Chapter Three
"You are going out with that chap who wears the mask?" Lucy questioned as she bent towards the mirror, carefully applying lipstick to her mouth. She looked at Katherine's reflection, assessing her friend's appearance as she sat on the bed.
"Eric," Katherine filled in helpfully. "His name is Eric and yes he is the chap who wears the mask."
"Okay, okay calm down, no need to sound so accusatory. Anyway I think it's all rather sexy."
"Sexy?" Katherine exclaimed, surprised at Lucy's description. "You think Eric is sexy or the fact that he wears a mask is sexy?"
"Well both," Lucy pouted at her reflection and adjusted her top. "Do you think I look okay?" She turned round, with a flourish so that Katherine could not help but stare at her friend whose admirable cleavage was pouring out of a small v-neck sweater.
"Very nice," she said weakly, aware of Lucy's intentions.
"But do you think he will like it?" Lucy adjusted the under-wires of the bra beneath.
"I'm sure Jack will be lost for words," Katherine said as sincerely as she could, plastering a smile on her face.
"Not Jack, John. Jack is so long gone! The shitbag. I bought it especially." Katherine gave a small sigh, knowing that she was unable to keep up with her friend's rampant sex life. Looking at Lucy's long blonde bob, large chest and small waist she gave a sigh and gazed in the mirror.
"I look so boring," she commented, noting her jeans and top. "I wish I had your boobs Luce."
"For Eric," her friend filled in coyly. "Is he into cleavage then?" An image of her boyfriend swam into Katherine's mind; the way he looked at her and admired her was like the way most people admired works of art. He appreciated beauty in an ethereal form.
"No, not really," she shook her head. "But do you have anything I could wear?"
"Hmm -" Lucy started to sort through the pile of discarded clothes on the chair. "I have my blue halter neck, or my silver top." she held up the options, pressing them on Katherine.
"I'm not sure they're really me - do you think they will look okay?" Katherine questioned, frowning at the choices for they were so unlike tops that she would normally choose.
"Trust me on this one Kath, the halter neck will look stunning." She encouraged Katherine to change into the top and stood back to admire her handiwork. "See I told you it would look great. You look fabulous!" Katherine looked at her reflection and had to admit that the top was incredibly flattering, highlighting her trim figure.
"Thanks," she smiled. "What's the time, hadn't we better get going?"
"Nine," Lucy glanced at her clock. "Are we meeting everyone there?"
"Yes, well definitely Eric, Chris and Caroline, Jenny and possibly Rob, you never know, maybe some of the others, not sure."
"Ah, so I get to meet Mr Boyfriend then?" Lucy quizzed, gathering her bag and coat and pushing her friend out of the room.
"You haven't met Eric?" Katherine was shocked with the comment. Surely she had introduced him to a few of her friends.
"No one has Kath," Lucy reminded her impatiently. "That's why we're all so eager to be meet him tonight."
Their breath froze into sheets in the cool February air and they hugged their coats around them as they made their way into the pub by the river. Katherine spied Rob who had commandeered a group of tables in a darkened corner of the room. He was sitting there, his arm around his girlfriend Jenny, yet ignoring her and avidly talking to Eric who was in the chair opposite him.
"Katie, Luce," Rob called, catching sight of them. "Over here," he waved his free arm as a signal as the girls wound their way through the groups of chairs and tables, squeezing between the other people drinking in the pub. As Katherine walked up behind Eric he reached out and grabbed her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing it, without breaking his conversation.
"Hello," he said, his voice pitched at a private tone that rang in her ears.
"Eric this is Lucy, Lucy, Eric." The introductions made, she sat down, gauging Eric's reaction to see if it was like that of every other man when they first met her companion. His gaze glanced over Lucy, travelling from the waist up, pausing at the neck of her top and finally reaching her face. Katherine hastily revised her opinion on Eric's idea of beauty.
"Hi Eric, nice to meet you finally," Lucy said bending over the table to shake his hand and dramatically showing off her cleavage. "We began to think you had spirited Katherine away we hadn't seen her for so long."
"That's not true, you just never bother coming to see me," Katherine contradicted crossly, aware of Eric's sensitivity and annoyed at her friends teasing. "We've both been around for the past three weeks! Just because you are not in the same halls as us, doesn't mean you can't visit!" She felt her back tense, ready to defend Eric's actions to her insensitive friend.
"Kat calm down," Eric's voice floated down as a gentle whisper in her ear and he placed a hand on her back, massaging her tight spine, trying to ease some of the tension out of it. Katherine relaxed back into the chair and smiled as she felt his calming touch.
"Thanks," she glanced around the table. "You've been introduced to everyone here then?"
"We've met before," Eric commented casually with a wave of his hand. "In the bar and JCR and stuff." Katherine frowned, amazed and confused at how relaxed he seemed to be, for she had thought that this would have been a difficult situation for him. With a glance she realised that despite the dimness of the corner of the pub in which they sat, his pupils were dilated. He was obviously somewhat stoned.
"Have you been smoking?" she hissed in his ear.
