The New Girl: A totally addictive psychological thriller with a heart-stopping twist by Ruth Heald

Author:Ruth Heald [Heald, Ruth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781803141732
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2022-01-24T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Five

As Sophie walked back to her flat, she felt exhausted and full of regret. It was taking all her energy just to put one foot in front of the other. How had it happened again? A night she couldn’t remember. She reminded herself that she had been with Charlie. And although his behaviour had been odd lately, he always looked out for her. But then she thought of the bruises on her thighs. Perhaps he had hurt her accidentally.

She’d promised herself that she wouldn’t ever be in that position again, where she couldn’t remember what had happened. But she’d felt safe and relaxed at the party, pleased with herself that she was finally able to let go and enjoy herself. That she had put the past behind her. For so many years she’d been so careful, watching herself, watching her drinking. She hadn’t wanted to live like that anymore, running scared.

But she had made a mistake thinking she was safe. Just like before. She thought back to when she’d first met Will at the boathouse. They’d fallen into conversation so easily. It had been like they’d always known each other. Unlike his friends, he hadn’t been popping pills; he’d wanted to keep his body in top shape, he was a rower.

When she’d told him she had to go, it was already past midnight. She’d lost sight of her friend Nicole long before. Suddenly she was aware of her leg pressed against his, how their knees were touching. His arm was stretched out on the sofa behind her, and now it moved down, wrapping itself around her shoulder.

‘Let’s have a photo,’ he said, with a surprising energy. ‘Before you go.’

Will passed his phone to a friend, and then his arm was back around her and they both raised their drinks, and Sophie grinned at the camera.

Will took his phone back and showed her the picture. They looked like a couple, completely comfortable in each other’s company. She thought guiltily of Charlie back home.

‘I’ll keep this,’ he said. ‘To remember this evening, the start of things.’

She laughed at his assumption, turning her head towards him.

She opened her mouth to speak, but then he brought his face towards her, coming in for a kiss. It took all her strength to turn away.

‘I need to go,’ she said. ‘Sorry.’

‘Another time, then.’

She half smiled. She was starting to feel woozy and she needed to get home to bed. She’d lost track of how much wine she’d drunk. Her glass had been topped up throughout the evening.

She’d looked for Nicole. They’d promised to walk home together, aware of the rapist who they’d been told had been stalking the campus, looking for girls just like them. But Nicole wasn’t on the terrace or in the toilets, or on the towpath by the river where other couples were leaning against the bridge and kissing. Sophie tried to ring her, but she didn’t answer.

She looked warily towards the river, beyond the kissing couples, to the path home. The walk that had been so easy and relaxed in the daylight now seemed dark and ominous.

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