An Unforgettable Lesson

by Bulma-chan

"Ladies, we have one last activity to do before our vacations comes to an end," Sister Margaret said. "We are going to prepare a play."

These were the last days of the summer. They could tell by the weather since they could feel the temperatures were lower than when they first arrived in Scotland. It seemed as though the summer was gradually telling them goodbye. In the group of students were Annie, Patty, Elisa and of course, Candy, among others. Candy knew how to take advantage of the time and discovered little by little about all the beauties and good things that this so far away land, unknown to her few months ago, was offering her.

When Sister Margaret finished her talk, everybody was very excited about this play, but Candy was in her own personal magic world… and even if she didn’t wanted to do it, her mind was flying high thinking about Terry. They got very close to one other during these vacations, reaching the deepest of his heart and soul. The problem with his mother, the lovely evening they spent together when he refused to go to the White Party just to be with her, the plane incident with her group of friends… all these things that happened helped them to get closer.

"Candy? Candy? Miss Candice White Andley, are you paying attention to my words?" said Sister Margaret bringing her back to reality

"Excuse me sister, can you repeat your question again?" Candy said standing up.

"Don’t get distracted during the class. I was asking you which group you would like to join," she explained.

"Groups? Groups for what Sister?" She had missed everything.

"I can see you didn’t pay any attention to what I said. For this you are going to get grounded and you won’t be allowed to come out of the school today. Miss O’Brian, can you please explain her this is all about and then you come to me and tell me which group you would like to join. Ladies, the class has just finished, you can leave,"the sister said while she picked her books, leaving

"Thank you Sister," everybody replied standing up

Patty got close to her and explained about the play, but Elisa from her seat said aloud,

"Im sure you're going to get the role of a maid, after all that’s what you are."

"I bet that playing the role of a maid could be more interesting than playing the one of a noble Elisa," replied Candy leaving the place.

She looked for Sister Margaret, and when she found her she apologized for her behavior and asked her to forget her punishment, with the promise of changing for the better. The sister remembered. In a few days they would be back in London and she would forgive her, under one condition: to give her best in the play. Smiling, Candy said, "Yes!" then thanked the Sister and left the place running. A few minutes later, Sister Margaret realized that Candy didn’t tell her in which group she would be in, but it was too late to call her back. She had already disappeared.

Candy was resting, sitting on the branch of a nice tree, thinking about the last activity that Sister Margaret wanted to organize. What did she know about acting? She couldn’t even convince Miss Pony that she was sick when she wanted to stay in bed longer, so how could she convince her audience? "No, I don’t think I can do it," she thought, "but I could be a charmed princess that is prisoner on the Tower of London, dressed in a beautiful dress waiting for my prince to come for me." And when she thought of this, she surprised herself feeling her cheeks getting warmer, just thinking that Terry could be her prince… "Terry! He’s my salvation," she said climbing down the tree, and in a reasonable high she picked a branch and started riding from one tree to the other in this way. She arrived pretty fast at the Grandchester’s Villa, but the last branch was loose and Candy fell to the ground heavily.

She stood up immediately, complaining to herself and looked everywhere to check that nobody was looking at her. That landing was the worst one in her landing history of climbing trees. Once she knew she was alone, she rubbed her hips. "I’ll tell Terry to fix these trees," she thought opening the gate of the Villa to enter the garden. She walked through it till she found the windows of his room on the second floor, and once she got there she called out to him.

"Terry! Terry!"

"Hahaha! If you want you can take some more time, maybe the pain will disappear," said a voice from the bedroom.

"You saw me?" she said playing with her fingers.

"I didn’t know that monkeys could also have those kinds of accidents," Terry said leaning over his balcony. "What do you want?"

"I need to ask you a favor," Candy said.

"A favor? Come in," he said curiously.

She got into the Villa and waited for Terry in the living room. Mark’s mother did a great job in that house. Everything was clean and shiny, but she also had to remember that Terry wasn’t a little boy after all, so there weren’t many chances for the place to get dirty. But her thoughts were distracted by the sudden presence of Terry on the room.