He turned to her, his mouth breaking into a wide smile beneath the mask and he nodded. "Takes the edge off things, makes it easier." Katherine rolled her eyes at his explanation, realising her plans for afterwards had just taken a nosedive, but a part of her could understand why he chose to. Whilst she did not always enjoy smoking hash, she realised that it took the edge off Eric's aggression and sensitivity, a good move if the evening was to be successful.
Two weeks had passed since Eric had opened up to her and they had agreed to their pact. Katherine had deliberately avoided being with her friends, aware of her new boyfriend's unease amongst large groups of people. Yet, she also realised that she could not remain isolated with him forever. It had been Rob's suggestion that they all met at the pub tonight, the idea being that in a relaxed environment, with only the closest of the group around, he would feel more secure. It seemed to be a good idea so far.
She watched Lucy flirting with Eric and smiled. For once she was not getting her usual reaction, for although he politely responded to her questions, he didn't seem to react in any other way, his attention focused on the conversation between himself, Rob and Chris, seemingly oblivious to the efforts her friend was expanding. "I'll get the drinks in then," she commented, noting the empty glasses on the table and wanting to distract Lucy from her usual course of action. "Help me Luce?"
"Sure," Lucy stood up and squeezed past Rob and Chris who blocked her exit, making sure her legs rubbed against theirs and giggling as she did. Katherine rolled her eyes, wondering if her friend could ever do anything without making it overtly sexual.
"So," she quizzed excitedly, as they stood at the bar, waiting to be served. "What do you think of Eric?"
"Ooh, he's really sexy but quite sweet at the same time," Lucy commented, with a wicked smile. "Have you seen the size of his hands? You know what they say about big hands and feet!" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Very mysterious of course, makes it all the more attractive."
"Hands off Luce," Katherine said hoping that her tone of voice was light enough for it to be taken as a joke and not the warning it truly was. "What about John?"
"Still more gorgeous then your man any day," Lucy flashed a smile. "So have you two had sex yet?"
Katherine felt herself blushing like a schoolgirl at the idea, caught out by Lucy's basic way of speaking. "Um, well," she dropped her voice to a confidential tone so that Lucy had to strain to hear it above the noise of the pub. "I was thinking tonight is the night."
"Made for loving, eh?"
"Although he's stoned," Katherine added her frustration evident in her voice.
"Eugh. All banging and no turnover of the engine." Lucy giggled again.
"Exactly," they both starting laughing at the euphemism and gathering the drinks went back to the table.
Katherine sat quietly, wishing to observe the dynamics of the group and her boyfriend's participation within it. If Eric was aware that she did this, he gave no sign and seemed relaxed in everyone's presence. He had obviously smoked enough dope to lose the usual anger and fear that gripped him when he suspected that people were reacting negatively to his appearance.
She glanced over at Chris and Caroline with a smile. The perfect couple; as they were known to everyone, who had met in the first few weeks of their university lives and were now joined at the hip, doing everything together. Even now they held hands, although Caroline was deeply involved in a discussion with Lucy and Chris was participating in the argument that was brewing between Rob and Eric about the quality of the computers owned by the students.
Katherine could also not avoid Jenny's frown as she sat next to Rob, restrained by his hand placed possessively on her knee, but otherwise not included in the debate. She seemed uncomfortable in Eric's presence for she kept glancing at the mask, her forehead creased in anxiety. Katherine was sure that Rob, in his usual laidback style, had not bothered to properly introduce her.
"Hey Jenny come and sit here," Katherine patted the empty seat next to her. "Come and be introduced to Eric". She poked Eric in his side, making him jump.
"Hey!"
"Stop being so rude and come and talk to someone else," she laughed. "I don't think you've met Jenny properly."
"Hi," Jenny reluctantly proffered her hand and Eric took it, the naughty grin peeping out from under the mask not lost on Katherine.
"Jenny," his voice was softly caressing and seductive, wrapping around the listener and dragging them upwards. "I thought we had met down at the Union the other night."
"Um, no, I wasn't there," she said rather breathlessly, her Australian accent coming to the fore as she gazed at his eyes. "Had things to do."
"Well, I am sure that I've seen you around," he continued. "I don't think I would forget someone like you." With a smile and a simple gesture of his hand, curling his long fingers towards his palm, he indicated her pre-Raphaelite red curls and clear skin. Jenny seemed in a trance as she nodded accordingly and Katherine watched, sipping her drink and listening to the conversation between the two. She could tell that Jenny was awed by Eric's presence as he talked to her, for her gaze was no longer towards his face, but held a look of stunned silence, hypnotised by the seductive tones of Katherine's boyfriend. She sighed slightly to herself; painfully aware that with Lucy and now Jenny hanging on Eric's every word, all her friends were developing crushes on him. It was a far cry from their initial reluctance when she announced the relationship.
She tried to turn her attention towards the other talk that was being bandied around, but everyone was too deeply involved to notice her drifting between conversations. Transferring her attention back to Eric and Jenny, with the hope that she might interrupt, she found, to her annoyance that they were still deeply in discussion. Jenny seemed more animated then Katherine had seen her in a very long time and she realised that her friend was now dominating the conversation, Eric intently listening to her. With a twinge of guilt, she realised that she should have been the one her friend used as a sounding board, but quashed it with a wave of anger that demanded to know why her evening was so boring and why she was being ignored by her own partner.
