Chapter 4
"Are you sure you aren't too young? I wasn't this young, but then kids now-"
"We're all 18, Mrs Hudson, all 18." Smiled Katie.
"Thanks for renting to us," said Chloe brightly. "Loads of other places didn't want four students!"
"Can't think why, all you do is chat." Muttered Rachel, staggering under the weight of a box of books which she dumped in the hallway.
"Oh no, I would love some life around the place, John's not been the same since-"
"Ever heard of Sherlock Holmes, ladies?" The women spun to see a straight-backed man on the landing, proud, yet with a broken, lonely feel to him. "John Watson. Dr Watson, the consulting detective's loyal blogger." He said bitterly, looking down.
"...Yes. We read your blog." Eleanor spoke quietly. "We believe in Sherlock Holmes."
John's head snapped up, and he was silent for a moment. Then, he smiled. "Can I help you with anything?"
After everything was in their small flat and tea with biscuits had been handed out, the girls relaxed on their beds. "Sooo... Neighbour?" Chloe raised her eyebrows.
"John Watson! THE John Watson!"
"How cool is that?"
"Ohmygod yeah!"
They all grinned.
"The flat?" Questioned Rachel.
"It'll do for us. But we need more beanbags." Mused Katie.
"Yes, of course, there will be beanbags. The actual flat though?" General agreement that it was suitable.
"But we must buy beanbags." The others sighed, grinning.
"Right. I'm off." Eleanor said, stretching and standing. "Gotta go pick up Luna." Luna was Eleanor's cat, and practically light of her life. To say she was a cat person would be a huge understatement. A larger than average cat, she was silver, with marking like a snow leopard. Luna was unusual- friendly, loyal, playful, loved water- and seemed to think she was a dog. The girls loved her.
As Eleanor left 221c she checked with Mrs Hudson. "you sure you don't mind a cat about the place?"
"Oh no, it's fine, she can't make any more mess than Sherlock did. Do you know, there are still bullet holes in my wall?"
"Well, I guarantee she won't do that!" They laughed, and Eleanor left.
"CHLOE!" Rachel yelled.
"Yes?" came the absent-minded reply.
"What's the best way to set a broken femur? And what's that YouTube video called?"
"Stop procrastinating-"
"Hypocrite."
"-and do your work. I don't know a thing about lemurs-"
"FEMURS!"
"-whatever, have you seen my pencils?"
"Your handbag. Cuppa for your favourite flatmate?"
Chloe grumbled, but made the tea and sat at the table where Rachel was frowning at her dark blue laptop. Moving some of the medical books, papers and other general clutter made by Rachel working, Chloe accidentally pushed her scratched and chipped phone off the table. Again. It had been through worse. Chloe was somewhat accident prone, and her phone tended to bear the brunt. "Oops."
Rachel sighed and smiled, sipping her tea. "Do I get some tea?" Asked Katie and Chloe's finger sent her in the direction of the steaming cups on the worktop. Slumping in her chair, Katie dug out a biochemistry book and settled down to read.
After an hour had slipped by, Chloe went into London to get "inspiration" (or hit the high street, as she almost invariably returned with some shade of neon shoes), Katie went to the Judo dojo and Rachel left for the pool. After picking up Luna, Eleanor met up with Chloe and they shopped together.
