Jump to new as of October 2, 2004
Chapter 1
Posted on Thursday, 24 June 2004
I lay on the dew-drenched grass and looked up at the stars. It was a beautiful night and it was my last on the island.
"They’re so beautiful this time of year aren't they?" a familiar voice said behind me.
"Too bad I’m not gonna be seeing them again!" I said sadly and looked longingly at the star filled sky once again.
"D’ya really have to go Kittie-Kat?"
"It's what momma wants, she knows what's best for me Jesse."
"I just don't see why you have to go away to achieve a goal in life, the island has everything you need."
"You know I don't wanna go away but there's nowhere on the island that can teach me to play soccer."
"Why don't you just play football over here, we're both as good as each other, get a normal island job like everyone else on the island?"
"I can't Jesse, the scout said I was good enough for the team so I have to fulfill my dream, can't you understand that?" I looked at him to try to read his expression but it was blank.
He looked back up at the stars again and didn't make any comment.
"Please Jess, don't let me leave with you thinking bad of me, I could never live so far away with you hating me!" I pleaded. Tears started to fill my eyes.
"You think I hate you? We're best friends, whether you leave or not, I thought you knew me better than that?"
"I know you don't hate me, I meant that you'd think bad of me and I’d hate that" As much as I tried to stop them the tears started falling.
"I don't think bad of you just coz you're leaving, I just wish you'd think about what you're leaving behind"
With that he got up and left.
"Jesse, don't let me leave like this, let's say a proper goodbye, please!" I cried. But Jesse carried right on walking until he got to his porch and swung open the door.
I was left crying, staring at the door swinging back and forth on it's hinges. It seemed I had lost the good opinion of my closest and dearest friend forever.
The next morning I awoke with a start. I had finally dropped to sleep around 2am. I couldn't get to sleep thinking about how I was going to survive without my closest friend on the end of the phone. Even though I would call Jesse every day while i was away I know that he'd probably not wanna talk to me, and the thought made my heart wrench. I sat up in bed and looked around my room. I took in everything around me, the pictures of my friends and I in frames on my bedside table, the locket hanging from my necklace holder with both the picture of Jesse and I as kids and the picture of us at sixteen and then the picture of my family and I on the wall.
“Katherine Bennet are you up?” My momma yelled from downstairs.
“Yeah mom, I’m up!”
“Get dressed, we’ve got half an hour before we have to leave!”
I looked at the clock, half past six; I’d slept only four and a half hours!
I didn’t feel tired just helpless, like I was being led to a dream that wasn’t my own but I knew I had to follow in some strange way. I pulled myself out of bed and noticed the soccer sweater on the end of my bed. I pulled it over my head and pulled my jogging bottoms on and ran downstairs. I paused on the bottom stair and ran back up them again. I had forgotten my locket; I had to leave my best friend behind but not his memory. I grabbed the locket and fastened it round my neck then headed back down the stairs.
“Oh good you’re ready” My momma smiled.
I picked up my suitcase, which had been put by the door the night before. My mom pulled the car out of the drive and I started my journey away from the island.
“I was worried you weren’t gonna get up this morning!” My mom laughed. I made no expression, I couldn’t muster any happiness that morning, the thought of Jesse kept lingering right at the front of my mind, all my other friends in the background.
“You ok sweetie?” I could tell my momma was searching my face for answers to why I wasn’t bursting with excitement.
“Fine” I answered, with as much enthusiasm as I could muster up.
“Don’t try and fool me Katherine Bennet, you’re my daughter I can tell when something’s up!”
I smiled a weak smile.
“Really momma, I’m just a little apprehensive that’s all”
My momma gripped my hand tight,
“I know you’ll be just fine!”
I smiled again and we ground to halt outside the station. I looked at the clock on the car dashboard; still a while to go before my train gets in I thought. My momma hugged me and said she would say goodbye now or she might never let me go. I hugged her tight, not wanting to let go. She got back into her car and waved with all her might before pulling out and gradually disappearing into the distance. I swallowed back my tears; I hated crying in public. It seemed forever until the train finally pulled into the platform. Just as I was about to board it I heard my name being called. I looked up and down the platform until I noticed Jesse running up beside me.
“Thank Goodness I caught you, I thought your train would be gone”
“What are you doing here, I never expected you to come?” I was so astonished that I forgot my train was about to leave.
“I said you didn’t want me to let you leave without saying a proper goodbye, last night you were still here I had to give you one today” He smiled a smile I knew so well.
“You shouldn’t do this to me, you know I hate crying in pubic” I said, as two tears escaped down my cheeks.
“Yeah, I know, but it wasn’t just me you that couldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye”
“I thought you wouldn’t speak to me again after yesterday!”
“Yeah I also came to apologise for that, I shouldn’t have mouthed off at you like that and got angry, you didn’t decide to take this job just to hurt me”
I looked up suddenly at his last words
“I’m hurting you by leaving?” I said, my heart wrenching at the thought.
“No, your not hurting me, I just don’t want you to go, but I don’t wanna stop you, this is your talent, go knock ‘em dead!” He lifted me into the air and I punched my fist high.
“You bet I will”
The train was still in the station and I suddenly remembered I was supposed to be getting on it.
“Oh gosh, I better get on the train Jesse”
“Sorry Kit, I could be making you miss the train!”
