Chapter 3 - Blame it on the Weatherman
It was always hot in Spain. Even now, when three feet of snow covered the cobbled streets of the little backwater town in northern Andalucia, the electronic thermometre that hung outside the pharmacy read 34 degrees. It was Friday afternoon, and Janet perspired heavily as she struggled though the snow on her way to school for the first time that week. Why did it always have to be so hot? She looked away as she passed the shoe shop on the corner, knowing the temptation would be too much were she to see the shiny leather in the window. The mere knowledge of the shop's presence caused her to finger the coins in her pocket, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she crossed the street without making a purchase. Matt would be proud of her.
***
Matt stared out over the shimmering water, over West Sands, over the golf course and out towards the mountains in the distance. The library's air conditioning caused the pages of the book in front of him to flicker and turn over, but Matt didn't notice. His thoughts were focussed on the girl of his dreams, who was out there, somewhere. Where she was he didn't know, though he need not worry too much; if he never found her he could always marry Janet instead. She was a nice enough lass; good looking, kind, caring, compassionate. If only if it weren't for that damn shoe addiction...
He didn't notice Holly turn the corner ahead of him and dart back on seeing his face gaze out of the window. She flattened herself against the wall and wondered if he'd spotted her before hurrying down one of the aisles of books to regain her thoughts without risk of being found. Her heart was beating faster than it ought, her palms were sweating more than usual and her chest rose and fell like the waters of a lido on a cruise ship in a storm. He was so damned hansome. She imagined for a second that it were he, rather than the stranger, that inhabited her bed of a night so that she could snuggle up close to him, though quickly banished such thoughts from her head. What would Kate do? Secretly Holly wanted to be more like Kate. She always did the right thing. Ladyhead Bookshop had even started selling WWKD wrist bands alongside their Bible notes. Only one person knew Kate's weakness, and that was Matt. If she could gain his love and affection not only would she be eternally happy, she could finally become more holy because the man of her dreams would defeat Kate, currently ranked the holiest woman alive by Repenthouse following Mother Theresa's death.
Holly whimpered at the thought of her stood over Kate with Matt clinging onto her arm, before looking up with horror to see Matt wandering down the aisle towards her. One day, she thought, it would be the otherway round, but she quickly stopped this thought and composed herself. How stupid of her to hide beside the library's collection of 14th Century British Close Rolls.
"Ey up 'Ols!" came Matt's cheery greeting.
"Erm, hey," replied Holly, thinking on her feet.
"Chuffin' air conditioning keeps blowing over the pages of my book," he complained.
"Than close the window, you moose!"
"Moose?" Matt looked hurt.
"Erm, it's a very attractive animal, very muscular, apparently it easily attracts a mate and knows how to... erm..."
"How to...?" he prompted.
"You know," she replied, "make her happy."
"Her?"
"His mate." Holly blushed and looked up to see Matt looking into her eyes. Through the grime on his glasses Holly could just make out two blue rings circling dark pupils. What beautiful eyes... Matt saw her gaze and quickly looked away, his cheeks turning red.
"Are you going to the DRA ball on Sunday?" he asked.
"No," she replied, "I'm going to the History Soc ball instead."
"Oh," said Matt, disappointed. "I was going to offer you my extra ticket. Perhaps James will be my date instead." He grinned.
But at the word date Holly's stomach immediatly dropped. She'd made a horrible mistake.
***
James was delighted to be asked to the ball by Matt. Holly watched as he accepted the offer, almost spilling his cardboard cup of hot chocolate from Taste in his eagerness to appear grateful. Holly had to be there. Matt was hers. Not James'. Not Janet's. Hers. Hers alone. He was her precious. She would dance with him at the ball, she would hold his hand on the bus home. This was war.
***
Janet sat at the computer in the school staffroom. Her only lesson of the week had been cancelled, so she used the time to catch up with news back home. She was surprised to be told by Matt that the DRA ball was happening so early this year, surely it had been later the year before. Nevertheless, after sending her boyfriend an e-mail complaining at the number of hours she'd had to work that week, she logged on to the Easyjet site to book tickets to St. Andrews. She had to be there to dance with the man she adored. Nothing would stop her.
