Finchbergsen Trails

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I can get a tan

Schemes & Things

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Call me the schemer of the century or whatever you may but seeing as Emery was stubborn enough to refuse my machinations, I had to resort to something less painful for him as he would not want Hilliard to take his toe apart. Hughes, I suppose I may call him my devout bachelor and not  what he truly was, my right hand in crime, had found out for me which faculties Viola and Sadie studies in, one was in engineering and the other in law; she seemed capable of both fetes so that did not help in my quest for her. I decided instead on this route, prowling the halls of the faculties so I may chance upon her. My plan this time was simple; I was going to bump into her, slip my wallet into her pocket or her bag and walk away before she would have to track me down, failure to which I will report her to the necessary authorities for pick pocketing and she will have to please me with her company to the summer open. My plan was full proof but as of one thing; which faculty to prowl about!

‘Her name is Iris and she would love to come to the summer open with me.’ Hilliard says flashing the hazel eyes behind the thick copper lashes. I can’t believe he’s the first to get a date! ‘He’s not gay.’ Koen comically announces with a little muffled chuckle in his voice ‘mate I could really use that number.’ Emery says pointedly at me ‘I don’t know which one she is yet.’ I reveal ‘pray God you are only fixated on getting your freedom and not becoming the next Charlton duke Angelford!’ Leigh says ‘no need for such extremities Burlington. My intent is simple.’ I assure him with a smile before Hughes walks up to me ‘duke, your timing.’ He reminds me. ‘I’ll be back.’ I state placing my napkin on the table and walking to the waiting car. I have to make my rounds in the law faculty in search of my dear companion to the summer open. I have the suit fitting later this week and can’t afford to delay any longer.

I walk up the halls expectantly, thinking that perhaps I should take on another plan seeing the unfruitfulness of this one! I sigh and walk down the halls, maybe if I spoke to the dean... but if I did he would be sure to tell my parents I was displaying interest in an unseemly lass and that would flay me off my chance for courting freedom at a premature stage. I sigh and turn around, deciding I was taking one last stroll up and down these halls before I get back to reassess my planning. Just then I walk right into someone, who lands on the floor from the unexpected change in inertia. ‘My apologies.’ I announce reaching down to the very girl I was looking for ‘it’s not your fault; some people need to have been born with indicators attached to their ears.’ She announces as I help her up. She looks at her watch and sighs ‘it’s going to take a miracle for me to pull this one out!’ she decides bending over like she wasn’t wearing superbly fitting jeans.

‘Where are you off to?’ I pry helping pick up a few of the papers in the file she threw when she fell ‘I need to be in town in the next fifteen minutes and I can’t just show up like this!’ she says taking the papers I hold in my hands without as much of a thank you. She is going to be perfect for this! She’s walked out of a class that isn’t through! Told me I need indicators attached to my ears and doesn’t even thank me for picking her papers up! Sadie! Her name is Sadie! ‘What’s wrong with how you look? I think it’s fetching.’ I announce as she starts to walk away.

Eliciting no response from her I follow her, taking her elbow unconventionally ‘I feel really bad about bumping into you like that. Maybe I should drop you in town. I have an appointment there too.’ I announce as she stares at her elbow like she is about to do something eccentric like slap the wits out of me. I hold my turf though. It should be worth it! She looks from my hand clutching at her elbow to my face, her temper a tad doused by the dominance of my height I suppose, or maybe the irritating tanzanite of my eyes; I’m not sure which. ‘What do you drive?’ she inquires as if to gauge her response from my own ‘a Bentley.’ I announce.

She smiles ‘a car?’ she pries ‘a car.’ I confirm ‘I guess that’s as good as anything.’ She shrugs freeing her elbow ‘is that disappointment or a recompense for my bumping into you so ungraciously?’ I inquire lightly, finding it intriguing that she hadn’t flinched at the sound of Bentley as most women had before ‘are those the terms for having an opinion?’ she replies handing me her files like I was Hughes! ‘I’m Herve by the way.’ I introduce myself ‘Sadie.’ She says with a smile ‘mind if I inquire as to why you’re dashing out of an incomplete lesson?’ I ask leading her to the bullet where the very patient Hughes is standing ‘mind if I ask you why you were pacing up and down the law halls like that?’ she retorts. I smile at the little spitfire that will bring my parents to tears ‘I was looking for the dean.’ I lie ‘he has an office.’ She points out as Hughes opens the door for her ‘and you have a chauffeur.’ She adds condescendingly as she slides into the back of the car head first; most entertaining isn’t she?!

