Once

Thirty Five

"I'm fine today, thanks."

David sensed from her tone that the subject needed to be dropped.

"Any thoughts on today's yet?" he asked.

"No, David. I've literally just woken up. I haven't had time to think about anything. And least of all, I might add, our bloody English exam."

"You'll be OK though, won't you? I mean, you're into English. It's, like, your thing, right?"

"I guess. Still, it might have been helpful to open my revision books once since last week."

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Elle. You probably know An Inspector Calls off by heart by now."

She didn't answer him. She was getting dangerously close to having an argument.

David didn't say anything for a minute or so, then suddenly said:

"What are your stepsisters like?"

"What?" Elle gaped at him, her anger momentarily replaced by confusion.

"You said you had two, right? Little girls?"

"They're not my stepsisters. They're my half sisters. We have the same dad, but their mum is my stepmum."

"I see. What are they like?"

"I told you the other day. Just normal four year old girls."

"Yeah, you said - ponies and princesses, right?"

In spite of herself, Elle found herself smiling.

"Well, it's Mia who's into ponies, really. All animals, actually. She wants to be a vet when she's older. Dad took them to a farm the other day and when they came back she would not stop going on about the horses they'd had there."

"And the other one?"

"Isabella. I guess she's not quite as girly as Mia. She's weirdly into, like, making stuff. Building stuff. She makes these insanely elaborate models with her toys, whole towns and cities all over their bedroom floor. Dad's always joking she'll grow up to be an engineer, but I do think she might be, you know."

"They sound great."

"They are. A bit too obsessed with screechy kids' TV shows with insanely upbeat presenters, but aside from that they're not bad kids."

She was still smiling to herself. She frowned a little at David and said, "Why do you ask?"

He shrugged.

"Just thought you could use a normal conversation. I figured you hadn't really had one for a while."

She looked away, but she was still smiling. She remembered their first walk through these woods together on Friday afternoon; the one where she'd called him charming. It had been a stupid thing to say, but she couldn't deny that it was true. He could be damned charming sometimes. She noticed for the first time the tiny cut on his lip, the one he'd got yesterday at the garden centre. It was just starting to heal, and it gave him a slightly rugged look that somehow made his face even more attractive.

The end of the path came into view up ahead. Jax and Russell were both standing there.

"Thanks for joining us," Russell said sarcastically.

"My fault," Elle replied. She was a little out of breath after their swift half-jog through the wood. "Overslept."

"Well you certainly pick your moments. Some of us would actually like to try passing our English exams today."

They set off at a swift walk up the street. Elle was looking at Jax. She had smiled 'hello' as they arrived, but there was a strained look in her eyes. Elle suspected she hadn't slept well last night.

"It's not like you to oversleep," Jax said to her.

"I know. Sorry."

"No, don't be sorry. I wasn't, like, having a go or anything. I was just saying - it's not like you, Elle."

Clearly Jax wasn't annoyed; she was worried.

"I know. I don't know why, either. Exhausted, I guess."

"Well that's understandable. It's been a tough few days for you, Elle."

Jax squeezed her arm gently. Elle said:

"Have you heard from Maggie or Sellan this morning? Are they OK?"

"They're OK. Shaken up, but fine. Sellan's nose is pretty nasty, by the sounds of it, but it's not broken or anything."

"How about Mr Cutteridge?"

Jax looked a little grim. Elle added sharply, "What is it? Tell me, Jax."

"He - he doesn't remember it, Elle. The giant, the beanstalk. Any of it."

Elle went cold all over.

"What? But that's crazy! What does he think happened?"

"They're saying it was, like, a super localised earthquake. The theory is that he fell and hit his head in the quake, and he agrees that that's what must have happened."

"A localised earthquake?" Elle tried her best not to shudder. Once again the curse of Farway. Wilful ignorance was much preferable to accepting the truth, of course, but she didn't think it would be able to affect someone who was actually there. Mr Cutteridge had seen that colossal beanstalk and the monstrous giant with his own eyes. The giant had actually hit him right across his face. How could he not remember that this morning?

"That's what they're saying. They've closed the garden centre until they can run some sort of survey on it. It's condemned. Not structurally sound."

"Yeah, no shit. It had a giant in it last night." She saw Jax's eyes close for a second as a shiver went through her. "Sorry, Jax."

But Jax shook her head vehemently.

"No, I can't let it keep getting to me. Keep talking about it, Elle. I have to keep it real in my mind. It happened. We can't change that. We have to stay focused, and be ready for whatever comes next."

They were turning through the school gates at that point, and they headed straight for the hall.

"Well, I know what's coming next. Two hours of English Lit. You ready?"

Jax, looking slightly peaky, said:

"Honestly? Right now I'd prefer the giant."