Daniel felt horrible the next day. When he sat down for breakfast in the dining hall, he had only slept for three hours and he had a terrible headache. But still he couldn't help but grin as Owen sat down beside him and he was reminded of the previous night.
After the evening out on town, Daniel had earned himself the boys' respect. They wanted him to go with them every time they were off from class or went out to town. The nightly visits to McFadden Pub were not happening often, though, as they couldn't risk getting caught.
He stayed at the school for the half term in February. There was nothing to return to the mansion for; Hazel had not written him since their argument back in the Christmas vacation, and she was the only reason he ever wanted to go home. Of course it was too bad that he couldn't continue his work on Serena's gift, but since she was so busy with all the other men, she probably wouldn't even care what he did for her anyway. He still hadn't answered her letter.
Owen also stayed for the half term as usual. Unfortunately they couldn't sneak out because the professors kept a more watchful eye over the few students that didn't go home for the vacation, but they managed to have a good time anyway – much like the first half term they had spent together.
He got better at riding the horse, and the others didn't laugh at him any more. In fact, he soon became a natural, and was praised plenty by both Hill and the other professors and students. Even Headmaster Wallace had made his compliments to him.
As Daniel became more and more popular, Everett began challenging him in various disciplines – in good spirits, of course. The challenges varied from something as simple as calculating a sum in mathematics, to a horse race or swimming in the nearby lake despite the cold weather.
Daniel soon realised that Everett didn't appreciate losing, though, so he let him win most times and didn't mind Everett boasting about it afterwards. It was all just for fun, after all. Ironically, Everett caught a bad cold after jumping into the pond.
Besides Owen, Daniel also got closer to the other boys. He found that he connected well with Harvey. They often spent afternoons together, helping each other with assignments and homework. Timmy usually tagged along, trying his best to understand the difficult equations and flowery poems, but his mind was ever so evanescent, so he couldn't stay focused on anything for too long.
Things seemed to get better. Daniel didn't know what was going on in neither London or at home, and he was content with that. He figured he didn't really want to know. He knew it was really quite selfish of him, but he was happy right now and that was all that mattered. When he was having fun with the others, he could forget about the bad things for a while. He finally felt like he was accepted. He had never had any friends – other than Serena, of course, but she didn't count. She was a girl.
As things finally got back on track and the air got warmer, Daniel thought that his mood couldn't possibly get any higher – but that was until he finally received a letter from Hazel. She asked Daniel to return home this Easter; she missed him so dearly. So he did.
It had been four months since he had seen his room on the second floor with the view of the humble backyard that was kept by Henrietta's gardeners. The room was clean and tidied, actually almost empty due to most of his belongings being in the room he shared with Benjamin back at the school.
He had immediately gone to Hazel's room when he returned home to the mansion. At least she was looking better; some of the colour had returned to her face, but she was still weak. Her health went up and down, it was impossible to know if she was making any progress. It felt like a slap to Daniel's face whenever she suddenly leaped back and got a seizure again. She was very exhausted all the time even though she did nothing but lie in bed all day. When she saw him, she sat right up, more awake than she had been for months, and began apologising to her heart's content. Daniel merely hugged her and told her not to say any more. Finally everything was fine again.
Hazel seemed very disoriented and drowsy throughout all of their short conversation; sometimes she didn't pick up on what Daniel told her, and he had to repeat himself. He asked her if she was feeling all right and if she was hurting anywhere, but Hazel merely told him with a content smile that she didn't feel a thing.
After they had talked for a while, Daniel left her to sleep because he could tell that she was becoming more light-headed as the time went by. He feared that she might have another seizure if she didn't rest. When she was sleeping, her lungs at least seemed to give her a break.
Now he was back in his room, sitting by the desk. He hadn't unpacked yet. The bags, he had brought from the school, were piled neatly on his bed. He still felt some discomfort when reading Serena's letter. It had taken him four months to even look at it again. That was a long time. He usually replied to her letters immediately.
Truthfully, he didn't know quite how to respond. He didn't even know how he felt about what she had told him. He wanted to congratulate her, but found that it would be dishonest. He couldn't pretend to be happy for her; that would be like lying, and he would never lie to Serena. He tapped the pencil against his cheek while he thought. It shouldn't be this hard. He began writing once again.
Dearest Serena,
I am glad to hear that you are doing better.
