Sasha's Secret by Cathy Cassidy

Author:Cathy Cassidy
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780241381410
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2019-06-10T16:00:00+00:00

17

The Midnight Meeting

When we get back to Fox Hollow Hall, we’re ambushed by the others and dragged into the living room for a council of war.

The adults have tactfully disappeared, but the whole band is here, plus Matt with his camera and his slightly sneering smile. It’s a calculating smile – how come I’ve never noticed that before?

‘Better now?’ he asks coldly. ‘Chatted it all through with Jake, have you?’

‘No, I –’

‘Whatever,’ he snaps. ‘No worries.’

I think I have made an enemy.

My friends are huddled round the wood burner, draped across the sofas, spread across floor cushions. Even Mary Shelley the tortoise is here, ploughing her way through a little pile of curly kale leaves and looking up occasionally to send me a sympathetic glance. At least she won’t judge me – I hope.

Jake and I sit side by side, cross-legged on a sheepskin rug. Lexie and Happi come in with trays laden with mugs of hot chocolate and chocolate-chip cookies, and I take one of each to warm up a little and sweeten the blow of what’s to come.

I can’t read Marley’s expression, but he can’t be pleased at my diva moment, I know. I’ve let him down, let the band down … I understand that without anyone having to spell it out.

‘It’s pretty intense, isn’t it?’ Marley begins, sipping his hot chocolate. ‘This mentoring thing. A whole different ball game from our practice sessions at home. Maybe the X Factor spoof felt a bit … well, exposing for some of you. We’re all out of our comfort zone, right?’

‘Right,’ the others chorus.

‘I’m so sorry. I just … I’m not quite sure what happened there!’ The words burst out of me, a jumble of regret and shame. ‘I feel awful!’

Marley sighs. ‘I know,’ he says. ‘And you shouldn’t, Sasha. It was just a blip – I know that. We all have those stage-fright moments sometimes. Who cares if you can’t do a neat little speech to order? You’re a singer, not an actress! You just lost your mojo there for a moment.’

Marley is defending me … That’s not what I expected.

‘I know you feel bad,’ he ploughs on. ‘Look, I want you to put what happened right out of your mind. This is no time to let yourself fall apart … we all have to work harder than we ever have before to make the most of this week. I want everyone at yoga, everyone at studio practice and the workshops. It doesn’t matter whether you think it’ll help you or not – do it anyway, yeah?’

‘Yeah … sure …’ I mumble. ‘I am really sorry …’

‘Hey,’ Marley says kindly. ‘Sasha, nobody here would ever doubt your commitment to the Lost & Found, least of all me. You’re our lead singer. That might feel like a lot of pressure, but we have your back!’

I’m grinning, weak with relief. ‘I won’t let you down,’ I promise. ‘I lost the plot, but it won’t happen again …’

I trail away into silence, because, in spite of my best efforts, it probably will happen again.

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