“Don’t be stupid, now I can leave with a smile on my face instead of thinking I’d never see you again”
We had one last hug and I boarded the train.
“Goodbye Kittie-Kat”
“Bye Jesse!” I waved frantically out of the window
The train puffed into action and I could see Jesse’s figure disappearing. I found myself waving even after it had gone.
The train journey seemed endless, I watched as each tree whizzed passed my window.
I took out my locket and looked at the pictures of Jesse and I. I had barely been traveling an hour and I was missing him already. At last the train finally pulled into the station by the ferry. This would be my first time off the island and I’d never been on the mainland ferry before. I felt slightly excited as I stepped onto the ferry and watched it pull away. I sat down in a seat and a tall man with round glasses approached me.
“Good morning madam. Can I interest you in a lunch in our restaurant?”
I looked at the man and smiled.
“Oh no thank you sir, I won’t be on the ferry very long”
”Ok, well if you would like any food during your journey come along to the restaurant won’t you”
“I will”
With that the man turned on his heel and strode off. I walked out onto the deck and leaned over the railings. I breathed in the salt air and it felt good. I started to think about my future and try to forget that I was apprehensive and that I wouldn’t be seeing the people I love for a very long time. The journey to the mainland was a short one and I was soon at my destination. A boy met me at the station he was about my age.
“Miss Bennet?”
“Yes?” I must have looked a little confused because he held out his hand,
“William Darcy, I’m here to see that you got in safely and take you to the campus”
“Oh I see, I’m Katherine Bennet, everyone calls me Kit though”
“I know who you are, I was given your name before I came here. Everyone calls me Will, you can call me that to!” He smiled and I noticed he had a lovely smile.
Let me describe Will Darcy to you, for I know that readers like to know what their characters look like. He must have been about 6 feet tall, with dark brown hair, almost black, eyes that were like lumps of coal and bronze skin. We both got into his car and started driving down the road to the campus. We hardly made any conversation on the way, in fact I felt even more apprehensive while sitting in his car. I tell that Will was rich just by his clothes, but when I saw his car, my thoughts were backed up. Parked in the car park of the ferry port was a Porsche Boxer 911! After a while I managed to pluck up enough courage to speak to him,
“I’ve never seen such a nice car before” I said, looking at every detail of this gorgeous machine.
“Yeah it is nice, do you drive Kit?”
“No, my momma drives a…” I stopped, suddenly embarrassed by what my momma drives.
“Go on…”
I decided I would tell him, what did I care what he thought anyway, he would only be proud if he liked someone for their car!
“My mother drives an Escort”
I heard him try to stifle a snort of disapproval.
I squirmed in my seat; maybe I did care what he thought. I could see him look over at me and look me up and down. I could tell he disapproved of my clothes by the way he raised his eyebrow.
“So you come from the island?”
“Yeah, the south part.”
“Oh.” Was his only comment.
We sat in silence for the last part of the journey and then we pulled up to a huge building. Will pulled the car to a screeching halt and got out of it. He walked round to my side of the door and pulled it open.
“We’re here.” He said, without smiling.
He walked me up to two solid wooden doors.
“The reception is straight through those doors, you’ll be ok from there”
“Thank you, I guess I’ll see you around!” I smiled.
“Hm.” was all I got in reply before he quickly strode away.
At reception there was a girl waiting for me.
“Katherine Bennet? Hi I’m Marianne Dashwood! Welcome to Redford Sports Academy!”
She stuck out her hand with such enthusiasm that I couldn’t help but be surprised at the contrast between her and Will.
“Thanks…Marianne!” I said, taken aback.
“I’m here to show you around, as you’ll be my room mate during your stay at Redford!”
“Cool” I said, “I’m glad I’ve got a friendly person as my room mate.”
Marianne laughed, “Yes, I’m know for my over enthusiastic introductions. Don’t worry I get more down to earth as the tour goes on!”
I laughed as she led me through another set of wooden doors.
“This is the cafeteria. Lunch time is at 12:30 every day.”
I took a look around before she led me off to a set of stairs.
“This side of the campus are the girls dorms, I’ll only show you the campus as you’ll see the actual academy tomorrow.”
She led me up the stairs and we passed many girls in their dormitories. Finally we reached a room, which had a plaque on the door reading Marianne Dashwood.
“Here’s our room.”
I walked into the room and chucked my suitcase on the floor.
“Your bed is this one!”
“Oh cool, thanks”
I sat down on my bed and wiggled my toes, relief!
“So…” Started Marianne. “How was your journey up here?”
“Well the train journey seemed to go on forever but the ferry journey was amazing! My journey from the port wasn’t too great though.” I said, remembering Will’s not so welcoming attitude.
“Oh? Who was sent to pick you up?”
“Will Darcy.”
“Uh, him! No wonder you had such a bad journey! He is the biggest snob on the mainland, but probably the richest!” Marianne began to explain about Will and how he had been born into the richest family on the mainland and how he thought anyone normal was below him.
“I can see why he is such a snob, money does weird things to people’s egos.” I said, after she’d explained.
“Your telling me it does, but that’s no reason to treat you so bad after only meeting you five minutes! Don’t you worry about him Katherine, he has a very small circle of friends, best to stay away from him if you want to enjoy your time at Redford.”
“Please, call me Kit, I much prefer it. Thanks for the advice, but I’d made my own mind up very early on never to speak to Will Darcy.”
