Chapter 6

THE REST OF THE MORNING goes by excruciatingly slowly. My first three periods are the worst. Chem, math and physics. The deadly trio.

The fact that I'm still feeling down about the concert doesn't help matters.

My next class is art, which I actually like. Plus it's one of the few classes I have with Jamie, Grace and Zee.

We usually meet up at our lockers before walking out to the arts building together, so I'm not surprised when I hear Jamie's voice as I'm about to turn the corner by our lockers. She sounds upset.

I stop dead in my tracks when I hear her say my name.

I'm not totally sure what it is that makes me press my back against the wall and stand listening, concealed around the corner where they can't see me. I'm only a few feet from them, and they could leave the lockers and turn the corner at any time, and this would be very weird to try and explain to them.

I don't usually randomly eavesdrop on my friends. But there's something in Jamie's voice. I need to hear what they're saying about me.

"I'm just tired of everyone treating her like a freaking porcelain doll the whole time. And it's getting seriously old defending her. She needs to pull herself together."

"She's depressed, Jamie." Grace's voice. "She'll get better. She just needs time".

"Yeah, well, maybe she needs to see someone. She's getting worse, not better."

I wait for someone to defend me. Zee can't have arrived yet. No way would Jamie say stuff like this in front of her.

"She's trying Jamie," Grace says so softly I can only just hear her.

"Is she really though? If she really wanted to come tonight she'd get over her issues. I mean, isn't she the one that's always saying how she wishes she could give something back to them? I know we all love Fable, but Ashling basically lives for them. And now she's going to miss out just because of a bit of claustrophobia?"

"Claustrophobia? You think that's what's wrong with her?" Turns out I was wrong. Zee's part of this conversation after all.

"I can't believe what you're saying Jamie. Have you forgotten what she's been through? Just give her a break."

I thank Zee silently.

"Ok fine, something really lame happened to her –" Jamie begins.

Zee cuts in. "More than something lame... It was literally a tragedy."

"She's right Jamie." Grace.

"Ok, whatever, a tragedy," Jamie says. "But how long is she going to let something that happened two years ago rule her life? She's gotta get over it at some point."

Even though I can't see Zee right now, I can tell just by the low, cold tone of her voice that her face is bright red with fury.

"She is getting over it. At her own pace. She just doesn't want a repeat of what happened at the Zara Quinn concert. None of us do."

"Yeah, but she's missing Fable," Jamie answers. "FABLE! Seriously."

I've had enough. I turn around and walk back the way I came from. The worst thing is, I know Jamie's totally right.

I'm irritated with all of them for the rest of the day. Even Zee and Grace, though I don't know why exactly – they were defending me, after all. But I just hate that they were discussing me behind my back.

How often do they talk about me like that?

I try not to show how upset I am, and they don't seem to pick it up. They probably just think I'm a bit down about not going tonight.

My bad mood is amplified by all the happiness and excitement around me.

It's a Friday, so there's the usual pre-weekend buzz. On top of that, it's not just any Friday – it's the second last Friday before summer vacation starts. Add to that the concert tonight, and the whole school seems to be smiling.

Everyone except me.