Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Scheduling Conflicts
Fencing 4 this semester was going to be interesting. Most students in the class had been there the previous three years. Related to the class being pared up by size, Will rarely got the opportunity to bout against Elizabeth. Between matches he always watched her gracefully defeat her opponents. Although everyone wore full uniform, it was always easy to pick her out. Her small slender frame coupled with her feisty demeanor made her stand out from the rest. As Elizabeth finished up her match the instructor suddenly called out her number. Elizabeth bowed to her opponent then went to the instructor as commanded. The instructor pointed towards Will, then Elizabeth quickly nodded and headed his way. She quickly saluted him, then waited for his return salute. Will adjusted his stance saluted back, then waited for Elizabeth's advance. Elizabeth quickly performed an appel then a ballestra lunge. Will quickly retreated then performed a passata-sotto, followed by quickly lunging back at her. Elizabeth gracefully dodged his advance then recovered. Their match quickly started to escalade. Elizabeth let out a small scream of frustration as she crossed-over then lunged, just missing Will's waist as he dodged. Will quickly passed backwards then lunged. Elizabeth in suite blocked his advance then did a riposte. While their blades where engaged, Elizabeth performed a glide, sliding her blade down Will's, keeping them in constant contact. Will could practically see her smile through her mask. He then quickly advanced, Elizabeth holding her stance kept their swords in contact as Will tried to overcome her stance with his strength. With their faces mere inches away Will could hear her rugged breath, as she attempted to hold him off longer. He suddenly felt the urge to disengage, rip off her mask and kiss her madly. Before he could contemplate this a moment further he heard the instructor yell,
"Halt!" Elizabeth held her stance for one more moment before quickly disengaging. She quickly saluted Will, who was still trying to gain control over his emotions. His racing heart and shortness of breath did nothing to aid in his raging desire for her at that moment. Although he was wearing his jacket, plastron, and loose fitting breeches he still felt as though his emotions could easily be seen through his knickers. Thus he quickly saluted back then went to sit on a nearby bench, until he could gain more control on the situation. The instructor then signaled the end of class. Will remained seated; his current condition was being rather persistent. Elizabeth sauntered up to him,
"Is everything alright?" She questioned innocently.
"Fine."
"I'm just asking because it looked as if you were having a cramp in your groin at the end of our match." She chuckled, "do you need me to massage it?"
"Liz, please, I'll be here all day." Will pleaded.
"Ok, but hurry up, you bus leaves at four and it is three o'clock now." Elizabeth quickly headed off to the locker room. Jack appeared out of now where and sat next to Will.
"Having a spot of womanly troubles are we?" He questioned with a mocking tone.
"Jack, not now." Will replied, as he looked about the room- noting how everyone had dispersed, stood and started slowly heading towards the locker room. Jack quickly noted Will's current dilemma,
"Nothing a bit of distraction won't cure," he nonchalantly replied.
"What!" Will exclaimed with irritation as he turned to face Jack. Suddenly Jack stomped on Will's foot.
"Ahh!" Will exclaimed as he jumped back and looked at Jack with utter confusion.
"See, told you it would help." Jack mumbled as he walked towards the locker room. Will, noting his relief in one area, but throbbing pain in his foot, smiled and started limping after him.
Elizabeth waited patiently for Will outside the locker room. It was Thursday evening, and with a home game this weekend, this meant Will and the team would be taken out of town till the day of the game. The campus police were always busy on Friday nights, especially before home games. Prior to this fairly new regulation, there was many a football player who had to sit out of a game related to an unfortunate incident the Friday night before. Thus, the board decided to take them out of campus on Thursday night. The school provided rooms at a hotel, meals, and tutors for the Friday classes they were missing. Not only could the coaches keep the players out of trouble this way, but they could also control every aspect of their life. This included their diet, who they socialized with, a set bedtime, everything. The hotel they were housed at was different every time, and was kept clandestine from the players until they arrived there. This kept unwanted guests out of the question. All players had to turn in their cell phones, and were prohibited from contacting anyone prior to the game. To top things off, everyone had to share a room with a roommate. Roommates were assigned, not chosen.
The locker room door finally opened and Will appeared carry this large gear bag. Elizabeth frowned,
"You have to go straight to the bus?" Elizabeth asked dryly. Will dropped his bag, and pulled her into an embrace. He then claimed her lips, loving the way it instantly made him feel tingly from his head to his toes.
"I've wanted to do that from the moment I saw you today," he mumbled, leaning in to kiss her again. Elizabeth pulled back, averting his kiss.
"It's not fair! He keeps you late at practice all week then takes you away completely." Will smiled, brushing his nose against hers,
"I've slept at your place every night this week. I will only be gone two nights." Leaning in once again, but Elizabeth was not finished and pulled back again.
"Slept, that sums it up. Every night you have arrived at my place past nine and exhausted. You pretty much just shower, eat, and then go to bed."