The ringing of the bell to signify last orders made her realise how the evening had vanished and she glanced at Rob. His mouth lifted in a slight smile back at her as if to confirm her thoughts before she turned to look at Eric still deep in conversation. Raising her shoulders in a defeated shrug she interrupted them.
"Shall we go home?" she laid a hand on Eric's shoulder.
"Hmm?" he looked over his shoulder at her, the white of the mask catching in the muted lighting. "Yes of course" he replied, before turning his attention back to Jenny. "We have to go, but we'll talk later. Meet for a coffee tomorrow maybe? How about the Buttery, at eleven?"
"Yes of course, that would be lovely," Jenny, replied with such enthusiasm that Katherine's eyebrows lowered in displeasure, unsure of what they had been discussing. However, he put his arm possessively around Katherine's shoulders as he stood up and turned to face the crowd of people.
"Night everyone," he waved to them generally, a smile peeping out from under the mask. Katherine's scowl deepened as he guided her with his hands placed on both her shoulders out the door and into the cool air.
"Are you very drunk?" she asked with a long-suffering sigh, aware that his behaviour seemed out of character. He had been the sole of amiability, friendly and chatty and whilst it was what Katherine had been hoping for, it also left her confused and once again feeling isolated; not truly understanding him or his behaviour.
"No, stone cold sober in fact, starving hungry and in need of a kiss." He bent down mid-stride and claimed his final demand off her. "Why do you ask?"
"You just seemed to be very relaxed back there," Katherine reluctantly voiced her concern, not wanting to condemn him for his behaviour.
"So I must therefore be drunk or stoned?"
"Well, no," Katherine said slowly, her breath exhaling in a misty stream. "But, it goes against character."
"Shit Kat, I am simply taking on board everything that you have been telling me to do." He turned and stood in front of her, his shadow casting menacing figures in the streetlight behind him as he gesticulated wildly, the blood rising in his veins with his annoyance at her questioning. "Sure I had a toke before I came out, but otherwise I was just trying really hard." He sneered the last words, his good mood evaporating.
"But you did something to Jenny!" Katherine persisted doggedly, her eyes narrowing, upset that he was misreading her questioning. "I was watching, you did something to her; - one moment she was all uptight and then she looked as if she would lap up milk."
"She's just unhappy and lonely, Rob is such a tart that she's unsure of herself that's all and she misses her family. Wouldn't you if they lived on the other side of the world and you came to study in another country all alone?" Eric laughed slightly bitterly. "All I did was make her feel safe and secure, comfortable."
"How?" Katherine's voice was hoarse with the cold.
"Simple, just compliment her, tell her that she's a beautiful woman, and that her insecurities are unfounded."
"Like you did with me?" The question came out quietly, causing Eric to stop in the middle of his rant, realising that Katherine was potentially upset.
"No, like you did with me," Eric contradicted with a smile, reaching behind him for her hand, trying to ask for pardon in the gesture. "It's very reassuring sometimes."
"I did see you murmuring in her ear though," Katherine muttered picking up her pace to keep level with him as he dragged her along. "Great, take your boyfriend out to meet your friends and he chats them up."
"Lucy was throwing her boobs in my face, I didn't ask her to," the irritation and displeasure once again showed in Eric's voice, as their temporary truce was breached once more. Reaching their halls of residence she released her hand and stomped up the stairs, annoyed but not truly able to say why, aware that Eric was following her. At his floor he roughly grabbed her by the elbow. "Come on," he said gruffly, aware that she was upset and wanting to talk to her privately.
"I'm tired," but he ignored her protest and continued to his room, opening the door and pushing her in with what she considered to be undue roughness.
"Right," he said dropping her arm and taking a pace away from her, "What the bloody hell is the matter?"
"Nothing."
"Yeah, right sure," he jeered. "So that was nothing back there was it. You ask me to meet your friends, which I do, willingly and then I get an ear bashing all the way home about how I spent all evening with them. One of them is very lonely; the other is a total tart and cannot help trying it on with everything in trousers, and the other is joined at the hip to her man.
"I know that," Katherine's forehead creased. "However, it doesn't help when it's thrust in my face. I mean look," she threw off her coat. "Did you even notice I was wearing this top especially for you? Did you?" her voice rose a pitch.
"Bloody women," Eric retorted. "You say one thing, mean another, then get angry when we try to fulfil your every wish. For bloody fuck's sake" he was nearly shouting. "I can't make you happy can I?"
"Oh calm down," Katherine snapped back. "Stop being so bloody melodramatic. Of course I'm pissed off, just like any woman would be if she'd been ignored all night by her boyfriend, because he was too busy giving all his attention to her friends."
"But.." Eric started, shocked and surprised at her retaliation, unable to formulate his argument, aware that she possibly had a point.
"I don't want to hear any more Eric!" Katherine retorted, picking up her discarded coat and flouncing out through the door, letting it slam behind her. She went up to her room and stripping off the gaudy top, distastefully let it drop it into a heap on the floor, removing the make up from her face and getting into her pyjamas.
She sat down on her bed with a sigh knowing that she had been totally unreasonable with Eric. He did not have the same understanding about relationships as people with more experience. He had tried hard that evening, perhaps a little too hard. She was sure he was almost unaware of the spell that he was able to cast on women and ignorant of their reaction, believing that all people would treat him the same.