“Good idea Kit!” “ Why don’t you unpack and then we can go down to the café and get something to eat, I bet your hungry!”
“Famished.”
“I thought as much, hurry up and unpack then!”
I unpacked as quickly as I could and enjoyed a delightful rest of the day chatting to my new roommate. Marianne Dashwood was so friendly and made my first day a breeze. My anxiousness passed and I felt ready for the challenges ahead. That evening though my heart still ached, I still missed my best buddy and Marianne must have noticed the look on my face,
“Hey, what’s up Kit, you seemed so happy all day and suddenly a bout of the blues has come on?” She crawled over to my bed and sat next to me.
“Oh it’s nothing really, oh why should I keep it from you, you’ve been so nice to me on my first day I feel I should tell you.”
“Well I’m good at keeping secrets, if you wanna tell me I promise it will stay within this dorm.”
“Well, back home on the island I lived in a small village and I have a best friend who was born just one week before me and he and I have never been apart since we were born, I really miss him!” I could feel tears returning to my eyes.
“Aww that is soooo sweet! I wish I had a friend like that. Well why don’t you call him?”
“I never thought of that, could I?”
“Course you could, there’s a phone in here you know!”
Marianne crawled over to the phone and picked up the receiver.
“Go on ring him!”
I took the phone off of her and dialed his number.
“Hello?”
“Hey Jesse, it’s me!”
“Oh my word, Kittie-Kat, how ya doing?”
“I’m doing good, I’ve made a new friend, Marianne!”
“Good good, I’m glad.”
“Done anything nice today?”
“The usual, you know, working in the shop etc etc.”
”Oh cool.”
“How about you? Done anything nice?”
“Well I spent the day chatting and getting to know Marianne.”
“How dare you have fun without me!”
I laughed, but inside I really wished he were with me to enjoy the fun.
“Kit.”
“Yeah?”
”I really miss you.”
“Ditto.”
“It’s not the same with you away.”
“I’ll be back soon, the first holiday is October ya know.”
“Yeah…I know”
The conversation went on with future plans of what we’d do, what I’d miss etc until I felt so homesick I had to end the conversation. Marianne looked over at me. I looked back at her and smiled.
“I’m glad I’ve found a friend in this place.”
The night went on with talking and finally we both fell asleep.
Chapter 2
Posted on Sunday, 4 July 2004
The next morning came around too quickly. Marianne woke me up and said that breakfast and the welcoming ceremony was beginning in half an hour. I got up and dressed and walked down along with Marianne to the main hall. There were a few people I recognized from the cafeteria the night before. I saw Will Darcy up on stage messing about with his friends, who all seemed to be as rich as him. Marianne explained that they were called Charlie Bingley, Caroline Bingley and Anne De Bourgh. All very rich students of the school. We were all told to go to our seats and I passed Will on stage. He looked at me and lifted his eyebrow. I suppose he must have thought I looked different from the day before.
“What are you looking at Darcy?”
”Just your friend Dashwood, looks a little different to the farmyard girl I picked up yesterday!”
“Oh shut your face Will, what’s she done to you?”
“Nothing!”
And with that he winked at me and laughed with his friends.
“That creep deserves to be taught a lesson.”
“Leave it, I’m not bothered!”
We sat down and the principle stood on the stage.
“I am proud to welcome you to Redford, all new students this morning. But first I would like to award some of my upper students with awards from last year. Firstly I’d like to award William Darcy the New sports coach for mixed football, Caroline Bingley and Anne De Bourgh with the ladies football stage 4 award and Charles Bingley with the tennis under 20’s number 1.”
Everyone, less than heartedly applauded and then the four friends walked off stage. Then the senior pupils escorted us onto the stage to receive our uniforms. I could feel Will’s eyes on my back as I walked up on stage. It was really unnerving, but being the girl I was I stuck my chin out and walked straight on. I picked up the uniform from the principle and carried it down the steps. Marianne followed me out of the hall and we took our first class this year.
That break time I decided I would practise my soccer skills as my tutor had said that I would be great with plenty of practise. I was always so competitive and ran up to this rubble heap to try to do tricks on top of it. Suddenly I slipped and I was stuck with glass through my hand. No one was around and I began to cry out for help. Suddenly I felt a hand over my shoulder grabbed my waist. I screamed and suddenly the person was talking,
“Ssshhh, it’s ok, I got ya!”
I looked around and there was Will Darcy holding my waist.
“What the heck were you doing on that rubble heap Bennet?”
My checks flushed a deep red.
“I’m ok now thank you Will, you can let go of me.”
“You’re not ok, look at that hand of yours, you need that looked at.”
“It’s fine really”
“Let me look at it, I won’t touch it…I thought so…it needs stitches. Come with me I’ll take you to the hospital.”
He lifted me out of the rubble and seated me on the ground.
“Does anything else hurt?”
I tried to see whether there was any pain anywhere but I was so shocked by Will Darcy’s treatment I couldn’t feel a thing.
“Um, no I don’t think so”
I went to get up and my leg felt writhe with pain. I fell onto the ground.
“Can you walk?”
”I don’t think so, sorry to be such a trouble”
“It’s no trouble, I just hope it heals soon, we need you on our team!”
I smiled as Will carried me into the reception. The lady on the desk looked worried.
“Oh gosh what’s happened”?
“Miss Evans, I’m gonna have to take this girl to the hospital, she’s seriously hurt her foot and hand, could you sign out Will Darcy and Katherine Bennet please.”