"I sense some frustration," Will chuckled, "I'm sorry I have been ignoring my duties lately." Elizabeth narrowed her eyebrows,
"It's not the sex I care about Will." She stated rather loudly, and dropped her embrace. Will glanced to see if anyone was watching their little scuffle, relieved to see no one around.
"I just miss being able to talk to you, about your day, your classes, anything. Not to mention, you have asked nothing about my week. Because if you had, you would have found out that my professor asked if my work could be displayed in student art exhibit at the end of the month! This is a big deal for me Will, and I've been waiting all week to tell you, but you just didn't seem to have time for me." Elizabeth eyes started to glisten as she fought back tears.
"Don't forget that I need your support just as much as your team does." She finished, folding her arms across her chest, and clenching her lips together-determined not to cry. Will's heart dropped, he had seldom driven Elizabeth to the point of tears, but it always made him feel sick with guilt. He placed his arms around her, noting how her arms remained at her sides.
"Liz, I am so very sorry. Your artwork is incredible, and I am so proud of you for being chosen to have it displayed. That is a quite an honor." He embraced her tighter and felt her arms slowly start to creep around his waist. He continued,
"I know football has been overwhelming this season, but always remember it is just a sport. You," he pulled back to look at her directly,
"You are my life, my everything..." he stated passionately. Elizabeth finally raised her eyes to meet his.
"Football occupies a lot of my time now, but you are my future Liz." She nodded her head, and gave him a soft kiss.
"I know, I'm sorry too. I am just a bit stressed this week, and have had no one to… relieve it." She shyly smiled,
"I thought you didn't care about the sex." Will replied cheekily.
"Will, I said I missed talking to you…and you always have the nicest things to say when we are in bed."
"But what about the couch, or the shower, or the entryway come to think of it." He smirked,
"Don't I have nice things to say there too?"
"Your actions speak louder then your words do in those places." She seductively replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. Just then Will's phone vibrated. Will ignored the call, but the phone persisted to vibrate before Elizabeth sighed and broke the kiss, reaching into Will's coat pocket and handing him his phone. Will smiled at her apathetically as he answered it,
"Hello…hey coach, yea…yea…" Will looked at Elizabeth again, who seemed to be getting more upset by the moment, "yea I know, I'll be there." As he hung up the phone, Elizabeth grabbed her bag and started to head away from him.
"Liz, wait!" Will quickly grabbed his bag, ran up to her, and gently grabbed her arm. She turned to face him, tears resurfacing in her eyes,
"Will just go to the bus, I'm just tired today..." she quickly wiped her eyes, "you have to go… just go." She quickly pulled her arm away and hurried out the building. Will was just started to head after her when his phone vibrated again,
"What!" He exclaimed as he flipped open his phone and emerged out in front of the building, only to see that Elizabeth was already out of sight.
"No coach…I'm on my way." Will hung up the phone and started in the direction of the recreation building. His stomach felt as if it had fallen to his feet. He had seen Elizabeth upset before but this was different. She was not just upset, she was upset with him. Upset to the point that she walked away from him, and didn't look back. What did that mean? If Will was sure of one thing, it was Elizabeth. Despite the chaos that was his schedule right now, with classes, homework, practice, games, he never lost sight of his ultimate goal. Finish school, get a job, and marry Elizabeth. The order of his goal was the only thing that he wavered on, because he truly had no problem marring Elizabeth tomorrow if the opportunity arose. But now, what if she had changed her mind…what if she thought he loved football more than her. At that moment Will decided he would NOT lose Elizabeth. He didn't care if it meant quitting the team, and swearing his undying love and devotion for her in front of the entire student body. He was not going to lose her.
"William Turner I'm glad you decided to join us!" Coach Jones's sarcastic voice broke Will from his reverie. He looked up and realized he was standing in front of the busses. How he got there he wasn't quite sure. Will just simply nodded as an equipment manager came and grabbed his duffle bag, while Will also handed him his cell phone. He then silently walked on the bus and claimed the first empty seat that he came upon.
"Will man, everything alright?" Joseph asked from behind him. Will just simply nodded as he took out his ipod and put his ear plugs in, turning up the volume and closing his eyes. It was going to be a long two days.
"So you just walked away." Anna exclaimed as Elizabeth took a long drink from her smoothie.
"You wouldn't understand." She grumbled as she started to poke the straw in and out of her drink.
"Oh I'm sorry Liz, your right though, I wouldn't understand why are upset with a boy who lives his life around you."
"Anna, he doesn't though, that is the point! He says he wants a future with me but the moment his coach says jump, he asks how high! He spends all his time on the field, and what's left of it with me." She took another drink, trying to hold back tears.
"You know what Liz, you're right. Will is such an ass!" Anna replied in a condescending tone. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, and stood as she reached for her purse.