That was not a lie.
I must, too, excuse myself for not having replied to you sooner. I've also been busy with the new school and whatnot.
I think it is great that you receive attention and compliments, but I want you to be careful. How old are these men? What do you even know about them? They might be telling every girl attending that they are the most beautiful in the room. I don't think you should trust...
He stopped himself. It began to sound like he was jealous. It seemed that he couldn't address her being the new centre of attention without sounding overly sceptical. Daniel crumbled the paper with a frustrated groan and threw it in the dustbin to the rest of the discarded letters. He couldn't continue like this. He grabbed a new piece of paper with a clear idea of what he was going to write this time.
Dearest Serena,
I must, too, excuse myself for not having replied to you sooner. I've also been busy with the new school and whatnot. You know how I hated the idea of attending the King's School, but I've actually grown quite fond of it.
I already met my group of friends on the first day. They were very kind and invited me in at once. I have not experienced such acceptance earlier. Not from others than you and Hazel, at least. The education is much more thorough and superior. I have even learned how to ride a horse. Honestly, it feels more like a vacation here than being at home. I don't have to worry about as much. And most importantly, I can avoid Henrietta here.
It is good to hear that you are doing better in London. I miss you. I really long for the summer vacation.
Yours faithfully,
Daniel J. Wilkinson
He looked it over quickly, then nodded to himself and folded the letter. He had decided not to mention anything about his qualms. It was better that way. If he sounded too sceptical, she might misunderstand or even get angry with him, and that would not lead anywhere other than to heartache.
Daniel stood up from the desk and took Serena's letter. Crouching down beside his bedside table, he picked loose one of the wooden boards on the floor. With a little force it yielded, revealing underneath it a small safekeeping containing all of Serena's earlier letters and the small gifts she had brought Daniel. He folded the letter and carefully placed it in the cache. It was well stocked up. Daniel had discovered the loose board by accident when he first moved in and organised his room. It was the perfect place to hide all of Serena's letters.
Daniel placed the board back on the floor, only just fitting it in between the other boards before the door suddenly shot open and he bolted up in shock. Henrietta stopped in her tracks, raising a sharp brow and eyeing Daniel suspiciously with a look as stern as a hawk's. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," Daniel answered hastily, removing himself from the hidden safe as to not attract any attention to it, "What is it?"
The lady narrowed her eyes in sceptical thought, scanning the rest of the room. Daniel held his breath. He hated the tension that always filled him when he was around this woman. She literally radiated cold air. She was like an ice queen, only worse. When Henrietta had decided with herself that nothing was out of the ordinary, she gathered herself and gestured to Daniel's bed, "Have you not even unpacked yet? You arrived hours ago!"
"I've been busy," Daniel muttered.
"Oh, well. No matter. I want you to get yourself and your sister ready, the family is going for a walk on the countryside," Henrietta said while studying herself in the mirror hanging in Daniel's room, fixing up loose strands of her tight bun.
Daniel frowned. "But… Hazel is sleeping!"
"Then wake her up!" Henrietta turned to look at Daniel again, placing a hand on her narrow hips, "She needs to get some fresh air once in a while! You should not keep her locked up all day, Daniel, that certainly cannot be healthy."
She hit a nerve right there. Daniel felt his jaw tighten and his fists curl.
Henrietta didn't seem to notice. She gave him a smile, one Daniel found to be very irritating, and turned around to leave the room. "We'll be going in twenty minutes."
Hazel didn't object to the idea. She merely got out of bed and let Daniel help her get dressed. She had gotten a whole closet filled with pretty dresses from Henrietta, which she rarely got to use. Daniel, too, had received a completely new wardrobe; their father figured that his children should look presentable now that they were part of the slightly finer society.
The air was fresh and cooling in the warm sun. It was quite the change from the previous couple of weeks; it had been raining furiously all over England. Daniel and Hazel were walking a fair distance in front of Henrietta and John, holding each other's hands. They could hear the chattering and laughter of their parents, and the few superior servants tagging along.
Daniel had to admit that it was nice walking around the rural area like this. It was a lovely day, and it felt good to see and breathe in the nature. He could also tell that they were nearing the old village, and even though he was afraid he might run into Henry, he was also happy to see the where place he grew up again.
