Chapter Four

Dan sat at his kitchen table, smiling to himself, watching the sunlight slowly rise over the two sleeping figures on his futon. It had bent in the middle, just as he had hoped it would, causing the two unsuspecting victims of his matchmaking to be found lying like so; Peter, with the pleasant smell of strawberry shampoo filling his nostrils, lying on his back with the left half of Lana on top of his right side, facing the kitchen, his hand resting on her arm.

Lana was the first to awake. She blinked, light filling her sight, rubbed her eyes, then, realizing Pete's hand on her arm, she brushed it off quickly and moved herself to "her side" of the futon.

"Good morning!"

"Ah-!" She squealed, surprised that there was anyone awake nearby. "Oh, you - er - made me jump a little there, Dan. Good morning to you too!"

Peter groaned deeply in his sleep and rolled over onto his side.

"Sleep well?" Dan asked, biting into a piece of toast and trying to wipe the evil smirk off his face.

"Er, yes," Lana said, sitting up. "Pretty well, thanks for asking."

"Hope that brother of mine didn't keep you up all night."

"Nope."

Peter mumbled something into the pillow he was sleeping on.

"Well that's good." Dan said, trying to look as innocent as he could.

Lana got off the futon and helped herself to a share of the large plate of toast in the centre of the table.

"Leah's cooking up bacon and eggs as we speak" Dan said as Peter began to wake.

"What time is it?" he asked, trying to block the light from his view.

"Quarter to nine."

"Quarter to nine?" Lana exclaimed, in a state of panic. Dan nodded. "I've got to be in the City by twelve!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of Summer Bay…

A black stretch limousine pulled up outside an apartment block. The door was opened and a long, tanned slender leg wearing a red stiletto shoe lead a beautiful, blond-haired woman out of the car. She wore a red cocktail length dress with a plunging neckline and she carried a matching red handbag in hare hand. She was followed out of the car by a short blond boy, about seven or eight years of age.

"Beth!" Barry Hyde called to the woman walking out of the surf club. "Beth!"

"Yes?" she said, turning to face him.

"I need to ask a - no wait. First, how are Matilda and Henry?"

"Oh, they're okay. Gave me a right scare though. Cassie broke her leg, but she'll be out of hospital tomorrow morning; I wouldn't expect her at school very soon though."

"Yes, well, I'm glad to hear Matilda and Henry are in good health." He said quickly and changed the subject; "Beth, I need a favour."

"A favour?" Of course Barry, what is it?"

"Now, I wouldn't ask unless I had to Beth, but - it's a desperate situation I've gotten myself into-"

"Desperate?"

"Yes, and very much so." Beth gave him a quizzical look. "As you know, Summer Bay High has accepted dance as a board registered subject for the first time this year."

"Yes, of course, Matilda and Henry are taking it, that's the only reason why Henry's come back from boarding school."

"But you see, our dance teacher is coming from the city tomorrow morning, and it seems the accommodation we had arranged for her wasn't as arranged as we thought."

"Oh." She replied. "Oh, I see."

"I- I'm desperate Beth."

"I can see that. Of course, of course she can stay with us. I'm sure Mattie and Henry wouldn't mind. I'll clean out the flat this afternoon."

"Beth, I could kiss you!"

A/N hey there, sorry this chap was so short compared to the others...

Y'all, I've got lots of hits on this story but very little feedback. Flame me, I don't really care, I'd just like to know what you think. Please. Please.
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