Hey there, sorry for the lack of the chapter last week, I went away for a wedding and when I got to where we were, there was a total lack of internet connectivity and this at quite a pricey beach hotel/resort, sometimes I forget that I live in the developing world. Anyway hope you enjoy and please post your thoughts, even if it's to say you don't like it. I wanna hear from as many people as possible. Not only do I enjoy them some of the comments actually cause me to rethink and rewrite aspects and outcomes in the story.
Thanks
Angelus
Chapter 7
Eric sat at his computer with his shirt off, just whiling the time away the time till his next lecture. Even with the windows open the heat of the late summer sun made his room just a bit too hot. Sitting there, letting his mind drift from what was on the screen, slowly sipping on a ice-cold cola, Eric smiled softly as his mind drifted off to the memory of the night before. For a night that had started so horribly the end had been rather wonderful.
Those hours that he and Carter had spent together at both the hospital and the diner had been amazing. The captivating manner in which his eyes twinkled, always as a precursor and warning to those little quips of his. The accent that seemed to grow stronger and more pronounced as the time passed. The way in which even without purposefully trying to do it, he seemed to get Eric to open up more and more about himself, more than he’d ever been able to talk about to anyone ever since – ever since what had happened. All these to Eric, had made what had made the night a memory to cherish for Eric.
As quickly and as wonderfully as the memories of Carter and the night before had entered his mind, Eric’s mind wondered back to Professor Keller. The way in which his eyes bored into him, seeming to desperately claw away at the layers and walls that Eric had built around himself. Everytime that Professor Keller had fixed his eyes upon him, looked at him, stared at him, Eric had felt his heart skip not a beat, but multiple beats, there was just something about the Professor...
While they were different, there was something that Eric could not deny, was so similar in both Carter and Prof. Keller. In their own ways, Carter so softly, gently, calmingly called to him. Whereas with Prof. Keller there was such a fervour there, such a desperation, which however different from Carter also ultimately called to Eric.
“Well whatever this all is. None of it’s coming to anything. Carter or Professor Keller, totally off bounds,” Eric announced to himself loudly, attempting to clear his mind of both Carter and the Professor.
“I knew it!” came a shout from Donna as she bounded into Eric’s room surprising home as she did so. “I knew it, you were just playing dumb yesterday with Professor Keller and," she said drawing out the syllable as though savouring the moment, "there was something going between you and your lil’ James Bond!”
Eric rolled his eyes as he got up from his desk clearing stuff up around the room, “Ok Donna, you got me, but as you eavesdropped it’s all gonna come to nothing, it’s stupid little crushes.”
Flopping onto Eric’s bed fanning herself with a loose sheaf of papers Donna said with a breath of exasperation, “That may be what it is right now and if you do your usual thing and just sit here daydreaming about it that’s where it’ll stay.” Unexpectedly flipping around and turning to Eric she said plaintively, “Come on Eric, you’ve got to get out there, you’re like a hottie-extraordinaire. Like a million guys would kill to get with you…”
Jumping in Eric said, “Not to say that I think you’re right about the whole million guys thing, but I don’t want to be gotten with.” Looking off a bit he said, “Donna I don’t wanna do the usual young gay guy thing, sleep around with anyone and everyone who gives me the slightest look. I did that, and I don’t wanna go back there. I want more. I want something special.”
Lifting an eyebrow sardonically “Guess who’s been watching to many Julia Roberts movies?”
“No Donna, I’m serious. I know it’s a cornball thing but it’s what I want. I want something that’s gonna last more than one night; I just want that thing that they’re always going on about.”
“ ’kay, I get whatcha saying but in-between all this love and happiness for ever and ever thing you have going, have you ever thought that you’re only gonna be young once, and that’s what we are, young. This is our time to have fun, to explore, to find out.”
“You’re not hearing me are you? I just said that I’ve already done that…”
Sitting up from the bed and looking at Eric head-on, Donna said, subdued, “But Eric, that – all of that – what you went through, It was all because of…” The look that Eric shot her stopped her dead in her tracks. Pausing a bit noticeably anxious about this side to Eric, Donna kept on, “it wasn’t because you were looking for fun, you were trying to get away from everything else. You still need to give yourself a chance for fun, for play,” her usual exuberance slowly returning as she lay back onto the bed and went on, “to find cute boys and just let go.”
