Beginning, Next Section
Part 1
William Darcy was nervous. He had risen to the top of the waiting list for student housing, and now his name had been passed on to housing units with vacancies. Those units would then call several of the names they received for interviews. The interviewing business was called 'hospitating', and William had gathered from fellow students that hospitating was a dreadful thing. He had heard stories about as much as twelve people being interviewed at once, with the result that the one with the biggest mouth always got chosen. William hoped he would not have to compete with any others, because talking was not his strongest point.
"I need to get out at the IBB," he said to the line 12 bus driver, "but I don't know which stop that is." William had looked at a map, but he preferred to be warned so he could be sure this was the right stop.
"Rubens Lane, I'll give you a call."
"Thanks."
"Rubens Lane, IBB," the driver called through the intercom, and the bus practically emptied.
William got out with the rest and crossed the street towards the collection of buildings that were termed the IBB student housing complex -- IBB being the initials of the writer the street was named for. The stream of students crossing the street at a not quite right angle was stopping the traffic in both directions. William was concerned about that, because he had once heard that somebody had got fined for crossing the street in the wrong place, but he assumed they could not give this whole group a fine.
If he had not known he needed to be in the highest building, he would never have found the address, because the numbering on the complex seemed rather confusing. He walked past the first two shabby four storey buildings, and felt glad that he was going to the high rise, because that looked a bit more respectable. He glanced into the low rise kitchens full of dirty dishes and with walls full of junk and stolen traffic signs, and he was suddenly not so sure he was up to the task of living in student housing. It all seemed dreadfully shabby, and did nobody ride a bike that was new?
He wondered what Caroline would think of it. She was thrilled that he was moving out on his own, because maybe he would invite her to stay the night, rather simplistically thinking that he had not done so before because he was living with his Aunt Catherine. He guessed that she would not be so enthusiastic after seeing this, though.
But it was his own wish to move out. He lived with his aunt Catherine, his cousin Anne, and his little sister Georgiana. His parents, who worked for a multinational company, lived abroad and preferred that their children were educated in the home country. His snobby Aunt Catherine and her friends were beginning to get on his nerves. When he said that he wanted to move out, she had offered to buy a townhouse for him, Anne, and a happy few selected by herself. No, then he would rather live in something like this. It would feel more genuine, more Robinson-Crusoeish, he thought.
Next to the high rise's waste container there was a heap of bicycle wrecks, and he saw a huge bike shed with dozens of bikes standing in stands in front of it, one in more disrepair and colourful than the other, and chained to street lights. In short, the place looked a mess. An obscure door that looked more like the entrance to a maintenance room, proved to be the entrance to the high rise units, despite that it had a sign on it that forbade the entrance to all unauthorised people, with reference to a criminal law article. He rang the downstairs bell of number 165, and a buzz sounded when he could open the door. William was glad that he did not have to speak through the intercom, to tell them who was calling, because there was a weirdly attired boy coming nearer, who obviously had to go into the same building as he did, and to be branded as a potential newbie would be embarrassing. He studied the boy from the corner of his eye. He was obviously into Gothic, or something, dressed all in black and with black make-up, applied even more lavishly than Caroline always did. His clothes were quite interesting too, and William wondered if he had any piercings. He looked the type.
The lift was full of boxes and furniture. Someone was obviously moving. "You'd better take the stairs," a girl said apologetically. "This might take a while. I hope you don't have to go to the 18th floor!"
The Gothic boy decided against climbing and leant against the wall until the lift was emptied, but William climbed the stairs, which looked like it was time to give them a good cleaning. Somebody had vomited in a corner, there was an empty beer bottle on the second floor, an overturned bike with a flat tyre on the third and a broken chair on the fourth. William wondered if students did not take their bikes to a repair shop to fix tyres. Apparently not. All floors had a front door with nine bells next to it. As he passed four floors, he studied the names and concluded that all houses apparently strove for at least a 70-30 division between the sexes and wondered why the kitchen should have a separate bell. Arriving at the fifth floor, he rang the bell that read 'kitchen' because he had not come for anyone in particular -- he began to see the reason for the kitchen bell -- and inhaled deeply.
"Well, people, that was it for today. See you next week." The lecturer turned off the overhead projector and collected his papers. After the first few words, everybody in the lecture hall started shutting their notebooks and talking, if they had not already begun doing so.
"Are you coming up to make holes those new handouts we got?" a friend asked Elizabeth. They had discovered that they could make holes in paper with some contraption they did not know the name of near the copy machines, so that they could keep all their class notes and handouts neatly together in a ring binder, which was something entirely trivial, but just as satisfactory as having studied the required chapter before the lecture instead of two weeks later.
"No, I can't. We're choosing a new roommate tonight. I really have to be there for the first two interviews because some of us really can't make it. I suppose they'll be nerds anyway, they always are." She gathered up her things, stuffed them into her bag, and walked to her bike.
On her way home she stopped by the supermarket to buy pancake mix, milk, raisins, bananas and treacle. She was going to make pancakes tonight, and that was another reason to be early. Making the mix was so noisy that she had to do it before the interviews.
There was only Elizabeth, Charlotte, Denny, and Jane to do the first two interviews. As Elizabeth had predicted, the two candidates were both nerds. Their other roommates happened to all come home at the same time, and they were naturally curious.
"What did we miss?" said Maria, entering the kitchen, which was their only common room.
"Oh, don't worry. Not much!" Elizabeth giggled. "The first one's biggest hobby was his girlfriend --"
"He looked so bad that it makes me wonder what his girlfriend looks like!" Denny cut in.
"And the second one didn't even know his own telephone number!"
"So we did not miss much," Carter stated in his usual sarcastic tone.
"I hope the others are better," Jane said with concern. "Otherwise we'll have to go and get a new list, and call everyone just to find out they already have a room."
"Maybe we should take a girl instead of a boy," was Charlotte's opinion.
"Yeah, all the boys we get are nerds," Elizabeth cried while baking pancakes.
"Whoa! Hold it! Do you mean to say I'm a nerd?" Denny, the latest addition to the house, cried indignantly, and everybody laughed.
A new pot of tea was made, because common practise was that an interview lasted as long as a cup of tea, or maybe two cups of tea if the prospective roommate was really fun. Besides, The Nanny was on and most people in the house watched that.
Charlotte looked at the list. "So now we are waiting for Max at 18.30, and William at 19.00. By the way, Eric of 19.30 called to say he wasn't coming."
Half past seven came, a quarter to seven came, but no Max. The teapot was getting cold.
"I guess he's not coming, our Max," said Carter, and he crossed out Max's name. "I hope William stays away so we can watch Big Brother," he said hopefully, but he was not so lucky.
The latest candidate, William, was very punctual. He was even a few minutes early. As one of the boys went to open the door, the girls peered around the kitchen door to take a look. It was almost fifteen meters to the door, but even from that distance they could see that William did not look like a nerd. He looked extremely posh, which probably implied he would not want to live here.
"Well, he looks okay."
"Yes, finally a normal looking one."
"Do you call that normal? I'd call that good looking."
"Ooops! They're coming," and with angelic faces they sat down, suppressing smirks.
"I showed him your room, Elizabeth. You happened to have your door open," Denny said.
"Oh no!" Elizabeth wailed. "It's a mess, how could you?"
Part 2
The door was opened by a boy who introduced himself as Denny. They passed a room with an open door, and Denny stopped. "Oh, look here, this is what the rooms are like."
William looked curiously. The room was not very big, but it would be all right to live in, he supposed. It was a girl's room, and he liked it, despite its untidiness.
He followed Denny through the corridor, past an overturned bicycle that someone obviously was trying to fix to arrive at the kitchen. Six faces were looking at him, four were girls who looked like they were sharing a joke. They introduced themselves to him, and he looked around. There were lots of dirty dishes near the sink, in William's eyes at least -- compared with some other houses it was no big deal -- four people had washed their dishes before he arrived, so it had been much worse. To his left there were dozens of pictures on the wall, of the roommates in various situations. The eight of them having dinner together, Denny behaving like an idiot, something that looked like four people in one bed...he swallowed. Am I supposed to sink to this level?
They asked him the usual questions, questions he had anticipated, about his studies, his hobbies, and whether he smoked or played an instrument. They seemed pretty nice, considering. People in student housing probably all screwed around, and drank beer all day. At least, that was what he had heard. No one rose before midday, and no one went to bed before midnight. All they ate was pizza and takeaway. All in all, they would be very different from his sophisticated friends.
After he had left, the roommates conferred. "So, what do you think?" Denny said, "I vote for the last one. He was normal."
"He looks like he doesn't know how to clean. His parents probably have a cleaning lady, and I don't suppose -- but I guess we don't have much choice. The first two were a disaster, and I really don't want to go through all this again. You know how hard it is to pick a night that everyone is here," practical Charlotte said.
"He was not that unfriendly, was he?" Carter asked.
"Yes, he was!" Elizabeth answered. "Didn't you see the look of contempt on his face when I put a banana in the microwave and then spread it across my pancake? He obviously thinks pancakes are vulgar food or something. And also, he looked obviously disgusted when he saw those pictures. Living here is going to be a major shock to his system."
But like Charlotte had said, they did not have much choice, and so they voted unanimously in favour of William. Also because he had a car and he could drive them to Ikea to buy new chairs for the kitchen.
