Silent, Dawn Betrayed

Two Years Earlier, Gavin

Philippa and Aidan disappeared pretty early on.  Paul too.  

Just me, Jace and his mates from the expensive school. Dawn and a group of local school kids dressed in hoodies, hanging around a deserted fairground. Everyone had forgotten about Jace and me and the railings by the sea.

Now that Philippa and Aidan had gone, the whole thing with Dawn seemed like a bad idea. Making out with Dawn would prove nothing to anyone, but it was too late to back out. I'd already given her signals, dishonest ones. She'd read them correctly…she was getting giggly, resting her head on my shoulder, just like the honey-blonde waitress had done last night. A couple more cans of cider each, and we slipped off together, both of us drunk and giggly, barely able to stand straight.  

'I'll let you into a secret,' Dawn whispered as we walked through the empty town, staggering and bumping into each other. 'I've been sent to spy on Philippa.'

'Why?'

'Brendon and Terence are concerned about her.'

'Yeah?'

Another giggle. 'She isn't from Tunbridge Wells in Kent. She lied on her application form. That's why Brendon wasn't at the classes today. He was trying to locate Philippa's social worker in Exeter. That's where she's from.'

'Social worker? No way.'

Another giggle.  'The staff are panicking.  That's why Agnes had to come back.'

'Really?  Are you sure?'

Dawn shook her head. 'Forget what I said.'

'Were you making it up?'

'I wasn't. But it's confidential and I don't think Terence Harlesden should have told me.'

'Terence told you?'

'Look, I'm sorry, I can't say anymore.  I shouldn't have mentioned it. There's a serious problem with Philippa and Terence only told me because I'm a student mentor and he's extremely worried about her. He wanted me to keep an eye on her at the party.  That's the only reason I went. Oh, no – and I've lost Paul as well. He was meant to be keeping an eye on me.'

'He knows too?'

'Not about Philippa.  He was just told to hang around in the distance.'

What next? I don't remember fully...we were in Dawn's room back at Lyme House, although I don't remember any more of the walk in the early hours of the morning. Everything disjointed, like when you've had too much to drink. We were fully clothed, and Dawn was crying and pushing me to the door, saying I was a user who'd treated her like a slag… the door slammed and I went back to my room.  

Slept.

I woke up late in the morning, groggy and disorientated.  

Quarter to eleven.  It took a while for me to work out the day. Monday, second day of classes, third day at Lyme House.  Details trickled back as I lay in bed, hungover and dehydrated from the combination of wine and cider…Dawn crying and resting her head on my shoulders, even when tears were streaming down her cheeks. I'd said something to her in her room, told her that this wasn't a good idea, and she'd worked it all out, worked out that I'd used her to get back at Philippa.  She'd gone mad at me and thrown me out of her room. And no, we hadn't slept together.  

So guilty. What a stupid idea all along.