The dull clang of the dinner triangle disturbed the lovely little girl from her reverie and she sat up, surprised that the hour was so late. Susan got up and brushed her hands down over the back of her plaid skirt removing some of the clinging blades of grass. Skipping with joy she hurried to the main building, not wanting to be last there again. Her efforts were futile, everyone was already seated as she barrelled into the refectory, almost knocking the English teacher over.

"Susan Jameson! Why oh why can't you ever be on time?" The young teacher tempered her words with an amused smile.

"I'm sorry Miss Hughes. I was watching the clouds."

"Have you washed for dinner?"

"Uh... Yes." Susan had the decency to blush at her own fib.

"All right. Now sit down with the others" directed Emma Hughes, not taken in by the little girl's tales.

Susan hurried over to her table and sat down next to her giggling school friends.

That evening Susan lay on her bed in the dorm, reading a book. The room was quiet as each of the eight young girl's busied themselves with something for the last hour before lights out. Susan closed her book with satisfaction at the twist in the tail at the end of the story. Leaning across to her bedside locker she dropped it on top. Her eyes met those of the girl in the next bed and she smiled. Tara Belling was a new addition to the dorm. There had been some sort of trauma in her life recently and she had been sent to the school just two weeks ago. Tara was cute but painfully shy, ask her a question and she'd drop her head letting her long chestnut hair shield her face from prying eyes. Each of the girls had made a special effort to welcome the newcomer but had found it almost impossible to engage her in conversation.

"Hey Tara. What're you doing just lying there? Do you want to borrow my book? It's really good."

The timid girl shook her head silently. As she did Susan could see that Tara's eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

"Are you all right?"

Tara nodded slightly and then closed her eyes. Susan was concerned about her neighbour but didn't know what she could do to help......(cont)