"What favor do you need from me Candy?" He asked, leaning himself casually on the frame of the door with his arms folded.

"Well we are going to have a school play and as you like the theater so much I thought that maybe you…" she said playing with her fingers again.

"Do you want me to teach you?" he said smiling. "Well, my classes are very expensive."

"That is why I’m asking you this as a favor," she said.

"Mmh, and what do I get for it?" he asked.

"My eternal gratitude," she said bowing to him, smiling.

"What is the story you’re going to play?" Terry asked, walking towards her.

"Well I don’t know. Maybe Sister Margaret mentioned the name during class but I can’t remember it," she explained.

"Pay more attention the next time.. this is going to be more difficult than I thought," he said.

"Why?"

"Because there are different kinds of stories to be performed in a play. You can use different techniques, that is why I have to know which one you’re going to study," he said.

"Aahhh… but we can rehearse with any story, right?" she said.

"Well if you want we can play Romeo and Juliet since I have the script here at home," he said leaning his face close to hers, smirking.

"Terry don’t say that," she said walking 2 steps behind.

"All right, I’ll teach you but you have to promise me that you will do anything I tell you to do," he said seriously.

"Anything?" she said with fear.

"You have to trust in your director. If you don’t trust him nothing good will come out of it," he said wisely as he knew a lot about this topic.

"All right, I’ll do it but…" she said, hesitating.

"I promise to behave well Freckles," he said crossing his heart.

"Do we start now?" she asked.

"No, I’ll prepare everything for tonight so come back at 8 o’clock. Be punctual," he said leaving the room.

Candy went back to school with a mixture of joy and fear inside of her. Arriving the at Villa at 8 o’clock meant spending some time alone with Terry at night… maybe it wasn’t a good idea. She decided not to mention a word about this to her friends.

Before leaving her room for her special classes, she left some lights on and a message outside her door that read "I’m studying, do not disturb". When the halls were empty she left.

She arrived at the Villa at 8 o’clock She was sure of that. She knocked on the door but nobody answered or opened. From the outside she could see that everything was dark inside the Villa and she thought "maybe Terry went out for a ride?" but then she turned the knob and realized that the door was opened. "If Terry is not here, I rather prefer to wait for him inside" she thought.

As everything was dark she guided herself to the living room with the help of the walls. She opened the door and went in… everything was as dark as the rest of the house, but on a second sight something called her attention… it looked like a cigarette that somebody was smoking. "You’re late" she heard. It was Terry.

"Why everything is so dark here? I can’t see anything," she said.

Suddenly a light blinded her eyes, which she covered immediately.

"You’re in a theater, you got to get used to it," he said playing with the light that he was directing right to her

"AAHHH Terry!" she screamed.

"Silence! Now stand in front of the fire place," he ordered.

"You forgot to say ‘please’," she said looking to the other side.

"Don’t argue with the director, now to your place," he ordered again.

She didn’t have any other choice but to obey and walk to where he said while Terry fixed the light in that position. She could see that all the furniture were on one side of the room. He was sitting in front of her but in the back of the room, sitting with one leg over the other and with the cigar on his right hand.

"Did you find out which play it is?" he asked.

"No, I didn’t mentioned this to anyone… I didn’t want them to know that I was coming here tonight," she said lowly.

"So nobody will miss you if you don’t go back to school tonight, right?" he said.

She could guess the way he was looking at her right now.

"If you continue like this I’ll leave," she said placing her hands on her hips.

"Freckles you should have more sense of humor. Now show me what you know about theater," he said.

"If I knew something I wouldn’t be here."

"Mmh… how difficult… I know! Stand looking at the wall on your right and face it. Now lift your right arm as if you were going to pick something," he said.

"Like this?" she asked while looking at him.

"Yes, it’s good. Now put your left hand on one side of your mouth, as if you were going to say something," he pointed out.