“Of course Will, I hope your ok dear” She called as we walked out of the door.
Still in serious pain I was lifted into Will’s car. I laughed as I sat down in his seat.
“What’s so funny?” He asked me as he got into the driver’s side.
“Aren’t you scared I’m gonna drip blood on your seats?”
He laughed to, “What has that Marianne told you about me eh?”
I laughed again. “That you’re a stuck up snob”
“Really, well I guess I am really, but I had to help you or else you would loose blood fast.”
Then I couldn’t remember anything except a huge pain down my right leg and Will shouting my name.
The next thing I knew I had woken up in a hospital bed with Will by my side.
“Oh thank god, I thought you’d gone for good.”
“Why, what happened?”
“You screamed out in pain and then was out cold.”
“You’ve gotta have your hand stitched and then your leg, but you will be able to play if you rest it”
I smiled and felt strangely happy.
“Oh yeah and a guy called Jesse called for you, said that Marianne had called him.”
“Oh no, he’ll be worried sick.”
“I told him you were ok and I said that you would ring him when you got back to the campus.”
“Thank you for all your help.”
“No problem, just one thing though, why were you on that rubble heap?”
I laughed; “It’s a long story”
He smiled and looked at me for a while before saying,
“I better get you back.”
We drove back to the campus and Marianne was waiting for me at the stairs.
“Oh Kit, What happened?”
“I just had a little accident that’s all.”
I turned to Will, “Thanks, I’ll be ok now”
“Ok, shout if ya need me again.”
I began to tell Marianne what had happened during that morning and she couldn’t believe how Will had helped me.
“I think you’ve actually won the heart of Will Darcy.”
“Won the heart, I doubt it!”
“No, really I think he likes you Kit.”
“Whatever!”
I lay up all night thinking about the day and what Marianne had said. Suddenly my mobile got a message.
Will ere! What you up to? I can’t sleep! Meet me by the campus entrance stairs if you’re awake! Will.
I sat staring at the phone and then when I came to, grabbed my coat and ran to the stairs.
“I thought you’d be awake.”
“What’s all this about Will.”
“I’ve been up all night thinking…”
“Oh… what about?”
“You and why I stayed at your bedside the whole time you were asleep, why I didn’t just go when I dropped you off, why my heart skipped a beat when you fainted on me.”
“Will?”
”It doesn’t make sense does it?”
“I know what you mean.” I looked down on the floor “I’ve been thinking about it to.”
“Let’s get out of here and talk properly eh?”
“Will it’s 2:30 in the morning, we can’t just go walking around town.”
“Why not, I do it all the time.”
“You do?”
“Sure, I’ll show you some places noone else has seen.”
“Ok.”
He took my hand and pulled it as he ran out of the campus as quickly as possible.
“You’re not gonna take the car are you?” I asked, suddenly worried we’d wake the whole place up.
“Of course not, I’ll take you to the rose garden.”
We walked silently for about a minute until we got to the rose covered gate.
“I come in her all the time when I need to think.”
“It’s beautiful.” I said
“Katherine…I mean Kit…”
“Yeah.”
“I was wondering…I mean would you like to…go to the cinema tomorrow night.”
I looked at Will and tried not to laugh.
“Have you ever asked a girl out before William Darcy?” I asked.
“Well, I’m not asking you like that.”
“Oh.” I said with a smirk on my face.
“I mean if ya wanna go like that…”
“I think I’d like that a lot.”
With that Will smiled that gorgeous smile again.
He took my hand.
“I don’t know what this feeling is Kit, but when I saw you laying there on my arms after you’d fainted I just felt like my heart would melt.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah, and when I saw you on the day I got my award, I thought what have I been so horrible to this pretty girl for?”
“Wow, I thought you were staring at me to annoy me.”
He squeezed my hand harder and I leant forward.
“You’re not messing me about are you?”
“NO! Be serious Kit! It was really hard for me to say that.”
“Ok, sorry.”
“The thing is Will, what does this mean?”
“I don’t get it anymore than you do. My father drove me to be a go-getter. Forget the girl’s and get yourself a good career. I’ve always put that into principle, but every now and again I hate being that way.”
“Drive and ambition can go to some men’s heads but I think your still safe.”
I looked down at my watch. 2:59am!
“I don’t think we’re really getting anywhere, we have the day off tomorrow, let’s get out of here then and we’ll have the whole day to talk.”
We both walked back to the campus slowly and silently.
I pushed the door silently on my dorm but Marianne heard me anyway.
“Hey Kit, are you ok?”
“Fine, why do you ask?”
“Well most people don’t just walk around campus at 3am.”
“I suppose not, but they should coz it’s beautiful without the hustle and bustle.”
“What was beautiful? Kit, are you sure you’re ok, you seem a little distant.”
“Fine.” I said, getting back into bed.
“Ok well night then.”
“Night.”
Chapter 3
Posted on Monday, 2 August 2004
The next morning I awoke sleepily and went to check my phone.
1 message received.
I read the message slowly, still tired from the late night. It was from Jesse,
Hey Kittie, Just wondering if you’re ok coz you didn’t call last night? I guess you were just tired. Oh well, call when you’re free. Love ya loads matey, Jess x :-)
“Jesse! I completely forgot to call him!”
I picked up the landline phone in my dorm.
