Chapter 3
    (Translated by Elizabeth-Edited by Terry for ever & Eleanna)

    The clock started its irritating ringing, and it took Candy a few minutes to realize where exactly she was. As soon as she opened her eyes, she immediately remembered everything. She was in college, in London, and she had to get ready quickly in order not to be late for her first class. She got off her bed still feeling sleepy and promised herself to try to sleep later, when she would have the time.
    She opened her closet and took out the school uniform she had been given the previous day. The skirt was plaid, in the Scottish style. White shirt and on top of that a blue vest. Candy got dressed quickly, went to the bath, brushed her teeth and combed her hair. Time was passing quickly. She had to check on Patty, because if they were a little late, they probably wouldn't make it to breakfast. She got out of her room quickly and knocked on Patty's door. She didn't get any answer. She knocked again, more loudly this time. A voice was heard from inside. "Who's there?"

    -"It's me." Candy answered. "Aren't you ready? We won't make it to breakfast.

    -"Go for breakfast if you want to, I'm not coming. See you in class."

    Candy was willing to bet that Patty had fallen asleep. What should she do now? She couldn't remain without something to eat until lunch. She walked towards the dining room. To her surprise she discovered that the kids in there were few. Candy took a tray and put on it some milk, cereals, bread, butter and jam. Even back in the orphanage, she used to eat a full breakfast. She took her tray and was directing herself towards the tables, when she saw Alan waving at her. Good thing someone she knew was here. She didn't want to eat alone.

    -"Good morning!" she said to him.

    -"Good morning, Candy."

    -" What's going on? Why isn't anybody here?"

    -"First of all, that's because most of them spent the whole night out. And secondly, around 11am, when we'll have a break, they'll all run to the nearest Starbucks to buy whatever they want."

    -"But this breakfast is very good." Candy said.

    -"Candy, have you never been inmate in a school?" he asked her.

    Candy told him some things about herself in a few words. She told him that she had been raised in an orphanage and she was here with a scholarship. Alan seemed to understand.

    -"That's why you find it curious," he told her. "When you have a lot of money, you don't care if you throw away some."

    -"What you tell me seems unbelievable to me. Is the same happening with the other meals?"

    -"A lot of times, yes. The school isn't very strict on these matters. Generally, I'd say it's not strict. There are just some rules, mainly to keep the pretences."

    -"I see" said Candy. Exactly then Patty made her appearance. She seemed to have gotten out of bed with great effort.

    -"Good morning," she said without much interest. "Candy, we'd better hurry, we have a general subject, World History," she said.

    -"Yes, I have the same class myself," Alan said.

    -"Ok, let's go all together then," said Candy. They started walking slowly to the classroom. They arrived and found their seats. Candy sat near to Patty. The room started getting fuller. And then, Candy saw him...She couldn't decide if it was just her, or he really looked even more handsome this morning. The school uniform looked magnificent on him. He was walking up the stairs and he passed almost beside her. She noticed that he momentarily looked at her. She immediately turned her eyes away. When the class was full, the professor arrived and started his lecture. Yet, it was impossible for her to concentrate. Terry had sat a few rows behind her and she wasn't able to see him. She wondered if he was watching her.

    The view from this seat was just great. Terry saw the freckled girl, who sat two rows in the front. Some rows after that, to the right, he noticed Eliza Rangan talking with the girl next to her; they were both staring at him. That girl was sure to have some kind of mental condition. He never liked her. There was no chance of doing something with her, even if she was the last woman on earth. He had tried to get that through to her a lot of times before, but she annoyingly insisted. Was she spreading some kind of rumour, as she had warned him last night? He couldn't care less; let her say whatever she wanted.
    Mr. Jones was saying some things about the French Revolution. Terry was looking at the blond girl, who was taking notes. She seemed very reserved and shy. As soon as this class was over, he would definitely find all about her.

    The first class was over; Candy and Patty had now to attend General Medicine. Alan said goodbye, because he had to attend Family Law. While walking down the hallway, he saw Terry Grandchester approaching him.

    -"Hi, Alan."

    -"Hi, Terry. How's it going?"

    -"Fine. Listen, I meant to ask if you could give me the notes on Penal Code from class last time, because I was absent.

    -"Sure. But it's weird that you're asking me for those. How come you're not taking them from Alec?"

    -"I'm not sure what happened, but Alec didn't take any notes that day." Terry was lying. He just needed to find a way to start a conversation with Alan.

    -"OK, then, come by my room later, if you want, and I'll give them to you."

    -"I saw you in Eternity last night."

    -"You were there? I didn't see you."

    -"Yeah, I came by for a while. I would ask you for the notes then, but I didn't catch you, you left early with two girls. Patricia O' something. and somebody else."

    -"Yes, you mean Patty."

    -"Yeah, that's the one."

    -"Yes, we went to some place quieter, Eternity was far too loud."

    "How can I ask him what I want without making myself obvious?" Terry wondered.

    -"Are you dating Patty?"

    -"No, we're just hanging out together."

    -"You're dating the other one, then."

    -"Are you talking about Candy?"
    Candy.So, that was her name. Candy. It suited her. The meaning of her name was the same as her physical appearance.

    - "I don't know her name," he said.

    - "Are you talking about Candy, the girl that came yesterday?"

    -"Yes, now I think about it I haven't seen her before."

    -"Yes, she's new here."

    -"Really? Where was she before?"

    -"In America, I think."

    - "That's where she comes from?"

    - "Yes, from what she told me? Are you interested in Candy?" Alan asked.

    -"How did you get that impression?"

    -"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but we're talking about her all this time."

    -"No, I just...I mean..." Terry had royally messed up.