"Like this?"

"Perfect, now scream 'aahahahahahahahah,'" he added seriously.

"Aaaahahahahaha!" she screamed.

"Louder!"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" she screamed louder, but something made her stop.

Terry was laughing to death on his seat, looking at that scene.

"What is so funny about this?" she said upset.

"Now I know that the perfect role for you is Tarzan. Hahahah!!" He replied.

Candy became so upset that started walking right to him. He realized this and said, "Stop right there, it’s perfect."

"What's perfect will be my fist on your face," she said.

"No, your reaction is perfect. That is the way you should act in a play if you have to get upset… to let everything out," he said.

"Really?" she said.

"Yes, you’re doing it very well," he said relieved when he saw her stopping.

"Oh good!" Candy said, forgetting the reason why she got upset. "I knew I had some hidden talents."

"Take this and put it on,"Terry said throwing Eleanor’s robe to her. "Let’s see if you can get some of her spirit with it."

"Alright,"she said going back to her place putting it on… she could still smell the French perfume from it.

"Ok, let’s get serious again. Let’s begin."

From outside the living room door one could hear a constant: "Again", "Ahh ,Terry!", "Don’t yell at your director", "Relax your shoulders… action", "For you it’s easy to say it, right?", "Repeat it", "Terry let my hand go", "Learn to move on a stage", "What was I thinking when I decided to come here?", among other nice words spoken to each other.

Terry taught her how to show happiness, sadness, pain, what to do when you forget your lines, how to help your partner, etc. Many things he knew, but many things he also invented right at the moment. Of course the theater was the best thing for him, but he had never worked seriously or played on a theater even once.

After 2 long hours of teaching and learning, they were tired and hungry. Terry explained to her that Mark’s mother had the day off but she prepared the meal for that night, and invited Candy to have dinner with him. She accepted. Terry walked to the kitchen while she took off the robe and put it on the coach that was at a side of the room. Candy was thinking that it was a good idea to leave soon since it was late and they were all alone. This last thought made her shudder, but not from fear… Terry was a nice person and she knew him well enough to know that he was still a gentleman… but even a gentleman can do some things without other people’s permission.

Her memory flew back to those moments in the May festival… that dance… his intense eyes on hers… their very first kiss. She never thought that this young man that was always calling her names and saying not-so-nice things to her, would be the one opening new doors and giving her new sensations. Candy’s life has always been a game and even when she had suffered a lot, her reward came from all her friends and the people she appreciated and loved. There were times when she really wanted to leave the school but she felt a lot of respect towards Uncle William, and this respect stopped her from doing so. Stear and Archie, Patty and Annie, were always trying to make her life easier Then Terry came into her life and added the spice that was missing, which she didn’t realize 0she needed.

In the darkness of the room she touched her lips closing her eyes, remembering that special moment. Will something like that repeat tonight? She wouldn’t hit him this time… or will she? She also remembered that time he kissed her forehead tenderly, the day she pretended to cheat him… but he knew very well how to get close and show her even for a few seconds how much he cared about her.

She heard "come help me" and came back to her feet, and leaving her thoughts aside she replied, "I’m coming".

While they were having dinner, he started talking.

"My mother is an excellent actress and even everybody says so, but I’ve never seen her act."

"No? Why not?" Candy said taking the bread.

"My father… he always manipulated my life for so long, making my hate for her grow more and more," he said.

"Your father is very strange, he could’ve married your mother," Candy said cutting the meat.

"Maybe he considered it, but he couldn’t resist the pressure his family was bearing on him. He owns a very strong personality, but he’s still a weak man for some things," Terry replied.

"I see."

"I would’ve loved to spend some evenings like this one with my mother. Her knowledge on theater would’ve been her best gift for me!" he said.

"But it’s never too late for that."

"But she’s back in America and I don’t know when I will see her again…" he said lowering his gaze.

Candy noted the sadness on Terry.

