Page 6 of Save Me
Ember and I look at each other, and I know she’s thinking the same as me:yuck.Our parents are so in love that it can make you a tiny bit sick. But we bear it with dignity. And when I think about what happened to Lin’s family, I know how lucky I am that mine is still together. All the more so as we had to work hard for the strong connection that binds us.
“Let me know when your post is online,” Mum says once she’s sat down next to Dad. “I want to read it right away.”
“OK,” Ember replies through a mouthful, gobbling it down because we’ll have to hurry to catch the bus.
“You will check it first though, won’t you?” Dad asks me.
Even after a year and more, Dad’s still dubious about Ember’s blog. He doesn’t like the internet, especially when it’s his daughter putting pictures and stuff about herself out there. It took Ember a long time to convince him that a plus-size fashion blog is a good idea. But Ember’s thrown so much heart and soul and bravery intoBellbirdthat Dad had no choice but to agree. His only condition is that I—her sensible big sister—proofread Ember’s articles and check the photos before she posts them to make sure no details from our private lives end up on the internet. He doesn’t need to worry. Ember is very careful and professional, and I admire her for what she andBellbirdhave achieved in such a short time.
“Of course.” I wash my own spoonful of cornflakes down with a large gulp of coffee. Now Ember’s the one looking revolted, but I ignore her. “I’ll be a bit late back today, just so you know.”
“A lot on at school?” Mum asks.
If only she knew.
I wish I could tell Mum, Dad, and Ember what happened. I know I’d feel better for it. But I can’t. Home and Maxton Hall are two separate worlds that don’t belong together. And I swore to myself that I’d never mix them. So nobody at school knows anything about my family, and my family doesn’t know about anything that happens at Maxton Hall. I set that boundary on my first day at the school, and it was the best decision I ever made. I know that Ember often gets irritated by how secretive I am, and Mum and Dad can’t always hide their disappointment quickly enough when they ask me how my day was and I just answer “OK”—I feel so guilty when that happens. But home is my oasis of calm. The things that count here are family, loyalty, trust, and love. Whereas at Maxton Hall, all that matters is money. AndI’m scared that bringing that stuff back here would shatter our peace.
It’s none of my business what Mr. Sutton and Lydia Beaufort get up to together, and I’d never rat on them. Nobody at Maxton Hall knows anything about my private life, but that only works because I stick firmly to the rule I set for myself:Just keep your head down!I’ve spent two years making myself invisible to most of the school and flying under their radar.
But if I told anyone about the thing with Mr. Sutton, or went to Mr. Lexington, the head, it would create a scandal. I can’t risk that, not now that I’m so close to my goal.
Lydia Beaufort, her entire family, and especially her arsehole brother, are exactly the kind of people I want to keep at arm’s length. The Beauforts run the oldest and grandest menswear company in the country. They’ve got their fingers in all kinds of pies, especially at Maxton Hall. They even designed the uniform.
No. No way am I messing with the Beauforts.
I’ll just act like nothing ever happened.
I just smile at Mum and mumble, “Nothing much,” but I know how fake it must look. So I’m grateful that she doesn’t insist, just pours me more coffee without comment.
School’s a nightmare. I’m terrified of bumping into Mr. Sutton or Lydia in the corridors between lessons, and I practically sprint from one classroom to the next. Lin gives me several funny looks, and I make an effort to pull myself together. The last thing I want is for her to start asking questions I can’t answer. Especially seeing that I don’t think she bought my story that I got the date wrong and that’s why I haven’t got my reference yet.
After our last class of the day, we go to the school office together to pick up the posters, which finally arrived in the post yesterday. I’d prefer to go to the dining hall first—my stomach was rumbling so loudly in maths that even the teacher turned to look at me—but Lin said we should save time by sticking a few up along the way.
We start in the school hall and attach our first poster to one of the huge pillars. Once I’m sure the sticky pads will hold, I take a step or two back and cross my arms. “What do you think?” I ask Lin.
“Perfect. Everyone will see it the minute they come through the doors.” She turns to me and smiles. “They’ve turned out really smart, Ruby.”
I study the looping black script announcing the Back-to-School party a while longer. Doug’s done a great job on the graphics—the combination of the lettering, the subtle golden sparkles, and the silver background looks grand and glamorous, but modern enough for a school party.
Maxton Hall parties are legendary. At this school, we have them for everything—new academic year, end of term, foundation day, Halloween, Christmas, New Year, Mr. Lexington’s birthday…Our budget on the events team is eye-watering. But, as Lexie keeps reminding us, money can’t buy the image conveyed by successful events. In theory, the parties are for us students. But really, the main aim is to impress parents, donors, politicians, and anyone else with the money to support our school, to give their children the best start in life and a direct path to Oxbridge.
When I started here, I had to pick an extracurricular activity, and the events committee seemed the best choice. I love planning and organizing, and I can hide in the background without myclassmates taking any notice of me. I didn’t expect it to be this much fun though. Or that, two years later, I’d end up co-running the team with Lin.
She turns to me, a broad grin on her face. “Isn’t the way nobody gets to boss us around this year the best feeling in the world?”
“I don’t think I could have lasted another day under Elaine Ellington’s rule without punching her,” I reply, which makes Lin giggle. “Don’t laugh. I’m serious.”
“I’d have loved to have seen that.”
“And I’d have loved to have done it.”
Elaine was a terrible team leader—dictatorial, unfair, and lazy—but the truth is that I’d never have hurt her. I’m not the violent type, and besides, it would have broken my rule against attracting attention.
But it doesn’t matter anymore. Elaine’s done her A levels and left the school. And the fact that Lin and I were elected as her successors proves that the rest of the team hated her bossy style just as much as we did. It still hardly feels real though.
“Let’s get these two up and then have something to eat,” I suggest, and Lin nods.
Luckily, by the time we get to the dining hall, the queue’s gone down. Most people are heading to their afternoon lessons or soaking up the sun on the grounds. There are plenty of empty tables, so we get a good spot by the windows.