Hazel kept asking questions about his new school, and Daniel told her all about Owen and the others – but left out the details about their nights out on town. He suspected it would be better to keep a low profile. In the distance a small farm appeared. Both Daniel and Hazel recognised it at once. "Daniel!" Hazel peeped happily, "Look, it's Mr. Philips and Elizabeth!"
Mr. Philips walked across the courtyard in front of the stables, leading a beautiful brown mare in direction of the pen. He stopped in his tracks as he noticed the siblings coming his way. He smiled and waved, yelling to his wife, "Norah! Look who's here!"
A plump woman with a kind face and bright red cheeks came out from the main house onto the porch. She frowned at first, but once she caught sight of them her face lit up and she came running down the porch steps, "Oh, my darlings! How are you?" Hazel let go of Daniel's hand and ran to Mrs. Philips, who received her with widespread arms. Daniel chuckled, following along in a light jog.
Mr. Philips and his horse came walking their way, too. He stopped in front of the porch, dragging a hand through his coarse red hair, and laughed. "I have not seen you kids around for a while. Mrs. Philips has missed your helping hands, Hazel!"
Hazel's face immediately broke into a bright smile. She skipped over to Mr. Philips and patted the horse's strong neck. "Hello, Lizzie," she said, "You look pretty today." Elizabeth snorted and nudged Hazel's shoulder gently with her muzzle. Hazel giggled at the affectionate gesture. Daniel found it ironic that Hazel all this time had been more comfortable around horses than him – and he was the older brother.
"Hazel, you simply have to taste my newly baked cookies," Mrs. Philips chattered, placing her hand on Hazel's back, "It's my new recipe!"
Hazel flashed her a bright smile, "Of course! I'm sure they will be as delicious as always, Mrs. Philips!"
"And while the ladies attend to the kitchen," Mr. Philips chuckled, "You can come with me and meet my young colt, Daniel. I've bred him myself. He's a real champion, I'm sure you will be impressed."
Daniel nodded with a smile, "Certainly. I would be delighted to."
Mrs. Philips and Hazel had already disappeared into the small and cosy house. Daniel followed Mr. Philips in direction of the pen. Mr. Philips was as talkative as always, "How have you been, Daniel? Is everything nice and dandy in the new house? Tell me about the new school!"
"Please, Mr. Philips, one question at a time," Daniel laughed, "The school is fine. I have actually grown quite fond of it."
The older man chortled as he unlocked the gate to the paddock. "Made friends, aye? I hope you're getting yourself into a lot of trouble. That is what boys your age should be doing!"
Daniel's cheeks flushed against his will as he got a perplexed look on his face. "Certainly not, sir."
Mr. Philips merely kept laughing while he unclasped the lead from Elizabeth's halter. She walked a little further into the pen, but didn't go very far before she stopped to graze. He turned towards the young boy again, "Let's go find my premium horse, shall we?" Daniel nodded eagerly.
A small flock of horses strolled around, relaxing in the warm sun and eating. The Philips' farm was not very big, but they had room for a couple of animals, and by now they already had eight horses; the majority of them, Mr. Philips had bred himself. Daniel knew that it had always been Mr. Philips' dream to breed Thoroughbred race horses. Only a few years ago he had gotten started with his breeding program when he had finally saved up enough money to buy his first three pure-blooded horses.
While Mr. Philips was pointing out all of his beautiful animals, commenting that he had heard that Daniel himself had started riding and that a young man should have a proper horse, Daniel couldn't help but smile. Daniel had known the elderly couple ever since he could remember. They were their neighbours all the way back when Evelyn was alive – they might even have settled down here before Daniel was born. Daniel didn't know, he had never asked. But he only had good memories of them; they had been the few people that had been nice to him and his sister, although Daniel himself rarely had had any time to talk to them. He suspected that the reason why he immediately liked Mrs. Bell from the sweets shop back in town so much was that she reminded him of the loving and friendly Mrs. Philips.
"There we have him! My beautiful Pride," Mr. Philips said with twinkling eyes. Daniel could understand why this was Mr. Philips' pride. The colt was tall and majestic, moving with elegance and grace and almost radiating superiority. Its hair was a beautiful brown colour, shining like metal and feeling incredibly soft. Daniel had never been near such a beautiful horse.
The colt took interest in the young boy at once. It nudged his chest, sniffing at his waistcoat. Mr. Philips broke in a loud laughter. "Oh Pride, he's not bringing you any treats!"