It was Saturday morning, ten o'clock, and Elizabeth, who had just returned from her swimming practise was in the kitchen having breakfast with Jane, who had just got up.
"William is coming to paint today," Jane said as she took a sip of her coffee.
"Oh really?" Elizabeth seemed more interested in the newspaper's sports news.
"He called to say he was coming at ten."
"No, really! Why would he call? To make sure we lay out the red carpet?"
"He is just being considerate. He asked if it was okay to bring some friends to help him."
"Oh he's got friends?" Elizabeth said sweetly. "I'd better clean the kitchen then, as it's my turn this week. They probably won't want to set foot in it in this state."
Jane thought Elizabeth was being a bit hard on people she did not know. "They may be very nice."
The bell sounded, and Elizabeth switched the telly from the Discovery Channel onto The Music Factory, put her feet up on a chair, and placed an empty beer bottle by her breakfast plate. "Too bad there are no soaps on Saturday morning, we'll have to make do with TMF to give an impression of student life."
"Elizabeth!" Jane said with shocked amusement. "No one is going to think you just drank beer with your breakfast! Don't be ridiculous."
"Don't keep them waiting at the door," Elizabeth said with a grin.
Jane disappeared down the corridor. Elizabeth heard the sound of voices, but Jane did not return. Obviously something was interesting enough to keep her there. She was immensely curious, but didn't want to go and look. She was forced to watch and listen to two stupid video clips before Jane returned, with a broad smile on her face.
Elizabeth eyed her with suspicion. "What's up?"
"Oh nothing. He brought some friends with him, and they are very nice," Jane said innocently, but blushing slightly.
"Ah. Are they better looking than our neighbours?"
At that moment, one of William's friends appeared in the doorway and Jane's blush deepened. Now I see why you're blushing, Jane. He looks nice. "Hi, my name is Charles, "he said for Elizabeth's benefit. "I was wondering if you had some old newspapers we can use."
"There is a whole pile of boxes if you go through that door behind you. On the left, past the second shower."
He turned. "Thanks."
Elizabeth giggled. Obviously Charles had just needed an excuse to see Jane again. A female voice carried down the corridor. "Charles!" it said commandingly. "Will you hurry with those newspapers? I haven't got all day! I have an appointment at the hairstylist's at one."
"That's my sister. Well....I'd better go....see you," he said to Jane.
"That sister sounds like a dragon," Elizabeth whispered to Jane. "What was she like?"
Jane shrugged. "Oh she was nice. And his other sister too."
"Nice? How many people are there anyway?"
"Charles, William, Caroline, Charles' sister, Louisa, Charles' other sister, and her boyfriend whose name I forgot."
"What is Charles to William?"
"His friend, why?"
"Because...well, why does he bring his sisters when he goes to help a friend paint his new room?"
"I think Caroline is William's girlfriend," Jane said doubtfully. "I don't know. They could all be friends."
"I would not take Lydia with me if I was going to help a friend out." Elizabeth's younger sister Lydia was a bit wild.
Another person appeared in the doorway, a girl this time. One of Charles' sisters. She was not dressed for painting, in cream coloured trousers, an expensive white blouse and a little shawl around her neck. She surveyed the kitchen with an appalled look, and rested her eyes on the empty beer bottle with disgust. Elizabeth felt a sudden urge to raise the bottle to her mouth, but she did not like beer, and besides, the bottle was empty.
"Excuse me," the girl said haughtily, "where is the...." she hesitated.
Elizabeth looked as if she did not know what the girl meant.
"I need to wash my hands," the girl clarified.
Elizabeth pointed at the sink. "Be our guest," she said jovially.
"Through that door right behind you, the second on the left," Jane said when the girl did not move and only looked more uncomfortable.
"You're in luck, it's been cleaned last week," Elizabeth called after her, and grinned when she saw the other pause before opening the door.
While Louisa was gone, the boys had begun painting with Caroline observing it all, standing in the middle of the room. She was afraid to get stains on her clothes.
"You missed a spot, William," she informed him.
He took a step backwards to get a better look. "I did not."
"Yes, you did."
"Where?" he challenged her.
"Here," Caroline was eager to point out as she tapped her finger on the wall. "Eek! There's paint on my finger!" she cried, and tried to wipe it off on a newspaper.
"I told you I didn't miss a spot." William resumed painting without paying attention to Caroline's distress about the paint on her finger.
"It won't come off!" She walked to the wash basin but still the tip of her finger was white. She looked at it like it was some nasty injury but William did not catch any of her suffering looks. Louisa came back and closed the door behind her. "Louisa, look!" she stuck out her white finger, but Louisa was not impressed. She had much to tell.
"Have you been to the kitchen, William? Your new roommates are absolute slobs!" she exclaimed in a low voice.
"The one called Jane was very nice, and she was no slob," Charles protested.
"That other girl! She was drinking beer!"
"Beer!" Caroline temporarily forgot about her stained finger. "Ugh, William!"
"You drink beer too," William said.
"Yes, but not at this hour!" Louisa said with disgust.
"Girls don't drink beer at this hour," William said decidedly. He wasn't so sure about guys though. Louisa's boyfriend seemed to be quite the beer-type.
"And also, they never clean their bathroom!"
"Noooo!" Charles feigned surprise.
"Yes," Louisa began, "and that slobby girl told me I was in luck because it had been cleaned last week!"
William frowned. They never cleaned it, Louisa said, and yet they had cleaned it last week. Odd.
Caroline shuddered. She had looked forward to staying here with William, but the idea was not so exciting anymore. Why could he not have got a nice apartment in the centre? Somewhere I would love to be seen. Somewhere I could invite people for drinks. She remembered her finger. "Do you think they have any soap here?"
"Go and ask," William told her.
Elizabeth had switched the television onto a children's show when the other sister came in and looked around curiously. Inwardly she giggled. Obviously her sister's comments had given much food for thought. They were dressed almost identically, only this one wore a light blue blouse.
"Hello."
"Do you have some soap? There is paint on my finger." Caroline did not bother to say hello, and it sounded like she did not expect her to have any soap in this pigsty. Elizabeth instantly disliked her attitude.
"I think you need something stronger than soap," Jane said, "I'll get it for you."
You are too good, Jane. She really deserves to keep that awfully big spot on her finger all week! Elizabeth got up, and walked to her room. She passed William, but he did not even look at her. Ugh! You could at least have said hello. She hesitated between turning on her radio very loud, or blocking the corridor with her bike. Oh, what the heck. I'll do both. This way I can listen to the radio when I work on my bike.
She was just taking her rear wheel off when Caroline and William walked back to his room. They both gave her contemptible glances. Yes, yes, I know. You probably have your bike repaired at a shop. Oh no, wait. You don't have a bike at all. You probably have a car. Well, I don't, and it's cheaper to fix it myself.
William had looked at the sight of Elizabeth taking her bike apart with considerable surprise. He had seen the bike of course, but somehow he had assumed that it belonged to one of the boys. He honestly did not know any girls who did this. All of his friends had it done for them, some did it for fun, but never out of necessity. He chided himself. That was a very macho assumption. Is there any reason why a girl couldn't do it? No. Idiot, you probably can't even do it yourself.
Back in his room, Caroline immediately began to talk about it. "Did you see that? How...." she searched for the right word.
"...good of her?"
Caroline glared at him. "You haven't really landed in a sophisticated house, have you? It's a pigsty that's being used as a pub, a junkyard and a bicycle repairshop. I'm willing to bet that no one here owns a bike that isn't stolen. How are you ever going to invite friends here? They would be so shocked!"
William knew she had a point, and he agreed with her. To anyone who came from where he had come from, the place seemed seedy and sordid. But he had wanted to get away from Aunt Catherine, and this was the way. "I don't know it yet. Maybe I won't invite friends at all. Maybe I'll do it at home."
"How are your roommates?" Caroline continued. "Are they the least bit decent?"
"They are quite ordinary," William replied.
"Except Jane, Jane is a sweetie. I'm going to visit you a lot," Charles grinned.
"You think half the world is a sweetie," Caroline told her brother. "I have to go. I have an appointment. William, walk me to the lift, will you?"
William complied with this request, and they squeezed past Elizabeth. Caroline looked annoyed that her passage was blocked and muttered something under her breath.
They stood waiting for the lift, the front door open so Elizabeth could see everything. The lift arrived. "Kiss!" Caroline demanded of William, lifting her mouth. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and Caroline did not look pleased. Elizabeth turned her face away so they would not see the expression on her face. She had trouble keeping a straight face when William walked past her again and perhaps her coughing fit betrayed her.
Part 3
It was already Monday and Elizabeth was supposed to have done her cleaning turn yesterday. It was vital that she did not put it off too long, because they had just discussed cleaning the house and how it should be done on time. She took advantage of the early hour, it was nine o'clock, and filled a bucket with water to clean the kitchen. She turned the radio on and began to clean.
William entered the kitchen. "Good morning," he said rather stiffly.
"Morning!" she replied cheerfully, and resumed cleaning.
"Can I...?" he asked.
"What? Oh, your cupboard. Sure," she moved aside to let him get some food out of his cupboard. I know I'm in the way, there's no need to look at me like that. But, heck, do you think we've got fairies who clean our kitchen during the night?
He took out his breakfast things and sat down. He seemed to have his eyes fixed on her, because whenever she glanced in his direction she saw him looking at her with a frown. It annoyed her a little.
