Page 6 of Save You
“Hello?”Her voice still sounds as nasal as it did on Wednesday evening when we drove to Cyril’s together.
“I’m outside your house.Could you open the gate, please?”I ask while trying to cover my face with an arm.I don’t know if it’s having the desired effect.The journalists are now standingright next to Lin’s car, shouting out questions that I can’t really hear.
“Ruby?What…?”
Someone starts pounding on my window.Lin and I jump violently.
“As soon as possible, please?”
“Hold on,” Lydia says, then she hangs up.
It takes maybe thirty seconds for the gate to open and someone to come out toward our car.It’s not until the person is a few yards away that I recognize them.
It’s Percy.
The sight of the chauffeur makes my heart skip a beat.Without warning, I’m plunged into memories.Memories of a day in London that started out nice and ended badly.And a night when James took loving care of me after his friends acted like bastards and threw me into a pool.
He pushes his way past the paparazzi and gestures to Lin to wind down her window.
“Drive through the gates and up to the house, miss.These people know that they’ll be trespassing if they follow you, so they won’t do it.”
Lin nods, and once Percy’s moved the press out of the way, she drives into the grounds.The driveway is so long and wide that it’s more like a country lane through a park, with frost-covered lawns on either side.In the distance, I can make out a big house.It’s square, two stories high, with a gabled roof.The gray slate roof is as gloomy-looking as the rest of the granite-clad façade.Despite its cheerless look, you can tell that rich people live here.I think it fits Mortimer Beaufort to a tee—cold and forceful.It’s much harder to imagine Lydia and James feeling at home.
In front of the house, the driveway opens out into a courtyard, where Lin parks behind a black sports car outside one of the garages off to one side.
“Do you want me to come in with you?”she asks, and I nod.
The air is icy as we get out and hurry toward the front steps.Just before we reach them, I grab her arm.My friend turns and looks inquiringly at me.
“Thanks for the lift,” I say breathlessly.I don’t know what will be waiting for me in this house.Having Lin with me takes some of the fear from that, and that’s really good.At the start of term, that would have been unthinkable—back then I kept my private and school lives strictly separate and told Lin practically nothing personal.That’s all changed.Mainly because of James.
“Any time.”She takes my hand and gives it a quick squeeze.
“Thank you,” I whisper again.
Lin nods, then we walk up the steps.Lydia opens the door before we have time to ring the bell.She looks just as messed up as three days ago.And now I understand why.
“I’m so sorry, Lydia,” I mumble.
She bites hard on her bottom lip and lowers her gaze to the floor.At this second, I don’t care that we’re not close, that we barely know each other.I stumble up the last few steps and give her a hug.Her body starts to shake the moment I put my arms around her, and I can’t help thinking about Wednesday.If I’d known what had happened and what state she was in, I’d never have left her alone.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper again.
Lydia digs her fingers into my jumper and buries her face in my collarbone.I hold her tight and stroke her back as I feel hertears soak into my clothes.I can’t imagine how she’s feeling at this moment.If my mum died…I don’t know how I’d survive.
Meanwhile, Lin has quietly closed the front door.Her eyes meet mine as she stands a few feet from us.She looks as shaken up as I feel.
Eventually, Lydia lets me go.Her cheeks are flushed a deep red, her eyes are bloodshot and glassy.I lift my hand and stroke a few wet strands of hair from her cheek.
“Can I help you at all?”I ask cautiously.
She shakes her head.“Just get my brother back for me.He’s totally out of it.I…” Her voice catches, hoarse from so much crying, and she has to clear her throat before she can go on.“I’ve never seen him like this.He’s killing himself and I just don’t know how to help him.”
Her words make my heart pound painfully again.I feel an overwhelming urge to see James and hold him in my arms, like Lydia—but I’m scared of meeting him.
“Where is he?”
“Cyril and I got him up to his room.He passed out just now.”