"Pride? Is that his name?" Daniel chuckled as he fondled the horse's muzzle. It was as soft as silk and had a blaze.
"Indeed. I feel it is a very fitting name," Mr. Philips nodded and patted Pride's neck, "Started breaking him in a year ago. He's been just wonderful to train." He shook his head with a smile on his lips, the pride beaming from his hazel ageing eyes. "I have high hopes for this big boy. I'm going to get him to the Royal Ascot someday. I believe he can make it."
Daniel smiled. Pride had warm, brown eyes. When he looked into them, he felt like he had a friend. He scratched the horse on its forehead. "I'm certain he will," he said and gave a wide, genuine smile to Mr. Philips, "And he'll win." Mr. Philips returned the smile and patted the young man's shoulder in gratitude.
"Daniel! Where is Hazel?"
Daniel turned around. John and Henrietta stood by the fence with their servants. "She is inside with Mrs. Philips," he called back, before focusing his attention on Pride again.
"The Philips are good people," John commented, studying the horses in the paddock, "There is nothing to worry about."
Henrietta nodded thoughtfully, watching Pride and Daniel, "Their horses certainly are beautiful." The colt leaned into Daniel's hand, almost caressing the boy himself. Daniel's eyes were sparkling bright green, the expression on his face warm and endearing. The chemistry was evident.
She studied the boy and the colt closely. She had not seen Daniel at such ease before. In all the time she had been part of the family, all she had ever known was a rebellious young man who didn't want to accept her or let her in. He had made it hard on her right from the start. She had no influence on him like she had on his father and sister.
But maybe he could be disciplined. Maybe the horse was a step in the right direction. She could gain control again, even when he was not away on the boarding school.
"Mr. Wilkinson, would it be all right if the boy takes a try on my horse? I promise you that he will be in safe hands, Pride is a real gentleman." Henrietta woke from her thoughts. Mr. Philips had called out to her husband.
"I trust you, Mr. Philips. Daniel should try him out, the colt is exemplary," John answered. Henrietta didn't say anything.
As the young boy and elderly farmer saddled up the horse and brought him out to the riding ground, Henrietta couldn't help but notice how much the colt and boy suited each other. Daniel sat naturally on him, and they worked together almost symbiotically. Thinking about it, Daniel was light enough to become a jockey.
It was time to break Daniel in.
The Easter vacation went by in a blink of an eye. Daniel spent most of his time visiting Pride and helping Mr. Philips with his training, and if he wasn't at the Philips' farm, he was out in the Blean, building Serena's playhouse. Thank God, he didn't see Henry at all. Perhaps he had finally decided to leave Daniel alone for good. If only he should be so lucky.
Every evening before bedtime, Daniel told Hazel fairy tales. Most of all, she wanted to hear the tale about the morning star and other female characters. Stars sparkled in her eyes whenever he told about the poor young women, who, in spite of the challenges along the way, always got their happily ever afters.
When he returned to the school, he was received with open arms. They were all very happy to see him again, and excited to get back into town and have some fun.
He had noticed Christopher being in an impressively nice shape right from when he first met him. Christopher had always been the broader of the boys, being very muscular for his age, even compared to Henry. And it couldn't be excused with a lot of hard labour, since Christopher did not do that kind of work due to his family being wealthy – and Daniel had done lots of hard work all of his life, and he was still skinny!
In the end, Daniel decided to ask his friend about it, and it resulted in them starting to spend days together doing something, Christopher called a workout.
Really, Daniel was in good shape. The physical education class was fine; he had always had a lot of stamina, and his muscles, though lean, were fairly strong. He was quick and well-balanced, so he did very good in the fencing classes, and he was starting to get the various ballroom dance steps down.
But all of that was nothing compared to the exercise, he did with Christopher. He finally understood how the older boy could be so broad and muscular already, despite not being fully developed yet.
Christopher started boxing at a young age. He was taught by his own father, who was an enthusiast and practised the sport himself. In the vacations, Christopher would often spend time training with his father. The first time Daniel tried hitting the sack of flour, Christopher had sneaked out of the kitchen quarters, he felt completely numb in both of his arms after only a few punches. Christopher had told him to stop and take it slow, and they moved on to do some other exercises for the stomach and legs instead.
