Page 4 of Better the Devil

‘And it was a bit more than just dealing drugs,’ Logan added, then he held up his hands. ‘Although, that’s not really relevant, I suppose.’

‘I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with current arrangements,’ Mrs Morrison continued. ‘Quite the opposite. I think, given Olivia’s history, there was scope for her to go a little off the rails. What with all the, you know…’

She pinched the bridge of her nose while waving the other hand.

‘…the kidnappings and violence, and whatnot. But, I have to say, she’s adapting admirably. Olivia is a bright girl—very bright, in fact. Too bright, in many ways. If she were to apply herself going into her final year of secondary and maybe, you know, make some friends, I think she could really do rather well.’

‘She’s got friends,’ Logan said, feeling an urge to set the record straight. ‘Harris Bell.’

‘No, I hate him now,’ Olivia said.

‘Aye, she hates him now,’ Shona confirmed.

‘What? Since when? How come?’

‘He tried to talk to her about Pokémon,’ Shona said.

Olivia snorted. ‘I mean, seriously? Like I was going to care.’

‘What’s Pokémon?’ Logan asked. ‘Is that the wee cartoon monsters?’

Shona lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘Don’t get her started.’

Across the table, Mrs Morrison cleared her throat, then smiled broadly until she had everyone’s attention.

‘The point is, Olivia is at a crossroads right now. She can continue as she is, and I’m sure she’ll be fine. Average grades. Average university. Average life. And maybe, given everything she’s been through, that’ll be enough.’

She locked her fingers together and stared at Logan and Shona in turn, ignoring Olivia completely.

‘But if she knuckles down, cracks on, really focuses, then the world could be her oyster.’

The guidance teacher leaned back, signalling—to Logan’s relief—that she was almost done with them.

Logan’s phone buzzed in his pocket.

Shona’s hand found his knee under the table.Not now.

He left it.

‘I’ve been blessed with a lot of bright, sharp-minded pupils over the years,’ Mrs Morrison continued. She was still smiling,but there was a note of something mixed in with it. Concern, maybe.

Or fear.

‘And Olivia, for better or worse, might well be the sharpest of them all.’

Logan placeda hand on his lower back and stretched through some of the discomfort that had been building there for the last ten minutes.

‘Three down,’ he muttered. ‘What’s next?’

Shona checked the list. ‘RMPS.’

‘What’s that when it’s at home?’

Once again, Olivia tutted. ‘Religious, Moral, and Philosophical Studies.’

Logan’s lips moved like he was trying to work out a difficult maths problem. He hoped no-chin with the glasses wasn’t watching.

‘What, you mean RE?’