Katherine mused over the situation a bit more, aimlessly wandering around her bedroom, unable to relax as her brain churned repeatedly over the situation, picking up a CD before casting it down on the desk, attempting to read her book and passing her eyes over the same sentence. Throwing it down on her bed, she sat there and stared at the wall, guilt creeping into her emotion, realising that she had been hasty in her annoyance with Eric and knowing that she should go and explain. Before she had fully formulated a plan, her robe was thrown on over her pyjamas and she traversed the two flights of stairs down to Eric's corridor.
She knocked softly on his door, knowing that he could not be asleep due to the chink of light that showed underneath. There was no answer, but Katherine tried the door anyway. Finding it open she went in, letting it close behind her.
He was sitting on the end of his bed, his long legs drawn up and one arm resting on his knee. Half ready for bed in a t-shirt and boxers, but still with his mask on, he sat there listening to the opera pouring from the speakers.
She stood there unsure what to say, for he gave no sign of recognition, barely acknowledging her presence. "Eric," she began with a deep breath, wanting to say her piece. He said nothing but raised his hand to stop her words interrupting the music.
"La donna e mobile," he intoned at the end of the piece. "Woman is fickle is the translation".
"Yes they are," Katherine agreed sitting down next to him on the bed. "Very".
"So are you here to give me a crash course in understanding women then?" His tone of voice was light and she realised that he was not holding a grudge at their fierce exchange of words earlier.
"I think it will take more then a crash course, most men don't learn it in a lifetime."
He grunted with amusement. "Well there is no hope for me then, is there?"
"Probably not, anyway, I am sorry about what I said, I didn't mean it and - what are you doing?" Eric, ignoring her apology shifted himself off the end of the bed and opened the window, leaning out onto the wide ledge.
"You hungry? Toast?" Katherine's stomach let out a rumble in agreement and Eric chuckled softly. Picking up the tub of margarine that was sitting in the cold outside he slipped some bread into the toaster that sat under the desk and crouched on the floor waiting for it. They sat in companionable silence, listening to the music pour from the speakers into the room.
"What's this about?" Katherine asked finally. "I mean this music. I know it's an opera and I recognised that piece earlier, but what is the story?"
"Oh, a woman and her love for a duke that goes horribly wrong because of a curse placed on her father who is a pretty bad bit of lowlife," he explained idly, picking up the toast and buttering it. He handed it to her and put spread on a piece for himself, before devouring it hungrily. "A bit confusing I s'pose, but a lot of opera has very dodgy plotlines that wouldn't stand up to much scrutiny. Although Rigoletto is by no means the most dramatic. More?" he nodded towards the remains of the slice in Katherine's hand and slid more bread into the toaster.
"Yes please. Is it your favourite then?"
"Favourite what?"
"Favourite opera?" Katherine popped the last few bites of toast into her mouth. "I mean if I recognise a tune, then it must be quite a popular one."
"Opera is more difficult then just having a favourite one or not," Eric said thoughtfully, slowly munching on his remaining crust. "You could say there is an opera for every mood you are in, although undying love does tend to be a central theme." He paused and Katherine could tell that he was gathering his thoughts. "It makes me so cross that when you go to the opera there are all these people there who have just been invited for corporate entertainment and don't really give a shit about the music, they're just there to be seen." He waved the remnants of his toast in the air in agitation, his lips pressed together. "You should only go to the opera if you really love it I feel. I wouldn't be responsible for my actions if I took someone and they didn't enjoy it. Fell asleep on my shoulder or the like." He handed Katherine another piece of steaming toast.
"So what counts as opera for beginners then?"
"Easy listening?" Eric questioned, settling himself into a more comfortable position on the floor. "La Traviata is wonderful, Rigoletto isn't bad. Some of Mozart's perhaps – Cosi Fan Tutte?" he mused. "I would probably start with La Traviata."
"Oh, I know that one" Katherine said bouncing on the bed in excitement. "It was in the movie Pretty Woman."
"Possibly" Eric chuckled. "I've never seen it."
"Oh it's great, about this really handsome chap who picks up a hooker, but then finds that she brings something into his life and they fall in love. And it has the greatest line in movie history. 'Wake up, time to shop'." Katherine mimicked with an American accent. At this Eric's chuckle turned into laughter.
"Is that your idea of heaven? Shop until you drop?"
"No not really," Katherine sighed lustily as she considered his question. "I don't dislike shopping of course, but sometimes it can be a real hassle. I mean I hate crap quality clothes and I can't afford good quality so sometimes it makes me depressed, because all I seem to end up wearing is sensible things. I guess when you grow up in the countryside you don't have much call for high heels and all that."
"Well that's a relief," Eric commented, laughter still gathered around his mouth. "Don't think I could stand it if your idea of a good time was shopping."
"So like most typical men you run away at the idea of a shop or purchasing anything that's not for immediate entertainment."