They had been exercising consistently together for a few weeks now, Christopher helping Daniel with both his training and nutrition, but Daniel did not feel like he saw any results – other than feeling better and stronger, at least. He had noticed that his chest and some other parts of his body had gotten broader, but it was barely evident. Christopher told him to be patient; he would gain muscles soon enough. Daniel really hoped he was right. He wanted to look a bit more impressive for the summer, when Serena returned to Canterbury – especially now that she probably in her silent mind would compare him to the other gentlemen, she had met.
Now that they were spending a lot of time together anyway, and Daniel felt like he grew closer to Christopher, he decided to ask him what his secret was. He lay down on the floor in the gym hall after finishing his last set of sit-ups, breathing out in relief. Christopher kept beating at the sack, sweat running down his handsome face. He had his black locks pulled back in a ponytail. Daniel, too, had his long hair fixed in a band, so it wouldn't get in the way. "Chris," he said in a heavy breath, "Can I ask you something?"
The sack received a few more hits before Christopher stopped and leaned up against it, breathing as if he had been deprived of air for minutes. Daniel studied the older boy, wondering how he managed to keep at such an aggressive pace for an extended amount of time. Daniel himself liked to imagine that the sack was Henry; that helped to keep him going at it for a little while longer, even when it felt like his body was going to give up. "Of course," Christopher said with a groan, "What is it?"
As he came to sit down beside Daniel, the boy took a moment to think about how to mouth his thoughts. "Did you..." he hesitated, then looked at his friend, "Did you ever go all the way?"
Christopher's lips curled in a wry smile. "You bet I did."
Daniel's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. "Really?" he gaped.
The other nodded. "But it was not too long ago," he said, "It was actually after you enrolled. But why?" He raised an eyebrow and sent Daniel a questioning look, "Did you ...?"
"No!" Daniel shook his head furiously. "I wouldn't... Not yet, at least."
"Do you like a girl?" Christopher asked. There was neither judgement nor anticipation in his voice. He might as well have asked how the weather was.
Daniel didn't answer right away. He was thinking of the night when he first went out with the boys. He had noticed Christopher disappearing with his girl. Had that been his first time? He looked at Christopher. "I don't think so," he said, "But..." He averted his gaze.
Christopher once again raised a brow. "But?"
The younger boy blushed, unable to keep a smile from forming on his lips. "I… I would love to get some advice on how to handle the ladies. If … you would be so kind."
Christopher broke in a loud laughter. Daniel was almost startled by the sudden outburst. The other boy patted his shoulder and stood up from the ground again. "Of course, Daniel," he laughed, "We're already getting there. I'll fix you up, then you can go get your lady."
"I never said there was a lady!" Daniel remarked, but Christopher completely ignored his protests. It was time to get back to the training.
Everett said he had something special planned for tonight, but it didn't go as planned.
Already before Daniel sneaked out of his room, things started to tumble down. He had done this several times before. He didn't know why tonight, of all nights, he had to trip over Benjamin's shoes. Benjamin wasn't stupid; Daniel knew that he wouldn't believe him if he told him he was just going to get some water – if so, then why would he be completely dressed? He had to tell his room mate the truth.
Everett wasn't pleased with the new guest. It was obvious that he was just about to say something really nasty, but Christopher set him straight with one single look, and he kept his mouth shut. It took him all of his self-control not to strangle Daniel for being so incautious, though.
Luckily, the boys barely noticed that Benjamin was there. On the way to Everett's surprise, he kept quiet while the others were chatting and laughing. He probably felt just as overwhelmed with the night life as Daniel had on his first evening out. His large eyes were wider than usual.
Daniel noticed that they were moving into a murkier part of town, but he didn't mention it. It was not unusual for Everett to lead them to some new pub, he had seen his father go to. But Daniel did not expect this.
Women even more crude than Rosetta stood on the street, calling out to gentlemen walking by. One of them whistled at Christopher. He waved back with a charming smile. Daniel didn't know how to feel about this. He was certain that these women were prostitutes. There was no denying it. Where was Everett leading them?
Soon his question was answered. Everett walked down an alley and further down some steps leading into some sort of dimmed underground club. Daniel was almost sure that they wouldn't be old enough to enter under normal circumstances, but no one even stopped them at the door.
"What is this place, Everett?" It was Harvey who asked.