"Well, cheer up! Right in front your eyes you have the new sensation of the theater, the great Candy!" she said standing up opening her arms, as if she was prepared to receive an ovation from her public and closing her eyes.

1

2

3

4

5…

But she never heard the ovation… even more she didn’t hear any comment from Terry. She opened her eyes and found the sweetest look from Terry’s eyes, the sweetest he ever gave her. It is true, in spite of all the loneliness, anguish and anger that always lived in his heart, Candy knew how to release him of all those bad feelings with her special way of treating him. She eased his pains, changed his mood and even made him smile… something difficult for any other person, but she was always able to make him feel better. That villa that always looked so cold and so empty was now full of her spirit, shining in every corner of that place. If the ghosts that he told her about some time ago were real, they would’ve been charmed with her presence too.

Candy found a warm shelter in those eyes that were as blue as the deepest of the ocean…the same blue she saw everyday from the ship on her way to London. They weren’t very close physically. He was in front of her, but their eyes didn’t notice the distance. Terry couldn’t keep his eyes from hers, he was exploring her soul through a couple of emeralds that seemed to have a life on their own and were shining as the stars on a night of June…

Candy felt herself intimidated… it seemed he wanted to reach the deepest of her soul and never leave. But she couldn’t let him do that… she didn’t like Terry, he was arrogant, egocentric and not very nice… so she closed her eyes.

Terry felt surprise at her attitude. "Why did she do it? What the hell, she’s still a little girl," he said to himself. "Come on let’s finish with this soon," he said standing up and leaving the room.

Candy knew he got upset for something, but she also knew that he would forget it soon. She left her napkin on the table and followed him.

When she got to the room he was sitting again on his chair, turning the light on again and asking her to get close to him with a sign of his hand.

"Take. Read and memorized them, you will act them in 5 minutes," he said giving her some papers, but keeping one for him.

"What is it?" she asked.

"They are fragments of different stories that I’ve read and I wrote them down for you. Remember, in 5 minutes," Terry said.

"And that one?" she said, pointing to the one left in his hand.

"It’s nothing, now go studying," he ordered.

Candy sat close to the fireplace and started reading while Terry left the room. "Where are you going?" she asked, but received no reply.

After those five minutes he came back.

"You can keep those papers in case you forget something, but this is a special case. That's the only reason why I let you keep them, ok?" he said.

"I understand, thank you," Candy replied.

"Action!"

And she began her acting. Terry was thinking, "She would never be like the members of the Barrymore family, but I’m sure she will pass the test very well."

Candy read the 3 dialogues that he wrote and when she had finished Terry clapped.

"Eh?" she said looking at him.

"All right Freckles, you’re almost ready. You learn fast" Terry said.

"Almost?"

"Yes, you need to learn this one. Take it," he said giving her the piece of paper he kept for him before.

"This is a dialogue for two persons, right? But here only my lines appear," she said.

"I’m going to act that one with you. I already know my lines so go and you learn yours," he said.

"Aahh, to be an actress is so exhausting, specially for my bad memory," Candy was thinking while she read her new lines.

After some time he got up and got close to her, took the piece of paper of her hands and threw it away.

"You won’t need it," he said.

"And what if I forget something?" Candy asked.

"Improvise, and I’ll help you," he replied.

"Improvise? Well, I’ll do it," she said.

Candy turned her back to him, getting into the character. Terry started talking.

"In a time when people have forgotten about love, we must show them it’s a priceless treasure."

"I can’t. The Gods of the Olympus will punish me," she said.

"Ohh… the Gods, those beings that live so far away from us, but they only have to move one finger and they are able to move the laces of our destiny," he recited.

"So let it be written Sades, a priestess of the temple can mix with humans," she said.

"Poor me… a poor mortal soul destined to roam the road of desolation and loneliness," Terry said.