"No," he spoke slowly with consideration. "They can actually be quite fascinating, shops that is, especially the big department stores as they're like a community within themselves. The ideas and concepts that you see and the way things are marketed at you, it's very clever." Katherine said nothing, just sat on the bed, listening to the animated speech of the soul heir to the Reighland Group, which owned some of the largest and most elegant department stores around the British Isles.
"Have you ever been in one?" He knew what she was talking about.
"No, I have never dared. I've looked in the windows though?"
"And?"
"It's okay, starting to look old though, a bit shabby."
"So you want to go in and change it then do you?" She kept her voice light, hoping he would not react.
"I want nothing to do with them or their stores," there was venom in his voice. "They didn't want me and I don't need them. They can shove their stupid stores where the sun doesn't shine for all I care." A red rash rose up his neck showing his agitation and anger and Katherine realised she needed to diffuse the situation.
"Might be rather big."
"What?"
"Might rather hurt to shove a whole department store up your bottom." An uncontrollable giggle escaped and with it she saw Eric relax at her teasing. "Be a very bad case of piles," she continued as she saw his mouth reluctantly tug up at the corner.
"Okay, okay," he admitted defeat, the grin widening into a smile. "Yes, you're right, I shouldn't get so worked up." He leant back on his palms, waiting for her to continue, but she just sat there as a wide yawn split her face.
"Can we finish this another time?" she asked with a stretch. "I didn't realise it was so late I had better go." She bent over and sought Eric's lips with a kiss. "Night, night, sleep tight," she murmured against his mouth. He lifted his hands and held her face, deepening the kiss.
"Stay," his voice was a whisper. "Stay the night with me. I want to be with you when I wake up." He drew back, taking her with him so that she fell off the bed and lay there cradled in his arms, laughing. "I mean it!" The voice echoed in her head. She turned and looked at him, searching his eyes for the true meaning to his offer. Yet Eric's gaze did not hold lust, just hopefulness. "I just want to spend the night with you, nothing else" he added as if he understood her unasked question.
"Okay," staring at his eyes, she could tell that he spoke the truth and before she could question her judgement she crawled off his lap and into his bed. From her position she could still see Eric sitting on the floor, looking rather surprised at her reaction to his plea. "Are you coming to join me, or are you so chaste you want to sleep on the floor?"
"No," he rose to his full height over her. "Just one moment" he countered and went into the bathroom. Through the open door Katherine watched him. The deep breath that he took as he stared at his masked face in the glass, did not escape her. As if mentally preparing himself, he took it off and with no more then a brief glance at his reflection bent down and cleaned his teeth with the concentration of a young child taking an exam.
He finally finished and with a hesitant smile walked back into the bedroom, sliding in under the covers. "Never smile at a crocodile," Katherine said softly under her breath, glancing at his straight white teeth.
"What?"
"Nothing, just a silly saying." She looked at him again. "Actually you do have very good teeth. Very straight. Braces?"
"Braces?" he echoed. "Oh, no, just another joyful irony. Perfect teeth to go with an imperfect face." She felt rather then saw his shrug, before he lent over and switched the light off, plunging the room into sudden darkness. It did not take long for their eyes to adjust to the light so that the room was suddenly full of dim shadows.
They lay next to each other, trying their hardest not to steal each other's space, despite the small bed. Too tired to make conversation, but too aware of the other's physical presence, they both lay under the duvet, lost in their own thoughts. Katherine shifted on to her side, trying to make more room for Eric, unwittingly pressing her hip into his body.
"You awake?" she whispered.
"No," the reply came back and he turned to face her, his eyes dark pools and his features softened in the darkness. She reached out a hand and traced the line of his nose.
"When will it all be finished?" she asked, aware that questions in the dark were easier.
"I have to go and see the surgeon in a couple of days, down in London." He paused. "I was wondering if you would come with me?" He tried to keep the hopeful hint out of his voice.
"Of course," Katherine agreed, without even considering. "We do things together, right?"
"Right," Eric agreed slowly, unsure if he should tell her the real reason for his reticence about the visit. He knew that the chances of his mother being present were high and he never enjoyed spending time in her company. "Well, I'll find out then how much longer. I don't know, but at least another operation and also some laser treatment. I have waited so long it is immaterial now."
On impulse he leaned forward and seeking her lips with his, planted a kiss on them. "Thank you for staying the night," he whispered to her and then closing his eyes seemed to fall asleep. Katherine however, was unable to seek the land of dreams so easily and lay awake, studying his sleeping form in the darkness. He rolled over onto his front, burying his face in the pillow, hiding it even in sleep. She saw even in repose that he did not seem truly relaxed. With a sigh, she settled her head on the small part of the pillow left and closed her eyes, willing herself to lose consciousness. Before she knew it, she fell asleep next to Eric.
Her sleep was deep, untouched by any dreams and when she woke the next day she felt as if she were surfacing from underneath a pool, unable to draw breath. Wrestling with the covers she opened her eyes, disorientated by the view that greeted her. She was aware that it was not her room, for it almost had the simplicity of a monks cell in comparison to the laden walls and shelves she possessed. Suddenly it dawned on her that it was not her bed and not her residence but Eric's. Shifting herself on to the pillows, she looked around, but the room was empty of his presence.