‘To town; I have an appointment there.’ I whisper to Hughes before I slide in after her.’ do I know you from somewhere?’ she wonders studying me closely. Very few people I knew looked like me in DroughFox. I hadn’t had the opportunity of meeting lads with eyes the indigo of mine and hair the jet-black of mine. I smile ‘if I remember correctly, it didn’t matter because I was neither Prince William nor Harry.’ I teasingly recompense. She smiles ‘how’s your toe faring?’ she inquires with a naughty smile ‘it was my friend’s toe and it is faring quite well I should think.’ I divulge ‘great. So you came looking for me with the bill I suppose.’ She concludes

 ‘on the contrary I was looking for the dean.’ I reiterate ‘you shouldn’t have let me stop you then. I’m sure if you paced down the halls again it would have been him you bump into.’ She comically obliges me. I smile at her ‘if you must know I changed my mind about seeing him when I bumped into you.’ I announce ‘why? Were you going to snitch on me for my offences towards your friend and his toe?’ she lightly probes ‘at the very least I was going to have you arrested.’ I flippantly agree ‘it’s a good thing you bumped into me then. Now I can counter-sue you if you attempt it.’ She decides frivolously ‘there’ll be no need for that now.’ I decide with a smile ‘I’m glad we agree on that.’ She says, her gaze diverting to the colourful purple watch that matches the t-shirt. She has a way with clothes doesn’t she? She has a way of making them look way better than they ought to, filling them with things that made them amazing when they were but ordinary!

 She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone with a sigh, looking out the window as she calls someone ‘don’t flip out on me.’ she states in opening. What niceties she will have to say to the who’s who at the open! ‘I know. I couldn’t get out of class as early as I thought but I’m on my way. I should be there in five or ten.’ She promises ‘is he still at the plaza?’ she inquires ‘then we can do this. Just take in a deep breath and put on your brightest smile; everything will be fine I promise. I’m really sorry I’m late.’ She says into the phone. I bet she’s talking to Viola! I look at my watch; she said something about someone flying in today didn’t she? ‘I’ll be there. Relax.’ She swears again before she hangs up, diving into a pensive mood I suspect has something to do with ‘him’. ‘Where do we drop you?’ I investigate ‘the plaza would be great thanks.’ She says ‘the plaza Hughes.’ I instruct

‘You don’t think he heard me?’ she teasingly pries with a wide smile ‘I wanted to be sure he did.’ I chuckle softly. She shakes her head in disbelief and turns to the window again ‘was that your boyfriend?’ I pry shamelessly. She turns back to me with a wide smile ‘you’re forward.’ She notes pleasantly ‘I have my discrepancies.’ I shrug prudently ‘like leaving the dean in favour of a girl you don’t know.’ She says ‘perhaps to seek remuneration in showing her the way when she thought I ought to have been born with indicators attached to my ears.’ I point out brightly ‘I clearly stated that it wasn’t your fault.’ She retorts with a smile. ‘I took it otherwise.’ I conclude as Hughes pulls into the plaza

‘thanks for the ride. I have to run.’ She says opening the door for herself to the bedevilment of Hughes who was getting out of the car to do her the honours. I turn to him ‘I want you to find out for me who she’s meeting.’ I announce ‘yes sir.’ He says with a bow ‘and don’t let her witness you.’ I add settling into the back seat and removing my phone. So she was Sadie! That means her friend is Viola, the engineer! I smile and text the number to Emery ‘do with it what you may.’ I announce having once again won the competition of egos at the expense of him. I had the most outrageous date to the summer open. She didn’t know it yet, but she was going with me...


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