"You can change your destiny… go back to your town and when you have the chance, leave to another country. We will all forget about you if you're not close," Candy said putting her hands together like praying, lowering her head

"My destiny will still be the same. Instead of walking on sand I’ll be walking on clay, but the thorns of hopelessness will follow me eternally," Terry said moving with grace, showing the feeling of his character

"Go away mortal, Zeus will feel your presence in this holy place." Candy didn’t forget any of her lines, Terry’s performance was helping her a lot.

"I’ll leave but just for today. And if it is written in my destiny to find in my way somebody that wants me apart from you, I’ll face him."

"Don’t do it for it will be your death," she said shaking her head.

"Not even the deepness of the seven seas or the immensity of the desert will keep me away from you," Terry said.

"Now go. I don’t want to see the disgrace in your eyes."

"Your rejection is my disgrace. Oh Priestess, the one that owns my life and my soul. If you feel rejection towards me, finish my life for even death will be sweet coming from your hands," he said on his knees, lowering his head.

"I could never get close to you to hurt you, not even with my thoughts. Now stand up and go. Zeus knows you are here," Candy said turning to face him.

Terry stood in front of her, taking her hands.

"Oh glory, allow me to touch the silk of your hands, even for a moment," he said.

Candy was getting nervous.

"I can feel the joy in your soul, mortal," she said closing her eyes, trying to control her breathing. "May I wonder… How can it be that someone as simple as I can cause such reaction inside you?" she said.

"My heart and soul feel such delight each time I have the gift of sharing one moment close to you. Oh Priestess, for one look from your eyes, I would kill."

"Don’t do it."

"For your smile, I would die," he said getting closer to her.

"Please don’t continue…"

"And just to taste the softness, warmth and sweetness of your lips…"

"Don’t say it," Candy’s hands were frozen between Terry’s.

"I could condemn my soul in hell for eternity."

Terry drew closer to her mouth, slowly. His eyes were fixed on hers. It was magic, but could it be the magic of the theater that surrounded them now? Candy asked to herself, or maybe the softness in his voice that emphasized every line with a special passion that was the guilt of this feeling? Every word was cherished by her.

"Please mortal, stop," Candy improvised, she didn’t have any more lines on her script.

"Oh my life, I could face the predictions of any oracle just for you," Terry said.

"And the Gods?"

"Gods, gods… The gods are cruel, but I know Venus would help us and protect us under her aura, and not even Zeus will find us," Terry said.

"Terry stop." She couldn’t continue improvising, now that she knew he was turning serious about his lines.

"Who is the one you’ve just called? Someone who had already drunk the nectar from you? Someone who had the courage to trespass your purity? Oh, lucky him that had that joy," Terry stopped in front of her, few inches from her mouth.

"Terry please," she begged.

"His name again, every time you call him something dies deep inside of me. Please shut up cruel Priestess, you’re consuming my life."

"I c… can feel Zeus getting close to the temple, please go," was all that she could say.

"Ohhh, the perfume of a Goddess in a Priestess. Am I loosing my sanity?" Terry asked smelling her face.

Her hands… remained motionless inside of his. Terry was away from her mouth but for how long?

"Mortal, you have to accept your destiny, not challenge it," Candy said.

"Ahhh, those words are knives to me. To take you out of my life is the same as dying my beautiful Priestess," he said looking in her eyes again.

"I’m afraid for your life," she said.

"Ohh what a joy… you’re worried about me, a simple and poor low being whose only purpose is to dedicate his life to you," he said getting close to her mouth again.

"Terry stop it… we’re done," she said with difficulty.

"You still need to learn something," he said inches away from her mouth.

"I don’t think so," she replied nervously.

"You have to learn how to kiss in a play," Terry added.

"But Terry, in my play there will only be girls and I…"

"You asked me to teach you and I want you to learn," he replied.

"But…."

"Don’t think in your partner of the play for what he is, your partner. You have to think of him as your perfect lover," he said.

"But…"

"The love between the Priestess and Sades must be represented as it is," he said.

Candy was speechless.