“Hello, you’ve reached the Spencer household. Sorry we are not at home leave your name and number and we’ll get back to you. Bye.”
Of course no one was at home as it was a workday.
I called the shop where Jesse worked.
“Good morning, Spencer’s Yard?”
“Jesse it’s me.”
”Oh you’re ok!”
“Yeah I am, just a few stitches in the leg and hand.”
“Good good, so who’s this Will guy then?”
”Oh just a friend, he was really good when I had the accident.!”
“So I heard.”
“Was that Sarcasm I detected there, Mr. Spencer?”
“Me sarcastic, Never!”
I had to laugh at him; even 100 miles away he was the funniest guy ever!
“Stop using my phrases!”
”Sorry dear.”
"Dear." I burst out laughing and heard Marianne waking up.
"Oops I think I just woke Marianne up!"
Suddenly I felt a blow on my back.
I turned round to find Marianne's pillow hitting my back!
We both burst out laughing and I fell on the bed laughing.
“Kit? You still there?”
“Yeah I’m still here, Marianne thought it would be fun to throw a pillow at me! You know I can’t resist a pillow fight!”
“Oh yeah!”
“Sorry where were we?”
“Kit, I wish I was there when you had the accident.”
“Jess, how could you be you’re miles away?”
“I know, I really miss you Kit”
“Me to. Only a few weeks til holiday though!”
”Thanksgiving! Wow I forgot you come home for it!”
“I KNOW!!”
“2 weeks and I’m home!”
“Back on the island of stars!”
“Oh yeah!”
“Kit, I gotta go, customers to serve, I’ll call you later ok?”
“Ok, bye Jesse.”
“Bye.”
Marianne dropped the pillow and crawled over to me
“Man I wish I had a friend like yours”
I just looked at the phone and smiled.
My phone beeped again.
1 message received.
I ignored it; I knew it was Will.
But I had to read what it said.
Kit, would you come downstairs to the Café please
Will.
I packed up a bag and walked into the café.
“Hi Will,” I said as I approached his table. A guy I recognized sat next to him.
“Scoot Bingley!”
“Huh?”
“Scoot, I got business with Miss Bennet.”
“Bingley” got up and I took his seat.
“You make me sound like some office employee!” I laughed.
“Oh well he knows what I mean.”
”Oh.”
“Let’s get outta here.”
Will and I walked along the stream at the end of the rose garden in silence. Until Will spoke up,
“So, you going home for thanksgiving?”
“Oh yeah, have to be home!”
“Oh.”
“Are you?”
“I might stick around, I have no parents to go home to and my sister is staying with another friend.”
”No parents!”
“They died, Georgie’s my only relation.”
“Wow.”
I thought about it for a while and decided I wouldn’t tell him about home, he might feel awkward.
The next thing Will said beat me to it.
“You know Kit, you’re so different to everyone here.”
“I am?”
“Yeah, I mean you have loads of friends back home and you’re always so jolly.”
“I suppose so.”
I had a feeling I knew where he was going, I felt bad but I had to stop him.
“Will, I don’t want you to go on anymore, we’re friends and I don’t want a relationship.”
“What?”
“I just wanna be a friend.”
“Kit, what on earth do you mean? I’m trying to tell you that I like you, you should think yourself lucky I’m saying this, you’re from the island and that is so lower than me!”
“Ha, and you think I’d care!”
I stormed off up to the café again.
I knew Marianne would be having coffee.
I grabbed a doughnut.
“You ok Kit?” asked the waitress, Molly.
“Not really, Will’s just talked to me so bad.”
“Ignore him, huge ego!”
I laughed and grabbed a chair with Mari.
“Hey!”
“Hi, Kit can I ask you something?”
“Sure”
“Do you like Will?”
“No not particularly, I just had to talk and thank him, in fact, just now he insulted me to the highest degree.”
“Nothing new there then, what’d he say?”
“That coz I’m an islander I’m lower than him, snob!”
“Yeah, he’s like that, his father was very influential!”
“So what’s the big deal, I mean so he has money.”
”His father was great, it’s the son you have to worry about.”
“Oh right.”
“Georgie is lovely too, just like her mom.”
“You knew the family?”
“In a way yes.”
”I see.”
Marianne looked down at her coffee and swirled it round and round. I knew there was something she wanted to say.
“I wouldn’t let him get to you, trust me if you do, he can become a real pain!”
“You coming?”
She pulled my arm and led me outside.
I saw Will sitting on the bench and tried to avoid him.
Marianne had seen him.
“William, what are you doing here, shouldn’t you be applying makeup or something?”
“Very funny Dashwood!”
I wandered past Will, who winked at me and smiled.
“Where you going? Finding somewhere to put your face?”
“No, I think that’s what you need to do!”
He laughed and blew a cloud of smoke up into the sky around him.
“Whatever Kit, I don’t wanna argue!”
“Neither do I” I walked on into the rose garden alone.
Marianne started arguing with Will. I pulled out my notepad and wrote to Jesse.
Dear Jesse,Thanks for ringing me this morning. I am having a really bad day and I wish you were here to hug me. Anyway…
Was thinking that we need to arrange something for the thanksgiving couple of days! If you can think of anything let me know.
Will turned out to be just the snob I thought he was and he knows it to. He told me I was lower than him because I come from the island! Oh well, home soon.