Unable to make her sleep drugged mind understand the situation, she closed her eyes and snuggled back down under the covers, inhaling the masculine scent that tainted his sheets and trying to regain the state of unconsciousness that she had just been in. Just as she was on the verge of succeeding, the door opened letting in the sounds and smells of the rising of hundreds of students and admitting Eric into the room.
At the interruption, Katherine once again wearily opened her eyes and observed him as he walked in. His top was covered in sweat, imprinting a triangle of deeper colour into the back. His odour was a strange mixture of sweat and fresh air invading the stuffier atmosphere of the room. She lay there, quietly observing as he shucked off his shoes and pulled the mask off. Grabbing a towel from where it had been draped over the radiator he pressed it to his face, obviously wiping the sweat off. He seemed almost oblivious to her presence, so consumed in his post-exercise ritual that she did not wish to disturb him and so just lay in his bed silently watching as he went about his routine. He dropped a few envelopes on the table and pulled off the wet top, dropping it on top of the trainers and sat down at the desk, so that Katherine could drink in the sight of his back.
Long and lean, he sat up very straight, the line of his spine a depression in his back. It was clean, no moles or freckles marking the surface, no extra roles of flesh gathering around his waist. His shoulders were broad, biceps corded with muscle, before tapering into long arms, strong wrists and his amazing large but elegant hands.
Without even glancing at his bed he slit the envelope open and pulled out the thick letter. Katherine watched as he quickly read it, before dropping the sheet of paper with obvious disgust. He stood up, a weariness apparent in his limbs as his hands went to his waist to remove the tracksuit bottoms.
Realising that she was about to witness an impromptu strip tease, she felt a surge of guilt and coughed slightly stirring in bed as if she were just waking. It worked, for Eric stopped and spun round to face her, with alarm. As he saw Katherine in bed, her hair spilling over the pillow, a smile graced his face and he came and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Sleep well?"
"Yes," her face slowly spread into a smile at the sight of his face and the expression of alarm that was just fading. "How long have you been up?"
"An hour or so."
"Do you always run in the morning?" Her hand peeped out from under the cover and she plucked at the sweatpants that stuck to his body.
"I know I need a shower," he interpreted her gesture. "And yes I do try and run every morning, it helps to clear my mind." He stood up and turned his back on her and continued undressing. Katherine found herself admiring his body. His legs were finely toned, the muscles like those in his arms, an obvious indication of the exercise he did. He quickly removed his bottoms and clad only in a pair of boxer shorts, wrapped a dressing gown around him. Not looking at her, he went into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him, obviously not wanting interruption.
Once again, Katherine pushed herself into a sitting position in the bed and looked around the room. Seeing the kettle sitting next to the toaster, she clambered out of her nest and switched it on to boil. It was a sunny spring morning that beckoned the unaware and then chilled them with a blast of cool air. Shivering, she sought her dressing gown that had slipped to the floor and wrapped it around her, willing the water to heat more quickly so that she could make tea.
Turning her nose up at the unwashed mug that was sitting on the desk, her gaze took in the mail that had been abandoned on the table. Unwilling to have a proper look, she tried to read the single page of writing. The paper being thick, it remained creased, but she was able to make out the signature of ' Momma' at the bottom. The sound of the shower stopping startled her from snooping and she hurriedly returned to her contemplation of the kettle.
A moment later the door opened and Eric was readmitted. "Much better," he showed obvious satisfaction with his ablutions.
Katherine smiled up at him in reply, before looking puzzled. "Where do you keep your spare mugs and coffee and tea?" With a small smile he opened the cupboard door and extracted a jar and packet from the shelf, passing them to her, along with two mugs.
"Make me a coffee would you?" He glanced around the room and sunk into the armchair, propping his feet up on the table. "God I ache," he groaned.
"From too much running?"
"From trying to sleep with someone else in a bed that can barely take one!"
"Yeah, well same here. I think they must put them in on purpose. Can you imagine if we all had nice wide double beds, the amount of sharing that would go on?" She poured hot water into the two mugs and glanced around the room.
"Milk on the windowsill, spoon in the cupboard," Eric interpreted her confusion. "Would you pass me my mail?" She picked up the handful of envelopes in her hand and passed them to him as she went to the cupboard. Opening it, she saw everything inside was neatly arranged, much like the rest of the room, a contrast to most of her friends' living space.
She finished making the drinks and handed a cup to her boyfriend, who was intently reading the letter that had earlier garnered her intention. He scowled and she guessed that whatever was written did not please him. "Something wrong?" she ventured, as she lent against the radiator sipping her tea.
"Hmm," He looked up, seeming slightly surprised. "Oh, nothing, nothing." He waved her question away and turned his attention to the other mail. "What a load of crap" was his analysis as he threw it untidily on the table and stretched, accompanied by a massive yawn. "I suppose I had better get going, I have a seminar in ten minutes. What are your lectures today?"
"One in an hour and then mechanics at four." She looked over the rim of her cup at him as he stretched again and stood up, leaving the letters in a messy pile in front of him, before pausing, glancing at her, embarrassment written into his features. Katherine glanced at the papers on the table, desperately wanting to know what the letter from his mother said, especially as he did not seem happy to receive it. She drained her mug and set it down. "I had better get going, change into something a little more respectable," she commented, realising that he was hesitating about being undressed in front of her.
