She gripped her bag tighter as they neared the outskirts of town. Flynn had offered to go via the school. She’d told him not to worry, but he’d said it was no trouble. She’d run out of excuses and any strength to say no had deserted her. She could talk to the principal but she would be gone from Margaret River before he called her to do any relief teaching.

She looked away from Flynn, out the window, to the school buildings as he pulled into the carpark. Her stomach churned. Suddenly, she was back at her previous school feeling trapped and alone. Faces leered at her, smirking and taunting. The panic rose up inside her and she gasped in some air.

“Are you feeling okay?” Flynn’s concerned voice startled her.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled.

“I’ll drop in our food orders for the weekend then come back to collect you,” he said.

Keely’s excitement over the coming weekend was gone, replaced with dread at the sight of the school buildings in front of her. She fumbled with the door handle. She couldn’t open it.

Flynn reached across. “That’s always getting stuck.” He pressed into her as he wrestled with the handle. She breathed in his masculine scent and wished he was wrapping his arms around her. She knew she would feel safe in those arms.

“There you are.”

The door flew open and she stumbled out onto the path.

Flynn continued to lean across the seat looking up at her. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked.

Keely nodded and turned her back on him to search for some inner strength. Flynn couldn’t save her, no one could do that but herself and she wasn’t sure she was up to the challenge.

She took the path to the door marked School Office. She faltered in the doorway as the sound of young voices met her. A group of girls in uniform were talking excitedly to someone behind the desk. Keely stayed near the door. Once Flynn was out of sight she could leave, tell him the principal was busy.

“Okay girls, you’d better go or you’ll be late.” The woman spoke in a firm but amicable manner and sounded vaguely familiar. “You can come back and tell me all about it, after school.” She looked past them and smiled at Keely. “Can I help you?”

Keely waited while the girls left, still talking ten to the dozen. They hardly even glanced in her direction; they were so involved in their discussion.

“The principal is expecting me.” She hadn’t moved from her place by the door. If he was busy, she was going to dash straight back outside. “I’m Keely Mitchell.”

“Oh, for goodness sake.” The woman got to her feet. “My eyes really are failing me. Of course it is. Hello, Keely.”