Why is he staring at me? Am I not cleaning well? That must be it. He doesn't think I do it well obviously. Well, stuff him! I'm not a professional cleaner. Oh, and of course I'm also a day LATE. Capital offence. Well William, you'll find out when your turn comes up that sometimes you just can't do it on a Sunday. The kitchen may be full of people, YOU may be too busy, or you may not feel like doing it. I won't wait until he finishes breakfast before I start vacuuming. It's his own fault.
She went to get the vacuum cleaner and saw what she interpreted as a look of horror on his face. Since he was watching the news -- despite the fact that the radio was still on -- she waited with turning it on, and shook the crumbs out of the toaster instead. Perhaps she should also turn the radio off. She did that and felt very obliging. As soon as he had finished his breakfast, he got up and left, but not before he washed his plate and cup and returned them to his cupboard.
Wait a minute. He has his own plates? "We have common plates and cups too, you know," Elizabeth said sweetly, opening a lower cupboard to show several stacks of unmatching plates of all sizes and varieties. There is really no need to waste cupboard space with plates and cups and pans. Unless you think that food from your plates tastes better." She knew that once you were really settled in, the two shelves in your cupboard were rather insufficient to store all your macaroni, rice, bread spreads, tea, and all your other stuff that you did not eat in one go.
"I didn't know they were for general use."
Elizabeth thought that it was quite obvious that they were for general use. Who would own fifty plates? "They look ugly, but that's because everybody got them from their grandma's. And if you're making a fancy dinner for friends, it would be very hard to find more than two plates that are alike, but then, our friends don't mind. They come for the food." Thinking that over, she corrected herself, "I mean, the company. I don't want to pretend we're masterchefs here, although...no, we are not. Our Christmas or Easter dinners are pretty simple, usually."
William looked a little taken aback at her speech, not sure of her meaning. "Well, thank you for informing me. I will keep it in mind. Good day."
Elizabeth stared at him. "Keep it in mind?"
"Yes."
"Like thinking 'there's a whole lot of plates in there but I'm not going to use them because I have my own'?"
"No."
"Like what then?"
"Do you have something against people using different plates or something?" William asked.
"Yes, we do," Carter had just arrived and began to unload his shopping bag. "And we also have something against guests staying the night. We charge 5 bucks per night, but that includes a shower in the morning." Carter was always saying things like that, and a lot of people didn't know when he was being serious or not.
"5 bucks per night?" William managed to blurt out.
"Yes, it's only fair. They do use our electricity, heating and water. If we wouldn't charge, this place would be full of profiteurs."
William stared at him. This was certainly the first time he had ever heard anything like this.
Carter carried the joke even further. "We're also considering to charge more for girls. We've been timing how long they shower, and it turns out they shower far longer, so it's only just that they pay more."
William was totally baffled. One could almost hear him thinking. Timing how long people shower?
"Yes, take Elizabeth's little sister for instance. She showers for approximately forty-five minutes." Lydia was always angling for invitations to stay the night with her sister, because she found Carter and Denny quite interesting. "Sometimes it's forty-three, sometimes fifty-one."
Elizabeth let out some weird sounds and disappeared down the corridor. She could not take it any longer. She fell on her bed and laughed until her stomach ached.
William realised that he had been fooled, and that Elizabeth was laughing at him. He was not used to being laughed at. People always looked up to him. Even his Aunt Catherine took him very seriously. He went to his spotless, tidy room and looked around for something to do. He had only just moved in and his room still lacked life. It was nicely painted, but all he had got so far was his textbooks. He had not yet brought everything over. There was not really a lot he could do, so he lay on his bed and let his thoughts wander.
His turn to clean the kitchen was next week, and he had no idea how to handle such a thing. He had never given it much thought really. Aunt Catherine had a cleaning lady who came in three times a week, but since she always came in during the day when he was away, he had not had the chance to observe her. So, when he happened on Elizabeth cleaning the kitchen, he had thought it an excellent chance to see how it was supposed to be done. William did not want any of his new roommates complaining about him, and he was too proud to ask how it should be done. Only, Elizabeth had looked a little curiously at him, but he guessed that was because he was new. It was only natural that she should be curious.
And when she had shown him the plates, he felt very silly. She was right of course, it was better not to keep those things in your personal cupboard. He had peered into the other's cupboards and had seen that they were packed full with bread, pasta, rice, tea, coffee, bread spreads, soup packages and things like that, and that in most cupboards there was no space left for plates and mugs. That morning, he had also found his mail in his cupboard, so they were also used as mailboxes.
I handled that situation pretty badly. Why can't I ever think of anything smart to say? She must think I'm some kind of idiot now.
The phone rang. William heard it, but he did not move. It's probably not for me anyway. I hope there's someone else to answer it.
Someone else did, and banged on his door. "Phone!"
He got up and walked to the phone, which was on the wall next to the kitchen. He saw 'they' were all assembled there, and imagined that he heard them chuckle. It was a good thing the door to the kitchen was closed, because he really could not speak with them listening to his every word. He answered the phone. It was Caroline.
"Hi, William. Are you doing anything tonight? I thought not, so I took the liberty of reserving a table for us at the Taj Mahal, I heard from someone that it was the place to dine."
"Are you certain? About it being the place, I mean."
"Absolutely positive. Besides, I overheard some nice-looking people who were going there too."
It took quite a lot for a person to be labelled nice-looking by Caroline, so William trusted her that this was a classy place.
Caroline talked on. "Louisa and thingy are coming, and Charles is coming too, he will be bringing a date though. I wonder who. I hope she has table manners and that she uses her knife and fork in the proper way."
William was in one sense glad that he was being taken out, even if he was expected to do the taking. He was now being saved from having to make dinner in the kitchen. Everybody would have been looking on over his shoulder, at how he bungled things up. It also spared him the necessity of memorising a recipe from a cook book. It was not as if he liked to humiliate himself by bringing the cook book into the kitchen.
Charles' date turned out to be Jane, and everyone was relieved, even Caroline. Jane was a pretty, well-dressed and well-mannered girl, and that was quite enough to recommend her to Caroline. She smiled politely at everything Caroline said, even at her boring stories about golfing.
"Let's go to the club," Caroline suggested after dinner. She meant the fraternity and sorority nightclub.
"I don't have a card," Jane told her apologetically.
Caroline looked at her with pity. "Oh, that's right. You do not belong to the sorority of course. William! You can get Jane in, can't you? You see," she told Jane proudly, "William knows everyone there. He's very popular and they will be glad to do him a favour by letting one of his friends in."
Jane knew that Elizabeth would have made a comment, but she merely smiled and said, "thank you, that's very nice of you, William."
Since William had the car, he was the one who was not supposed to drink and he dutifully stuck to juices. In reality he hated such places and he preferred a quiet night at home, but he did not want to be a spoilsport. He wondered if he did not like it because he did not feel at ease in crowds. He never knew what to do. Other people were all talking to one another and those who were alone either looked perfectly at ease, or terribly uneasy, but then, most of the latter looked as if they had not been spoken to by anyone all night yet. He hoped he was not as unpopular as that. But really, with a Caroline around he needed not worry about being left alone -- that was a great comfort. She was awfully convenient, if a little too clingy, as if everyone should have to see that they were together. He did not mind. For it was a good excuse to refrain from socialising. Everyone expected him to be engrossed in his girlfriend. He gave her a grateful kiss.
They all stayed with Charles that night, or whatever what was left of it. Jane slept on a mattress in Caroline's room. In the morning, Jane felt really ill. Her head ached and she felt like throwing up. Too many drinks and going out without a coat had done the trick. Perhaps Caroline's little snacks had something to do with it as well.
"You'd better stay here and lie down," Charles said with concern. "I don't think it would be good for you if you went out. It looks like it's going to rain."
"But I don't have any things with me, no clothes, no pyjamas..." Jane said weakly. She had borrowed a t-shirt from Caroline for the night but she didn't want to impose on her any more.
"We can call your house and maybe they can bring your stuff over," Charles suggested.
"If you say that's best..." Jane felt too ill to take the train home.
Charles called Jane's house and got Elizabeth on the line. He explained the situation to her, and she said she would be right over with Jane's things. She was concerned, because Jane was not only a friend, but also a cousin.
Elizabeth went into Jane's room and collected all the things she would need. She put them into a bag and pulled on her coat. First, she had to ride to the station, and then she had to take the train to where Charles lived. He had explained that it was not far from the station, and she felt glad, because the sky was pitch black. Unfortunately it started raining before she reached the station, so she was already soaked through before she got on the train. When she got off the train, it was raining even harder. In a very pitiful state she arrived at Charles' house.
William opened the door and he gave her what she interpreted as one of his funny stares. Instead of letting her in, he just stood there looking slightly disapproved at her wet look.
Elizabeth became a little impatient. "Aren't you going to let me in?" she asked sweetly.
He stepped aside. "I'll take you to Jane."
Jane had been transferred to Caroline's bed. Even Caroline was not so heartless as to make her lie on the mattress. She talked to Jane briefly, and then returned downstairs to the others.
"Do sit down, Elizabeth. Have you had breakfast yet?" Charles asked.
"Why yes, about four hours ago," she said in an amused voice.
"Wait!" Caroline screeched. "Don't sit down. You're all wet. You'll ruin our furniture. My parents would scream."
