- Hey, Beckett! - A gentle nudge under the elbow almost made Kate drop the tray. - How you doing?
- I'm fine. - Kate balanced her hands, spilling the coffee a little, and turned her head a little, smiling good-naturedly at her friend. - I'm going to get something to eat and get my thoughts in order.
- What, are you having second thoughts? - The bright blonde Mandy Laurent kissed Kate on the red-hot cheek and pointed to the nearest free table, "Sit over there, tell me while you have time!
With a short chuckle, Mandy sat down first, placing her purse in her lap. She put her elbows on the edge of the table and rested her chin on her palms, looking expectantly at her friend, who still paused. Placing the tray in front of her, Beckett took a seat beside her. She carefully wiped her fork with a painted napkin, but not out of necessity, just to gather her thoughts.
Her mind had been in disarray since this morning, and it was impossible to concentrate fully on her studies. It was probably the fatigue she'd accumulated, or maybe it was the farewell scene at the driving school.
Squinting her eyes, Kate glanced cautiously at Mandy's smiling face. Surely Laurent was eager to know all the "juicy" details, but she thought it premature to mention her acquaintance with Castle and his daughter Beckett. Laurent's tongue was too long! Just Mandy had to drop a little hint, and she, Kate, would be in for sure!
In her irrepressible zeal to find out anything and everything, Laurent would be sure to torture her with questions, or her noisy raptures would be sure to draw everyone's attention to her. Or he will start to lecture her. Therefore, it is best to limit the narrative to a certain framework. Maybe Kate will want to be frank someday, but then she won't have Castle in her life anymore.
Taking a bun from her plate, Beckett stirred her salad with concentration.
- Where did you leave the boys? - Without answering directly, Kate brought her fork to her mouth.
- In line, as usual! - She patted herself on the cheeks and got even more excited. - Boy, am I hungry today! Yep, there they are! - Laurent characteristically waved her hand.
Raising her head from her plate, Kate immediately spotted two guys heading right toward them.
The first to move was a tall, broad-shouldered fellow with curly, pitch-black hair. His gait was confident, springy, athletic. He wove easily between the students, clutching a sturdy stack of books. Behind the brunette, a shaved-headed, freckled fat boy with glasses barely kept up. He could hardly keep pace with the brunette, panting and puffing as he held a tray full of plates and glasses.
The brunette was the first to arrive. He set the books on the edge of the table and sat down across from Kate with a charming, broad smile.
- Hi. How are you? - He balled his fingers together, twisted his palms together with a crunch, and stretched himself with obvious pleasure. - And when will Catherine Beckett's name finally appear in the traffic summaries? Don't deprive us, please, of a reason to be proud!
- Ha! Not even a double-ha, Petar! - Kate cocked an ironic eyebrow and nonchalantly snacked on a leaf of lettuce. - Too bad you don't work on the racetrack, or I'd have made a perfect target for your heel! That's where the real, unrequited fun is!
- Ah-ha, you're a charmer! - Peter grinned and nodded. - All right, our score is one to one! - And he said, imperiously, to the fat man who was shifting hesitantly from one foot to the other:
- "Quit stomping around behind my back, Michael! I don't want you to throw me in the lettuce! Just sit down and watch your lady pine for me.
- I'm ready to do anything she wants. - Michael confessed simple-heartedly, and setting a heavy tray next to Petar, clumsily rattled a chair: "Hello, Beckett!
- Hi, Beckett." She smiled softly, picking at her meatball. "Did you finish the novel? What do you think?
- Wow, I haven't gotten my hands on anything like this in a long time! Thank you! - Lightly blushing, Michael carefully set a plate of food in front of Laurent. - Bon appetit, Mandy!
- Oh-oh, and I'm saved again! - Gurgled Laurent enthusiastically. Tucking the unruly braids behind her back, she picked up her fork. - Yeah, you'll never be lost, Mikey!
Michael's face turned completely crimson from the friendly praise. To hide his embarrassment, he spilled almost half a pepper flask on the pile of vegetables on his plate. Giggling, Mandy carefully followed his unbroken hand.
- Don't overdo it, or you'll have to stew!
- I like it spicy! - We love spicy food in this family.
- Well, bon appétit, everyone! - Laurent dipped her fork into the vegetable salad, paying no attention to the others.
