Page 12 of Spearcrest Knight

Especially if I get into Harvard Law School, where my parents don't even know I'm applying.

Getting a job wouldn’t be a problem, and it’s not like I’m afraid of hard work. But Spearcrest has a rule forbidding students from getting part-time jobs. And doing so isn’t even an option, because unless it’s a holiday, we’re not typically allowed off-campus.

Money is an issue which constantly weighs on my mind even when I’m with the girls. Audrey, of course, doesn’t fail to notice this.

“What’s on your mind, frowny-face?”

It’s almost the end of half-term. We’re sitting in a little café in Fernwell, the local town, sipping sugary hot drinks while we watch the sun slowly set outside. The café is a cosy place full of leather seats and plants. There’s a sign stuck to the window reading “Hiring Now.”

I’ve been staring at it without realising.

“I wish Spearcrest would allow us to get jobs,” I said, turning back to Audrey.

She laughs. “I doubt it’s an issue many students worry about.”

Araminta scoops a spoonful of whipped cream from the top of her hot chocolate, raising her eyebrows, “You want to get a job? Would you even have the time?”

“In between chess club, book club, study club, student club and club club?” Audrey says a little wickedly.

“Maybe I could drop a club,” I say.

“Drop a club?” Audrey exclaims. “Who are you and what have you done with Sophie?”

“What club would you drop?” Araminta asks.

“The mentor programme.”

Now Audrey is truly aghast. “Miss Bailey’s academic mentor programme? You’ve been doing it since Year 10! You love that shit! Why on earth would you drop it?”

I hesitate. “This year she wants me to mentor someone in our year.”

“What? Who would need a mentor in our year?”

“Apparently a few people in our year are failing some of their subjects. Their posh mamas and papas are displeased, so Miss Bailey is using the mentoring programme to help those students.”

“Anybody failing at this point just doesn’twantto do well,” Audrey says, a little scornfully.

“Or doesn’tneedto do well,” I say.

“I bet it’s one of the Young Kings,” Araminta pipes up. “They’ve made it pretty obvious they’re too rich and powerful to care about grades. I always thought it was just the image they were trying to project, but maybe they’ve been pretending to be useless for so long they’veactuallybecome useless.”

Audrey is watching me with her shrewd eyes as Araminta talks. She leans forward in her comfy seat.

“Oh my god, Sophie. It totally is, isn’t it? One of the Young Kings.”

I nod.

“Ugh!” Araminta exclaims in disgust. “One of them is failing? What a turn off! I bet it’s Iakov, I swear all that guy does is smoke and drink and fight.”

But Audrey is still watching me with those eyes that seem to see a lot more than they should.

“It’s Evan Knight,” she says. “Isn’t it?”

I nod again and drop my head back against the wings of the big chesterfield I’m nestled into. Both girls give me looks of sympathy. Audrey reaches over to rub my arm.

“I mean, let’s look on the positive side,” Araminta says. “It might put you at an advantage to be his mentor. I’m sure he won’t want people to know he’s failing. He might try to act nice in exchange for your silence.”

“Nice or not,” I say. “The programme is two hours a week, twice a week. Four hours of Evan.A week.”

---