Et Velle Et Perficere

Disclaimer: Don't own POTO… but I do own Jeremy, James, Jules, Imogen and Jessica… hmm, so many Js. The 'society' line is from Shakespeare and the 'solitude' line is from Francis Bacon. And, what Jeremy so readily believes about talking comes straight from Freud.

Please read and review…

Chapter 10: Society is No Comfort to One Not Sociable…

Breakfast the next day was much the same affair as the day before, except that there were only eight students and the skeleton staff present. It was always eerily quiet at the weekends… with one table in the far corner where the students sat together and the table adjacent to them where the teachers sat.

Those who were there though were slightly more upbeat as it was the weekend. They could leave the school premises if they wanted but they had to give prior notice and take one of the masters with them. Currently, they were deciding what they all wanted to do that day… it was, unfortunately, a conversation they had every weekend and they were always split. That usually meant that one group would go with Mr. Harper-Matthews somewhere and the other group would go with Mrs. Giry somewhere else, leaving the priest to remain behind as caretaker.

This week, half of them seemed agreed on going to the cinema in the evening while the other half were still undecided and discussing going somewhere else. Christine and Erik were in the first group… with Meg and James. They had also decided that the teacher they wanted to take was Mr. Harper-Matthews – partly for Meg's sake so that her mother would not be watching over her the whole time and partly because Jeremy was a great deal of fun. Unfortunately, the other group had also decided they wanted him…

Mrs. Giry was not offended and found it amusing that they fought over him so, and Jeremy liked to be chosen… In the end, of course, he decided he wanted to go to the cinema with the first group.

"Come on, people, that's not all we can do today… it's only nine," he said, looking at his watch. "I'll take you into town soon and we can do what you like till it's time to go to the cinema. Sound alright…?"

"You're lucky I'm not making you pay for petrol," Jeremy said wryly as the five of them stood in the petrol station, "you cheeky git. Imagine… asking me to buy you sweets… you have no shame, Christine Daaé, but we love you for it."

"Oh, go on… I'll share them with you…" she said sweetly.

"Share them with me? I'd be the one buying them… I'd expect bloody more than that."

"Alright," she huffed, "you can have the orange ones…"

Jeremy turned to look at her dramatically. "Can it be? Christine Daaé giving up her orange sweets… a cold day in Hell…!"

"You do yourself no favours, you know. If you spent less time being sarcastic and more time buying me sweets–"

"I'd be a very poor man with no sense of humour."

"Humph!"

After Jeremy had paid for the petrol and bought Christine her sweets, they all got back into his BMW and headed off to town.

"Right everyone," he said when they got there. "I've got all of your mobile numbers so make sure that they're turned on and you can hear them. Stay in no less than pairs and phone me if something happens. I'll be somewhere about the shopping centre so I'll be nearby at all times if you need me. Don't swan off somewhere without letting me know… you know the routine… be back at the lifts by one and we'll go for lunch… everyone's watches are synchronised so if you're five minutes late, you won't be going out next week… Have a nice time…" He paused. "Oh, and don't forget – no fags and no booze… I'll be checking. If you're caught, I will personally flay you alive. Off you go, then…"

Perhaps obviously, Erik and Christine went one way while Meg and James went another. Erik found it strange how much fun he was having in the middle of a crowded shopping centre at the busiest time of week but Christine was such a powerful influence on his mood. He found particularly perverse the amount of pleasure he received in looking for a new dress for her… to his utter amazement he found that he wanted to dress her up as though she were some kind of doll and revel in her beauty… but it was an innocent sort of pleasure… he had only the best of intentions towards her.

They spent a lot of time window-shopping – in one particular shop, in fact, Erik had ignored the 'Do Not Touch' sign and had played Christine a sonata on one of the show-pianos. The shop assistant, who had originally gone to have him removed, stopped and listened as he entertained the customers. She even asked if he ever busked with another instrument. He didn't, of course – but only because he detested the crowds that would no doubt form.

All in all, he had quite a good day… He didn't buy anything for himself but he bought Christine a dress as a surprise present while she was in the toilets; it was perfect for her… He intended to ask her to go to the celebrations on Guy Fawkes Night with him, even though it was a couple of months away, and he hoped she would wear it then. Of course, they would have to get through seven weeks of school and the Halloween holidays before then… he hoped they would still be close by then.