For a time there was a deathly silence at the table, interrupted only by the creaking of chairs and the scraping of forks against plates. Peter was the first to eat. He twiddled his teeth with the pointed chopstick, then leaned back in his chair with a dismissive yowl.
- Did you answer, or was it just me? - tapping his fingers leisurely on the edge of the table, Petar looked intently at Kate.
- We haven't seen each other for three days, and I still don't know how your car business is going.
- Mandy, my driving skills are recovering very slowly, and yet, by following your instructions, I manage to keep up the mark," Kate took a sip of coffee nonchalantly. - And I get a lot of good advice, but they don't pry and make friends.
- Well, we still don't know what you do," Petar nonchalantly cracked a toothpick and put the pieces on the edge of his plate. - Is it possible that your classes really aren't that interesting, or is Miss Beckett hiding something strenuously from her friends?
Taking a big gulp, Kate almost choked. Surely, Petar's insight and keenness of mind were not to be denied. In less than a year of their acquaintance Beckett had managed to get to know her friend pretty well, but he wasn't left out of the equation either. Taking another sip, but more slowly, Kate looked up nonchalantly.
Petar was staring at her point-blankly, as if he were hypnotizing her. The girls of their faculty whispered with reverence and slight apprehension that, thanks to his "snake" gaze, Grigoriadi could easily guess the most hidden thoughts and, choosing individual communication tactics, as if he could see right through people.
The only child in a wealthy family, charming, businesslike, with remarkable intelligence and athletic figure, Petar could deftly adjust to the ongoing conversation, like a chameleon. He could be extremely polite and open, if he intended to achieve something for himself; he could be harsh, if it affected him personally or those he cared about; and he could be ironic, sarcastic, and even harmful, if he did not like the person.
In dealing with girls Peter knew his worth, not flirting with them too much, as they themselves stick to him. However, Petar was very choosy. He did not rush without a glance, as if into a whirlpool, in the first love affair, and rigidly and indisputably stipulated the framework of the relationship. And he never regretted the past. It was rumored that his romance with the copper-haired, lush-breasted Jenny Flavin lasted more than a year, but since Peter and Kate met at Boy Scout camp, the relationship with Flavin dramatically fizzled out.
To say Jennifer was upset was to say nothing. She tried everything: tears, entreaties, threats, but after receiving an unquestionable resignation, angrily fell upon Kate. An open confrontation, however, accomplished nothing. Caught off-guard, with her hair disheveled and earth-dusted and her earring missing, Jenny roared helplessly at Kate's feet.
- Bitch, you're gonna have to answer for your tricks! You won't get anywhere with him anyway! - Flavin was angry, smearing makeup and tears all over her face. - I'll still find a way to get you!
A condescending chuckle touched Beckett's lips. With a nonchalant eyebrow raised, Kate took a step back.
- "You may try, but what you think never happened," she cut him off firmly, "and no one can ever dictate terms to me. Good-bye!
Beckett looked up and saw Petar not far from their confrontation. With his arms folded across his chest, he was nonchalantly silent, and not a muscle flickered on his face. Grigoriadi seemed to disapprove of his former girlfriend's behavior, but his tanned face remained absolutely impenetrable. Slowly sidestepping Jen, who was sitting on the ground, Petar openly ignored her, but politely and even ingratiatingly asked Kate for permission to accompany her.
Beckett liked his winning smile and the pleasant timbre of his voice. Slightly muffled, but with sincere notes of admiration and appreciation, he fascinated thoroughly, and Beckett, not knowing why, willingly agreed. Since then they saw each other more often. They went to movies and discos together, hung out in his vast library for hours, and heatedly discussed what they had read until midnight, before they had time to make coffee.
Petar proved to be an excellent conversationalist. He had the dignity to listen patiently, to joke softly and subtly, and to talk about anything but one thing: their relationship, because Kate stubbornly would not allow herself or him to overstep the bounds of decency. All his polite attempts at rapprochement were gently but adamantly rebuffed, and over time this began to hurt him. Petar never raised his voice to Kate, but when the harsh fire of irritation and resentment flickered in his eyes, Petar seemed to keep score of her rejections while continuing to date her as if nothing had happened.
So a whole year went by and, having entered the same department, Petar sought to be near her again. It couldn't be said that they grew tired of each other, but Kate stubbornly rejected her friend's sexual lust. Her first intimate experience had left nothing but shame and disappointment in her memories and feelings, and Kate didn't want to go wrong again, firmly following her life credo: "Once for life!" Petar's advances appealed to her and boosted her self-esteem, but it wasn't an option worth sticking with.
