Gabriella Poole - Divided Souls (Darke Academy)

Isabella leaned back on her hands, watching Cassie thoughtfully. ‘Well. Maybe you’re right.’

‘I know I’m right,’ Cassie replied dully.

‘OK. So it’s time to move on!’

‘What d’you mean?’ Cassie gave her roommate a wary look as Isabella stood up and began to count on her fingers.

‘Yusuf? No, he is all right but he’s a rake and a scoundrel. Vassily? Mm, he’s quite a nice one, Cassie. He has a very fetching – what do

you call it? Arse? I think it’s all that gymnastics. Or there’s Perry Hutton …?’

Cassie lurched forward, pretending to gag. ‘Besides, I highly doubt I’m his type,’ she said pointedly.

‘That’s true,’ Isabella agreed, giggling. ‘OK. Not Perry! Let me see: Bjorn Madsen? Michael Leaming? Jiri, Daniel, Kristofer? I’m running

out here …’

‘Mmm, sooner the better,’ laughed Cassie. ‘Give me a break!’

‘Hang on. I’ve got it!’ Isabella paused and gave her a sly look. ‘Richard Halton-Jones!’

Cassie flung a pillow at her. ‘Get lost! No way!’

‘No …?’ Isabella nibbled her lip and eyed her closely. ‘I thought you were getting a little bit fond of him again. Just a little? He did used to

like you very much. Remember how into you he was in your first term?’

‘Are you joking? Do I need to remind you where that led? Out of the question! Next?’

‘Hm. OK. I still think you protest a little too much … But fine, then I’m stuck.’ Her roommate pouted prettily.

‘Good! Anyway, enough about me. When are you going to snap out of it and hit on somebody?’

As soon as she saw the look in her friend’s eyes, Cassie regretted it. Isabella forced a laugh, but she could barely get her mouth to curve

the right way. ‘You are right, Cassie. I shouldn’t make light of it. If I’m not ready, then maybe it’s not fair to think you would be.’

‘Don’t be daft, babe. You were just being funny! Damn. I’m sorry, Isabella, I shouldn’t have said anything.’

You idiot, she berated herself. Bad enough being responsible for their break-up in the first place: now you have to take the mickey out of

the poor girl? It was different for Isabella.

For a start, Cassie was over Ranjit. Well, the rational part of her definitely was, in any case. Whereas Isabella wasn’t even starting to get

over Jake. And Isabella hadn’t broken up Ranjit and Cassie; they’d managed that fine all by themselves. Isabella’s romance with Jake, on

the other hand, had been sacrificed to Cassie’s new life amongst the Few. For Cassie’s needs. For Cassie’s sake. She didn’t have any right

to compare their situations; it was her who’d caused Isabella’s.

‘I’m really, really sorry. Truly.’

‘No, Cassie, it’s OK,’ Isabella said, squeezing her friend’s hand. With a visible effort, she brightened and knelt down by the stereo. ‘We’ll

put the music back on, yes? Exorcise the pair of them!’

‘Not a bad idea,’ muttered Cassie.

‘Good!’ Isabella got up and bounced on to her bed as music exploded into the room again.

‘UGH, CHANGE IT! THIS GUY’S TERRIBLE!’ screamed Cassie. ‘I’M NOT IN THE MOOD FOR DISCO DANCING!’

Isabella grabbed her arm and dragged her up, trampolining, limbs flailing, forcing Cassie to join in or be bounced off the bed.

‘OH, YOU WILL BE!’

Hell, if you couldn’t beat ’em … and Isabella was right. Why should they be miserable for the sake of two feckless boys? It was good to

see her friend smiling, in any case. Laughing, Cassie bounced on her backside, then back up again. They were shrieking and laughing to

outdo the music when Cassie heard another voice. It seemed no decibel level could drown this one out.

Yes, my dear, laugh! We’ve nothing to be sad about! We’re going to conquer the world, Cassandra, just you and me. We don’t need him,

we don’t need anyone else! Laugh!

CHAPTER FIVE

Ranjit really had thrown a spanner in the works of her head. It was almost twenty-four hours later, and Cassie was still feeling a bit put

out about his declarations. She had to get back on track, rededicate herself to Project New Cassie, New Attitude. Leaning over the marble

basin in her bathroom, she filled it to the brim with cold water and dunked her head in. Gasping with the chill, she forced herself to

submerge her face completely. She would get him out of her mind, even if she had to wash him out.

From under water she heard her familiar ringtone, and groaning, she flung up her head in a shower of droplets.

‘Hello?’ she yelped. The phone was slippery in her wet hand, and she almost dropped it, then grabbed it and pressed it to her ear again.

‘Cassie? It’s me, Patrick.’

She gasped. ‘Patrick! You’re here!’

‘Yes.’ He sounded worried for a moment, as though despite their conversations and Cassie’s agreeing for him to come, she may have