"Chris and I met up in the vacation, and we found this," Everett said, "It's really a lot of fun. I'm sure you will all find it delightful."
Daniel knew what kind of place this was. A sickly sweet smell filled the air, the light was red. He heard the drunken voices, the laughter, the moans. Only curtains separated the stalls, giving the house's customers some much wanted privacy. It was disturbing, yet fascinating; like stepping into a whole other world.
"Have you boys paid?"
The boys turned around and were faced with an older woman, probably in her fifties, whose large, saggy breasts nearly escaped the very inappropriate, loose blouse. She was wearing so much make-up her skin seemed to have suffered from it. She had a hand placed on her hip, eyeing them up and down suspiciously.
Everett stepped forward, his usual cocky smile planted on his face already, and pulled out a small card from his blazer pocket. "George Hammond has taken care of it. I am his son."
The woman took the business card and read it, a frown wrinkling her forehead. For a moment Daniel was worried that she might not buy it – or secretly hoping she wouldn't – but then she gave Everett a sweet smile and gave him the card back, "Ah, Mr. Hammond. A very loyal client. And his son, just as handsome!"
"Thank you, Madame Toulouse," Everett said, "My friends would like some dates. If you would be so kind to arrange that?"
"Of course!" Madame Toulouse said, "I'll fix you up right away. You know, we have the most beautiful women in town, you won't be able to find anyone else as gorgeous in the whole of Canterbury! And we've got something for everyone; we have Asians, Africans, Brazilians…" While the woman was talking about all the women she had to offer, Daniel started to grow nervous. It was going too fast. What was going to happen now? Why had Everett brought them here? What would Hazel think if she knew about this?
He grabbed Owen's arm in a slight panic when the group started to follow Madame Toulouse. Owen sent him a weird look, grimacing. "Ouch!" he said, "That hurts, you know!"
"Owen, why are we even here? I think we should go back," Daniel whispered.
"Why? This is really exciting!" Owen's lips formed into a very eager smile, "I bet those women are the most beautiful we ever saw! And imagine how willing they'll be, Daniel!"
Daniel shook his head, "I-I don't think so… Are we not supposed to wait till marriage?"
Owen laughed wholeheartedly. "Oh, Daniel!" he said, "That is the best joke yet! No one waits till marriage any more. Are you really that old-fashioned?"
The younger boy let go of his friend, realising that he wouldn't be able to talk any of them out of it. He swallowed a lump in his throat and started to investigate his surroundings instead, green eyes scanning the room. Gentlemen were sitting in couches, drinking together with women barely wearing any clothing. They really were beautiful. They looked different from ordinary English women; they had the kind of exotic golden skin and brown eyes that he admired about Serena so much. Madame Toulouse showed them down a hallway to their own private lounge, where they seated themselves in the couches. She promised that there soon would be ladies joining them, before she left to tend to her other customers.
Daniel studied the other boys. They seemed excited, anticipative. They were talking about the women, asking Everett how he got the card and approval. Even Benjamin looked more at ease than Daniel felt; his tongue was almost hanging out of his mouth like some very eager dog.
Daniel felt completely out of place. This was not right. He had never done more than hold hands with a girl. And that girl had been his best friend, not any romantic interest. But still, he was intrigued. Butterflies were churning in his stomach. Was this really going to be the night? He had never had any woman that close to him before. Not that he would mind it… But no one had ever shown interest. Then again, how many chances had he had at his age? He was only just starting to become an adult!
Perhaps this would be the night he really would become a man. The thought was appealing.
Suddenly the others cheered. Daniel turned his head, only to see five beautiful women coming their way. They looked as exotic as the other ladies in the house, and weren't wearing a lot of clothes either. The middle-class wives of Canterbury would be scandalised to see such a large amount of bare skin.
The women laughed, overly charmed by the boys' greetings. They had brought trays with drinks on them, which they put down on the table before they settled in the couches. A Japanese woman sat down in between Daniel and Owen, so that Daniel finally was completely isolated from the other boys, already sitting all the way to the other side of the couch.
As Daniel had expected, soon there was an active conversation going, and only he and Benjamin weren't participating – though Benjamin still looked like he was in some state of ecstasy. Christopher already had his arm around one of the women, a stunning Indian one, and Harvey and Timmy were sharing the attention of the Spanish lady sitting between them. Everett and Owen were talking to the three other women, one of them being the Asian dame by Daniel's side. Everett had his eyes on the Scandinavian sitting next to himself.