"Uh oh, I wouldn't want to ruin your parents' furniture, Caroline. I'll remain standing, if that is alright with you?" She have Caroline a questioning look. "You see, I'm also dripping on the carpet," she said innocently.
"Caroline, why don't you get her something of you to wear and hang out her clothes to dry," Charles suggested.
"You hang the clothes," Caroline retorted. "Why do I always have to do everything here?" She took Elizabeth upstairs nevertheless, but returned immediately downstairs to talk about her. "I don't see why anyone should have to get soaked through just because a friend is ill. You'd have thought she'd take an umbrella or a taxi."
"I think it's very nice of her to come right away," Charles shrugged.
"Didn't you see how her clothes clung to her body and how her hair was all messy?" Caroline shuddered. The thought of anything like that happening to her was too disgusting.
"She was wet, I didn't notice anything bad about that."
"William, you must agree with me. I know you share my opinion of people who are not well-dressed. You must have seen that she was wearing a black bra under a white shirt. Disgraceful."
William was not very quick with his reply. He did not know whether it would be wiser to admit that he had noticed, or to agree with Caroline that it was disgraceful. Only he did not know in what way he should disapprove of it. Was it the colour? Or the fact that Elizabeth had got wet?
"You would not want Georgiana to go call on other people in such a state," Caroline stated.
"No, I wouldn't," he said slowly, obviously thinking of something else. But Elizabeth may call on me many more times dressed like that.
"What are you smiling at, William?" Caroline cried, feeling left out.
"Nothing," he blushed. "Just that you would never do anything like that."
Elizabeth returned, dressed in Caroline's least favourite clothes. Caroline had given her trousers that were just a little too tight. Caroline obviously wants to point out that I do not have the excellent figure she has, but I must not complain, at least it's dry, and I would not expect otherwise from Caroline.
The rest were playing a card game and they invited her to join, but she declined. "I don't know the game so I would only be spoiling your fun. I'll read a book." This earned her a few surprised looks from the card table. She suspected that Louisa's boyfriend, whose name she still did not know, was allergic to books. She doubted if he ever even opened his textbooks.
"Georgiana is a great reader too, isn't she?" Caroline asked. "I admire her so much."
Elizabeth wondered who this girl was that Caroline could admire. She had thought that Caroline admired no one but herself and William.
"Yes," William said curtly as he played a card.
"Georgiana is so talented in so many things. She's an excellent student, she reads, plays music, plays sports, draws and I don't know what else," Caroline said with audible amazement, and Elizabeth became very interested in the mysterious Georgiana. She must be related to William to provoke such a reaction from Caroline.
"It always surprises me that so many people have the time to do all of those things," Charles remarked.
"Really, Charles! There are only a few girls who can do all of those things."
"I hear girls are so talented all the time," Charles said.
William interrupted. "But very few actually are. I could count all the accomplished girls I know on one hand."
Caroline was happy with the support. "I agree!"
Elizabeth was curious about his definition of an accomplished girl if there were no more than five who met his standards. "How does one qualify?"
Caroline was eager to answer in William's place. "She have a good taste in food and clothing, she must be musical, be good at dancing, elegant, have excellent manners, good at drawing, speak several languages, be good at maths, and always get the top grades in her studies."
William added, "and she must be well read."
Elizabeth looked amazed and then giggled. "Now I know why you can count them on one hand! But I'm surprised that there even enough girls to count at all!"
"You don't think such girls could exist?" Caroline cried.
"Certainly not. And if they do, I never saw such a wonder woman."
The day was quickly coming to an end, and they were still playing cards. Elizabeth read, watched and went up to check on Jane now and then. William wondered if she was going home. It was not his place to ask, since he did not live there, and Charles had not thought of it yet. Caroline had, but she would rather not have Elizabeth stay the night too, so she did not bring up the subject. Her parents' house was not some kind of asylum.
"I'm hungry, what do you all say to some takeaway?" Louisa's boyfriend suggested.
"Oh Heini, not fries again, please! We've had them yesterday already," Louisa objected.
"Heini. That's an unusual name," Elizabeth said.
"It's short for Heineken. He won the beer marathon last year," Louisa said proudly.
"What on earth is a beer marathon?" Elizabeth said, with a slight note of disgust in her voice. William was glad that she did not seem to think it was something to be proud of, because he thought it was a disgusting event too, although he had never said so. Louisa and Heini started explaining all about the beer marathon to Elizabeth, while Caroline began whining about the lack of nutritional value of takeaway food to William.
"Do you want to cook then?" he asked, a little annoyed.
Her eyes bulged. She never cooked; one of the advantages of still living at home. "No! Besides, I'm sure we haven't got enough food to cater to all our guests."
William decided not to take the let's get rid of Jane and Elizabeth hint. "What have we got then?"
"Only pancake mix," Charles answered.
"Then let's eat pancakes," William suggested. "I know Elizabeth can make pancakes."
"Pancakes!" Caroline wrinkled her nose.
At that moment, the doorbell rang. It was Jane's mother, along with Elizabeth's mother, who had come along for moral support, and to see Charles and the house he lived in. Elizabeth had rung Jane's mother earlier. They stayed with Jane for a while, but they were obviously not so alarmed by her illness as to take her home with them. This was largely Elizabeth's mother's -- Mrs. Bennet's -- doing, who had a fine eye for wealth and who tended the bar at the hockey club on Saturday afternoons for the sole reason of scouting the men's teams for suitable sons-in-law, despite the fact that the members of the club only needed to take their bar-turn twice a year, because there were so many of them.
"You have a very nice house," she complimented Charles.
"Thank you."
"What does your father do? He must make a lot of money to be able to live in this neighbourhood."
"This neighbourhood is not as special as that," William felt compelled to say. And it was true, the houses were nice, but really, it was not the elite neighbourhood in this town.
He cringed when he saw Elizabeth's mother narrow her eyes. She had obviously misunderstood him.
"Are you suggesting that we come from a vulgar neighbourhood? You probably come from something even grander." Her tone was bordering on the impolite.
What a good impression am I making on my new roommate's mother.
"Mum! He did not mean that. I'm sure he only meant that there are even nicer areas in this town." Elizabeth looked embarrassed.
"But I still think he was looking down on where we live, and you haven't even been there! We happen to have a house with six bedrooms!"
William was glad that Elizabeth changed the subject before Caroline, who had already begun to smirk in a superior way, could say something damaging.
Elizabeth had shown her mother and her aunt out, and immediately went upstairs to talk to Jane. She did not want to hear whatever Caroline had to say about her relatives.
"Jane, what did your mother say? I'm surprised she didn't want to take you home. That time you were ill at camp she came over immediately and escorted you home."
Jane looked embarrassed. "It's because of Charles."
Elizabeth closed her eyes. "Don't tell me that our mothers are letting you stay here because Charles' family is obviously wealthy and they're hoping that you'll marry him one day?"
"Exactly."
"How awful. I mean, you are not nearly old enough to get married. That's something for when you're thirty."
"Honestly, I like Charles, for himself, and not because he is rich."
"I know, I know," Elizabeth grinned. "And he likes you too, cousin."
Jane blushed.
"Shall I bring you something else to read? You must have leafed through all of Caroline's fashion magazines by now. I don't think they actually contain anything other than pictures, do they?"
Jane shook her head. "No, thank you. Could you get me a little bit to eat though?"
Elizabeth walked downstairs again, to find Charles and Heini playing Who Is It? with Louisa making silly suggestions. William was on the phone, and Caroline was very eager to interfere in his conversation, because she was nearly in his lap. Elizabeth was disgusted and went into the kitchen area to prepare something for Jane, and listened to the sounds from the living room.
"Ask if his name starts with a J, Charles," Louisa urged her brother.
"No! That will only eliminate two people. It's much better to ask if he's got glasses. See, there are four cards with people with glasses left."
"But he hasn't got glasses! I told you in the beginning that Heini had Joe, he always has Joe, and Joe doesn't have glasses."
"I have already eliminated Joe, see?" Charles flipped Joe back up.
"Then you must have done something wrong."
Elizabeth giggled to herself. Louisa really made no sense. She wondered what the girl studied, or if she studied at all.
"Ask Georgiana if she'll be coming to stay with me in August," she heard Caroline screech.
She could not hear William's reply, so she moved a little closer to the door to the living room.
"...already asked that a minute ago," she heard him say indifferently.
"I know! But I wanted to make sure she doesn't forget! Ask her how she's doing in school," Caroline pressed. "Did my private tutoring help her a bit?"
Caroline as a private tutor? What subject could Caroline possibly be good at? Elizabeth wanted to laugh out loud, especially when William ignored the question completely. Since William hung up soon after that, Elizabeth took the food upstairs to Jane and sat with her while she ate it, telling her what happened.
Coming down again, Caroline and William were gone out to get some food. Elizabeth had a feeling it might take a while for them to return. She could well imagine that Caroline was very picky and would not want to go to the snackbar or the Chinese on the corner. She'll probably have him go to a fancy restaurant where you pay twice as much for the same dish.
She was right. William and Caroline returned an hour and a half after they had set off, according to Heini, who had already started on a bag of chips because he could not wait. "What took you so long?" he complained.
"Caroline could not make up her mind," William answered, glaring at Caroline, who looked not very satisfied with herself.
Oooh! They've been fighting! Elizabeth guessed that Caroline had been a pain and that William had done something about it. Perhaps he did not kiss her on demand.