"I know I’ll die if Zeus finds me, but I’m not worried about that," he said letting her hands go softly. Instead, he placed his hands on her hips and slid them up until they rested on her back

"But if you die, I’ll be damned with my immortality, and while you roam in the land of the deads…" Candy continued.

"Yes?" he said.

"I’ll be punishing myself constantly…"

"For?"

"For not appreciating the pure love of a mortal with the soul of an angel," Candy finally said, taking a deep breath when she finished this sentence, closing her eyes.

"My beloved priestess," he said, kissing her lips softly.

Candy was so involved in the story and caught by the hypnotizing performance of Terry, which seemed so… sincere. She didn’t know when, but she responded to his kiss and while he tasted her, she was tasting his lips.

When their kiss finished, he held her tight, leaning her head over his heart. Shyly she held him back.

Suddenly something distracted them.

"Candy! Candy!" Someone screamed from outside the Villa.

"Who could it be?" she said separating from Terry.

"I don’t think its Zeus," Terry joked.

Both laughed at that. Terry turned the lights on and walked to the door. It was Annie.

"Annie? What’s wrong?" Candy asked.

"I knew I’ll find you here. Hi Terry," Annie said. "Sister Margaret is looking for you."

"Me? Why?"

"I don’t know but Patty is with her trying to make her forget about you, so I came here as fast as I could," Annie said.

"What does she want?"

"Come on, we can’t lose more time, let’s go," Annie said taking her hand.

"Well, well I’m going. Terry thank you, I had a great time," Candy said releasing her hand from Annie.

"Anytime," he replied. "Good night my priestess," he said kissing her hand.

"Candy, let’s go!" Annie begged, she didn’t understand what was happening.

"Ok Ok, bye Terry!"

They ran through the woods. The moon was their only light. When they got close to the school they decided to slow down catch their breath.

"How did you find out I was with Terry?" Candy asked.

"Patty and I went to your room and when we saw your message we couldn’t believe it. Candy studying? Something’s wrong."

"Hey! I study!" she said laughing.

"Then we knocked and nobody replied. We entered and you weren’t there and the only place where you could be it was Terry’s Villa," Annie said.

"And Sister Margaret?"

She saw us coming out of your room and she said she wanted to talk to you. Patty told her you were sleeping but she didn’t believe her. So Patty asked to tell her the story of a saint while I was in your room waking you up.

"Poor Patty," Candy said.

"What were you doing with Terry?" Annie asked.

"Me? Nothing," she replied.

"Why did he call you Priestess?"

"I don’t know… one of his jokes maybe," Candy said trying to change the subject. "Now let’s pay attention, we’re getting in."

Annie changed a lot during all this time thanks to Candy. Silently they got in Candy’s room. She fixed her hair and walked to Sister Margaret’s office.

"Sister, you wanted to see me?"she said opening the door. Patty was inside and breathed when she saw her coming in.

"Yes Candy, what took you so long?" she said.

"I was sleeping and well, a lady usually takes some time to look good in front of others, right?"

"It wasn’t necessary," the Sister said. "Well, I was looking for you because I’ve a letter from America, and as I know you enjoy reading them I decided to deliver it to you immediately."

"Thank you, Sister. May I go back to my room now?"

"Yes Candy you may," she replied.

"Sister Margaret, I’m also going back to my room. Thank you for your lesson and good night," Patty said.

"Good night, Patricia."

Both girls left the office and went back to Candy’s room. Annie was waiting for them.

While Candy was reading the letter, Annie told to Patty what happened and Patty told her she already knew the lives of all the catholic saints.

Before leaving Annie asked, "Candy, why were all the lights of the Villa off?"

Candy made up a silly story but the girls didn’t believe it.

………

The next day after class, Candy was resting under a tree near the lake, whispering to herself and thinking about Terry. She heard the noise of footsteps near and when she turned her face she saw him sitting next to her.

"Hi, Terry."

"Did you have problems last night?" he asked.

"No, she just wanted to give me a letter," Candy replied.

"A letter? From whom?"

