Me-Before-You-by-Jojo-Moyes

‘I didn’t say I was giving up.’
Treena had barged in without knocking, as she did every day, even though I
always had to knock quietly on her room, in case Thomas was sleeping.
‘And I could have been naked. You could at least shout first.’
‘I’ve seen worse. Mum thinks you’re going to hand in your notice.’
I slid my legs sideways down the wall and pushed myself up to a seated
position.
‘Oh God, Treen. It’s worse than I thought. He is so miserable.’
‘He can’t move. Of course he’s miserable.’
‘No, but he’s sarcastic and mean with it. Every time I say something or
suggest something he looks at me like I’m stupid, or says something that makes
me feel about two years old.’
‘You probably did say something stupid. You just need to get used to each
other.’
‘I really didn’t. I was so careful. I hardly said anything except “Would you
like to go out for a drive?” or “Would you like a cup of tea?”.’
‘Well, maybe he’s like that with everyone at the start, until he knows whether
you’re going to stick around. I bet they get through loads of helpers.’
‘He didn’t even want me in the same room as him. I don’t think I can stick it,
Katrina. I really don’t. Honest – if you’d been there you would understand.’
Treena said nothing then, just looked at me for a while. She got up and
glanced out of the door, as if checking whether there was anybody on the
landing.
‘I’m thinking of going back to college,’ she said, finally.
It took my brain a few seconds to register this change of tack.
‘Oh my God,’ I said. ‘But –’
‘I’m going to take a loan to pay for the fees. But I can get some special grant
too, because of having Thomas, and the university is offering me reduced rates
because they … ’ She shrugged, a little embarrassed. ‘They say they think I
could excel. Someone’s dropped out of the business studies course, so they can
take me for the beginning of the next term.’
‘What about Thomas?’
‘There’s a nursery on campus. We can stay there in a subsidized flat in halls in
the week, and come back here most weekends.’