"What have you brought?" Heini practically dove into the bags, and unwrapped one of the plastic boxes. "Ah, nasi, love it."
By the look on Caroline's face Elizabeth could tell that nasi had definitely not been her idea. Which was understandable, considering that it always came in a plain plastic box.
Heini unwrapped another box. "What's this?"
"It looks gross, but William insisted that we take that," Caroline said irately.
"It's pisang goreng," William said, looking at Elizabeth.
"Oh yummy," Elizabeth exclaimed. "I love that too."
"And exactly what is pisang goreng?" Caroline asked, annoyed that William and Elizabeth seemed to know what it was while she, with her infinitely superior culinary knowledge, did not.
"Baked banana," William and Elizabeth said in unison.
Part 4
It was already so late when they finished dinner that Charles invited Elizabeth to spend the night as well. She accepted the offer gladly, the weather was even worse now, and her clothes were still wet. Caroline made a problem of it, just as Elizabeth had expected. Caroline did not want to have to entertain her, and lose valuable time of doing things with William. "Charles! Don't be such an idiot. You can't invite everyone to stay. Not that I have anything against you, Elizabeth, but we simply haven't got enough beds."
"What do you mean, Caroline? We have several spare mattresses."
"Where would you put it?"
"In your room?"
"Charles! There's already two of us there. My room is simply not big enough and I refuse to move to another room..."
Charles thought it over. Louisa already had Heini, well, that only left his own room. William's mattress was already there, but surely there was enough space to accommodate another mattress? "I know!" he said brightly. "My room is big enough for another mattress."
Elizabeth looked at Caroline, wondering what she would say. After all, she had just said she refused to move.
"I will bring my stuff right over!" Caroline smiled, thinking Charles had been talking about her. Sleeping in the same room as William! Maybe even next to him!
"What?" Charles looked confused. "No, not you, Caroline. Since you refuse to move to another room, I was referring to Elizabeth."
Caroline's face fell. She could not believe her stupid brother. Am I not William's girlfriend? I will not have him spend the night in the same room as that Elizabeth! "No!" she said decidedly. "We shall all sleep in the living room."
Elizabeth looked amused. Ah...she doesn't want me to stay in the same room as William. Well, don't worry, Caroline, I don't want him. He's all yours...
"I do not want to catch Jane's illness," Caroline added, as if that had been her main motivation.
"Alright. We shall move all the mattresses downstairs then," Charles gave in. "If that's okay with everybody?"
Elizabeth saw William looking sour. Oh dear. I bet he hates silly things like pyjama parties. I bet he hates to be kept awake by giggles and whispers.
All the mattresses were laid on the living room floor, Caroline saw to it that William's bed was as far removed from Elizabeth's as possible. Elizabeth lay next to Louisa, and opposite Charles. Caroline was next to Charles, opposite Louisa, and William was opposite Heini, next to Caroline.
"I can't move in this sleeping bag," Caroline whined. Elizabeth wondered why she was in a sleeping bag and not under her duvet. "William, shall we zip our sleeping bags together so we have more space?"
Oh, so that's why! Elizabeth made a snorting sound.
"Elizabeth, I hope you're not going to snore," Caroline said cattily, and in a different tone, "William?"
"No, you are too wild in bed," was the muffled reply, and Caroline pouted.
Elizabeth was somewhere at the bottom of her sleeping bag, trying not to choke. The bulge she made attracted attention, however, and William realised he had just said something that Elizabeth had probably taken the wrong way. "You never lie still when you sleep," he corrected, casting an anxious look at the bulge, which seemed to be shaking with laughter.
After a few more complaints from Caroline that no one paid attention to, it became quiet and they all fell asleep.
In the morning, Elizabeth woke early. She raised her head, but everyone was still asleep, it seemed. What shall I do? Get up and take a shower while it's free? No...I'll lie here for another while. Who knows when these sleepyheads might wake up. It's only eight o'clock. What's the use of being all dressed when they sleep until eleven?
She woke again at ten, just to see William standing up. Mmm he does look good in his pyjama's, was the first irrational thought she had. Don't be silly, that's William, she corrected herself. He was staring at her, as usual, and Elizabeth wondered if she had snored, or maybe slept with her mouth open.
William had not been happy with the idea of all of them spending the night in the living room. He was afraid he would be assaulted by Caroline in the middle of the night. For one thing, he was glad he had a sleeping bag -- she would have a hard time getting into that. When she had suggested that they zip their sleeping bags together he had deliberately ignored her at first. How did she ever end up as my girlfriend? Wait a minute, we never came to any understanding on that subject! She just snuck up on me, very slyly, and suddenly she was always there and she had proclaimed herself to be my girlfriend. Why did I not say no? She's not even my type!
He wondered why Elizabeth had snorted. She's always laughing at everything. Unlike Caroline, who's always criticising and complaining.
He opened his eyes and stared in horror at Caroline's sleeping face only a short distance from his own. How did she get so close?
Quickly he stood up, to take advantage of the bathroom before Caroline had ravaged through it. He took a look at Elizabeth, who had just opened her eyes. She looked just as good as always, and he could not help but stare.
Elizabeth waited until she heard no more water running in the shower, then she collected her things and went upstairs. Quickly she showered and got dressed, because she was getting hungry. When she came downstairs, she saw William in the kitchen. Everybody else was still asleep, she did not have much choice -- she went into the kitchen.
"Good morning," they both said, and fell silent.
"Are you making breakfast?" she asked after a while, because he just seemed to be sitting there doing nothing.
"No," he said quickly, thinking that it would be impolite to make breakfast in someone else's kitchen, but Elizabeth mistook his reply. She thought he did not want to make breakfast because it was a girl's job.
"Why not?" she could not resist asking, hoping to attack his reasons.
"I don't live here."
She was a little disappointed with that. There was no arguing with that answer. But isn't he Caroline's boyfriend? Surely that must allow him to use the kitchen? "I thought you were here a lot because you and Caroline...."
He looked angry.
Again she mistook him. She thought he was angry because she had just given him a valid reason to make breakfast, whereas he was only thinking he had to get rid of Caroline.
"Or do you want to wait until Caroline is awake? She does strike me as the kind who would be very upset if anything started without her, and if she didn't get breakfast in bed," she said sweetly.
"She doesn't eat breakfast," he said curtly. Caroline always woke very late, and by the time she had showered and dressed, it was lunchtime.
"Oh no, of course not," Elizabeth agreed innocently. "I do eat breakfast, but that's why I don't fit into Caroline's clothes, of course." She saw William open his mouth and close it, as if he had wanted to say something but decided against it. You were going to agree with me, weren't you, William? "So, what food do we have? I'm hungry, and I'm very willing to take the blame for using someone else's kitchen without permission." If I have to wait for everyone, I'm going to faint, and if I have to wait for you, I'm going to starve to death. "Or didn't you look yet?"
"I looked."
"Well?" she said impatiently.
"Only pancake mix."
"How many packages?"
"One."
Elizabeth frowned. "That's twelve to sixteen pancakes, depending on how thick you make them. Say twelve, because I make them thick, and there's seven of us--"
"Six," William interrupted.
"Oh right, Caroline doesn't eat. So we can all have two. That's not enough. I'd say Heini could eat twelve pancakes all by himself."
William nodded.
"I think we need to go shopping. No, what am I saying? I need to go home. I have a lot to do. I have a lecture at one. Don't you have lectures?"
"Yes, at one o'clock too."
"It's almost eleven! Let's make some pancakes and get out of here," Elizabeth suggested, and she began getting the ingredients together.
Twenty minutes later they had baked four pancakes, and written a note, without saying very much to one another.
We have lectures at 1pm, sorry! Saves us the trouble of reading the book an extra time. We're gone. Bye!
E & W
PS. don't eat more than 2 pancakes pp.! or go shopping.
Caroline was furious when she read the note. Only Jane's presence kept her from verbally abusing Elizabeth. It is all Elizabeth's doing. She lured William away. It was probably her too who left us with those disgusting pancakes. William knows I don't like pancakes. He knows they will make me fat.
"Why could they not wait until we woke up?" Caroline said angrily.
The others bore the departure philosophically. Jane knew Elizabeth hated missing lectures because going to a lecture was just as good as reading the book, and it saved you from reading the book an third time in your spare time. "Because they have a lecture," she tried to explain.
"Lecture? Man! Who goes to lectures? They are not even obligatory."
"I will drive you home, Jane," Charles offered. He wanted to get away from Caroline too.
"I want to come too," Caroline said.
"William has a lecture, he won't be there."
Caroline looked annoyed. "I need to do some studying in the University library, you idiot."
Elizabeth was sitting opposite William in the train, both looking out of the window, it seemed. Elizabeth was really looking at the brief bit of green pastures and tiny pieces of woodland between the towns, but William was looking at her reflection in the window, and trying not to make it obvious. She had the window seat driving forwards, the seat that was always the first to be taken when a group of four seats was occupied. William had the aisle seat driving backwards, the second most popular seat. Sitting in the window seat would mean you would be touching knees with a fellow passenger, and most people avoided that. The third seat to be taken would be the aisle seat driving forwards, but most people deposited their bag on it to deter possible neighbours from sitting down.
The train slowed down at the next station and new passengers came on board. One person sat down on the seats across the aisle, but got up again when he looked at them. William put him down mentally as a pathetic figure.