"Please do leave, after all, when things get tough you should just walk away… just like you did on your relationship." Anna quipped.
"I did NOT walk out on my relationship; I just needed some time to think." Elizabeth replied with fury.
"Well at least you have time to think!" Anna replied smugly.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Liz, I know you are so busy between painting pears and being felt up by your boyfriend's teammate that you don't even have time to consider what Will goes through everyday to be with you!"
"It was an accident!"
"But you didn't tell him about it did you?" Elizabeth looked at her with disbelief. "Well did you?" Anna relentlessly continued. Elizabeth sat back down,
"No."
"Oh, so you're lying to him too!"
"I didn't lie to him!"
"You didn't tell him the truth, thus you lied!"
"I was planning to tell him but he is never around!" Elizabeth countered.
"Don't give me that line! I know that boy's schedule, I hear Jack bitch about it everyday… you really have no clue do you!"
"No clue about what?!"
"About everything he does for you! Liz the boy wakes up every morning in YOUR bed, and your telling me he wakes up- jumps out of bed-and runs out the door every morning?" Anna questioned with doubt.
"Well no, he usually wakes me before he goes."
"And…" Encouraged Anna, knowing there was more. Elizabeth's face dropped,
"And tickles me till I tell him how much I love him, and then kisses me telling me how much he loves me." Anna shrugged off the comment, and continued.
"So after he smoothers you with affection he runs off to his first class, which is immediately followed by his second. Then he spends the lunch hour at the library doing homework. By 2pm he is in his third class of the day. Then after that runs off to practice. After practice he doesn't even bother to stop by his apartment, instead goes straight over to your apartment…to spend time with you. Now you're telling me that the second he gets to your apartment he showers then goes to bed." Anna questioned with irritation. Elizabeth shook her head, tears once again surfacing in her eyes.
"No," she practically whispered.
"Then what?" Anna asked with vindication in her voice. Elizabeth placed a hand over her eyes in misery,
"He usually hugs me the moment he gets through the door, and I have to force him to go shower. Then we usually eat some dinner together and watch some TV on the couch."
"But you don't have time to talk to him while he is watching TV with you cozy on the couch?" Anna mocked.
"He usually lies in my lap and makes a few comments on the news before he falls asleep. He is always so exhausted I always have to guide him to the bedroom half asleep."
"I wonder why?" Anna stated with a monotone voice. Elizabeth dropped her head into her hands, and the tears started to fall.
"Why am I so dense?!" Elizabeth sobbed.
"That's why you have me." Anna replied in a softened voice as she reached over and rubbed her friend's arm. Elizabeth suddenly raised her head in panic,
"What I am going to do, I have to fix this…NOW!" She practically screamed.
Anna placed her other hand on Elizabeth's arm in attempt to sooth and simply control her,
"Liz, calm down, it will be ok." She reassured.
"Anna, you don't know Will." Elizabeth watched as Anna looked pointedly back at her,
"Ok, so you know his schedule but you don't now how he reacts to things. This will eat him alive…I can't do that to him." Elizabeth's head was then back in her hands.
"Liz, you just have to go tell him you're sorry." Anna relaxed back in her chair and took a drink from her smoothie
"Anna God doesn't even now where Will is at right now! I just can't leave him like that, I won't…" she started to panic again, "I don't know what to do!" Anna sat back up in her chair and looked across the table at her disheveled friend, who was literally coming apart at the seams,
"Liz, I told you not to worry, I've got it all covered." Elizabeth looked at her like she had two heads,
"Anna, they take their phones away." Elizabeth replied with annoyance.
"Then you will just have to tell him in person." The confidence in Anna's voice sparked Elizabeth's interest, after all Anna did have a way of getting what she wanted.
"How?" Elizabeth questioned, calming down slightly.
"Let's just say that I can get you to Will, but what are you going to do to get to talk to him?" Anna replied, raising her eyebrows.
"Anything it takes," stated Elizabeth with conviction.
"Good," Anna reached down and grabbed her bag, "We'll pick you up at six."
"What, who is we?"
"Just be ready to go at six, and wear your hair up." Anna grabbed her phone and waived to a confused Elizabeth as she walked away. She pressed speed dial #2 and heard the phone ring.
"My wench!" Was the greeting she received,
"Jack, can you pick Elizabeth and I up on your way to practice?"
"Yes, but it is going to cost you…" he saucily replied.
"How does rum in the tub sound?" Anna replied cheekily back,
"Deal!" Replied Jack, "you bring your bikini, I'll bring the rum love!"
"I was thinking about ditching the bikini…"
"Even better." Replied Jack as he hung up the phone and grabbed his keys.
Yea update! Drama between Will and Elizabeth, wondering what Anna's plan entails ; ) Will try to update as soon as possible! Thanks for the reviews so far, they are very encouraging!