How is the shop running? Has Rebekah-Rose got the hang of the training yet. How is Nat, and how did his interview go?
Tell all soon.
Love you
Kit Kat xxx
I folded the letter and shoved it into the envelope. I walked down to the post-box, tears running down my cheeks.
A few days pasted and Marianne and I struggled hard to get into the team. Will and I passed in the corridors and spoke to each other only in games. He hated me now I was sure but I didn’t show I cared. Inside I liked him a lot. Outside he was a snob.
A week after I’d sent the letter I received one back. It was on the day I found out I’d not made the team.
Dearest darling Katherine,You poor baby out there alone. Rush home soon and see us all. Rebekah- Rose is doing fine. Nat got his job as sales assistant; the only thing missing in all our lives is YOU!
Oh well! I hope you’re not having such a hard time of it out there and remember just call me and I’ll talk anytime. Got to go now.
Jesse x
I pulled out my mobile phone. I needed to get home. I couldn’t stand being at the academy anymore. I found out the times for the next train into the ferry port and ran up to my room. I chucked all my stuff into my suitcase and ran out of campus. The only person I didn’t want to see followed me out of the gates in his Porche.
“Kit, Where are you going with a suitcase?”
“Home!”
“What! Why?”
“I didn’t make the team and I can’t stand being here any longer.”
”Ok, well jump in I’ll give you a lift to the ferry port.”
I needed the lift but the thought of getting into Will’s car was not a pleasing one.
“Ok thanks.”
All the way to the ferry port I felt so good. I was going home and a week early! I knew everyone would be so happy. We rounded into the ferry port and Will screeched the brakes on.
“Well I guess I’ll see you around then?” He leant over and put his hand on my shoulder,
“Promise you’ll come back Kit.”
“I promise.”
I saw his normal smile was gone and he was looking at the upholstery on his car floor. I got up to leave.
“Kit, I’m sorry I upset you, can we at least be friends again.”
I don’t know what came over me but I leant forward and kissed his cheek.
“See you soon Darcy.”
He watched me walk away and I could tell he didn’t know what had hit him.
Chapter 4
Posted on Friday, 20 August 2004
The first leg of the journey home was exhausting. All I could think of was Jesse’s face when I came running up the path to meet him.
Finally the ferry stopped and I got off and walked to wait for my train.
On the train the phone rang, it was my momma.
“Hello dear, how are you?”
“I’m good, but I didn’t make the team.”
“What, you trained so hard, I suppose it was that fall of yours.”
“Yeah I guess.”
“So what are you doing right now then?”
“You’ll never guess.” I joked.
“Go on, tell your poor mother!”
“I’m on the train, coming home, I can go home early as I’m not needed!”
“My baby’s coming home! Oh Kit, Jesse will be so pleased!”
“Don’t tell him mom I wanna surprise him.”
“I won’t dear.”
My mom chuckled away at the other end of the phone as I traveled nearer to her.
The train pulled into the station and I walked through the gates.
I saw Nat’s truck and him waving in it.
“Kit Kat returns!” he smiled and pulled me into the truck.
My heart kept leaping as we neared home. Finally the great long path to the village came into view.
I jumped out of the truck here. Nat knew I loved to run up to the path to greet my mom whenever I went away.
I could see her running too and we met in an embrace at the top.
Jesse looked up from the work he was doing.
He looked puzzled, the smiled and ran down the path towards me.
“Kit, what are you doing back?” He said, after twirling me in the air.
“I’m not needed during the winter so I came home.”
“You didn’t make the team?”
“No Jess, I was too injured.”
“Oh well, we get to keep you for longer.”
I Laughed and sniffed the air.
“Can I smell a barbeque?”
“You sure can, come on up and eat.”
The taste of homemade burgers was so good that the feeling of sadness that ran through me melted away.
But later on that evening Nathaniel told me some serious news.
“Kit, I won’t lie to you, Jesse is ill.”
“What do you mean, Jesse’s ill, seriously?”
“Yes, seriously, I’m so glad you came home. You know he has always been ill with that heart condition since we were all young?”
“Yeah but I thought it got better?”
“Not really but he’d never tell you coz you were all excited about the academy and he was waiting to see if he was ill or not.”
“Is he gonna be ok?”
“I dunno, they are gonna give him an operation but it might not be successful.”
“What! Isn’t that really serious?!”
”Very, Kit, please stay for a week longer or so, he couldn’t take it if you weren’t here, he’d give up altogether!”
”I will, oh Nat, I’m so scared!”
That night I cried myself to sleep. I got a call on my mobile in the morning.
“Hello?”
”Hi, it’s Will here.”
Somehow his voice seemed to be welcome, I sat up in bed. My voice sounded horse as I answered.
“Will!”
“Hi Kit, I’m sorry to bother you but I just wondered if you’re free in a few days just to have a chat etc.”
“Erm… I dunno.”
“Well don’t worry if ya busy.”
Something inside me wanted to invite him over for thanksgiving so I did.
“Really, your family won’t care?”
“No, definitely not.”
“Sure, why not.”
So Will was booked in for thanksgiving and I couldn’t believe what I’d just done. But I wanted to see Will and I couldn’t leave Jesse.
So Momma made extra pies and food for the day and Will traveled down to the island.
On the day Will arrived Jesse went into hospital. He was very ill now, a hole in his heart.
I had to spend the most part of his first day down in the ward.