When they got back to the lifts just before one o'clock, Jeremy was already there waiting… Meg and James had yet to arrive. "Thank God," Jeremy said dramatically, "I was beginning to look like a complete spanner standing here all by myself hanging about the pay-stations as though I'm some kind of God-forsaken scallywag… I tell you, next time we're meeting in one of the caffs. Now… hand over your bags, pets, time for me to get another formality out of the way…"

Christine laughed and handed him a bag with just a CD in it, which, of course, did not take long to check. Erik was reluctant to give Jeremy the bag with Christine's dress in it because she was standing right behind him. He gently pulled Jeremy to one side, so that she couldn't see, and handed him the bag.

"Should I be worried?" Jeremy asked apprehensively as he looked inside the bag. "You're not a cross-dresser, are you?"

Erik shook his head fervently. "It's a present for Christine… I didn't want her to see."

"Well, in that case… I commend you on your good taste, young man," Jeremy said, patting his shoulder as Meg and James approached them with considerably more bags. Jeremy sighed irritably and moved to check theirs. "It's always you two, isn't it? I swear, you try to make things difficult for me… You couldn't have one bag… no…" he muttered sardonically, "You have to have several… the epitome of extravagance… what a pair." Christine couldn't help but smile at the way he loved to complain… it was more than a hobbie for him – it was a sport.

After Jeremy had paid and they all got into his car, they left the multi-storey car park in favour of looking for somewhere to have lunch. "So, what do you fancy?" Jeremy asked as he drove down the dual carriageway. "Drive-through or sit-in? Actually, I know a good café… that suit everyone?"

They all agreed and headed off towards the restaurant-café Jeremy suggested. It was a nice place and quiet enough at that time of day that Erik was not completely uncomfortable. He sat down beside Christine, opposite Meg and James, while Jeremy sat at one of the ends of the table. "What are we all having?" Jeremy asked as they looked at their menus.

"I don't know about the little herbivore sitting across from me," Meg teased, looking at Christine. "But I want something with a bit more measure to it than celery."

"I don't even like celery," Christine said, irritated. "You know, there's a lot more to vegetarianism than salad…"

"Whatever, Christine… You just nibble away on your lettuce while the rest of us have some real food."

"Sir…" Christine whined at Jeremy.

He was still looking at his menu but was rather amused by the conversation. "Yes, my little veggieburger?"

"Et tu, Brute?" Christine cried, melodramatically, hand over her heart.

"Oh, come on, Blue Eyes… if you want to eat rabbit-food, then who am I to stop you? Doesn't mean I can't tease you though…"

Soon after Jeremy had ordered, they were all eating enthusiastically and were talking about what film they wanted to see. James had a broadsheet folded over at the cinema listings on the table in front of him. "We can't see that new one," he said. "It's on too late for us to get back by last-checks at nine. And that comedy that you wanted to see, Meg… it started half an hour ago and isn't shown again until tomorrow. The rest are a load of crap… except the horror that the rest of us wanted to see… but," he said, looking up at Jeremy, "it's an 18 cert and we're all seventeen… and Sir is just so proper…"

"Yes, yes… I get what you're saying… your subtlety, James," he said dryly, "is something to be marvelled at… You want me to let you see an 18… Fat chance, dears… unless you plan on telling the front-of-house manager that your uniforms are merely a political statement representing the social implication of the homogeneousness of the British government's dictations when it comes to 'public', that is, private schools…" he trailed off leaving everyone around the table suitably speechless. "The looks on your faces…" he laughed. "Fine… I'll get the tickets but the four of you are paying – for me as well – and you'd better keep out of sight… and if you tell anyone that I let you see an 18, I'll make bloody sure you can't sit on arses for a month…"

When they'd all finished and Jeremy had given the restaurant a cheque, they headed towards the cinema. It was just after three when they got there and the film started at half passed so Jeremy just got the tickets and took them straight in. The four teenagers had gotten the snacks while he was distracting the man with the tickets. It had been a real effort though getting them passed the man checking the tickets and towards the screens… Jeremy had struck up a conversation with him about the biggest load of piffle so that he would not notice the name of the film on the tickets as Meg, Christine, Erik and James had slipped passed him.

The film itself was hilarious – an odd thing to say about a horror movie – but the combination of the company they were in and the implausibility of the events in the film caused the five of them to laugh when everyone else was cringing. Jeremy was sitting in the middle of the row to keep an eye on everyone – also affording him the best view of the screen – with Meg and Christine on either side, and James and Erik at the outsides. They were sitting quite near the back in a reasonably empty screen – after all, it was half three in the afternoon and the only people who watch horror films at that time of day tended to be few and far between. Nevertheless, they had a great deal of fun…

Later that day, after they had all eaten, Meg, James, Raoul, Jules, Imogen and Jessica decided to head to the lounge in the boys' halls to watch a DVD. They had asked Christine who had gone to find out if Erik would join them first.