However, Petar did not think of backing down, but for all his repeated impulses to explain herself, Beckett only gently, with a smile, stroked his cheek. With all her might, she tried not to reassure her friend, but she knew that Petar simply would not let her go. In fact, he was jealous, cruel, vindictive, and tolerated the same Michael only because of Kate.
And now, Grigoriadi, seemingly unperturbed, like a sponge, greedily absorbed her every word. And Kate saw right through Petar. When his lips are tightly pressed together and his right eye is slightly squinted, his state of mind is not at all as complacent as it might seem. The more careful she is in her phrasing, the better it will be for them.
Setting her empty cup aside, Kate casually drew a napkin from a coaster and put it to her lips.
- You know, guys, I have nothing to hide from you. The excitement of the night before had made me so sleep-deprived that I passed out in the morning and almost slept through the whole world. And I was late anyway. I was involuntarily assigned to a backup instructor.
- So? - Laurent opened her eyes wide in anticipation, fidgeting impatiently in one place.
- Nothing! - Kate shrugged her shoulders indifferently. - A man like a man, young, strong, intelligent. With a sense of humor, and very pleasant to talk to. Explains well, as if he were writing a book," smiled dreamily at Beckett, but she realized in time. No need to give away obvious associations. - A couple of hours' ride, that's all.
- That's all? - Laurent was even more astonished. - You can see it in your face that you really liked him, can't you? What about getting to know him better? - And Mandy snapped her fingers with a hint. - Well, you know what I mean!
- Hey, ladies, is it okay that I'm here?" pouted Petar unhappily. He rested his chest on the edge of the table, and clasped his fingers in front of him.
- It's all right, Petar," Kate touched his arm politely. You don't meet many people who are nice to talk to!
- Don't tell me if you don't want to. - Laurent pouted angrily, but quickly came to her senses. - And then what?
- What's next? - Kate was genuinely astonished. - I never saw him again!
Now that was the truth. Even before the second class Kate had clearly defined the boundaries of their relationship: I am a student, he is a teacher, and nothing more, but when the venerable old man in horny glasses sat in the next chair, Beckett felt at least deceived, and at most - deprived of something important and exceptional for herself.
- Uh, hello!" she murmured softly, agonizing over what had become of her smiling instructor. - And I was told that...
- I'm the senior instructor, my name is Irvin Kessler," the old man said nonchalantly, hiding her card in the glove compartment. - For a few days you will study only with me. And Mr. Castle, - anticipating the expected question, he raised an admonishing finger in front of him, - is giving another presentation. He didn't say exactly when he would be back. I think he'll be gone a couple of days for sure. Why?
- Nothing," Beckett bit her lip in embarrassment. Not about to broach the subject, she unhurriedly buckled her belt.
"And what do I really care who I learn from? That's all I came here for!" - Kate thought, grudgingly, as she started the car and drove leisurely to the driving range.
The two hours of lessons were terribly boring. Kessler was not a talkative man, and their conversations consisted only of tedious instructions about where to go and what to do. Routine, one word. I wish we could get the opposite of him in here right now!
Kate stared dejectedly as Kessler scribbled "satisfactory" on her report card, and sighed in relief as Irvine bade her a dry farewell. It would have to be patient.
Kate set the empty cup down on the tray and stood up, signaling that the conversation was over for the day.
- I've got to go! - She glanced at her watch, tugged the strap of her bag up. - and hurried away.
The boys looked at her with disappointed looks and grinned understandingly in unison.
- My dad taught me," Mike said, holding up his glasses, which were sliding down to the end of his nose. I try to drive carefully, though. High speed isn't mesmerizing; it brings confusion to the soul.
- I'll learn, too, but I don't know when," Mandy stretched herself sweetly as she pulled back in her chair. - When Kate passes her driver's license, we'll have a blast on the country walks. I'd rather practice with a close friend than with just anyone at a tedious driving school. And by the way, Bex was acting weird! I had no information, no impressions, and she didn't even get to know the instructor properly!
- I wish I was the instructor," Petar smiled sarcastically, "but I know Kate well. She'll be running around like a madman in no time, and I'll give her all the support she needs," he squinted enigmatically and elbowed his neighbor:
- Mike, get the container and let's go!
