Free Bet Your Life by Jane Casey Page A

she’s dying.”
    “Hugo said.” Ella’s face was grave.
    “No one knows how long she’s got left. I couldn’t be selfish about it. How I felt didn’t really matter.”
    “Did you tell Will why you were breaking up with him?”
    “No. He’d never have gone along with it. He hates his dad. He wouldn’t want to do anything that Dan wants him to do.” I shivered. “And it was that too—you know, I thought he was attracted to me because his dad hated us being together, not because he really liked me.”
    “I’m sure that’s not true.”
    “I’m not.” I blinked some tears away. “I was just trying to do the right thing.”
    “And you got yourself into a mess.” Ella sighed. “Maybe he’s not the one for you, even if he is a ten out of ten. I don’t think you could cope.”
    “Thanks, Ella.”
    “What? I’m just trying to make you feel better.”
    “This is what they call tough love.”
    “This is what they call reminding you you’re better than this. You don’t need to cry over Will. You’ll find someone else.”
    I tried to smile. “Maybe.”
    She went to the door but stopped before she went through it. “You know, I really like Port Sentinel, from what I’ve seen of it so far, but I’m not sure it’s the right place for you.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “You used to be happy.”
    She closed the door softly behind her and I lay back against my pillow, staring at the ceiling. The tears I couldn’t seem to stop slid down the sides of my face and lost themselves in my hair. I really hoped there was a limit to how many tears one person could cry. And I really hoped that, one of these days, I’d reach it.

 
    6
    In the morning, Petra and I scored a lift to Exeter with Beth and her mother in their big, luxurious Audi. I left Ella working on holiday homework, or trying to while Hugo sat on the other side of the table, pretending to work too but actually making her laugh. It was very Ella to insist on getting her work done on day one of her holiday.
    “I started it on the train. It won’t take long. If I don’t do it, I’ll just have it hanging over me until I go back and I won’t be able to enjoy anything.”
    “If you’re sure,” I said, doubtful. “It doesn’t seem like a lot of fun. And you could go shopping in Exeter.”
    “I can go shopping any time I like in London.”
    Hugo yawned. “Anyway, shopping is boring.”
    “Tired?” I asked.
    “A little.”
    “How was last night? Did you go to the pub?”
    “Briefly.” Hugo yawned again. “It was amusing. But not amusing enough to stay for very long.”
    “Did you go somewhere afterward?”
    “Will met a few people he knew from his new school. We hung around with them for a while.”
    Approximately one million questions popped into my mind, chief among them whether the people Will knew included any girls. I made myself smile at Hugo as if nothing he’d said bothered me at all. “Sounds fun.”
    “I’m paying for it now. I’m tired today.”
    “I’m glad I had an early night,” Ella said virtuously. “You should try it some time.”
    “And you should try coming out instead of being a boring stay-at-home social outcast like Jess.”
    I blinked. “Don’t hold back, will you?”
    “I’m just saying, you tend to be a bit of a hermit.”
    “Says the boy who hasn’t left his room willingly in the last three months, even for meals.”
    “I just need a good enough reason. You missed out, both of you.”
    “Well, I wasn’t invited,” I said. “So I couldn’t have gone even if I’d wanted to.”
    Hugo stared at me for what felt like a long time, then nodded, as if he’d worked something out.
    “What?” I asked, defensive.
    “Nothing at all.” Hugo looked around, checking to see if Petra was within earshot. “Look, Jess, do you mind going to the hospital with Petra? I know Beth needs her support but it’s tough on her. It reminds her of Freya.”
    “I hadn’t thought of that.” Petra had been