"Elizabeth!" their fellow passenger exclaimed with delight, assuming she would be equally delighted to see him.
"Hi Colin," said Elizabeth, who looked less than enthusiastic.
Colin immediately stepped across the aisle and gestured at the window seat opposite Elizabeth. "May I sit there?" he asked William, obviously expecting a positive answer.
"I'll move over," William said, and took the window seat so Colin would not have to climb over either him or Elizabeth. He arranged his long legs with some difficulty. He could not help them touching Elizabeth's legs because he had no space to manoeuver with Colin sitting next to him.
"It's been so long since we talked. I was going to call you tonight! I called you six times this weekend but you weren't there and your mother didn't know where you were either."
Thank you, mum! This guy is beginning to get obsessed. "Oh," Elizabeth smiled politely, more concerned with the position of William's legs. He does take great care to ensure we touch as little as possible. Does he really dislike me that much?
"I was thinking we could go swimming in the river tomorrow," Colin rattled on enthusiastically. "And Monday we could make some t-shirts."
What makes the idiot think I want to do all those things with him? "Sorry, I can't."
"That's too bad. Are you sure you can't make it?" It sounded like he did not believe her -- that she was saying 'no' out of politeness, and that a little pressure from him would make her say 'yes'.
Elizabeth frowned. She saw William look strangely and wondered if he thought Colin was her boyfriend. Maybe even Colin himself thinks he's my boyfriend. Ugh! As if! "Quite sure," she said a little snappily. Gee! If I say I can't make it, I mean I can't make it, you dork!
"Oh," said Colin with some disappointment. "I thought you'd like it. Well," with renewed courage, "are you home on Wednesday? I'll drop in for lunch."
I need to do something, quickly! Elizabeth stared at him with a horrified look on her face.
Colin got up as the train slowed down again. "Sorry, I must go. Bye!" and he disappeared before Elizabeth had the chance to say that she did not want him to drop in for lunch.
"Who was that?" William asked curiously, hoping that it was not her boyfriend. He rather liked Elizabeth, but if that was her taste in men, well...
"Oh! Ugh! Ack! Eek!" she said with heartfelt distaste. "That was Colin. He's one of my nerds. I think he likes me."
"I feel sorry for you -- he sounds obsessed."
Elizabeth was still agitated, and shuddered occasionally.
"It's my birthday next Saturday," William said tentatively, "is it alright if I hold some kind of party? I don't know what the rules are about that."
"That would be alright, provided you invite us too." I can't believe I'm saying that!
"Oh yes, of course," he said quickly. "I was referring to the sound level, rather."
"Who are coming?" she asked politely. Got you there! You probably did not want to invite us. I guess you don't want to expose your guests to us.
"My aunt, my cousins, and maybe some friends."
"Oh," she said politely. Can't wait to see them!
They got off the train and went their separate ways, merely saying a quick goodbye.
Some time had passed since Elizabeth had spoken to William last. She had encountered him in the corridor a few times, but they had not exchanged more than a polite greeting. Now it was Saturday, the day of his birthday party. He had invited his roommates to drop in whenever they wished, saying that his guests would be there all night. Elizabeth told herself that she had absolutely no inclination to go for William's sake, but it would be fun to observe his guests. She wondered if Caroline would be there. She probably would. Perhaps she would say something about the note, that would be too funny. She was in the kitchen with Charlotte, standing in front of the window to look at a few neighbours making a spectacle of themselves on the roof of another building. They also saw an ice cream seller park his vehicle on the little square between the lower buildings, and starting to ring a very irritating bell.
"I wonder why he still comes here," Charlotte remarked. "I never see anyone buy anything."
"And on a Saturday afternoon too, doesn't he know that a lot of people go home on Friday night? Just like here, five people have gone home this weekend, I'm sure the other units must be quite empty too."
"Look at that car," Charlotte pointed at an expensive car driving slowly onto the complex. "I can't believe that belongs to a student." There were only a few students with cars anyway, and the ones who did have one, had an old one.
"Maybe someone borrowed his dad's car."
"If your dad can afford a car like that, he can also afford to buy you a house in the centre, and you would not live here."
"Yes," Elizabeth agreed. "Hey! Looks like they have business in this building."
A woman and a girl got out of the car. They were dressed up for a party and the woman shoved a bouquet of flowers into the girl's hand. Charlotte and Elizabeth were intrigued. There was nothing else to do, so any little diversion was welcome. Even up at the fifth floor where they were, the woman came across as being particularly haughty and authoritarian.
Suddenly it dawned on Elizabeth. She remembered something from their conversation on the train. My aunt, my cousins, and maybe some friends. That had to be William's aunt! And the girl must be his cousin. "Uh oh. We're going to have some high visitors soon, Charlotte."
"They're coming here?"
"That must be William's guests," Elizabeth said. She had not noticed William entering the kitchen behind her.
"Who are?" he said, startling her.
"Those people down there."
He walked over to look down at the woman and girl who were obviously trying to locate the door, not realising it was at the back. "Yes, they are."
"Hadn't you better yell down and tell them to walk around the corner? They might stay down there forever."
"Yell down?" he looked alarmed. "No, my aunt will be horrified. She expects me to go down and greet her." He disappeared.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Charlotte, glad that she did not have an aunt who expected her to go down five floors to open the door for her while she could easily have announced her presence through the intercom and have the door opened for her automatically.
The phone rang. Charlotte answered, and came back into the kitchen after a few seconds to ask Elizabeth if she was in for Colin.
"No!" Elizabeth shook her head wildly.
"She is not in," she heard Charlotte say. "No, sorry. No, I can't. Maybe. No. No, I don't think so. No, I have a party. Well, bye then. Yes, bye."
Charlotte returned, slightly agitated. "He's after me now. What have you done to steer him in my direction? He said you have a boyfriend?"
"You know I don't," Elizabeth looked puzzled.
"He said he saw you on the train with your boyfriend, you were practically sitting in his lap."
Elizabeth turned red. "No!" she cried. "He was not my boyfriend and I was not sitting in his lap. It was William and I was sitting across from him. Geez, that Colin must be totally blind. As if I would sit in William's lap, I would rather sit in Colin's!"
"You can't mean that. Want to take it back before I make you keep your word?" Charlotte challenged.
"I'd rather sit in any stranger's lap than in Williams!" Elizabeth amended.
Charlotte thought Elizabeth showed a pretty vehement reaction, and wondered why. She looked out of the window again. "That stranger down there, for example," she remarked, looking at a tall figure with army boots on who was walking across the parking lot.
"He looks alright, but he won't be coming here," Elizabeth said.
"No, I suppose not. They all pass us by..." Charlotte sighed.
"Hmm...what about Colin? I wish he would pass us by...Tea?"
"Please!"
"Tea, please? Or please let Colin pass us by?"
"Both."
Elizabeth giggled. "He's just desperate. It's a pity that he lives directly below us, we meet him all too often. I never open the door when he comes to borrow sugar."
"Don't talk to me about it! Jane and I were just leaving when he came to borrow coffee filters, he looked so disappointed that we were leaving. They're all excuses. Last time I lectured him on having a proper purchasing policy for household articles, but I think it went over his head." The doorbell rang. The girls looked at each other. "Salt? Toilet paper? Curry? You go, Elizabeth. You're safe now -- he thinks you're taken," Charlotte waved.
Elizabeth groaned, but she walked to the door anyway. It was not Colin, but it was the person with the army boots they had seen from the kitchen window. He's not exactly ugly up close. The stranger smiled in a very charming manner. "I came to see Denny."
"He's not in."
The stranger bit his lip. "I guess I'm a little early then. Do you mind if I come in and wait?"
He looked very nice and respectable, so Elizabeth did not see why he could not wait in the kitchen with her and Charlotte. "Sure, come in." She showed him into the kitchen, where Charlotte nearly dropped her tea cup.
"My name is George Wickham by the way," he smiled.
George proved to be a very pleasant person, and Elizabeth and Charlotte enjoyed talking to him while they all had tea, until Charlotte had to make a long phone call. After that, it was just Elizabeth and George, and they chatted very agreeably about anything.
At one point, William came in to fetch something from his cupboard. He looked surprised, gave George a withering stare and left without saying a word. George had stiffened slightly. Elizabeth wondered what it was all about. It was as if they know each other.
She dared not ask, but fortunately George began about it himself. "Has he been living here long?"
"No, a few weeks."
"You will be surprised to hear that I know him."
"Yes, very! That's a big coincidence. Where do you know him from?" Elizabeth's interested was awakened fully.
"I used to live next door to him."
"So you must know him very well!" Why did they not speak to each other?
"Yes." It sounded like a regret.
"That doesn't sound too good."
"I hate to speak ill of people, but I wish I could call them friends," George said apologetically. "Nice shirt, by the way."
"Thank you. Was it that bad?"
"Yes...I lived next to him, and I was on very good terms with his father. He always allowed me to play in their garden, and things, but William didn't like it. He always tried to make me look bad. If someone shot a ball through a window, he'd tell his father it was me --"
"How mean!" Elizabeth cried.
"And when his father wanted to help me out financially when I wanted to go to university, he talked him out of it, so I went to the Royal Military Academy instead."
"He talked him out of it? But why?" This is amazing!
"Because he doesn't like me. He told his father I would not graduate anyway, so it would be a waste of money."