He was reading a book on the bed in his room when she came in and sat with him. "We were all going to watch a film… do you want to join us?"

"No, thank you, my angel… but I've had enough needless social interaction and talking for one day," he said as he continued reading.

"I thought you enjoyed today…" Christine said, hurt.

Erik sighed, placing a bookmark where he had left off, and laid the book to one side. "I'm sorry, Angel, I've upset you again for no reason… of course I enjoyed myself today… I did not realise I could have such fun with so many people around… and it's all because of you." He paused and looked down at his lap. "To you, socialising is something you do everyday and something you would not wish to be deprived of… but society is no comfort to one not sociable."

"Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god," she quoted from a lesson of Jeremy's that they'd had together earlier in the week, trying to make him laugh.

"And I think we both know which one of those I am…"

Christine moved closer to him and placed a comforting hand on his lower arm. "Erik, you know you can always talk to me about anything…"

"What the hell good is talking going to do?" he snapped, pulling his arm away from her.

"Well… apparently, and so Jeremy so readily believes, talking is a way of turning hysterical misery into normal human unhappiness… If you tell me what's wrong… perhaps I can make you feel better…"

"You flatter yourself…" he scoffed. "What makes you think you can help me…?"

Christine sighed and left the room, trying not to feel too upset as she made her way to her room to change into her pyjamas and robe before going to the lounge to join the others watching the film. After a while, Jeremy came wandering in, in his dressing gown for the last-checks. "Come on, people…" he yawned. "It's after nine… you should be in your own rooms doing… whatever."

"Come on, sir… let us watch the film till the end… it's a Saturday – it's not like we have to get up in the morning," Meg said.

"Yes, you do… you've got Mass in the morning and I'll get it in the neck if I let the lot of you stay up and you end up bleary-eyed in church tomorrow."

"But, even if you sent us to our rooms… you couldn't make us sleep… this way, we'll stay out of trouble and you won't have to listen to us whingeing…" James argued.

"Bloody children…" Jeremy mumbled as he threw himself down into an unoccupied armchair by the television. Meg, James, Raoul, Jules and Imogen were sitting on the sofa, Jessica was sitting on the floor in front of them and Christine was sitting in the huge armchair opposite Jeremy.

Another short while later, a quiet figure entered the room and made his way over to Christine… He slid into the armchair with her and leaned back to watch the film… they were both slim enough that they could share the same chair without being uncomfortable and the fact that he had willingly sat down in it with her was his way of apologising… At his entrance, nobody had batted an eyelid… and he was glad. Christine, however, reached down and squeezed his hand gently but did not let go for the remainder of the film.

"Alright, you've gotten your way… now, off to your rooms before Mrs. Giry has my head…" Jeremy said when the DVD was finished.

As everyone got up reluctantly and made their way to their rooms, Christine stood out of the chair only to feel even more light-headed and fall back into the seat. Erik caught her worriedly and felt her forehead as Jeremy came towards them.

"What's wrong, Christine?" Jeremy asked, concerned.

"I don't know… I just feel dizzy… I haven't felt well since before we started watching this."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jeremy asked as Christine shrugged her shoulders.

"Look, I'm fine… I just feel a bit… out of sorts."

Jeremy laid his hand across her forehead and sighed. "Well, you have a temperature… I think we should get you to bed…" he said as he lifted her into his arms and carried her towards St. Mary's with Erik following, berating himself violently that he had not noticed she was unwell.

Jeremy got her up to her room and deposited her in her bed delicately as Erik stood awkwardly off to the side. Jeremy brushed her hair behind her ear and settled the covers over her as she already started to doze off.

"Goodnight, sweetheart…" he whispered.

"Great programme, that…" she murmured sleepily, just on the edge of falling fully asleep.

"Yes, now, goodnight…" Jeremy said, placing a chaste kiss to her forehead and heading towards the doorway.

Erik was reluctant to leave her but Jeremy ushered him out of the room, closing the door quietly behind them.

"It's alright, Erik… she'll be fine… I expect it's just the flu or perhaps a bug. Come… let's let her sleep…" Jeremy said, squeezing his shoulder gently.

Erik spared one final worried glance towards her door and followed Jeremy out, back to St. Patrick's. He wondered, as they walked away in the darkness, why he could do nothing but hurt her…

© Copyright of CrawfordsBiscuits, October 2005

There'll be some drama coming up in Chapter 13… ooh, I can't wait. Rubs hands together while grinning unnervingly… And, for that matter, look out for some real drama around Chapters 29-31, though those numbers are not set in stone yet, but I do already have them written.