Chapter 8 - Here, There and Everywhere

Janet sat on the bed, bewildered.
"He's here," she whispered to herself. "He's here."
There was a knock on the bedroom door and Janet's flatmate entered."What's up, love?" she asked. Janet just held up the shoelace, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her flatmate just looked at her.
"It's his," Janet sobbed.
"His?"
"The love of my life."
"What, Matt's?"
But Janet just shook her head sadly. "And he's here."

***

"But who is he?" Simon asked.
Holly just shook her head. The time had come to discover the identity of the stranger in her bed and Simon seemed the perfect person to do just that.
"Right," he said, "let's go and see him."
Holly opened the door to her bedroom and Simon wrinkled his nose as he picked his way towards the bed. Holly followed from behind, imagining it was Matt she was watching approach her bed, though banished this thought as she glanced at Kate, who appeared to know exactly what she was thinking. You could see it in her eyes. She knew all.
Simon sat down on the bed, and put a hand on the marroon sweatered shoulder."Excuse me, mate," he said, shaking the stranger gently. There was no response. "Hey, mate." Still no response.
Simon nodded at Holly and Kate that they should go outside and close the door, which they did. He then grabbed the stranger's collar and flung him onto his back, slapping him across the face. The Geordie Mafia took no prisoners. The stranger woke up with a start, and stared wide-eyed into Simon's face for a few seconds.
"Who are you?" asked Simon.
The stranger continued to stare at him for a few seconds before pursing his lips, as though about to say something, but finally closed his eyes again.
"Oy! Who are you?" shouted Simon, shaking him again.
The stranger's eyes opened once more and he looked at the figure looming over him.
"Quintus," he said.
Simon smiled. Who said violence wasn't the answer?
But the stranger hadn't finished.
"Quintus est en horto." He shut his eyes, but then opened one again and added; "et circumspectat."
And with that he closed his eye, rolled over and put his thumb in his mouth.Sound asleep. Simon shook his head. There was nothing he could do.
As he left the room he saw Nadia and Marc coming down the stairs onto the landing.
"Thanks for the tip off, Nadia," Simon said.
"No problem, Simon. Anything to help out," and she grinned at Holly.
"What was she tipping you off about?" Holly asked as they entered the living room, where The Simpsons flickered on the TV screen.
"Matt," he replied, "trying to get this speed dating rubbish up and running."
Holly's stomach dropped. With Simon's Geordie Mafia connections...
Simon confirmed her fears. "He won't be going to the ball, that's for sure."

***

"I'll put the kettle on, love, and you can tell me all about it."
Janet's flatmate went into the kitchen and Janet followed behind.
"Well," she began, sitting at the kitchen table, "it began in my first year, at the ball."
"Hmm?"
"I was dancing with Holly when I saw this good looking piece of meat from across the room and I couldn't resist. I went over to him and we danced all night."
"Aww, that's nice."
"But when the ball finished he told me he had to go, he was being hunted. Didn't tell me why or who by. But he gave me his shoe to remember him by and told me he'd let me know when I was to see him again. Now what do I do?"And she broke down in tears once more.
"Well, you could marry this dream guy and carry on with Matt on the side, you know, just so you don't break his heart."
Janet considered this possibility. It was certainly an idea.
But no, she couldn't do that. So she broke down in tears once more.
Matt or the dream guy? Which should she choose?