Chapter 4: The Male Kathryn
Simon Bristow brought the coke spoon up to his nose for one final bump. He waited for a moment for the drug to take effect before whipping his nostrils clean and tucking the instrument along with the partially empty vial of cocaine back in his blue blazer. Leaving the bathroom stall he stopped before the mirror across from the urinals in order to check his appearance one last time. As usual he looked perfect.
It was few guys his age who could honestly categorize themselves in that way and actually mean it. There wasn't a self conscious bone in Simon's body and he wasn't being egotistical either. He was simply just acknowledging a fact. Simon was perfect thanks to years and years of practice. He knew just how to dress, act and speak at every single moment. Nothing and no one ever tripped him up. He came from a long line of perfect people and so far he was having no problem living up to the family lineage.
After a final once over in the mirror Simon left the men's room and headed back to the school auditorium where the first assembly of the school year was in progress. Actually it had started nearly an hour ago but he had purposely made sure to avoid it. These trivial little school events were so boring to him and if it was up to him he'd skip the whole thing all together. However that wasn't an option for him. He was a Bristow after all and because of his family upbringing he had been taught at an early age that appearances were the most important thing. Simon could miss most the assembly, do bumps of coke in the lavatory and screw whomever he wanted so long as no one ever found out about it.
Try as he might to languish in the hall as long as possible he inevitably ended up at the front door of the auditorium. He started to open the heavy door when a female giggle erupted from the shadows. Simon turned around and noticed a couple locked in a tight embrace. Right away he recognized the blond female as just another insignificant debutante who held no interest for him.
The boy who she was with on the other hand was slightly more interesting. Medium height, with curly blond hair and an almost too pretty face-he had to be Sebastian Valmont. Simon had heard from his various sources about Valmont and was intrigued to see that his reputation as a player was not bullshit. He filled this information away for a later time.
Simon slipped back into the auditorium and stood among the other students in the back who hadn't bothered to take a seat. Currently the student body president was at the microphone addressing the crowd as a queen would her loyal subjects. This was the first look Simon got of Kathryn Merteuil and he was impressed by her beauty but not surprised. She had all the elegance and grooming of a typical east coast rich kid. Just like him she knew how to appear and just what to say. Yes she would make for some enjoyable competition.
"And so I would like to conclude today's ceremony with a moment of silence for the passing of my good friend and yours, Cecile Caldwell. She was taken from us too soon and I..." Kathryn trailed off as her voice broke and a single tear trailed down her face. "I will miss her terribly and I hope you all include the Caldwell's in your prayers as I know they will be in mine."
With that the whole room bowed their heads as the room fell completely silent. Even the stoners and losers in the back row showed respect and did as their president requested. Not Simon though, he was too busy studying Kathryn and looking for holes in her act. Make no mistake he knew it was an act. The tears, the fake pity, he had known enough actors in his time to tell when someone was putting on a show. Even if he hadn't known all her dirty little secrets before hand he still would have known her to be a phony.
Everyone's head remained bowed for at least a couple of minutes. Simon kept his eyes glued to Kathryn the entire time. He nearly laughed out loud when he saw her pick her head up and then roll her eyes in annoyance when she realized everyone else still had their head down. Her vibrant green eyes swept through the crowd and eventually ended up on Simon. They watched each other like two circling cats before the silence in the room was suddenly broken by the headmaster and the assembly broke up.
"Kathryn, dear that was lovely" Bunny Caldwell greeted the student body president.
Pulling her eyes away from the unfamiliar boy from across the room Kathryn turned around at the sound of her name. As soon as she did she wished she hadn't. It was Mrs. Caldwell with tears coming down from her recently surgically enhanced face. Forgetting for a moment the mystery guy she forced a sympathetic smile and replied "thank you. I wasn't sure what to say, this all happened so suddenly. I still can't believe Cecile is gone."
"Yes her father and I are devastated. I don't know what to do with myself anymore without my baby." Mrs. Caldwell then began to cry uncontrollably. Kathryn patted her arm comfortingly wishing to be anywhere but there at the moment. Luckily for her she was about to get her wish.
"Kathryn can you come here for a minute? There's someone I want you to meet" Headmaster Hardgrove called to her from the second row.
She nodded to him and then told the crying woman beside her "I'll be right back."
Quickly descending the stage she pushed through the crowds of swarming students to get to Hardgrove. "Was there something I could help you with sir?" she asked with all the phony sweetness she could muster.
"There you are Kathryn. I wanted to introduce you to my new assistant Simon Bristow." The headmaster moved aside to reveal the same guy who had been staring at her through the assembly. He was tall, with perfectly cut dark brown hair, and blue eyes. The new Kennedy nickname wasn't an accident, he looked like a young JFK jr. Simon and Mr. Motorcycle were definitely not one in the same. That was at least one thing to be grateful for.
Still as soon as she was introduced to him her fists tightened and she wanted to swat that outstretched hand that greeted her. "It's nice to meet you Kathryn" he told her taking her hand in his. "That was a wonderful speech you gave."
"Thank you" Kathryn replied with a tight smile. "Congratulations of getting the assistant position."
Simon shrugged "well the headmaster was kind enough to offer it to me. I never would have dreamed of taking it if he hadn't talked me into it."
Talked him into it? Kathryn wanted to scream at Hardgrove for being a sexist asshole but she bit her tongue. That old fart would get his soon enough.
"Well I knew the two of you would hit it off right away. I look forward to working with both of you this year" Hardgrove beamed. "Oh, I better go check on Mrs. Caldwell. It doesn't look like she's doing too well."
As the headmaster turned and headed back up the stage Kathryn was going to use this opportunity to leave also. However as soon as she turned away Simon reached out and touched her arm. "You know I've heard so much about you Kathryn."
"Have you?"
"Yes but I have to admit I found your speech today especially...powerful. I mean given the subject matter and everything. You know I met Cecile a few months ago."
Kathryn's interest piqued but just slightly. "Really? She never mentioned it."
"Yes it was during one of her father's business trips down in Australia. She was charming in her own little way I suppose, but truth be told I found her rather obnoxious."
She was surprised by his bluntness but she didn't show it. Although she might have agreed with what he said she wasn't about to break character. "Cecile was a dear friend of mine and I'd prefer if you didn't speak ill of her."
"I'm so sorry" he told her. "It's just I'm surprised you two were so close. I mean your boyfriend did dump you for her didn't he?"
Dropping all pretense of her good girl act she hissed "how did you know about that?"
Simon grinned as he reached out a long finger and looped it around a strand of her dark hair. "There are so many things I know about you Ms. Merteuil. Including how you were planning on destroying that poor girls innocence."
Kathryn stepped closer to him and whispered "you would be wise not to speak of things you know nothing about."
"Or what?" he taunted "will you sick your lascivious step brother on me as well? It must be quite convenient to have a guy like Sebastian wrapped around your little finger. I mean you got him to screw Cecile and break the heart of the headmasters virtuous daughter. I bet you didn't even have to sleep with him to do it." Taking a step away from her Simon looked past Kathryn to Sebastian who was standing a few feet away watching them closely. With an amused smirk he told her "and here I thought Philadelphia was the city of brotherly love."
Kathryn glared up at him and was about to demand just how he knew all this when Simon walked away to be at the headmasters side. She watched him in stunned silence not sure of what to do next. This was now so much worse than she originally thought. Not only was Bristow connected but he also seemed to know everything about her. The question was how?
As she turned to leave the auditorium for a much needed bump of coke, Kathryn passed Sebastian. "Who was that?" he asked darkly.
"Trouble"
- to be continued (Please Review)