Grabbing a towel, to get ready for his 2nd shower of the day, exasperated Eric said, “No Donna, you’re not getting me at all on this, I don’t want fun, I want something more meaningful. You of all people should understand why…” Eric’s voice slowly trailed off as the memories started to flood his mind.
Lying there as Eric got ready to go take his shower, Donna was silent for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip, “Okay, I get what you’re saying, but either way, you need to get out there, show people that you’re open to finding, actually looking for this ‘something special’ you want.” Her usual jokey nature coming forth again, Donna continued, “Something special is out there and as I said, as a result of too much Julia, I think you believe that it’s gonna happen magically. This is life, no ‘diffident’ British chap is gonna bump into you pouring a cup of orange juice down your shirt resulting in – sparks! Seriously though, don’t be so busy looking for the sparks that you miss what’s right in front of you.” With a playful glint in here eye Donna said, “Actually maybe I’m wrong – you know the blonde plays with the brain – because come to think of it, you’ve found yourself a diffident British guy, he sorta-kinda bumped into you, okay there may be no orange juice, but hey it would never be perfect would it?”
Laughing at that last statement Eric said as he towards the door, “You know Donna, you were on a roll there, for a second, and the Donna that I know just had to come back.”
“Just think about what I said,” shouted Donna as Eric left the room.
* * * * * * * *
“Hello there, anyone home,” asked Carter gently knocking on Eric’s door, “oh, I’m sorry – uhhmm – I was hoping to catch Eric before Professor Keller’s class,” Carter said stepping back slightly as Donna opened the door.
The smile on her spreading as she saw who it was at the door, Donna said, “Aah, Prince William, so strange that we should be standing like this, I pretty much expected you to be letting me in this morning.”
Carter laughing and shaking his head said, “Firstly it’s Carter, and if you really want to be proper, it’s Lord Winthrop, don’t know William that well, he’s a nice enough bloke and all, but I wouldn’t want to be him,” whispering he finished, “crazy family and – I do like my hair.”
Flopping back down onto the bed Donna looking over her nails, “Lord is it? Well, that’s interesting, but forget that, you know the prince.” A faint smile on her face as she stared off she said, “I’ve always figured myself as somewhat royal – Princess Donna, fits well – so can I have his number?”
A strange look on his face Carter stammered a bit before answering, “somehow I don’t see her majesty approving of an American to take over her title one day, besides, monarchs-in-waiting marrying Americans… Not a good history there.”
Rapidly turning her attention back to Carter, Donna said slyly, “Oh I see, a lowly American commoner is not good enough for your dear motherland, yet here you are, deeming yourself good enough for my Eric, how presumptuous.”
“As I said last night…”
“No, this morning dear.”
“Ok, this morning then, but not in the ‘this morning’ you’re insinuating – you’ve got the entire story between Eric and me wrong. We’re only friends, actually I’m not even sure we’re friends, I’ve known him less that 24hrs…” Carter stopped speaking for a second, the strange look on his face even stranger, looked at Donna and said incredulous, “You don’t care?”
A look of pure innocent bafflement on her face Donna asked, “Care? About what?”
“What I said!”
“That there’s nothing going on between you and Eric – like I’m an idiot or something – that hardly surprises me.” Seeming to find her nails fascinating again Donna said carefully inspecting them, “All I’ve heard you say since I’ve met you is either, ‘I’m sorry,’ or ‘there’s nothing going on between me and Eric.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about! The Lord thing!”
“What Lord thing?”
“The fact that I’m a Lord, I’m Lord bleeding Winthrop”
With feigned shock Donna leapt from the bed asking, “You’re bleeding?!?”
It was at that exact moment Eric walked into a scene that thoroughly threw him. They all stood there for a moment Carter and Eric unsure what to make of the situation, particularly the situation that Eric was dressed in nothing but a towel, a towel that had barely been used as he was still dripping water.
With a simpering smile Donna said, “Well boys that’s my cue to leave. Don’t think my mother would be too pleased to find me here what with 2 boys one naked and a bed, no not at all, mother would most certainly disapprove.” Slowly walking up to Eric, Donna whispered into his ear, “Hope that shower wasn’t cold, wouldn’t want you embarrassing yourself, and think about what we were talking about earlier.” Looking to Carter she said, an eyebrow arched suggestively, “Goodbye, milord,” looking back to Eric she finished sashaying out the door, “So very presumptuous.”