He was great and helped me keep Jesse awake for his injections by talking to him about his car. Jesse is mad on cars!
As the evening drew on Jesse got worse and an operation was scheduled.
I cried a lot and finally fell asleep on Will’s shoulder as he carried me out of the ward.
The night was long and Will talked about how he could stay and support me if I needed it.
Then came the bit I was expecting.
“So Kit, about the day I dropped you off?”
“Yeah?”
“Well? What was that all about?”
“I just wanted to let you know that I’m not mad anymore and that I forgave you.”
“Oh so are we friends or…”
I started to cry again and Will leant over and held me.
“I might need a friend by the end of thanksgiving.”
“Hey be strong and he’ll be strong!”
I cried bitterly for a long while until once again I fell asleep.
I don’t think Will slept one wink. But I woke up in bed and I knew he’d put me there.
Jesse had had a bad night and the operation had been brought forward.
Thanksgiving was today but without Jesse no one except Will felt like eating.
I had to give thanks to Will he kept complementing my mom on her pie and food and Mom just smiled at him weakly and said he was a sweet boy.
Will drove me to see Jesse again that day but he was never awake to talk.
For about 3 hours we got away and walked around the area. I showed Jesse the baseball grounds, the special café and the waterfalls!
Will said he was sorry he ever put down the island, as he loved it here.
I stuck ever closer to Jesse’s side as the long hours went on. Mom kept coming with more pie to keep us filled up but I managed to eat mouthfuls and that was all.
The operation took place the next day and we were not allowed in to visit Jesse so we both went to the beach.
I took my sea canoe out there with Will and he loved every minute of it!
Finally I got a call on the mobile to say the operation was over, Even Will was relieved.
I waited, biting my nails to see how it went.
After a long time I was asked to sit with Jesse.
“Miss Bennet, Jesse isn’t going to make it, but he asked for you and he will die peacefully.”
I screamed out and went into him.
“What happened?”
“The hole in his heart was too big to repair and he didn’t respond well to the operation.”
Will came and put his arm round me.
Jesse lay motionless on the bed.
I wandered over and kissed his face.
He opened his eyes and smiled.
I held his hand and he squeezed it as best he could.
“I’ll wait for you in heaven!”
“Jesse try for me, don’t go yet.”
I was crying so much I felt like I was going to have my own heart attack.
As he gripped my hand the grip got weaker and he let go.
His hand lay limp at his side and the colour faded slowly out of his face.
He was gone.
The guy I’d known my whole life was gone.
And I couldn’t even bring myself to believe it.
Will took my hand and led me away as people wrapped him up in things.
“Wait, I screamed is he really gone?”
“Yes Kit.” Cried Will.
“Oh .”
For the whole half hour home I didn’t stop crying. The tears just kept falling.
Chapter 5
Posted on Sunday, 26 September 2004
For a whole week I sat in my room. I spoke to no one; no one spoke to me.
I guess not a soul knew what to say. Jesse was my everything, and there I was leaving him for something I wanted. No wonder he was hurt when I left back in the autumn.
Will tried to reason with me to come out of the tree house my dad had made Jesse and I as a child. Finally I felt bad as I’d invited him here and I wasn’t speaking to him. I came down the rope ladder and there he was with cookies. I was reluctant to share something with Will that had belonged to Jesse and me but I let him up.
“I wished I’d had something like this when I was a kid. With my dad it was pretend mobiles and toy sports cars!”
“Really, we made do with the things around us really.”
“That’s nice honestly. I only ever went to the island once as a kid.”
“You on the island, how didn’t we all eat you alive!” I had to laugh.
“Well I have to be honest, I loved it. But now I wanna share something with you that not a lot of people know, I feel I can share it now a similar thing has happened to you.”
Will proceeded to tell me a story of his visit to the island.
This is what he said:
I was 10 at the time and we all went to the island on a holiday. It was the year of the great tornado that ripped through the island. Mom loved storms and she decided she would track it’s progress. As it came closer to the hotel we were in, no warning was given of the damage it was causing. Mom was in the garden, it ripped through the pool, generating power as it went. My mum tried to run into the house but it took her up. All I remember is her whirling round and her piercing scream. 5 hours later my father and I drove down the lanes looking to see if she was alive anywhere. I found her body, 5 miles from where it was taken, lying motionless just like Jesse.
I screamed and fell into Will’s arms, my body convulsing with sobs. We both sat sobbing for a good half an hour but at that moment in time I knew. It wasn’t just chance that I’d met Will Darcy. He knew me. He knew me well. He knew that if he came by my tree house everyday with cookies I’d eventually give in. He knew that because his mom had died like Jesse had, I’d let him in to my heart.
I pulled myself up and dried my tears, Will did the same.
“Sorry, I got a bit emotional back there didn’t I?” He laughed.
“You had good reason to be.”
“Yeah I guess so.”
“You know Kit, if you want me to stay on past thanksgiving I will.”
“No Will, you need to train your team up, I’ll be just fine.”
“Hmm ok, if you say so.”
Will got up to leave but I grabbed his ankle.
“Will, stay a while longer, please.”
He smiled and sat back down on the couch.
“I knew you didn’t want me to leave.”
“Not yet at least!” I laughed.
“Soooo, what else you got up here we can play with?” Asked Will, his eyes alight.