Elizabeth was speechless. Denny arrived home soon after that, and he and George went away, leaving Elizabeth to think it all over. She called Jane to tell her about it. Jane was not convinced of William's bad character though. She insisted there had to be some misunderstanding, but Elizabeth would not give up her beliefs so easily. She tried to get Charlotte convinced instead. "Charlotte, what do you think?"
"I'm not sure. I'd have to spend more time with them both," said Charlotte diplomatically. I'd say William likes you. Give him a chance, and don't be so silly to believe someone you just met. From what I've seen of William, he's very correct. She did not want to start any discussion, so she said nothing to let Elizabeth cool off before they were due to put in an appearance at William's party.
"Charlotte, shall we go?" Elizabeth asked an hour later. "I don't particularly want to go after what I've just heard about him, but the sooner we get this over with, the better."
"His aunt is still there."
Elizabeth shrugged. "We don't have to speak to her, do we?"
They walked down to William's room. The door was open, and Elizabeth paused in the door opening. "Hello," she greeted and looked around the room. There were five people present. His aunt and his cousin, Charles and Caroline, and William himself. The atmosphere seemed just about as festive as that at a funeral.
"Do come in," William said.
They stepped into the room, and introduced themselves to his aunt Catherine who was sitting regally on the couch, with her mousy daughter, whose murmured name was something unintelligibly monosyllabic, beside her.
There was only one chair left, and Elizabeth let Charlotte take it while she sat down on the floor, not really feeling like sitting on the bed next to Caroline, who was trying too hard to sit elegantly to be able to devote any attention to conversation. It was not very long before she discovered that the conversation was being dominated entirely by aunt Catherine, with occasional polite replies by William.
Caroline gnawed on a carrot, and Charles had a bowl of crisps on his knees. Originally it had been standing on the small table in the middle of the room with the other snacks, but since Charles was the only one eating from it, he had put it on his knees so he did not have to reach for it. To his credit, he did hold it out to everyone for the first ten minutes, but he stopped doing so when they all declined.
"Get those girls a glass of fanta, William," his aunt ordered. "And Anne would like some cassis."
"Actually, I would like something without bubbles if you have that," Elizabeth asked William. "Bubbles always come up through my nose," she smiled.
"Yes, I have orange juice?"
"That will be okay."
"You too?" he asked Charlotte, who nodded.
"It's much better to eat an orange than to drink orange juice because there are more vitamins in an orange," declared Aunt Catherine, who did not like to be excluded from the conversation. "But at any rate it is better to drink juice than soda."
Elizabeth wondered why Anne was allowed to drink cassis then. Because nobody said anything, she decided to react to Aunt Catherine's word. "But William doesn't have any oranges here, so I guess we're restricted to juice."
"Which is not bad for a single occasion, but what I always do, is --" she was cut short when the intercom started to buzz. "William!" his aunt said in a shrill voice. "That must be for you. How many people have you invited? Are you sure they all fit in here?"
"I'll get it," Elizabeth offered, because William was pouring the drinks. She got up and went into the corridor, glad to be away even if it was only for a minute. She took up the intercom receiver and yelled hello into it. It was not always working properly, so if you did not yell, there was a chance that the person downstairs would not hear you.
"...William," said the person downstairs indistinctly.
Elizabeth pressed the button that opened the door downstairs, hung up, and opened the front door. It could be a while before people arrived at the fifth floor, especially if they had to wait for the lift. Not many took the stairs.
She lingered a bit in the corridor and was just about to re-enter William's room when someone came in through the front door. He was tall, fair-haired and a few years older than she was, she guessed. "Did you just ring downstairs?" she asked in amazement. If he had, he was either awfully quick or she had lost track of time.
"Yes," the visitor grinned. "I took the stairs."
Three steps at a time, I bet, Elizabeth thought, looking at his long legs. "I'm impressed."
He laughed, and he seemed very pleasant. "I have come for William, I'm his cousin."
"Richard, stop chatting up William's roommates and come in," aunt Catherine's shrill voice rang out.
"Oh dear," Richard said under his breath. "The General's here."
William came out of his room, "Colonel!"
"Darcy!" Richard replied, while they shook hands in some intricate way. They were obviously very good friends.
"Colonel?" Elizabeth asked with her eyebrows raised slightly. "Already? Are you a prodigy?"
He gave her a mock salute. "That's the highest rank Darcy thinks I will attain in my military career. My nickname."
Part 5 (Herzien)
They entered William's room, and Elizabeth took up her place on the floor again. She was glad to see Richard sit down next to her, much to Aunt Catherine's obvious disapproval.
"Richard, what have you been up to lately? I had expected you to call more often than once a month."
"I have been busy," he said vaguely. "Thanks, my favourite flavour." This was to Charles, who handed him the chips bowl. He started to concentrate on eating, ignoring his aunt. He held the bowl in front of Elizabeth.
"No, thank you. I don't really like those."
"They're good!" he said unbelievingly and took another handful.
"Yes, I bet they are," Elizabeth laughed. "Still, I don't really like them."
"Why don't we put a CD on?" he suggested when the talk seemed to have died down.
"It would be nice."
He looked at William's CDs behind him. "This one?"
"Yes, I like that one. He has some nice ones. Are you sure everyone would enjoy this one?" Elizabeth asked carefully, referring to his aunt.
Richard laughed. "It has some violins, doesn't it?"
"Richard, why don't you sit on the bed?" his aunt interrupted, seeing him laugh.
Richard took one look at the bed, and replied, "because I'd have to shout across the room to finish my conversation with -- what's your name?"
"Elizabeth."
"With Elizabeth."
"What are you discussing?"
"CDs."
"Music. Good, that is a subject I'm well informed on. William, has Georgiana listened to that CD I gave her for Christmas?"
William had no idea. He thought she had not, but it was lethal to say so. Before you knew it, Aunt Catherine would be threatening not to buy any more presents for them, and when you were not impressed, she would threaten to ignore their birthdays, ungrateful as they were. "Yes, I think so."
"It was an excellent piece of music, vital to a young lady's education."
William had probably never been so eager to jump up and refill Caroline's glass when she said, "can I have some more Sprite Light?" while holding her glass in front of his nose.
"Anyone else for a refill?" he asked to no one in particular after he had handed Caroline back her glass.
"I haven't even had a drink yet," Richard complained.
"Sorry! I forgot. What would you like, Colonel?"
"Grolsch?"
"Rolls?" Aunt Catherine exclaimed. "More food? You have just emptied that chips bowl! Be careful or you won't fit into your combat suit next week. William, why do you give your guests so much food?"
William rolled his eyes at Richard.
"Grolsch, not rolls. I know it rhymes, but I was talking about beer," Richard explained patiently.
Beer did not go down very well with Aunt Catherine either, but she supposed the younger generations had no clue about sophisticated drinks yet. One of the reasons she had fiercely opposed Richard's going to the Military Academy was that she had heard that the cadets drank an awful lot of beer. "You are not driving, I may hope?"
"No, I'm staying the night."
Aunt Catherine had started talking to Charlotte, who had taken William's place on the bed to be able to hear her better. William sat down on Charlotte's chair after he had catered to his guests. He turned his chair a little so he sat directly in front of Elizabeth, practically towering over her.
"You are coming here to make sure we do not vandalise your CD's," Elizabeth said to William with a smile. "You needn't worry, because we are taking very good care of them."
"I'm not worried, and you need not worry either, because I know very well that you're just saying that without really meaning it. You do it all the time."
"Oooh!" Elizabeth cried. "So I never mean what I say, you mean? What must Richard think of me now? Nah, I shall I have to enlighten him about you as well." She nudged Richard. "Prepare yourself."
"Go right ahead," William said.
"Do tell!" Richard said eagerly, "I would like to hear how he behaves here. I've never been able to imagine William out on his own."
"For starters, he did not join in on our water fight --"
"I had just moved in and I did not know any of you."
"Oh right, and it's very difficult to throw a bucket of water at someone and say, 'hi, I'm William', I understand."
"I was not familiar with the habits of the people who live here, and I am just not the sort of person who would butt in..."
"Hmmmppphh," said Elizabeth. "I wonder why not? What do you think, Richard?"
"He was afraid that he'd get wet?"
"Hmmmppphh," Elizabeth said again. "Clothes can be dried, you know." Suddenly she giggled and whispered something in Richard's ear.
William saw a big grin spread across his cousin's face. What did she say? I know that grin, he's up to mischief...
At that moment, Mrs. De Bourgh chose to make her departure because Anne had to be in bed by ten. She told her nephews not to make it too late, and instructed them to call more often. A huge sigh of relief went up when they heard the door close behind her. Richard immediately turned up the sound.
Maria and Jane came home right after that, and they joined the party. Everybody was talking merrily except Caroline, who never had much to contribute to any merry conversation, and William, who was too reserved. He would have liked to join in on his cousin's conversation with Elizabeth, but he did not know what to say, so he just listened.
Elizabeth rose to get a new drink, and walked over to Charlotte while she was doing so. "Where is that cute little water gun of yours? I was thinking of getting mine..." she whispered.
They had bought themselves two plastic yellow water guns one day when they felt particularly childish, and the guns were a great way to initiate a water fight. It was a very hot night, so a little water would be very welcome.
"On my desk," Charlotte whispered back.
"Okay!" Elizabeth left the room and returned shortly with her own gun in her pocket and the other concealed in her hand. She handed it to Charlotte. "Let's do it the usual way."
