‘Oh no,’ Cecelia said, scrolling through her phone. We sprawled on the couch at Dad’s, bowls full of chips and lollies laid out on the coffee table, five seasons of Game of Thrones cued up on the screen.

I looked up from Zenna’s unapologetic ‘running late, don’t start without me’ message. ‘What happened?’

‘There was a fire at the Oceanside Hall.’

‘So?’

‘That’s where the ball was. They reckon arson.’

I frowned and opened my emails. The top one detailed a preparation workshop for university – ugh – but under that was a high-importance alert.

Deputy Principal Mr David Cantwell will be conducting interviews with attendees over the coming week and asks any student or parent with information to come forward.

‘Lucky we weren’t there, I guess.’ I scooped up a handful of chocolate-coated peanuts. Despite dodging Cantwell’s interrogation, I still felt guilty about refusing to go to the ball.

‘Yeah. The winter social was supposed to be there too. They’re having it in the gym instead.’

Another round of Dylan hounding. I’d have to give him a firm f-off.

From the kitchen, the microwave binged, and moments later, Dad waltzed into the theatre room, bearing an enormous bowl of popcorn. Salted butter and burnt caramel wafted across the room. I waved a hand for the bowl.

‘So,’ he said, holding the popcorn just out of reach and helping himself to a handful. ‘Meet any cute boys last night?’

Cecelia and I groaned. ‘You get nothing until you give us the popcorn,’ I said.

He set the bowl on the table and glanced at my phone, on which I’d scrolled back to the uni workshop. ‘Have you thought about uni yet?’

I flipped my phone over to hide the screen. ‘No boys. No uni. Maybe I’ll sail solo around the world and find a time vortex in the Bermuda triangle.’

Dad laughed and tossed popcorn into his mouth. ‘You’ll figure it out. I know a place you can go for Leavers, if you like.’

‘Da-ad,’ I whined. ‘Leavers is ages away.’

Cecelia took a piece of popcorn. ‘He’s right. It’ll come up fast. We should plan something before exams.’

I stuffed a giant handful of gooey caramel kernels into my mouth, then glared at both of them.

Dad chuckled and left. ‘You’ll have to make a decision soon, Gabby,’ he called from the hallway.

Soon, yes, but not today. Still, the uni workshop might help.

I saved the email.

***

Thank you!

If you enjoyed Who Will Hold the Universe, Gabby's story continues in Darkhaven, book 1 in the Lightless Prophecy saga (Zenna's there too, and Jairo shows up again later in the series). And do let me know! I'd love to hear from you.