***
Matt stared out over the shimmering water, over West Sands, over the golf course and out towards the mountains in the distance. The library's air conditioning caused the pages of the book in front of him to flicker and turn over, but Matt didn't notice. His thoughts were focussed on the girl of his dreams, who was out there, somewhere. Where she was he didn't know, though he need not worry too much; if he never found her he could always marry Janet instead. She was a nice enough lass; good looking, kind, caring, compassionate. If only if it weren't for that damn shoe addiction...
He didn't notice Holly turn the corner ahead of him and dart back on seeing his face gaze out of the window. She flattened herself against the wall and wondered if he'd spotted her before hurrying down one of the aisles of books to regain her thoughts without risk of being found. Her heart was beating faster than it ought, her palms were sweating more than usual and her chest rose and fell like the waters of a lido on a cruise ship in a storm. He was so damned hansome. She imagined for a second that it were he, rather than the stranger, that inhabited her bed of a night so that she could snuggle up close to him, though quickly banished such thoughts from her head. What would Kate do? Secretly Holly wanted to be more like Kate. She always did the right thing. Ladyhead Bookshop had even started selling WWKD wrist bands alongside their Bible notes. Only one person knew Kate's weakness, and that was Matt. If she could gain his love and affection not only would she be eternally happy, she could finally become more holy because the man of her dreams would defeat Kate, currently ranked the holiest woman alive by Repenthouse following Mother Theresa's death.
Holly whimpered at the thought of her stood over Kate with Matt clinging onto her arm, before looking up with horror to see Matt wandering down the aisle towards her. One day, she thought, it would be the otherway round, but she quickly stopped this thought and composed herself. How stupid of her to hide beside the library's collection of 14th Century British Close Rolls.
"Ey up 'Ols!" came Matt's cheery greeting.
"Erm, hey," replied Holly, thinking on her feet.
"Chuffin' air conditioning keeps blowing over the pages of my book," he complained.
"Than close the window, you moose!"
"Moose?" Matt looked hurt.
"Erm, it's a very attractive animal, very muscular, apparently it easily attracts a mate and knows how to... erm..."
"How to...?" he prompted.
"You know," she replied, "make her happy."
"Her?"
"His mate." Holly blushed and looked up to see Matt looking into her eyes. Through the grime on his glasses Holly could just make out two blue rings circling dark pupils. What beautiful eyes... Matt saw her gaze and quickly looked away, his cheeks turning red.
"Are you going to the DRA ball on Sunday?" he asked.
"No," she replied, "I'm going to the History Soc ball instead."
"Oh," said Matt, disappointed. "I was going to offer you my extra ticket. Perhaps James will be my date instead." He grinned.
But at the word date Holly's stomach immediatly dropped. She'd made a horrible mistake.
***
James was delighted to be asked to the ball by Matt. Holly watched as he accepted the offer, almost spilling his cardboard cup of hot chocolate from Taste in his eagerness to appear grateful. Holly had to be there. Matt was hers. Not James'. Not Janet's. Hers. Hers alone. He was her precious. She would dance with him at the ball, she would hold his hand on the bus home. This was war.
***
Janet sat at the computer in the school staffroom. Her only lesson of the week had been cancelled, so she used the time to catch up with news back home. She was surprised to be told by Matt that the DRA ball was happening so early this year, surely it had been later the year before. Nevertheless, after sending her boyfriend an e-mail complaining at the number of hours she'd had to work that week, she logged on to the Easyjet site to book tickets to St. Andrews. She had to be there to dance with the man she adored. Nothing would stop her.
posted by Kirk Yetton | 4:27 pm
5 Comments:
There are no such thing as "British 14th Century Close Rolls" - neither Scotland nor Wales had them, thus it should read "English 14th Century Close Rolls".
Matt
I did my research.
G.W.
Wasn't the party just Heavenly? And did you see Fergie with Cliff Richard? Better not tell the Daily Star, darling. And you yourself weren't exactly behaving yourself, you naughty girl.
Jilly
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I didn't know we'd been spotted! It's no big secret, Sir Elton likes to be seen with a woman every now and again, it keeps Dale Winton off his back. And he is a marvellous kisser!
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