Their usual way was shooting subtly at a person who was sitting right between them, so he would be totally confused. No one expected two people to have water guns.
Elizabeth sat down again and winked to Richard. William saw the wink and wondered what that was all about. They certainly get along very well together.
She looked at Charlotte, who gave a slight nod in Caroline's direction. Caroline was to be the first victim...
Just as Charlotte was about to shoot, William got up and blocked her view of Caroline. She shrugged. What's the difference? I'll just shoot at William. She signalled to Elizabeth to draw the attention to her side of the room and gave the trigger a gentle squeeze as Elizabeth exclaimed, "oh!" very loudly, drawing all eyes upon her. A wet spot appeared on William's back, but he did not seem to have felt it. He was staring at Elizabeth.
"A..a...spider!" she said quiveringly, pointing at the wall above Caroline's head.
All eyes turned to the wall, but there was nothing to be seen of course. Caroline jumped up and squealed nevertheless. "Where? I don't see it. Is it on me?"
Everybody laughed and Elizabeth took the chance to squirt Caroline.
"Ah!" Caroline yelled. "I felt something! Get it off me, someone, please!"
"It's not the spider, it's water," William said.
"Water? Your ceiling is leaking, William! Why do you have to live in such a dump?"
Charlotte could not resist squirting Caroline while Elizabeth squirted Maria. "Oooh!" they screamed in unison. They aimed at some others as well. Charlotte took care to squirt Elizabeth too, otherwise it would be very obvious that Elizabeth was one of the people with the guns. While doing Elizabeth, she did Richard at the same time.
"Wait a minute," he said to his neighbour, "I though you had that thing. How could you squirt me when you're sitting next to me?"
"Well, easy," she laughed and squirted in his face. "Oops, I need a refill." She got up and walked to the washbasin.
"How childish to play with water pistols," Caroline said. "And thanks a bunch, you have just ruined my new blouse."
While Elizabeth was refilling her gun with water, Charlotte emptied hers on the rest of the people.
"Ack! You've got one too?" Jane laughed.
"You must get wet too!" Maria cried, and she jumped up and ran into the corridor. "It's not fair." She returned shortly with a glass of water which she threw at Charlotte.
"My room!" exclaimed William in horror.
Elizabeth squirted a 'z' on his back, "zorro!" she said with a grin, and ran into the corridor as he started to fill his glass at his washbasin.
Everybody now ran into the corridor, armed with a glass or water pistol, and the fight began. People threw glasses full of water at each other until someone got the bright idea that you could get someone much wetter with a bucket. Fortunately there were only three buckets available, but the floor still looked like it had been flooded.
Slowly, everyone was beginning to get soaked through and through, except Caroline who sat sulking on William's bed, and William himself who was very good at dodging attempts to get him wet.
"You cannot escape us, William!" Richard said, eyeing the fire hose. "Does it work?" he asked Maria who was the nearest person.
"I think so, we never have fires so I don't know."
"Yes, the fire hose!" Elizabeth cried, running forward to unroll it. "He must get his share of water too!"
Elizabeth rolled off the fire hose and tried to turn the water on. "How does this work?" she panicked, thinking that William would run off in the meantime. She was surprised to see him stay exactly where he was, and he even smiled. Ack! He doesn't believe me, he doesn't think I have the guts to really squirt him. Well, is he wrong, oh boy! I'm going to soak him through and through.
Somebody came along to help her and suddenly the water erupted from the hose at full force. Elizabeth aimed the hose at the first person in sight. It was Maria and she screamed and tried to get away, but unfortunately her room was on the other side of the hall and it would be a bit impolite to hide out in the room of someone who wasn't there. She ducked behind William, who also had nowhere to go, and who now received the full load.
"Yeah!" somebody cheered behind Elizabeth. "All wet!"
"What did I hear?" she turned with the hose and squirted the speaker. "You wanted to get wet?"
But William still wasn't completely soaked, so she focused on him again. Maria, still ducking behind him, opened the front door and sought refuge in the stairwell. William followed her. He did not mind getting a little wet at all, but Elizabeth seemed bent on soaking him all the way to his underwear. He hadn't counted on the length of the hose, however. All rolled off it easily reached into the stairwell. He ran down two flights, for fun, because he didn't think it was fun to run off completely like Caroline did; she had locked herself up in William's room. Elizabeth squirted the landing on the floor below.
At that moment, the lift opened and Colin stepped out. This was too good a chance to pass up, and Elizabeth aimed at him directly. He yelped, and tried to fit his key into the lock, but the force of the water blew it out of his hands. The others watched it from the stairs and Charlotte almost rolled down because she was laughing so hard. Luckily Richard was there to keep her balanced.
Colin finally succeeded in opening his front door and escaped. William had been laughing at Colin as well, and he was caught a bit unawares by the next blast from the hose. Soon he was completely wet, and his neat white shirt was a bit transparent.
"Yes, all wet!" Elizabeth cried as she turned the water off.
They all returned into their corridor to survey the mess. The floor was flooded, the walls were dripping, and the map and a poster that hung on the wall were pretty much ruined.
"Oh!" Jane cried, "look at that! It's going to take us ages to get it dry."
Caroline had reappeared in William's door opening. "What a fun birthday party, having to clean the floor. Yuck, William, look in a mirror, your shirt is practically transparent. Thank you for ruining his shirt, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth gave Caroline a dirty look before looking at William. Hmm, yes, quite transparent...he is quite well built...what if he took it off? Argh! Elizabeth, stop it. Remember, you don't really like him...
Jane had fetched the mops and handed them out. "If we all help, we'll have it dry in no time. After that we can get changed into dry clothes."
William's wet shirt clung to his body so much that it was hindering his movements. He took it off and threw it at Caroline, who squealed of course, afraid that her own shirt would get wet.
Elizabeth swallowed. Not bad, not bad at all. She returned her attention to the floor, but very often her eyes strayed.
After half an hour the floor was as good as dry. A lot of dirty water came off it -- it probably had not been mopped so thoroughly in years.
"Shall we all change and come back to my room in ten minutes?" William suggested. He was completely and thoroughly soaked, and he was not exactly prepared to undress himself before an audience. "Caroline, will you wait in the kitchen?" Caroline looked seriously displeased with that, but went into the kitchen nevertheless while everyone else went into their own rooms to put on something dry.
Everybody changed into something dry and less fashionable. Caroline looked even more overdressed than usual. When Charles and Caroline had to leave because they had to catch the last train, some of the roommates assembled in Charlotte's room to watch television, where The English Patient was on. The boys could not help being disparaging. Elizabeth passed the room just when there was a shot of a man carrying a woman on a desert ridge.
"And now he's going to throw her down," Richard commented.
"Plock," said Denny.
"Shut up," Charlotte motioned.
"Throw her down? Why?" cried Elizabeth from the door opening. She had never seen the film.
"She is going to die and he doesn't want her to suffer," Richard replied gravely.
Elizabeth was struck by that thought and she watched as the man carried the woman further along the ridge. How...heart-wrenching...would that be true love?
"Isn't he cute?" Charlotte sighed.
"Is he really going to throw her down?" Elizabeth asked. It was an impressive thought, but she did not know if she wanted to see the actual thing happening.
"Ye-es!" Richard said impatiently. "Oh, he is so cute."
William snorted and this made Elizabeth think that perhaps she was being fooled here. "Really?"
"No! Now shut up," said Charlotte.
The next morning Elizabeth met Richard over an early breakfast. Elizabeth did not mind eating with him -- he was nice and funny. "What are you going to do today?" she asked him.
"I don't know yet. It all depends on William. Whatever he says." He looked round for William's cupboard. "What do I eat? Where is his stuff?"
She pointed it out to him. "He does like to get his own way, doesn't he?"
"Don't we all? He just has more chances to get his way. I'm forever bound by silly rules."
"Like what?" Elizabeth asked curiously.
"Like having to be back at the Academy for early morning call tomorrow and having to wear shirts with a collar."
Elizabeth saw that he was indeed wearing a shirt with a collar. "Why?"
"Academy rules," he said. "People me report me if they see me without a collar."
"That's ridiculous!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
"That's the academy," he answered wistfully.
"Then why don't you quit?"
A strange look crossed his face. "No, I shall not quit school because a girl wants me to."
Elizabeth suspected she had hit a raw nerve. "Someone wanted you to give up the academy?"
"Yes," he said curtly.
"But why?"
"Because she did not like the image of herself being married to a Colonel," referring to his nickname with a wry smile. "She preferred to think of herself as the wife of an executive or a lawyer."
"So she dumped you," Elizabeth said indignantly, "how completely and utterly selfish of her. She didn't care about you at all. I hope she realised what she gave up." She coloured slightly, because it could so easily be taken the wrong way. "You ought to be glad. She should have gone for William instead, they sound like a great match."
Richard said nothing and sipped his tea. Then he nodded. "He can be like that too. Only last night did he tell me he had persuaded a friend to dump a girl because of what she studied."
"What did she study?" Elizabeth asked curiously. If the girl had been studying the same as she, she would give William what he was due.
"Teaching, or something."
Teaching. Oh no. Jane! and his friend is Charles! She almost gasped. The presumptuous, meddlesome, arrogant villain! How dare he! She regained her composure, but she was seething inside.
© 1999, 2000 Copyright held by the author.