Free Undeniable by Liz Bankes

his essays. He’s
turned into a total waster since Jen rejected him in the finale of series one.
    Then after that, Jas finds him getting drunk after the hearing and she offers to help him with the essay he has to do to avoid getting thrown off the course. It’s the start of a thing
between them, which is going to be majorly controversial because Jas is supposed to be best friends with Jen, Harry’s ex, which happened after Jen was there for her when her dad died and Jen
showed she wasn’t so mean after all. And because Jas is supposed to be all good and have morals and stuff. And you’re just not meant to go out with your friend’s ex.
    Even if the break-up was your friend’s fault.

 
Chapter 16
    When I walk through the door at the end of the day, Granny says, ‘You look knackered.’
    ‘I am! And I’m grumpy. I miss Mia,’ I say. ‘I wish she hadn’t gone to France to farm grapes or whatever it is.’
    And I wish I could stop thinking about kissing Spencer in his room.
    ‘Of course you do, love. Sit down and tell me. Have some sangria.’
    ‘Okay, thank— What?’
    ‘Sangr
iii
a!’ she trills. ‘And I made tapas. My running buddy, Alejandro, has inspired me.’
    I hope that’s all he did to her.
    She has made the tapas only in the sense of taking things out of the packets and putting them in the oven, but it is still progress from takeaways. It turns out that Sangria tastes like cold
mulled wine.
    ‘I have something for you.’ She points at me and then rubs her hands in excitement. I hope it isn’t anything weird. Granny’s been getting weirder lately.
    She comes out of her bedroom holding a little box. She opens it to reveal a smaller blue box, fastened with a little gold clasp. Inside is a ring, with three tiny sapphires going across and then
two diamonds either side of the middle sapphire.
    I look up at her. ‘Are you asking me to marry you? Because I would say yes with this ring.’
    Granny laughs. ‘That’s pretty much what I said when it was given to me. Charlie squirrelled away money for months to get it. But I want to give it to you. And then one day, you can
give it to your granddaughter.’
    I am choked up. Like there is a small rock sitting in my throat. I try to say thank you, but I can’t get any words out. It feels like my throat is too closed up to speak. Then Granny makes
it worse.
    ‘I know this break-up is sad at the moment,’ she says, ‘but you’re going to have so many adventures and meet plenty of new people who will understand how wonderful you
are.’
    I try to say thank you again, but when my voice still doesn’t work, I hug her.

 
    Gabi has joined the conversation.
     
    Gabi: Argh! So sorry I’m late, guys – work is mental and my phone keeps freezing! What a mare!
    Rosie: No worries.
    Nish: Sorting out Rosie’s birthday shenanigans – you need to get involved!
    Gabi: YES. Lads reunited!
    Mia: Except me.
    Gabi: That’s what you get, froggy!
    Rosie: So next Sat, out for a pizza, then Spanky’s?
    Gabi: Uh.May.Zing. Just have to check my work dates. I am dressing up as a giant condom next weekend. Argh, have to go now – they are filming a
bonfire scene where Harry plays Jas a song he wrote and they nearly kiss.
    Mia: You’re doing WHAT?
    Gabi: Not supposed to tell you storylines. FORGET IT ALL.
    Nish: Lol.
    Gabi: Bye! xoxoxox
     
    Gabi has left the conversation.

 
Chapter 17
    The networking event is about a million floors up a massive tower. Apparently – according to my London tour guide – this is ‘the City’. Large buildings
loom over us, most of them made entirely out of windows, so you can see parties going on. Spencer points to the floor we are heading for. It looks very, very high up.
    To distract myself in the lift, I twist the ring round my finger. It’s a bit too big for me, so I put it on my middle finger, but I might move it to my thumb. I would die if I lost it.
    Spencer is looking annoyingly gorgeous in a shirt and smart