"From Pony’s. I’m sorry, I didn’t have time to thank you for what you did last night Terry. Now tell me, what is the name of the play we did?" she asked.

"There is no such story, I made it up," he replied.

"Really?"

"Yes, some time ago I read Homero and loved Greek mythology almost immediately, that’s why I prepared that especially for you," he said.

"Ah! I thought you took it from some book. I wanted you to lend it to me… I liked the story," she said, avoiding his eyes.

"Well if you want I can write a second part and invite you to rehearse it. What do you think?" Terry said with a seductive smile.

"Eh… no… it’s not necessary," she replied nervously.

Terry just smiled.

"And how is your play?" he asked.

"Sister Margaret will give us the script tomorrow, and then I’ll tell you more about it. Now I have to go. The others and I are going out on a picnic. Do you want to come?" she said, inviting him while she stood up.

"No thank you. You know I don’t like to socialize with the others," he replied.

"Well then, see you here tomorrow?" she said.

"Is that a date?" he joked.

"Terry don’t be silly, bye!" she said leaving, but he made her stop.

"Candy…"

"Yes?"

"I forgot to tell you how much I enjoyed last night's rehearsal, especially since you didn’t hit me this time," he said smiling.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about, bye!" was her only answer, and finally leaving this time.

Terry remained there thinking about Candy… "She’ll never change," he thought.

………

On the next day..

"Ladies, these are the stories that you will have to represent in the play. As we don’t have much time you will only have to memorize the pages I already marked. I am officially inform you that we are going back to London on Sunday, so the deadline for the play is Friday. I think 2 days are enough," said the Sister.

"Two days?" Everyone chorused.

"Yes, you will all have to stay here studying till Friday, not even special permissions for leaving the school will be given, did you hear that Miss Andley?"

"Yes Sister," she said lowly.

"Well, I’m leaving so you can organize and study," she said. "Good afternoon ladies."

"Good afternoon, Sister," they replied.

In group A was Elisa and her friends, and in group B Candy and company. Both groups went apart immediately. Candy took the script and laughed when she saw it.

She wouldn’t be able to meet Terry as they agreed, but she would manage a way to send him a message telling him that the play will be on Friday night and she was expecting to see him there.

………..

It was Friday night. A small stage was built on the gardens of the school. As every year the people of the town, the rest of the Sisters and any other person that wanted to see the plays were invited and welcome.

At 8 o’clock everyone sat in their places. Terry was also there, sitting with Stear and Archie.

They drew a contest and Candy’s group was the first one to perform the story. Sister Margaret stood in front of the public, thanked them for their presence and then proceeded to present the story. "The first group will represent the life of Joan of Arc, a martyr on God’s service".

Terry couldn’t help but laugh when he heard about it. Sister Margaret called his attention with her look, but then the lights went off.

So there was Candy representing Joan of Arc. In spite of all, she was the one that made the best performance of both groups. At the end of the story when she was tied up in the middle of the bonfire, she looked at the people on the public until she found the one she was looking for. Terry closed one eye to her and she replied in the same way. Elisa, on one side of the stage took note of that exchange and couldn’t stand it. She really wanted to go and set Candy on fire, but she wasn't able to do it.

When Candy's group finished everybody clapped at them, especially for Candy’s performance. Everyone was surprised at the way she represented such a difficult character.

And then there was on the stage Elisa’s group. They had to represent Maria Magdalene’s story. Elisa insisted she had to be the protagonist and after some rude words to her friends they accepted. The first problem were the clothes she had to use. She didn’t want to dress with rags so for the first time, Maria Magdalene was dressed in an elegant dress with jewels on stage. There wasn’t much to say about her performance. She forgot her lines and over acted a lot of times. When they were finished they received just a cold clapping from the public.

Sister Margaret got on stage again and told good night to the people that assisted that night, and they left the place till it was empty.

Inside the school Sister Margaret has prepared a cocktail for the students, giving the last goodbye to those vacations. Now they had to pack everything to travel to London on Sunday.

