19When Anthony heard the bell he knew he had to get Lizze out of the classroom and talk to her before Mark and Charlie did. He bent down and whispered, "I'm going to see if she realizes that you two are the ones who sneaked up on her at the lake." They nodded their heads they knew that it was a good idea. He got his and Lizze's stuff and pushed his way to the front. When he got there he grabbed her by the arm, pulled her out into the hall and into a back hallway.
"Jeez, you don't have to be so rough!" said Elizabeth pulling her arm out of Anthony's grip and rubbing it.
"Sorry, Lizze, I need to talk to you."
"Really? I couldn't tell by the way you pulled me out of the class."
"God I said I was sorry. My friends don't know I know you or that I'm the headmasters' nephew."
"Why didn't you tell them about the Headmaster?"
"Sorry, but your dad isn't the student bodies favorite person."
"I would think not."
"Well, I don't know how some of the guys are going to treat you so be careful."
"Sure, but unless this class is really close we are going to be late.
"OH CRAP! follow me hurry."
Anthony and Elizabeth ran down the hall and got to their next class just before the bell rung. But they weren't the last ones. A couple second later Mark and Charlie walked in.
"Miss, please stay up here, Anthony go sit down."
"Da prynhawn athro." said Mark as he went by to go sit in his seat.
"Good afternoon to you too Mark." said the teacher.
When the bell rang all the students stood up and said "Cymraeg, Mae hen wlad fy Nhadau, yn annwyli mi, gwald beirdd a chantorion enwogio o fri, Ei gwrol ryfelwr, gwlad garwyr tamad, Tros ryddid call asanteu gwlad, Tra mor un furi'r bur hoff bau, o bydoded I'r hen iaith bar haw."
"Very good class."
Elizabeth stood by the door confused.
"Mark please stand and tell Miss…Charleston?"
"I go by Reynolds."
"Okay then…tell Miss Reynolds what we just said and repeat it in English.
"We just said Hen Wlad fy Nhadau, which is the national anthem of Whales. I have no earthly idea how to say it English or Welsh so I'm not going to be much help."
"Sit down Mr. Murray."
"Ahh back to calling me by my surname." then Mark turned to Elizabeth and said "that means he is pissed off at me."
"MISTER MURRAY SIT DOWN!"
Mark obliged laughing, Charlie was laughing next to him.
"Mr. Howard since you find Mr. Murray's display so funny lets see if you can answer the same question posed to Mr. Murray."
"Yes sir, in English Hen Wlad fy Nhadau translates roughly to, Land of my fathers, o land of the free, A land of poets, minstrels, famed men. Her brave warriors, patriots much blessed, It was freedom that they lost there blood Wales! Wales! I am devoted to my country. So long as the sea is a wall to the fair beautiful and may the ancient language remain." Charlie ended with a small nod of his head to Elizabeth and the professor.
"Nicely said Charlie, two marks."
"Excuse me professor what are marks?" asked Elizabeth.
"Marks are a reward system you earn marks for good behavior and such, and you lose points for bad behavior, tardiness, or inaptitude." at that point he looked straight at Mark. Instead of looking abashed Mark looked straight back at Professor McEldoweny and smirked.
"Now that we have had our fun, here is your list Elizabeth you can sit at my desk for today. Everyone get out your paper today we have lecture, I will be checking your notes you will loose marks for laziness."
Elizabeth walked over to the desk and pulled a pen and paper out to take notes. She also pulled out a day planner and wrote hastily "Get book about Welsh and READ!"
"Miss you need not take notes, I'll give them to you. If you look in the bottom of the desk you will find notes for the past year. You can take it with you."
Elizabeth nodded her head and ducked down. Great just what I need a binder of notes. She opened the desk drawer and found a small red binder and she slipped it into her book bag. She was about to close the drawer when a letter with the headmasters seal and in a line for the subject she saw her name. She was about to start reading it when she heard the professor coming over, "Where you able to find it?" Quickly she slid the letter in to her bag and shut the drawer. "Ahh yeah, I mean yes sir."
"Hey, McEldie, we got homework?" Mark yelled across the room. Elizabeth let out a breath of relief gad that Mark pulled the attention away from her.
"Minus five marks, Mr. Murray." said Professor McEldweney his face reddening.
Mark looked like he was going to reply but Anthony hit him on the arm. The rest of the time the were no interruptions and everyone including Charlie and Mark took note until the bell rang and everyone rushed out, but once again Anthony whispered to his friends and they nodded. Elizabeth waited by the door for Anthony.
When Anthony got there he jerked his head to the door signaling that she should follow him. Once they were in the hall they ducked into another back hallway. Anthony's two friend were waiting there.