“Not much, Dad built it for Jesse and me when we were 5. He put a couch in here, the very one you’re sitting on, and a small TV/video system (he could never work out how to wire it for actual TV so we just watched videos) and also the rope swing down there.”
“It’s quite cozy up here ain't it?” he winked.
“Oi, no ideas Mr.!”
“As we got older we added things, like pictures of our friends, events we’ve had up here and stereos etc. It’s all been fun along the way, doing it up.”
“It’s real nice.”
“Here, come look at this.”
I took him over to the chest with keepsakes in it. I took out the picture of Jesse and I and the diaries of each year since it was built.
Will read my aged 5 diary:
7th July 1991Dear diary,
Today daddy gave me and Jesse this treehouse and we built a rope swing from it. Mummy is helping me to write my lettas. I think me and Jesse will be so happie hear. He gave us a little TV!Katherine Alessandra Bennet
Will then took a small letter address to Miss K. A. Bennet.
Dear Katherine,Everyday I think about you leaving me here for the mainland and I want to cry. My dear girl, Katherine Aless! Be brave, don’t cry and if I die before you do, I’ll go to heaven and wait for you.
Kisses blown to you from me,
Jesse xxxxx
He stared at the letter. I kept re reading it. I had carefully placed it in the chest before I left.
“Well” said Will at last, “You’re gonna have a lot to leave your kids!”
“Definitely, this is 13 years of history! It has come to end now Jesse is gone, I will still write diaries, but Jesse’s will stop now!”
“He wrote diaries to?”
“Oh yes! Wanna read some?”
7th july 1991Today Is Katherine’s birthday, she is 5! Her daddy built a tree house from wood. I helped Kittie build a rope swing and her daddy gave us a cowch. I am eating cookies with Kittie now.
Jesse Josh Spencer
We both burst out laughing. How funny we both were!
We got so caught up in reading past stuff that when we heard my mom call it was 6pm.
“William, Katherine?”
“Yeah mom.”
“Erm… Will’s train leaves in 1 hour so you’d better get ready to leave.”
I packed up the diaries, letters and photos and climbed down the ladder.
When in the house I was cornered.
“You seem a lot happier now Katherine?”
“Yeah well Will and I were looking through some old diaries, I haven’t looked at them in years!”
My mom laughed. “I’m glad he cheered you up!”
”He’s a good friend. He’s not an alien to what I’m going through either.”
“Oh?”
“His mom was caught up in a twister!”
“Oh my, she died?”
“Of course, they found her 5 miles away, 5 hours later!”
“Golly! Poor William!”
I wandered slowly up the stairs, wondering how I would say the next speech to Will. I was never one to show I was scared but I needed Will to stay around in this hard time.
I knocked on the guest bedroom door.
“Come in!” he yelled.
I opened the door to see Will topless.
“Oh, don’t you want me to wait outside?”
“No, I guessed it was you so I thought I’d say come in.”
I tried to look away but in these situations it’s hard to.
“You ok?”
“Yeah, er, Will, I was wondering, see I thought that maybe you’d like to stay longer, you could help me with Lydia, my sister’s , wedding next week!”
“Of course I’ll stay!”
He held my hand and kissed it. His chest still bare.
The next few days were a mad rush. Lydia, my 16-year-old sister, was getting married to George Wickham (complete scumbag in my opinion!) on the Saturday!
Will, it turned out, was excellent at making cakes and trifles, and especially, homemade ice cream!
He worked his socks off making food for desserts while Lydia and I went for several dress fittings! Will kept saying I looked beautiful.
Everyday all I wanted to do was tell Will how much I loved him. The proud, arrogant snob I’d met 6 months ago was now an understanding, good looking, and humorous guy! And he wanted to be mine.
The day of the wedding came. I awoke early to find Lydia, Rebekah-Rose and my mom having makeup done by Jane. (My eldest sister.) Mom was crying coz she couldn’t believe her 16-year-old daughter was getting married! To be honest neither could I, especially to George! But the 2 had been in love since they were 13 so who could stop them. Lydia had had many boyfriends down to the den dad made her on her 5th birthday but they both knew they loved each other! As Jane put me into my dress, I looked in the mirror and imagined Will’s face when he saw the finished article. I smiled a warm smile.
“What’s that face for Kit?” asked Jane. “You’re not getting broody are you? Trust me when you get pregnant, and you look like me, you won’t want to be married!”
I laughed but inside all I wanted to be was in Jane’s position!
All four of us walked out behind Lydia, who looked beautiful.
George rose and took Lydia’s hand. His smile still looked evil but he loved Lydia I was sure.
Will stared and stared as I walked down the aisle behind my younger sister. I didn’t blame him, me in a dress was a sight enough, but this dress, well!
Later that night Will and I danced and he took my hand to lead me away from the hustle and bustle.
“Where are we going Will, I have to be there when Lydia leaves!”
“You will be don’t fret girl.”
“Will?”
“Ssshhh! Now please, don’t blow me out this time will you? I love you still, Katherine Alessandra Bennet. Please say you’ll do me the same honour you’re sister received today. And-“ He smiled “Maybe sometime after, the same as Jane!”
He pulled out of his pocket a small diamond ring and fell on his knees.
“Well Kit, will you?”
“YES!!” I screamed and he lifted me back on the dance floor.
“Will let’s not tell everyone today, I don’t wanna steal Lydia’s thunder, she gets moody if people do.”
“Ok Mrs. Will!” he laughed.