Jess's POV
The weeks leading up to the Winter Fair were some of the best of my life. Danny and I were in an amazing place, the best we ever could have imagined, and were spending time together almost every day. Going to a boarding school made it kind of hard to go on proper dates as we were cooped up constantly inside the old building. But we made it work. Most days one of us would go over to the other's room, with Jack and Rachel usually in whichever room was left empty. Whilst there we would chat, fill each other in on our days, just generally enjoy each other's company.
We had also made a pact to have meals together as often as possible. This was proving a little hard due to our differing schedules but we made it work.
As well as hanging out with Danny I was also making sure to keep rehearsing for the Winter Fair. My Dad had told me that he wouldn't be able to come but I asked Amy and she said that she would come. I even invited Zac to come along too and I'm so excited to see them both. I mean, I've never actually met Zac but I'm really glad that Amy's going to be here with him because I figured it would be a great time to tell her about me and Danny.
And yes, I know full well that I should have told her already – I should've told her as soon as I started developing feelings for him quite honestly – but it was hard. I'd spoken it over with Danny and we decided that it should be a face-to-face conversation. If I had just told her over text, or even skype, then she wouldn't have been able to see me and Danny together. She wouldn't have been able to gauge how much we truly did care about each other and how much we were meant to be together.
We still weren't going to tell her about what happened last year because I think we've all agreed that that was a mistake and never should have happened, let alone be bought up again. The last thing any of us need is for our pasts to be drudged up and spoken about again. It was decided that as soon as she got here on the Friday night, we would all have dinner in the canteen – me, her, Zac, Danny, Rachel and Jack. And then Danny and I would tell her straight after. That way, she will have had a chance to see the two of us interacting together before we heap the load upon her. Also, with Zac there she won't really be able to get too pissed off because she won't want him to think that she's not over Danny. With that all sorted on the Friday night, it would give us plenty of time to have fun at the Winter Fair the next day before Zac and Amy have to go home.
And it would be really nice to have Amy supporting me at the fair. This was going to be the first time I've properly sung in front of this many people and I kind of wanted to throw up every time I thought about it. I was excited though too, not least because after the fair there would be absolutely no need for me to Felicity as long as we both should live.
It had been so nice these past few weeks, only having to see her over a little icon of her face on our group chat. I'd been so busy with Danny, as well as rehearsing Rachel and my duologue for our A-level, that I guess I spent too much time running about from one place to the next to bump into her in the corridor.
One person with whom my relationship with had been declining was Matthew. I'd seen him a couple of times this term for our meetings but they hadn't gone too well. The first had been fine, with general chit chat about God and the Bible dominating discussions, with the remainder of time spent on general wellbeing questions. The second, however, had not gone quite so swimmingly.
It was a few days after my successful audition for the Winter Fair, and I had been keen to see Matthew as I was sure he would congratulate me. I know it sounds big-headed or whatever, but he was a genuinely lovely person, and the thought of his compliments meant the world. The actual greeting I received, was a far reach from the laudatory one I'd been expecting, however.
'Hiya Jess, you alright?' He asked as I entered the chapel.
'Yeah, not too bad thanks. Yourself?'
'I'm good,' he paused before repeating, 'I'm good.' He looked around at the chapel around us, running his hands up and down his thighs as he did so. 'So do you have any general questions or shall we go straight into the topic of discussion I thought we could talk about today?'
'No,' I replied. 'No questions.' Damn, I guess no congratulations either. Maybe he was leaving it until the end of the meeting? Wanted to get the religion out of the way first before we moved onto more general pleasantries.
'Great. So today I thought we would talk about sex.' Wait, what did he just say?
'Sex?' I asked. 'As in – '
'As in sexual intercourse between two people. In this case, between you and Danny.' If I had been drinking a cup of tea, I would have spat it right back out again. Why the hell did he want to talk about me and Danny having sex? Ew. How was it any of his business?
'I'm sorry, what?' I was absolutely dumbfounded. 'Is this really appropriate for a religious meeting? I thought Catholics didn't even like sex? Aren't you meant to wait for marriage or something?'
'Precisely, Jess. This is where my concerns are rooted. In the meeting the other day, it became clear that you and Danny are involved in an – ' he paused. 'Intimate way. Am I right?'
'I mean yes, but we're not having – I mean we aren't yet actively – I was struggling to find the right words. 'How is this any of your business what me and Danny get up to anyway? He's my boyfriend, not yours.'
'Boyfriend?' Matthew looked directly at me, silent for a second before continuing. 'Yes well no it's not necessarily my business but I do want to take the time just to let you know what the Bible has to say on the matter.'
'Is this about you not liking Danny?' I asked.
'This has nothing to do with Danny.'
'With all due respect Matthew, it has everything to do with Danny. It has nothing to do with you.'