……….

It was Saturday and Candy wanted to see Terry, but the girls insisted on taking a last ride through Scotland before going back. Stear and Archie were waiting for them so she just had to ask "can I invite Terry?" The girls looked at each other and smiled.

"Did I say something funny?" Candy asked.

"No, we were laughing because we knew you were going to ask that question," Patty said.

"We were surprised because you didn’t say anything before," Annie said.

"Can I?" she asked again.

"Look, Stear and Archie are waiting for us, so we can go and pick up Terry then,"Annie said.

They left their rooms and the boys were waiting for them. The girls were dressed in some beautiful dresses and hats. They went up and closed the door.

"Hi Candy," Archie said.

"To Terry’s house, right?" Stear said.

"Eh?" Candy asked surprised. "How did you know?"

"We just have to look the expression on your face when somebody mentions his name, or the way you both closed your eyes last night, or not?" Stear said.

"You saw me?" Candy said, as red as a tomato.

"Everybody, even Elisa," Archie said.

And like this, while enjoying a nice conversation they arrived to the Villa. Candy went down and dragged Terry out of the house against his will.

"Candy if you want we can go out, but not with them," he said trying to release himself.

"Come, Terry they are your friends and they miss you. Hey," Candy said getting up again. "Terry is glad to join us."

"Good," they said.

He just gave her a "we’ll talk later" look, but the group was so funny that he forgot about it a few minutes later. He was their guide during the tour since he already knew the place.

They had lunch, visited some museums, a fair, and in the afternoon when the sun was about to leave, they arrived at a nice and lovely park, with ducks and all. They asked the driver to stop the horses and then they went down. The boys went first to help the girls.

Once outside, they just looked at each other with an expression of "what to do now?" even though they had some idea. Terry took the first chance.

"Would you like to go around the park with me?" he said to Candy and she replied affirmatively

In this way they got apart from the group, then Stear and Archie did the same. The three couples went around the place taking different roads.

Terry and Candy were walking on a pretty place until they arrived at one of the small lakes with ducks. There they stopped and looked at them.

"I could hear last night the way you laughed when you knew the story we were going to play. I knew you were going to react in that way," Candy said.

"Sure Joan Freckles of Arc, how could I avoid laughing when I found out?" he replied.

"So, what do you think of my acting?" she asked.

"You received that answer last night from the people. They clapped a lot for you, even more than for the rest," he said, smiling.

"Well, I owe all this to my teacher," she said, kidding.

"The teacher wants a reward," he said.

"I already thanked you."

"You know what I mean. Come on, let me kiss Joan of Arc," he said with a seductive voice.

"Mmh, close your eyes," she said, smiling.

Terry did as she said and got his lips ready for kissing, but suddenly he felt something that wasn’t Candy's lips on him.

"What is this?" he asked , moving away from her.

"It’s a card of Joan of Arc. Sister Margaret gave it to me last night and as you wanted to kiss her… but I’m not sure you’re her type of guy," she said, laughing.

"Ahh Candy! This is the second time you did this to me," Terry said.

She smiled like a girl who had just done a bad thing, but this time she didn’t run away, she stayed by his side. Terry was ready to chase her around the place but was surprised when saw her remain there.

"Terry we’re going back to London tomorrow and I wanted to thank you for the wonderful summer we spent together. This has been the best vacation of my whole life."

They looked at each other. Candy moved closer to him, stood on tiptoes and kissed Terry’s cheek, causing her hat to fall down.

It wasn’t the kiss he was waiting for, but he knew that this one symbolized all the love she felt for him even though she never admitted it. After that kiss, she gave him a pretty smile.

Stear called them, telling that they had to leave. Terry picked Candy’s hat and put it back on her head while fixing her hair under it. He told Stear that he already heard him and they were going on the way back. Then Terry took Candy’s hand and walked back, knowing that this will be the only time they could walk like this… the Academy was waiting for them in London with all their strict rules.

THE END

©2000 Bulma