‘We thoughtyouwere having the best time,’ Callum said. ‘You seemed okay. Moody as usual, but okay.’
‘I’m not actually that moody. That’s just my resting artist face,’ Ivy muttered.
They all laughed, the tension breaking.
‘Ivy, we like you,’ Erin said simply. ‘Even if you were a hermit all through school.’
‘Even if you called me a jock with no soul,’ added Callum.
‘Yeah,’ Mei agreed. ‘We really like having you in the mix.’
Ivy smiled, a little teary-eyed now. ‘Thanks, guys. I’d love a second chance, if you’ll have me. I just needed some time to figure things out.’
‘Well,’ Callum said, raising his paper cup, ‘here’s to figuring things out.’
They clinked cups in a clumsy toast.
And then Liv cannonballed into them with a shout of, ‘Wedid it!’, and Ivy found herself collapsing into laughter. With her friends. Not acquaintances – but her actual friends.
‘Ivy,’ said Brooke, appearing at her shoulder. She looked purposeful but slightly nervous. ‘Can I talk to you for a sec?’
‘Sure,’ said Ivy. ‘As a matter of—’
But just then, her phone rang. When she saw the number, Ivy felt her heart thumping.
‘Excuse me, Brooke,’ she said, ‘I have to take this.’
She hurried out into the corridor. ‘Ivy Pearson speaking,’ she said breathlessly into the phone, letting the door shut on the noise of the party.
‘Hello, Ivy.’ Her tutor Jess’s amused voice came down the phone. ‘I got your email. You’ve certainly had a productive few weeks. I wish all my students were this busy during the holidays.’
Ivy could scarcely breathe. ‘You saw my sketches?’ she asked.
‘I found them delightful. Deftly drawn. Wonderful snatches of everyday life. And these photos of your set design, of this … is it a lobster with a rum bottle?’
Ivy flushed. ‘I know it’s silly. It was just to give a sense of …’
‘I thought the sets were charming,’ Jess said.
Ivy drew breath. ‘I know my work last term at Truro wasn’t exactly … great.’
‘No,’ Jess said honestly, ‘it wasn’t. To be honest, I was worried you were on the wrong course. And now I’m sure of it.’
‘Oh,’ said Ivy, faltering.
‘That’s right. I think you’re a talented draughtsperson who found yourself on the multimedia and fine art course when youshould have been honing your illustration skills. I’ve spoken to the tutor on the illustration course here at Truro and she would be delighted to have you. I want to stress that I will work with you on your final piece if that’s what you want and do my very best to hone your work. But I think it might be a good idea, given the work you’ve produced this past few weeks, to reconsider the course. The illustration tutor thinks, and I agree, that it is really quite extraordinary.’
‘Really?’ whispered Ivy. ‘You don’t think I’m a failure?’
‘Far from it. You’ve got a flair for illustration, and clearly, a strong eye for atmosphere and character. Now, tell me more about this show.’
‘It just finished,’ Ivy said, laughing shakily. ‘We’re having the after-party. But it was great. I painted backdrops, made costumes, even made a big … er, papier-mâché fish pie.’
Jess laughed. ‘AStargazy Pie,by any chance?’
Ivy nodded. ‘That’s the one.’
‘Well, Ivy, it’s a big decision, so I’ll give you a few days to decide.’ Jess’s voice down the phone was warm and encouraging. ‘But Iwillsay this. You’re clearly talented. You’ve got strong instincts, and it’s obvious that, whatever happened last term in Truro, you’ve reconnected with what inspires you. That matters more than you realise.’