"Liz…Elizabeth, this is Mark Murray." said Anthony.
"Hi, pleased to meet you." Mark said as he leaned down to kiss her hand.
"Hi…" Elizabeth said giving Mark a weird look.
"And this is Charlie Howard." Anthony said breaking the awkward silence.
"Hi, how are you?" said Charlie and he stuck out his hand.
Elizabeth shook it and said "Good, and you?'
"Fine, thanks."
"Okay we need to get to English." said Anthony.
Last class, then I will get Anthony to show me my other classes to get those lists. Elizabeth thought to herself.
When they got to the room and walked in Elizabeth was startled to be greeted by a young woman with blonde hair pulled in a loose pony tail. She looked at the three boys quizzically. Wouldn't it be all male teachers in an all guys' school? When Elizabeth caught their eyes she saw they were just as confused as her.
"Hey, I'm your new teacher, I mean professor, and you can call me Professor Jones. If you could all please sit down," said Professor Jones.
As Elizabeth was walking to the back with Anthony Mark and Charlie Professor Jones grabbed her arm and pulled her aside.
"Correct me if I'm wrong but this is an all guy school." said Professor Jones.
"You're correct,"
"Then how, I mean why…"
"Am I here? My father is the headmaster and I'm spending the summer here and lucky me I get to be a tutor."
"Oh I see, you aren't from around here are you?"
"No, I'm from Texas and you?"
"Colorado, us American girls will have to stick together. If you ever need to talk to a girl, I'm here for you."
"Thanks, and if you need to talk about the stupidity of guys I'll listen. You can make a list of guys who need tutoring when you get around to it."
"Awesome, I guess I better start class shouldn't I."
Elizabeth turned around and walked to the back and sat down. The guys bombarded her with questions. "Who is she?" "Where is she from?" "What did you talk to her about?"
"Settle down class. As I said I'm Professor Jones. I'm from Denver Colorado. I taught at a collage back in the U.S. If you have anymore questions write them down and put them on my desk. I haven't settled in yet so, I will let you have a free day if you are quiet."
The rest of the period Elizabeth talked to Mark, Charlie, and Anthony.
"Why did you decided to come over here and not spend the summer back in Texas?" asked Charlie.
"I wanted to come back to Europe and I haven't seen my daddy," Lizze stopped a little embarrassed that she had just said daddy in front of two hot guys but she kept going, "in six years. Plus my mom just got engaged and I can't stand the guy, so I didn't want to spend my summer with him."
Anthony wanted to hear more about his aunt and what Elizabeth has been doing the past six years, but he knew if he asked too many questions Charlie and Mark would get suspicious. "So Liz…" Anthony stopped at the glare Elizabeth was giving him. Oh crap I nearly called her Lizze. To cover up stopping mid word Anthony had a small coughing fit.
"Dude you okay?" asked Charlie.
"Anthony what's wrong?" asked Elizabeth worriedly. Thankfully I took an acting class, said Elizabeth to herself. She knew all to well that Anthony was just faking to cover up the awkward silence.
"Yeah," cough, cough "I'm fine," gasp, cough "Just chocked on my own spit," cough, cough replied Anthony.
"Anthony I was wondering if after class you could take me to the classes I missed."
"No problem Elizabeth."
When the bell rang Elizabeth, Anthony, Mark and Charlie stood up.
"I'll catch you all back in the commons I'm going to take Elizabeth to her morning classes real quick," said Anthony.
Mark and Charlie nodded, Charlie turned to Elizabeth and said "nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too Charlie."
Then Mark half bowed and said "It was a pleasure you ma'am"
Elizabeth gave him a weird look and said "Uh, yeah, okay nice to meet you too."
After that Mark and Charlie left and Anthony started cracking up.
"What is so funny Anthony?" Elizabeth demanded.
"Let's start walking to your first class, Latin right?" Elizabeth nodded.
"Okay, I'll tell you on our way so we are less likely to be overheard."
"Fine," Elizabeth replied reluctantly. They started walking out of the classroom. The minute they were in the hallway Elizabeth looked at Anthony expectantly. "What?" asked Anthony.
"You going to tell me what was so funny back there?"
"Oh, yeah, that umm that was nothing. Mark he uhh, I was laughing at.. oh look here we are at the Latin room."
Elizabeth glared at him but went in anyway.
"Excuse me Professor Zericella, I was wondering if I could have a list of students I need to tutor, Oh yeah I'm Elizabeth Reynolds."
"Reynolds not Charleston interesting."
Elizabeth jumped she had walked toward the desk when she had been talking but the voice was from behind her. She turned to see a blonde guy in his mid twenties wow, he is pretty young to be a professor Elizabeth thought to herself.