"Oh, but I think pink flannel pyjamas are going to be in fashion this season." Eric teased, as he bent forward and pecked her on the lips. "I promised Jenny that I would go for a coffee with her at eleven, but I'll see you in mechanics later?" Katherine nodded in agreement and finding her slippers, left the room, feeling very unsure about her relationship once again.
Spending the night with Eric was not what she had expected to do and when she agreed, she did not expect it to turn out to be a chaste sleepover. As far as she was aware, he had not touched her at all during the night. His behaviour that morning confused her even more, for it was almost as if he had forgotten she was there. As she walked towards the stairs, she heard the voice that she was dreading.
"Katie?" It sounded curious and Katherine turned to find Rob bearing down on her. A smile graced his face, but one eyebrow was raised in question. "Dare I even ask why you are on the men's floor in your night attire at ten in the morning?"
"No," she replied crossly, continuing her trek down the corridor and forcing Rob to keep pace with her. "You'll have drawn your conclusions already anyway."
"Me?" he sounded shocked. "Okay, yes. So I take it you enjoyed last night then? Maybe we should do it again? Are we going out to The Fez like we said last night?"
"Yeah, might as well," Katherine commented non-comitally. "Want to spread the word?"
"Okay sure." He gave Katherine a brief one-armed hug and clattered off down the stairs, as she wearily climbed the two flights up to her room to get dressed and go to her lectures, wishing that she could instead spend the day in bed, analysing her relationship with Eric.
Eric could not find his mask as he searched over the room. He was running late for his seminar, as he had not wished to get dressed in front of Katherine, embarrassed at showing her his body. Locating it under the towel that had been draped across his chair he tied it on and left the halls at a slow run, his books under his arm.
He managed to cross to the other side of the campus in record time and reached the meeting, although his mind was far away from the discussion involved. He felt detached as he answered the questions and raised further issues on the subject in question and the hour seemed to fly by.
"Good work Eric," his tutor commented as Eric hastily put his files back in his bag.
"Thanks," Eric smiled vaguely at his tutor, hoping that he did not want to start a discussion, as he did not have time.
"I was hoping that you would consider joining the Maths Society," the man continued, obviously a subject that he had been wishing to bring up for ages. "We could do with someone like you on the panel."
"I'll think about it," Eric replied in a tone that brooked no argument. He was glad to see that his lecturer understood his natural reticence and did not push the subject further, but just watched as his student strode out the room. With a glance at his watch, Eric realised that he still had time before meeting Jenny and shortened his ground-eating stride. He was walking past the post room, head bent, avoiding the gaze of the other students, when he heard his neighbour's shout for his attention. Stopping in the middle of the quad, he turned and waited for Rob to catch up with him.
"I saw Katherine earlier."
"Yeah?"
"Said you are still planning on going to The Fez tonight?"
"Well, we all talked about it last night," Eric frowned, realising what Rob was about to say. "Are you going to go then?"
"Yeah, managed to get hold of Chris and Lucy, haven't seen Jenny."
"For fuck's sake Rob, she's your girlfriend," Eric spat out, annoyed at his friend's casual attitude, forgetting in his frustration about his personal rule not to draw attention towards himself. "I'm about to meet her for a coffee, perhaps you should come along."
"No, no, can't - I'm in Lab all morning," Rob pushed aside the offer, looking uncertain with Eric's outburst. He soon regained his demeanour and pushed a small bag into Eric's hand. "By the way, I thought you might find these useful" he said, as he turned with a grin and a wave before walking away. "See you later," he called back over his shoulder.
Eric looked at the small packet in his hand, wrapped in the candy-striped paper of the local chemist. Dropping his bag, he opened it and peered inside, his face breaking into a grin as he saw the box of condoms. With a small chuckle, he slid it into a pocket in his bag and continued on his way. A sobering thought entered his mind and he realised that for Rob to think he had reached that stage of his relationship with Katherine she must have gone back upstairs in her pyjamas. If Rob had seen her, then it was not surprising that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion.
Katherine felt as if she were walking around in a daze all morning. She returned library books, went to lectures and ate her lunch all without seeming to break the cocoon she in which she was wrapped. A combination of tiredness and uncertainty had left her feeling drained and at odds with everything around her.
She had not seen Eric at all that morning, a situation that surprised her, especially the stab of jealousy that hit when she realised it was because he was having a coffee with her friend. She felt tears welling in her eyes as she walked to her lecture, her day having been trying enough already. Her attention elsewhere; she did not notice the handle sticking out on the door of the lecture theatre and her bag caught on it, ripping the strap off and sending the contents flying across the foyer. "Shit, shit, damn it," she swore, hastily trying to gather up the pile of files, paper, pens and letters that were spread in a fan across the floor. Sadly picking up the remains of her bag, she felt the tears pricking at the back of her eyes as she looked at it ripped down one side and swore again.
"Hey, don't worry," the soft voice floated down to her and she looked up to see her boyfriend hunkering down on his heels, her papers gathered in a messy stack in his hands. "Come on now." He gently took her arm and propelled her towards the group of chairs in the corner. "I'm afraid it's dead," was his prognosis on her bag.
