Avalon by Lana Davison Read Free Book Online Page A

any concerns. Even though Sara and Stuart weren’t my parents, they played the part well, with Sara genuinely being very tearful as she left me in my boarding room with Emily. I hugged both Sara and Stuart and promised to call every night, at least in the beginning.
    “I thought they were never going to leave,” Emily said, excited that we were now room-mates.
    “Aw... they’re just so used to having me around,” I said happily, equally ecstatic by my new living arrangements.
    “We’ve got some new students in our year apparently, there’s a new boy called Leo. Some of the girls have met him and said he’s pretty hot.”
    “Why are you telling me? I’ve still got my Henry and you’re going out with David.”
    “Yeah, so? We’re allowed to look.”
    We both giggled in agreement.
    “Oh, Em,” I said hugging her, “You are the best.”
    “And you’re the best friend anyone could ever have, Holly. I couldn’t wait to go back to school. Having two months at home with my parents was nice at first but on a farm on my own for that long, it was starting to get boring.”
    “Well it won’t be long until you get your license. Or me, for that matter. Then we can go where we want when we want.”
    “I know,” she giggled.
    Once the parents had left the senior students were asked to meet in the hall, where there would be drinks and snacks and we could mingle with both old and new pupils.
    I kept my jeans, t.shirt and pumps on, the clothes I was wearing when I arrived, and collected my lightweight cardie off the peg just before I left the dorm. Em hadn’t seen much of Hugh in the holidays and I hadn’t seen Henry at all although we had spoken on the phone almost every week. Em and I collected a drink and found a corner at the top of the room giving us a good view as we watched students enter the doors.
    Henry walked in and saw me immediately. He looked like he had grown six inches or more, I don’t remember him being so tall. He sauntered over in our direction and kissed me lightly on the lips, the gesture almost felt awkward after a two month break and I knew at that moment that I hadn’t really missed him.
    I stood with my back to the wall while Henry rested his elbow against it, so that he could look around the room and look at me at the same time.
    “I missed you,” he said.
    “Oh you did not. You were too busy going on fancy holidays and yachting around the Med.”
    “I still missed you.”
    I didn’t say I missed him too, instead I asked him about his new room-mate.
    “He said he would be down soon. He’s a nice guy and will have the room to himself three nights a week.”
    “Still casual boarding then?”
    “Yeah, we don’t live very far away, so this works for my parents and for me.”
    I didn’t live that far from the school but I wanted a little more independence. Lots of my friends were full time boarders and it just felt right to be part of that.
    I saw Rachael and Jess on the other side of the room and waved to get their attention.
    Rachael waved back and ran over to me, whispering in my ear, “I have just seen the guy who will be the father of my children.”
    I squinted amused by such a statement, “Here? At our school? Who?”
    “He is over there, the new guy.” She pointed to his location, but I couldn’t see anything with the dinner lady standing in the way. “Near that group of girls.” She stretched out pointing again, but I still couldn’t see anything.
    I was not interested at all, but curious to see what Rachael was on about. If I could help hook her up with someone I would. She had told me she sometimes felt a bit left out because she didn’t have a boyfriend. She was certainly pretty and clever in my opinion; she just didn’t like anyone enough. Rachael was petite and slim with cute features and I wondered if the boys at our school found her too fragile, too precious, perhaps even out of their league.
    “Well. I’m sure if you like him he will like you. Who