Daniel sighed and took a sip of his drink. It was wine. Daniel couldn't tell the quality of it, but the thick, bitter taste distracted him from his boredom and nerves. He was not becoming a man tonight.
"Do you like it?"
He turned his head in surprise, nearly choking on the alcoholic beverage. The Japanese woman was looking at him with a sly smile, batting her eyelashes. Her eyes were beautiful; a deep shade of brown, nearly onyx, and her full lips painted red, her hair long and black and shining like silk.
Daniel nodded, "Yes, it's... It's tasty."
She chuckled and placed a hand on his thigh. Daniel's eyes immediately locked on it, his brain suddenly unable to function normally. "You're so quiet," she said, her words coated in a soft, yet sharp accent, "Why don't you talk to me? I would like to get to know you."
"You would?" Daniel said in a breath, he realised that he had been holding for a little while.
The woman nodded, still with a smile. "Very much," she said, leaning in closer.
Daniel didn't respond. He didn't know how to. Slowly, he turned his head away and looked around at the others. They were still preoccupied with their girls. The woman grabbed his attention again when she placed a discreet hand on his arm. "Perhaps we should go somewhere more … secluded?"
Daniel's heart was running. He really hoped that she couldn't tell that he was trembling a bit. He swallowed a lump in his throat, feeling his skin become damp as he started sweating. He managed to force two single words, "All right."
They both stood up, and she grabbed his wrist and led him away from the others. He looked back; the boys finally noticed that something was happening, but soon the surprised looks were replaced with cheers and whistling. "All right! That's how it's done! Go for it, Danny!" He managed to send back a smile, though a little forced. He knew that he was supposed to be excited, but honestly he wasn't quite sure how he felt.
The woman knew the house well. She took him down the hallway back to the main room and found a stall in a private corner. As she drew the curtain back, Daniel asked in a nervous fit, "S-so, what's your name?" He immediately wanted to slap himself. That was the exact same thing that he had asked Rosetta, and it had ruined his chances with her. Was he actually unconsciously trying to sabotage himself?
But the whore did not react as aggressively as Rosetta had. She merely gave him a sweet smile as she led him into the tent, "My name is Natsumi." She seated him and herself on the silk futon inside, then leaned closer to his ear and whispered, "It means summer beauty."
Summer beauty, Daniel thought, his heart skipping a beat. Serena.
Natsumi noticed that the boy stopped his breathing. She leaned closer, letting her warm breath caress his bare neck. She skilfully placed her hand on his thigh, gently running it up and down, "What is your name, handsome?"
Daniel felt his trousers tighten around his crotch. It was a weird sensation. He struggled to keep calm as he answered, "It's... It's Daniel..."
"What a beautiful name…" she said, moaning into his ear as her hand ran further up, "For a beautiful boy..."
Then he snapped. In a jolt, his hand grabbed around her wrist right beneath his groin. She looked at him with shock. Daniel breathed heavily, trying to organise his thoughts. "Please…" he said, "Please, don't." She stared at him, then pulled her hand back.
For a moment, there was silence between them. Daniel stared down at his lap. His heart was still beating like mad, he still felt the tingle in his abdomen, but something within him was rejecting the idea.
Suddenly Natsumi stood up. Daniel looked at her, seeing the angry expression on her face. "A complete waste of time!" she snapped with her thick accent, making violent gestures with her hands, "Why are you even here?" She continued to scold him in Japanese, and even though Daniel didn't understand, he could make out that she probably thought he was hopeless. She didn't give him a chance to speak as she left the tent, still spluttering all kinds of Japanese curses on her way out.
Daniel sat still on the futon, trying to calm himself and his rapid heartbeat. It had been so close. Even now, he wasn't sure what was keeping him. But he knew that he wasn't ready yet. It just wasn't right. He sighed and rubbed his thighs in an effort to make them forget about Natsumi's touch. He took a last deep breath, then stood up and ventured out of the tent. Luckily he knew which hallway to go down to reach the room with the other boys.
Or at least he thought he did.
As he walked down the hall, he heard voices and drunken laughter – but the voices were much deeper than those of his friends. He didn't know if they had just gotten too much to drink, or if he was headed for the wrong lounge, but he kept going, just to make sure. He had been certain that this was the hall, Madame Toulouse had led them down earlier!