The door closed, leaving Carter and Eric alone, very much uncomfortable, Carter was the first to crack, “I’m sorry – uhhmm – I just came to check up on you.”
“Oh I’m fine.” Another awkward silence descended between them after Eric’s abrupt answer.
“Where’s your crutch…” “A Lord…” they both spoke at the same time, desperate to fill the silence that engulfed the room.
Laughing slightly as Eric gave a shy smile, Carter said, “Yes – a Lord, you’re friend had me going there for a minute.”
“Well Donna can get to people like that. It’s best not to get into a back and forth with her. I’ve known her for years and I’m yet to see her gotten the better of,” answered Eric as he awkwardly grabbed a second towel and started to vigorously towel himself off.
In that second he totally forgot about his injured ankle and with a yelp of pain went tumbling headlong into the arms of Carter. After a moment of silence, where neither Carter nor Eric dared nor sought to move, Carter said in a breathy voice, “Well by now you should certainly be comfortable here.”
Careful to not to step too heavily on his left ankle, Eric again found himself disentangling himself from Carter’s arms and went for his crutch, “Sorry about that, the whole injured ankle thing totally left my mind,” lifting the crutch apologetically, he went on, “thought showering would be easier without this.”
Straightening his clothes out with a tight smile on his face, Carter answered with a terse, “Makes sense.”
Eric was concerned as another uncomfortable silence descended upon the room. In all the day-dreams that had slipped through the tight gates he’d constructed to hold his imagination at bay, when he and Carter were together uncomfortable silences were not a feature, conversation flowed freely between them, as freely as it had last night. Something was different today, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on, but something nonetheless, “Is everything okay?”
“Of course, why would you ask that,” Carter asked, the distinct absence of his usual easygoing smile signalling to Eric that he wasn’t exactly being truthful.
Hobbling to his wardrobe to get some clothes unsure of what to say, “Well, I don’t know really, you just seem… kinda different from last night. I dunno really, less talkative?”
A smile returning to his face again Carter said, taking Donna’s place on the bed, “Oh so you enjoyed my conversation last night did you. Even the parts that you seemed to not enjoy,” he finished that patented twinkle in his eyes again.
Smiling as he slipped a t-shirt over his head Eric said, “My teachers always said be careful what you wish for, shoulda listened to them.”
With a playful sound of disappointment in his voice Carter couldn’t stop himself from saying pointing to the t-shirt, “Now why’d you have to go and do that, I was thoroughly enjoying the view.” A shy laugh from Eric brought a warm feeling through Carter, a feeling that should’ve told him what was happening, but Carter was so oblivious to it, too busy living and enjoying the moment between him and Eric.
Surprising both himself and clearly Carter, Eric said, deciding to take Donna’s advice, “Well seeing as I’ve shown you mine, maybe you should show me yours.”
“My isn’t our little Eric getting ballsy all of a sudden.”
“Harder to take it than it is to dole out?”
Laughing out loud now as he got off the bed and started going around the room, looking at the books and magazines scattered about Carter said, “I’ll overlook the obvious double entendre there, it’s much too easy.”
“So a Lord you say, that’s – uhhmm – I don’t know what it is. What’s the protocol when someone tells they’re a Lord?” asked Carter once having successfully gotten himself into a pair of shorts.
“Yep, a Lord.” Standing up straight Carter formally intoned, “Carter Richard Edward Winthrop, son and heir apparent to Henry Winthrop, the 9th Duke of Lincolnshire, and 120th in line to the British throne,” taking a seat opposite from Eric he continued, “I’m particularly proud of that, just need to bump off 119 people and I get to be King. But in all seriousness though, it means nothing to me, that whole system is so ridiculous,” looking down and his voice dropping a bit as he spoke Carter said, “people think that it’s just a bit of fun, but even in this day and age that whole system can be so destructive.”
Seeing that there was clearly something there, Eric was quiet a bit before asking, “Was it why you left England?”