"Sorry about scaring you. I'm Professor Zericella," said the guy sticking out his hand. Elizabeth shook it saying, "Elizabeth Reynolds like I said earlier. Do you have the List?"
"Yeah here it is." Professor Zericella said reaching his hand in his pocket and pulling out a piece of paper. He handed the paper to Elizabeth who promptly put it in her purse and said "Nice meeting you Professor." She turned on her heel and left the room.
"You still need to go to Chemistry and Medieval History. Umm Professor Fabrizio was out today so we had a free period so that leaves Medieval History which is two doors down. Then the main stairs are to the left. I really need to go up to my commons and start on my homework, I'll see you at dinner or tomorrow morning. Bye Lizze."
"Bye Anthony." She walked down the hallway to Professor Brake's room where she found a note taped to the door. It was Professor Brake's and Fabrizio's tutoring list.
Anthony turned down the hall and as soon as he was of the view of Lizze he started sprinting down the hall then he stopped. Why am I even running, and where am I going to go. He ducked into a side room to collect his thoughts. The first thing I need to do is call mum. But how do I call her with out being overheard? I could go into town. No can't sneak out. I know I'll go to Uncle John's house and borrow his phone. Shit I have to get there before Lizze.
At that point he threw open the door and bolted down the hallway, he ran all the way to the Headmasters Mansion. When he got there he started up the stairs to the main entrance and then thought better of it and jumped over a small hedge and began walking to the back where the servant's entrance is. To get to the door he had to push away a few vines. The servant's door was so well hidden you had to know it was there to find it. He in fact had stumbled across it his first year and has been using it ever since. He knocked on the door and a girl that Anthony had never seen opened the door. "I'm sorry, sir, this is not open to anyone. You can use the main entrance around the corner." The girl started to close the door but Anthony stopped her.
"Can I talk to Grayson please?"
"I'm sorry but I have rules I have to follow"
"Just let me speak to Grayson, miss, or I will force my way in."
"Grayson please come here." The girl said frightened. A tall man with graying hair in a butlers outfit came to the door."
"Mister Graham come in. Move aside and let him in Annie he is an exception to the rules," said Grayson.
"Yes sir," she turned toward and said "Sorry, sir."
"No, problem." Said Anthony, he waked in and waved to a few servant before turning to Grayson and asking "Could I borrow your phone?"
"Sure, sir."
"And how many times to I have to tell you its Anthony, not Mister Graham or Sir."
Anthony went over to the phone and dialed his home number.
"Hello, mother...I'm fine and you…that's good…I was calling to tell you that Lizze is here…Yes…She recognized me…No they don't know…No Uncle John doesn't know we have met…She's staying all summer…Calm down mum…NO don't…mum…listen…don't call Aunt Judy…Yes, I will watch out for her…okay mum…Bye…talk to you later…yes…I love you to mum…BYE." He hung up the phone. "Thanks Grayson. I'll talk to you later. It was nice to meet you Annie. Anthony stuck out his hand to shake Annie's but changed his mind at the last minute and kissed it lightly. "Sorry about threatening you," He said with a grin. As he walked out the door he was still grinning and thinking to himself I have spent too much time with Mark and I'm starting to use his flirting techniques.
Elizabeth got to the house ran inside and went up to her room. Hmmm I guess I should make up a tutoring schedule first. So she emptied out her purse and as she was collecting up the papers she saw the letter. She dropped all of the papers in her hand and grabbed the letter. She jumped up hurriedly locked the door and went over to a small chair next to the window and plopped down onto it. She gently opened it and started reading:
Professor McEldoweny-
My ex-wife, Judy, after keeping our daughter, Elizabeth, as far away from me as possible has decided that I should keep her for the summer and maybe longer. No doubt so she can start a new life, with her new husband, and make a new family without someone reminding her constantly of her old life. Elizabeth is under the impression that she had a choice in the matter but she was in the end going to end up here whether she wanted to or not. I would strongly advice you not to let her think otherwise. So to keep the young teen out of trouble, out of the house, and most importantly out of my way, I have decided she will become a tutor to the sophomore boys, and she will be going to class with them. Please adapt to these inconveniences as best as possible. Also I have hired a woman from Denver, Colorado, a friend of a friend, she is mainly here for someone Elizabeth can confide in. But if for some reason Elizabeth confides in you or if you notice any suspicious behavior between Elizabeth and a student please inform me immediately.
Thanks for the Trouble
Headmaster Charleston
P.S. All other staff members received this notice. Failure to comply with my
request will result in an inquiry possibly leading to suspension or
immediate extermination of duty.