The closer he got to the lounge area, the more he began to doubt his own memory. Those voices definitely did not sound familiar at all. Yet, one of them did. A deep one, with an accent.
Daniel stopped dead in his tracks right before turning the corner, his eyes wide in horror. That voice, coated with a thick French accent. It was no other than the voice of Monsieur Le Grand.
One of the school professors was in the next room, only a few feet away from where Daniel was standing. Slowly, the boy began to trace his steps backwards, trying to make as little noise as possible. Le Grand was laughing loudly with his comrades, obviously enjoying the company. He heard female voices shower him with sweet words, words that Daniel knew were total lies. Anyone with well functioning eyes could tell that Le Grand's arms were the size of twigs, and nothing more.
As soon as Daniel felt he was a safe distance from the lounge, he turned on his heel and ran back down the hallway. Reaching the main hall, his eyes frantically scanned the place, searching for another passage to a lounge that could be the one his friends were seated at. He ran down another hallway, but found that the lounge contained nothing other than empty glasses. Feeling the panic settling in, he ran from lounge to lounge, only going halfway down the corridors before turning around again, concluding that the voices were not those of his friends.
Daniel tried hard to keep his cool. There was no way they would have left him behind. There must have been another explanation. Perhaps Everett, Christopher or Owen went with some of the girls. And even Timmy and Harvey. But where was Benjamin? Surely, he didn't actually charm the whores. He wasn't even able to speak one comprehensive word in their presence.
Back in the main hall, he rushed to find Madame Toulouse in the hopes that she could provide him with some answers. He didn't even know how to get back to the school from here, he had never been to this part of town! It was all Everett's stupid idea.
Turning a corner in the underground club, he suddenly saw a familiar face – Harvey. He was standing by a table filled with fresh fruits and beverages, simply filling himself with grapes. He looked as if he was trying hard not to bite his nails; a habit, the professors at the school often berated him on.
Daniel ran to him, "Harvey! Where are the others? Where did you go?"
The boy with the glasses turned his head with a surprised look and dropped a grape out of his mouth, "Daniel? I thought you went with the Asian woman."
"I... I did." Daniel moistened his lips, changing the subject, "Where are the other boys?"
"Christopher is in one of the tents," Harvey said while he looked thoughtfully at the delicious fruit, considering what to try out next before deciding on a pear, "I think the same for Everett. Owen also disappeared with one girl. Timmy was somewhere nearby, but he had to go really bad from all the drinks. I'm waiting for him now."
"And Benjamin?" Daniel urged.
Harvey grimaced, "How would I know? He disappears all the time, then suddenly shows up out of nowhere. What are you so stressed about?"
"We need to leave," Daniel hissed, "Le Grand is here!"
Harvey froze. "H-here?"
Daniel nodded. "Yes, so let's go find the others now!"
He continued his search for the others. Harvey followed, still a bit disoriented. He stopped by each of the curtains, listening out for familiar voices. Harvey stumbled after, trying to find Benjamin and Timmy out on the streets and by the urinals.
Finally Daniel recognised a voice. He heard a faint female giggle, and a deep voice spoke, "You feel warm..."
Daniel pulled the curtain aside in a sharp movement, uncovering a startled Christopher, who quickly drew his hand back from under his lady friend's skirt. "Daniel! What in- ?!"
"Le Grand is here!" Daniel said, "We need to go!" He only gave Christopher a moment to let the words sink in, before he continued his search for the others. Once realising what Daniel was saying, Christopher got back on his feet in a flash and followed after.
Luckily, with Christopher and Harvey's help, they soon found their friends. Benjamin just kind of appeared, exactly like Harvey had said, without any explanation as to where he had been. They didn't ask. "Let's move," Everett said, putting on his coat, "If that Frenchman finds us here, we're done for!"
In a single bright moment, it seemed like they could escape. They were assembled again and on their way towards the exit. But things didn't go as planned that night.
Everett led them around a corner in the intricate labyrinth of hallways, noticing the French accent too late. "Well, it sure is some of a surprise to meet you boys here," Le Grand said with crossed arms, fury evident in his voice, "I should like to hear the Headmaster's opinion on this."
Daniel's heart sank down to his stomach. All of the boys knew that this was it. Punishment was coming their way.