Quietly, frowning slightly, Carter answered, “Part of the reason. I also wanted to get to know where my mother came from, what made her who she was. But let’s forget about all that,” said Carter visibly brightening, “There was actually another reason why I came here, I’ve got some news.”
Eric as somebody who himself knew all there was to know about keeping things hidden, immediately recognised in Carter, something there, something that was being hidden away, something that Carter hid behind his front of bravado and flirtation, but decided to let things be. He hated being forced to talk about all the things he’d have rather forgotten and would never do that to somebody else, if Carter wanted to tell him what was up, he would. “So what’s the news?”
“Well, today I got a call from none other than Professor Keller,” he’d no sooner said the name before that same look that had been on Eric’s face the night when they’d discussed him, returned again, and this time Carter pressed on, “What’s with you and Keller?”
“What do you mean,” replied Eric not being entirely effective in hiding his blush as he pretended to search for a pair of shoes.
“I mean that thing, whatever it is, that comes over you whenever it is I mention Professor Keller,” looking harder at Eric, “has he – I don’t know – come onto you or something?”
The question hung there for a moment before Eric forced out a laugh, “Are you joking? You cannot possibly be serious with that.”
“Eric I’m not joking here. Has he said or done anything that’s you made you – I don’t know – uncomfortable.”
Getting up off from opposite and grabbing himself another Coke from the bar fridge that hummed away in the corner, “Okay Carter this is seriously ridiculous. Firstly he’s my professor, there’s nothing going on there. But more importantly and to be honest with you, I don’t like the way you asked me that.”
Getting off from the bed moving towards Eric, “I know that’s what you think, but Daniel’s – Daniel can be so insidious. He’s dangerous; I’m just trying to look out for you.”
What Carter said set off a side of Eric that Carter had never seen before. Whipping around eyes flashing a different sort of fire Eric said, barely able to hold himself together, “I’m going to say this one time and one time only Carter. I don’t need you to look out for me; I’m more than capable of looking out for myself.”
“You’re not getting me…”
His voice rising as the anger in him rose Carter forcefully placed the soda can on the table, “Carter. I’m getting you just fine. It’s just that I don’t like what I’m getting. I can look after myself!”
His own anger rising in turn Carter replied, “You know Eric, saying it over and over again won’t make it true. You’re in a whole different world here, you’re mother isn’t here to protect you from the big baddies out here, I’m just trying to make sure that you don’t get yourself into something that you’re not going to be able to handle!”
Drawing in a deep threat to steady his nerves as he started tried to pace around the room, held back by his ankle, Eric said tightly, “You don’t know a thing about me, or my life, I can handle myself, I’m not some kinda kid…”
“But that’s the thing Eric. Here, you are. There’re a lot of people out there who want to take advantage of the naiveté of you freshman – from Greek jocks playing pranks, to the worst of advantage takers, Daniel Keller and his ilk.”
“Leave.”
“What?”
“I asked you to leave. I think that’s pretty much a simple request.”
Standing condescendingly, Carter said, “Don’t you think you’re being a bit melodramatic?”
Standing by the door after having opened it and desperately trying to keep himself in check, but still incensed, Eric said, “I don’t need you here patronising me, so please – leave.”
Carter stood there for a minute and took a breath before he said, “I’m sorry Eric,” Eric’s face began to soften somewhat at Carter’s conciliatory tone but immediately began to harden as Carter continued, “But I’m just trying to warn you here. You don’t know what you’re getting into when it comes to Daniel; I just wanted to help you out here.”
Waiting for him at the door Eric said sardonically before slamming it in Carter’s face, “Well thank you a lot, you’re aid has been noted and will be taken under advisement.”
Carter stood outside Eric’s door taken aback at Eric’s reaction. This was most certainly not what he’d wanted nor expected. Slowly walking away from the Eric’s dorm he just couldn’t understand where he’d gone wrong, he’d tried to be as gentle as could be when it came to this, particularly when he’d realised that Eric was taking it rather personally. Carter gently shook his head and smiled to himself as he thought that with a bit of time to cool down, Eric would calm down; that he’d just gotten huffy over nothing at all.
Carter didn’t understand though, it wasn’t nothing at all, Carter had touched on a nerve, a raw and painful nerve that Eric tried to keep under control and hidden, but a raw and painful nerve it nevertheless was.