'1 Corinthians, chapter 6, verse 18,' he continued, clearly trying to ignore any abjections I may have to him doing so. 'States that we should 'flee from sexual immorality'. This is basically saying that we shouldn't be having sex before marriage. Are you and Danny very clear on this?'
'Look Matthew,' I raised my voice. 'I understand that you have to teach me this, honestly I do. And whilst it's not something that I'm going to agree to comply to right here and now, I do admire your own decision of abstinence, I think it's very admirable. But what I do not find at all admirable is the way that you have decided to make this so personal. I honestly don't know what you have against Danny. He is a wonderful, funny, brilliant, charming, intelligent person who also happens to be my boyfriend. If this offends you in any way, for whatever reason then that is your business, not mine. But to bring your own apparent dislike for my boyfriend into our religious meeting is completely nuts. And totally unfair. And don't tell me that you're not making it personal because you are.
'At the beginning of the meeting you didn't say you wanted to talk about just sex, you said you wanted to talk about sex between me and Danny.' I realised that my breathing was being heavier, and I was increasingly fighting the urge to stand up. 'I'm sorry Matthew, but I have to go.' And with that I stood up, picked up my bag and left the chapel – blood still whirling steadfastly around my body.
How dare he, I kept thinking to myself over and over. How freaking dare he? Once I had calmed down I went into Rachel and told her everything that had happened.
'What the heck?' She said.
'I know, how weird is that? That he would be so personal about it?' I said, whilst pacing around our room.
'But what doesn't he like about Danny? He barely even knows him.'
'Exactly, it doesn't make any sense.' I agreed.
'Unless – ' Rachel started before stopping.
'Unless what?' I asked, sitting beside Rachel as I did so.
'You don't think that Matthew likes you does he?'
'What?' How in hell could she think that? 'Where did you get that from?'
'I'm not sure, but that would explain it right? That could be why he doesn't like Danny, because Danny's the one that got you.'
'Got me? I'm not some frigging disease Rachel.' I laughed. 'Besides, Matthew's so hot he could have any girl here. Why, in a million years, would he fancy me?'
'Well you get along well don't you? You've got a brilliant personality and I know you hate me to say this Jess but you're really hot.'
'I'm not that hot, babe.' I corrected her.
'Danny seems to think you are.' She had a point there.
'But Matthew though? Matthew liking me? He's literally the head boy.'
'That doesn't mean anything. Head boys can have feelings too.'
As soon as Rachel had bought up the possibility, it had got me thinking about it more and more. I mean I guess it did make some sort of sense. Matthew and I had always had a laugh together, and he did seem to hate Danny for no particular reason. But I didn't like him at all. Not in that way. Was I leading him on? No I was just being friendly. That's just my character, I'm a friendly person.
For the rest of the run up to the Winter Fair I tried to avoid Matthew, just in case Rachel's assumption was valid. The last thing I wanted was to lead him on into thinking that I liked him too. Besides, relations between the two of us had been left on kind of a frosty note, and I was never all that good at apologies.
I was reminded of my lack of good apologetic skills as I waited outside the school car park for Amy's mum's car to pull in. I'd never even owned up to breaking up her relationship, let alone apologised for it. I pushed thoughts of my deplorable actions to the back of my mind as I saw the car draw nearer, and my best friend step outside of it. 'Amy!' I screamed and ran to greet her.
'Jess, hi!' She reciprocated my high volume as we embraced in the car park. 'Oh my God, I'm so glad to be here the journey was horrendous.'
'I'm so glad you're here too! I can't wait for you to meet everyone.'
'Same, this is Zac by the way.' She said, motioning to the tall, skinny, dark haired boy behind her.
'Nice to meet you,' he said, in a meek voice.
'Likewise.' I smiled. He wasn't Amy's usual type but I guess that if he made her happy, that's all that mattered. 'Okay, let's get your bags. There's like this guest room that you guys will be sleeping in. It's really cosy and nice, it's just one of the empty rooms for this term.'
'Fab,' Amy said. 'I'm so excited to be here, this is going to be the best weekend ever!'
'You bet.' I agreed, hoping that she couldn't hear the faltering cracks in my voice as I attempted to smile. I had no idea what the upcoming weekend was going to hold, I guess all I could do now was pray for success.
/ / / / / / /
Oohhh! Is Jess going to get the perfect weekend she's hoping for? Something tells me that it might be a little more tumultuous than she could ever imagine!
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~LunaCresta x x x
ps - once this story is finished, pretty soon hopefully, I will be writing my new story which I can exclusively reveal will be titled 'Revenge of the Teenage Geek'. Please make sure to follow me if you want more info on that, and to be notified when I start uploading. If you like Only Fools... then you will LOVE this one, it's set to be better and bigger than anything I've ever written so please stay tuned!! :D xxx