Eva's Journey Read Online Free Page A

been perfect?
    â€˜But there’s no room there,’ continued Mum.
    â€˜But there are only three schools within reach of here,’ I said. ‘If we can’t afford The Abbey any more, and Victoria’s school is full, that only leaves……’
    Dad stood up and came over to me. His hand on my shoulder was warm and strong. It was the hand of a man who should be able to put things right.
    But he wasn’t putting things right.
    He nodded slowly.
    â€˜That only leaves Woodpark School. It’s all sorted. You start there straight after the holidays.’
    â€˜No way,’ I said. ‘That’s just not going to happen. Woodpark school is … well … it’s not the kind of school that girls like me go to.’
    Dad pulled his hand away from my shoulder.
    â€˜Eva,’ he said angrily. ‘It’s time for you to stop being so precious. If Woodpark isn’t the kind of school that girls like you go to, maybe you’d better think about becoming the kind of girl that goes to Woodpark school.’
    I gulped.
    I liked the kind of girl I was already.
    I
so
didn’t want to change.
    But Dad was looking at me in a way that mademe decide that, for once, arguing with him wasn’t going to be a good idea.
    I knew for sure that this wasn’t going to be the kind of argument that I was used to having with my dad – the kind that ended up with Dad apologising and buying me an expensive present.
    So I smiled my brightest smile.
    â€˜That’s cool,’ I said. ‘My life was a bit boring anyway. Change is good. Change is exciting.’
    I ignored Mum and Dad’s puzzled looks. I kissed them both on the cheek, and I skipped out of the room like I’d just heard the best news ever.
    Then I went up to my room, threw myself on to my bed and cried until my pure silk sheets were soaked through.

    As soon as I stopped crying, I phoned Victoria.
    â€˜We’ve got to move house, and I have to change schools,’ I said, before she even had time to say ‘hello’.
    â€˜Oh,’ she said.
    There was a long silence before she recovered.
    â€˜A new house will be fun,’ she said brightly. ‘Remember before when you said it was boring living in the same house all your life?’
    â€˜Yeah,’ I conceded. ‘But I didn’t mean it – not really.’
    â€˜And a new school – that’ll be exciting.’
    I tried not to cry at the injustice of it all.
    â€˜A new fancy boarding school would be exciting,’ I said. ‘But we’re not talking about a fancy boarding school. I’ve got to go to … Woodpark.’
    This time the silence was even longer. I was beginning to wonder if Victoria had fainted at the news, when she spoke again.
    â€˜Woodpark’s meant to be …… OK,’ she said slowly.
    â€˜No, it’s
not
,’ I said angrily. ‘I’ve heard some of the girls in my school talk about it. They say it’s really rough and scary.’
    â€˜What do they know?’ said Victoria. ‘They probably just made that stuff up. Anyway, my mum went to Woodpark, and she turned out OK.’
    â€˜That was hundreds of years ago,’ I said. ‘And it so doesn’t count.’
    Victoria decided it was time to change the subject.
    â€˜Do you want to hang out for a while? You can come over here if you like.’
    â€˜No,’ I said. ‘Why don’t you come here?’
    I didn’t finish the sentence –
    â€“
while you still can?

    A few days later, Mum sold her jeep and came home in a tiny, battered old car.
    â€˜I really like this car,’ she said brightly, as she patted the fading red paint. ‘It’s got personality.’
    I didn’t answer. I didn’t look for personality in a car – all I wanted was satnav and a super sound system and leather seats.
    That wasn’t so much to ask for, was it?
    A week after that,