eddie.

Is the blood still there?

Eddie!

Sarah breaks into a run.

Te chairs or the meeting have been set up in the Galston

College study room. Its probably Sarahs avourite place in

the whole o Crossley University. Te urniture is elegant,



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14

the cedar desks exuding the scent o tradition and success.

Te sword o a ormer King o England hangs proudly on

the wall. On either side are curtains made in rich navyvelvet, the pelmets displaying the Galston College crest in

thick, golden thread.

Shes surprised to fnd allulah beside Rosie, both o

them bent over a data projector.

Uh, hi, says Sarah.

You were quick, Rosie answers. Did you fx yourdress?

Suddenly a giant image o Jess at their year 12 valedict-

ory dinner launches onto the screen. Seeing Jesss smiling

ace hits Sarah like a punch in the guts, and somehow the

act that allulah is standing right beside her makes it even

worse.Yay! allulah cries. It worked! Dont you think this is a

heaps better photo, Sarah?

Sarahs leaning into the wall. She can eel the cold bricks

on her back.

allulah keeps going. I hate the one that was in the

newspapers. Jess looks so, so serious and so skinny in it. She

wouldnt have liked it. Sarah and I know she wouldnt. Jess

hated that she was so little.

But allulah and Sarah had never discussed the photo o

Jess in the newspaper. Tey can barely speak to each other.

At least, not about the things people probably think theyre

talking about.

So, she wouldve liked this picture? asks Rosie.

It was her profle picture on Facebook or ages. Tats

always a sign. Ten without even looking up rom the





16/27

15

projector, allulah says, Hey, Sarah, isnt that your valedict-

ory dress? She points at Sarahs eet. And I see those shoes

are still with us. I thought Paige nicked them?Did you girls always swap clothes? Rosie asks.

allulah means nick them to throw them out.

Oh, says Rosie.

Come on, they were pretty bad shoes, Sarah!

Im dressed up because weve got Wils mums fieth

tonight.Let me guess, at Le Charcuterie? Beore Sarah can

answer, allulah is groaning, Borrrrrring. Tat place is so

dark and the ood is so heavy it makes me want to crawl

under the table and have a snooze.

I think the oods antastic, Rosie says. Last year, I went

to its sister restaurant in London.Ive been there!

What did you think? Rosie asks allulah.

As allulah and Rosie swap degustation menus, Sarah

stands there eeling like the country cousin, yet again. She

stares at the Galston College crest, the motto repeating

inside her head. Incipit Vita Nova: A New Lie Begins.

At the start o the year, Sarah would suck in her breath

with excitement every time she read those words, because

Galston College was a new lie. Now she sucks in her breath

because its a cruel joke. Jess is dead and Paige is virtually

locked away rom them. How did it happen? Because Sarah

didnt see it coming.

Rosies saying, Dr Littman wants to have the picture up

so people will see it when they walk in.

allulahs shaking her head. What? In case theres some



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17/27

16

random person whos had their head up their bum or the

last three weeks and doesnt know who Jess is?

I think so.Sarah knows its petty, her sensible side tells her this, but

she cant help wondering why Rosie asked allulah to help

and not her. Doesnt Rosie know that Sarah is the one who

helps with these types o things? At school she was a preect

and the head library monitor and elected to the student

representative council three years in a row. Not allulah.allulah was too busy smoking out o the boarding room

window or sneaking o at night to meet a boy on the tennis

courts while Jess stayed on the lookout or her.

Galstoners are starting to wander into the study room

and take seats. Dr Littman, the college master, enters and

walks straight up to Rosie. He thanks her or putting up theimage o Jess. Rosie, without a alter, answers him with, It

was allulah who did it all, Dr Littman. Not me.

Tank you, allulah, Dr Littman says and shakes her

hand.

Hey, Sarah? allulah turns. Save me a . . .

But Sarah has already darted away, almost tripping

over the chairs. She wants to take the last seat in the back

row the one thats nearly hidden behind the blue curtain

but she knows thats as conspicuous as sitting up the ront.

So, she opts or the end chair in the third-back row because

its the last single seat le.

It takes a while or everyone to settle. Dr Littman asks

or quiet, makes a reerence to the smiling image o Jess,

clears his throat and begins to speak.

I thought it important we had this meeting so that





18/27

17

were all up to date on whats going on. Tat way I think the

spread o rumours can be averted.

Some random in the ront row throws up his hand. DrLittman, is there any link between what happened to Paige

Blackman and Jessica Walski?

Teres a grumble in the crowd and Sarah wonders what

it means.

Ten a girl calls out, Tis is serious!

What happened to Paige Blackman is serious too! theboy snaps back. Tats why Im asking.

Can everyone please settle down, Dr Littman orders.

Teres defnitely no link between Paige and Jessica. As you

all know, Paige is still recovering. She has a long journey

ahead o her and we wish her well. Dr Littman turns so that

hes looking at Jesss picture. Jessica Walski was happy anddoing well with her studies. Tat we do know. However, as

the coroners report is pending, there are still many things

we dont know. At this stage the police have no reason to

think there was oul play involved.

He clasps his hands together. It seems . . . It seems Jess

either took her lie or simply ell o the laundry roo in a

tragic accident. Most probably it is the latter.

Teres a sudden silence in the study room, as i its an

unscheduled moment or reection. Sarah notices couples

hugging each other and residents exchanging looks and

squeezing hands. She sits there eeling numb, staring into

the back o allulahs head and hoping like crazy that

nobody touches her.