"I loved that bag" she sniffed, with a gesture, searching in her pockets for a tissue to stem the threatening spill of tears. "I've had it since the fourth year of school." Eric stared at the canvas satchel worn and ripped down one seam and realised that it had to be more then that, which had made her upset. His conversation with Jenny had been eye opening, for she freely told him how deep Katherine's feelings for him were.
"Tell you what. Let's skive off and we can go and get you a new bag and just chill this afternoon? I'll get the homework off someone. It's only mechanics."
"Only mechanics." Katherine gave a wobbly laugh. "Trust you to say that. Mechanics usually leaves me weak at the knees with confusion." She smiled up at him. "Okay, let's go shopping instead." They paused briefly to drop their work off in Eric's room and went into town where Eric led her to a small and expensive shop and chose a Mulberry bag for her.
"I can't afford this," Katherine hissed as he took it up to the counter. "That could feed me for a month." Eric handed over his card and smiled shyly at her. He did not enjoy shopping, aware that people were staring at him, but he desperately wanted to treat her and the situation could not have better presented itself. He handed her the bag as they turned from the counter and looked for the exit.
"Happy Birthday?" he suggested.
"In two month's time actually," she replied. "But thank you very much. I will pay you back - I have some savings."
"Don't worry," Eric stopped her and then paused as they got outside the building. "I thought I told you?"
"Told me what?"
"I'm a trust fund baby."
"A what?" Katherine looked at him.
"I hold a rather large percentage of shares within The Reighland Group. These pay an amount of interest each month. I don't get all of it," he added hastily as Katherine continued to stare at him, agog at his latest revelation. "My Grandparents handle all the transactions, but pay me an allowance each month to live on, which is generous in the extreme. Anne-Marie looks after it all."
"How much are your shares worth?"
"A lot." Eric did not elaborate. "I reach my majority on my twenty-fifth birthday, but until then it can't be touched."
"But you don't seem to enjoy shopping," Katherine commented. "You don't look wealthy." Eric laughed.
"How are wealthy people supposed to look then?"
"Oh, I don't know. Subtle labels, height of fashion. Not ripped jeans and tatty tops." She pulled at his worn and hole filled sweater with a laugh. "Not that it matters."
"No, but I don't feel that the money is mine." He sobered up. "How can I spend money that comes from holding shares in a company I don't want anything to do with?"
"Well you just spent a rather large amount of it on me," Katherine pointed out.
"Yeah, but that was on you. I feel like a hypocrite when I spend it on myself."
"I wouldn't worry. At least you are not languishing in poverty like most students. I mean you have the best music system; the largest collection of CDs that I have ever seen, that latest computer and you don't have to work to fund it. I wouldn't complain too much."
"Are you going to have to get a job then?"
"Yeah in the holidays, definitely. I'll try and live on my loan unless I can get a bursary; I used to help my Dad out occasionally, so he might give me some work." She gave a light-hearted laugh. "But I think I scare them too much."
"The animals or the owners?"
"Oh, the owners definitely!" They walked back to their halls of residence and wandered up to Eric's room. Katherine stood by the door, looking at the messy pile of papers that constituted her work; making a dent in the neatly made bed. "Well, thanks very much for the bag," she said quietly, unsure how to show her gratitude further.
"That's okay," Eric turned to face her. "But, it will cost you," he demanded softly before bending over, seizing her lips in a kiss. Katherine chuckled softly, but then placed her arms around his neck and kissed him back. His lips traced to her neck and down on to her shoulder, joined by a gentle but hesitant fondling of her breast through her top and suddenly Katherine felt herself melting in his arms. Just as she was about to abandon her restraint he stopped.
"Ohh," she moaned slightly, not wanting the sensation to finish. "Don't stop."
"No, I think that's enough for now," there was a degree of satisfaction in his tone. "Besides, if we are going out tonight, don't you want to get ready?"
"Why what's the time?"
"Six." Katherine's hand flew to her face. "And we're supposed to be meeting everyone at eight in the bar," he prompted.
"Oh gosh, yes. Um" she hesitated, "So do you mind if I, uh, go?"
"No," Eric chuckled. "I'll come up to your room at about seven-thirty?"
"Okay," she stood on tiptoe and pulled the mask off him, pecking his good cheek. "I'll see you later. I have a miracle to perform." She bent over the bed and started to gather her papers into a disorganised pile in her arms, when she felt Eric walk up behind her and stand up against her legs. She was aware of an unfamiliar sensation and realising he was aroused she stood up and swirled around to face him, the unasked question obvious on her face, surprised at his sudden change of attitude. He was behaving as she would expect any man to and not with the chastity he had used that morning. Obviously his talk with Jenny had cleared up a few issues.
He cocked a cheeky eyebrow at her in answer. "You'd better go and get ready," he said with a slight sigh and stepped back with a gesture towards the door. "I'll see you in a bit."
"Okay then, bye," Katherine reached upwards and their lips met briefly once more before she slipped out of the room, her arms full. Eric's reaction amused and confused her. For most of the day, she had thought that he was not aware of the signals that she had been giving out, and that she wished to consummate their relationship.
With a sigh, she headed for her room to get ready for the evening and mull over her peculiar relationship with her boyfriend.
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