Littmans back to business. I dont want to keep you long

but there are a ew things to discuss. I know its been three





19/27

18

weeks but the police are very keen to speak with those who

remember anything. It doesnt matter how insignifcant the

detail may seem, please come orward. We simply want tounderstand what happened that night and put everyones

minds at rest. He turns to Rosie. Do we have the other slide?

Rosie hits the remote and a photo o a gold ring dotted with

emeralds and sapphires replaces the smiling ace o Jess.

Tis ring o Jessicas is missing, Dr Littman says. Her

room has been searched thoroughly. She wasnt wearing thering when she was ound, but apparently she rarely took

it o.

Dr Littman keeps talking and Sarah wonders i he

knows how tiny and delicate Jesss fngers were. Tat the

ring had been made smaller to ft her and that allulah had

once tried it on her pinkie and even then it got stuck. Sarahhad called her dad, whos a nurse, to ask about the best way

to get it o.

A lot o stu has been stolen out o residents rooms

lately, a voice calls. My laptop was nicked and the room

next door had

Im aware o this, Dr Littman interrupts. Sarah ades

in and out o Littmans speech. She hears snippets, such as

that 24-hour counselling is still available and to be aware o

reporters snooping around campus asking questions. But

most o the time she hears nothing. She just sits there.

Te thick chocolate-coloured carpet o Le Charcuterie

absorbs the natter o prenuptial agreements, company



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20/27

19

takeovers and the indiscretions o the genetically priv-

ileged. When Sarah walks in, its not resting Wagyu bee

that she smells its money, old money.No one would ever suspect it, but Sarah plays a game

with hersel. She calls it What would you preer?. Would

she stay poor not that her amilys actually properly poor

or would she preer to be nouveau riche or cashed-up

bogans, like Harry and Wil say Ewans amily is. Whatever

it means to them, she knows its not good. In act, Sarahunderstands that to be nouveau in the world o Galston and

St Sebastians is probably worse than being ordinary as

she is considered to be, with a mother whos a teacher and a

ather whos a nurse.

Wils mother Winnie says teachers and nurses are

exceptional, that theirs are the most honourable proessionsin the world. Yet neither she nor her husband picked such

occupations, and nor did their children, Wil and Miranda.

o be air, Sarah understands the general gist o what

Winnie means, which is why when she plays the What

would you preer? game, she picks her predicament over

Ewans any day.

Its an intimate dinner in one o Le Charcuteries

cedar-panelled private rooms. Just Wils parents, Winnie

and Richard, our o their closest riends and Sarah

and Wil.

Te absence o the Blackmans, Paiges parents, seems to

take up all the space in the room. Its mentioned by Winnie

at the very beginning o dinner, as though its a point o

housekeeping that needs to be dealt with then put away.

Welcome and thank you all or joining us tonight.





21/27

20

Winnie stays seated as she speaks, her hands neatly clasped

on the table as i shes still at work in the courtroom prepar-

ing to pass down a sentence. It means a great deal tohave people I love so dearly here with us. I almost shed a

tear when Miranda rang rom Paris to say she was sorry

she couldnt be here to help celebrate, but a second later I

realised she was talking to me rom a boulangerie where

she was ordering her frst cae au lait or the day, and I knew

she probably wasnt sorry at all.Laughter rom around the table.

Anyway, I have Wil here and o course dear Sarah,

whom Im so glad could join us tonight.

Tank you, Winnie. Sarah smiles, and Wil takes her

hand and squeezes it. For the rest o Winnies speech,

her hand sits comortably on his lap and Sarah eels likeshes part o this world.

How ortunate am I to have such a wonderul amily . . .

Winnie hesitates. Blessed with good health and ortune.

I oen think about that, and even more so recently. It was

too much or Jenny and Ross to come tonight. Darling

Paige is improving, but its a slow and painul process. So,

my birthday wish is that next year we will all be together

again and this annus horribilis will be well behind us.

A toast to Winnie is ollowed by a toast to Paige and the

Blackmans, and Sarah thinks it wont be mentioned again

or the rest o the night. But the conversation o adults

even judges and doctors and politicians loses its elegance

with too much burgundy, and later in the evening Sarah

fnds hersel wedged between Winnie and one o the other

wives, whose eyes seem to have lost their ability to ocus.



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22/27

21

Did you know or suspect that Paige was taking drugs?

Winnie asks Sarah. I dont want to put you on the spot, but

surely you wouldve noticed something?It wont leave these our walls, adds the other woman,

whose gaze is struggling to centre on Sarahs ace. Cross

our hearts.

Or do you think she was depressed? Winnie continues.

Te wrist injury she suered last year seemed to throw her

o a bit. But she was back training and diving again andgod knows Paiges nerves are made o steel.

It does seem odd to be loaded up with those Quaaludes

or whatever theyre called, the other lady says. And on a

diving board at night.

Tats why I wonder i she was depressed. But Sarah, i

you didnt Mum! Wil leans over the table. Stop it! Sarah cant tell

you anything I havent. Paige isnt into drugs. Im sure once

shes all better shell be able to explain it.

But Wil doesnt know about the Tursday night Sarah

walked into allulahs room. All she wanted was to get an

essay back. She wasnt even planning on staying or a chat

because she had a law assignment due the next morning. In

and out, three seconds tops. Sarah simply knocked once,

then opened the door o allulahs room.

Paige and allulah were huddled over the desk, their

heads almost touching. Tere was a tapping noise as

though one o them was emptying pencil shavings out o a

sharpener.

Sarah wasnt sure theyd heard her. So she called again.

Helloooo?



september free chapter - pretty girl by j.c. burke

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