    - "She is studying to become a nurse. She came from the States, from Michigan if I remember correctly of what she told me. She is here on a scholarship."

    - "On a scholarship..." Terry thought. That last detail made a great impression on him.

    - "It shows you're interested, so don't try to hide it," Alan said. "But let me tell you something. That girl, from the little I know her, is not like the other girls here."

    - "What do you mean?"

    - "She is not some spoiled brat with rich parents. She is an orphan, she was raised in an orphanage. She had to take an examination to get that scholarship. So, you'd better leave her alone."

    Terry got angry at Alan.

    -"I don't know what you're talking about."

    -"Oh, you do, Terry. If you want to fool around, there are a lot of girls here."

    -"Thanks for filling me in," said Terry and changed his route.

    He didn't feel like attending class at all, now. Alan was a fool, and he had dared lecture him. But it was his own fault. He should have found another way to learn about her. But what could he do? He didn't personally know Patricia Ο' something. Now that he thought about it, it seemed inconceivable. He really had never met a girl like her before. So she was an orphan and she was in that college on a scholarship. Was she that eager to come to that college? There was no place on earth more boring. He wanted to learn more about her; even better, he wanted to get to know her in person.

    ***********

    Candy had just finished her homework for the day. She decided to go to Patty's room. She knocked on the door; music was coming from inside.

    "Come in," Patty answered. Candy opened the door and walked into the room. Patty was sitting on her bed, painting her toenails with a bright orange polish.

    -"You like it?" she asked.

    -"It's nice."

    -"You want to paint yours too? I have lots of colours, in case you don't like that," she said and opened a drawer full of polishes in different colours. Candy started going through them. She decided on a light pink.

    -"Wouldn't you prefer something more cheerful?"

    -"This is cheerful alright."

    -"Too uptight, aren't you?" Patty remarked. Candy started painting her fingernails.

    -"Where were you in the afternoon?"

    -"After class? In my room."

    -"Why didn't you join me outside for a while?"

    -"It's OK. I wanted to rest a little.

    -"I was with Jane. She's in the Humanities Department. You'll meet her, she's really nice."

    -"Yes, I'd love that," said Candy.

    -"Haven't you heard today's gossip?"

    -"What about?"

    -"Where have you been? It's the only thing everyone was talking about the whole day."

    - "About what?

    -"About Terry Grandchester and Eliza Rangan."

    -"I haven't heard anything."     And I don't care, Candy thought to herself.

    -"Eliza has spread the rumour that last night she was with Terry, but nothing happened between them. She claims that he has a problem."

    -"What kind of problem?" Candy asked.

    -"Boy, sometimes it seems like you've come from another planet," said
    Patty.

    -"I cannot understand unless you explain it to me. And I can't understand anyway why I should be interested in what Eliza Somebody did last night with Terry What's-his-name." Candy said, faking indifference.

    -"ΟΚ, since you don't want to know, never mind."

    Candy was dying of curiosity but didn't want to show it.

    - "Well, if Terry finds out, I don't see things going smoothly. We're going to see strong scenes", Patty said and burst out laughing.

    - "Find out what?"

    -"Don't you get it? She is telling everybody that he is defective in you-know-what-matter! Got it now?" Yes, Candy had gotten it alright.

    - "Is it true, or is it just what Eliza says?"

    -"I wouldn't know," Patty said. "I haven't had the chance to know Terry that well. Besides, I don't really like him. His type is not to my liking at all."

    -"That's a relief," Candy thought.

    - "Can I ask you something? What that Eliza girl has done to you and you dislike her so much?"

    -"I'd rather not discuss it right now," said Patty. "But trust me, I haven't forgotten it; I'll find a way sometime to pay her back.¨ Candy discerned anger and pain in Patty's eyes. Something must have happened between them, there was no other explanation.

    ************



    Second day at school, and Candy had started getting used to its pace. She got ready and knocked on Patty's door.

    -"Candy, I can't attend class, I'm worn-out," she said and sneezed. "I must have caught a cold."

    She really didn't seem very well.

    -"Don't worry, in the afternoon I'll bring you my notes," said Candy.

    She headed to the dining room, to have breakfast. Alan was nowhere to be seen. She filled her tray and sat in a table on her own. A little while later she saw Terry entering the room. For the first time, she saw him get food on his tray. Candy observed him carefully and noticed that he had gotten a piece of cake and an orange. That was good, he actually ate sometimes. He passed right beside her and sat two tables away. He was staring at her. Candy started feeling nervous. She considered going over and asking him why he kept looking at her this way. Instead, since she had almost finished her meal, got up and headed to the class. General Education subject and today for the first session they had sociology.
    Candy found a seat and a little later Terry sat right beside her. That was torture, he seemed to follow her everywhere, he had become her shadow. The class begun; Candy could feel his eyes on her constantly. She felt like he was telling her so many things, though they hadn't even talked till now. She wondered if what Patty told her the night before was true. She couldn't understand why a whole school was that interested in a student's private matters. This kind of gossip was something she hated. And she couldn't understand Patty either. But it seemed that Eliza Rangan had done something to her in the past, and Patty wanted a way to get some kind of revenge on her. She obviously didn't trust Candy enough to confide in her. But Candy herself hadn't told Patty her most important secrets; they weren't that close yet.

    The lesson was over and Candy was heading out, when the professor called her.

    -"Miss White. I've heard a lot about you. I have an assignment for you." He told her.

    -"Yes, sir," answered Candy.

    -"I'd like you to write an essay on the estrangement of the human relations. I've read your file; I'd like to get to know you better this way. I assign a project like this to every new student." Mr. Collins said.

    -"I will need some time, to look for information," Candy said. "Do you think that if I spend some time in the library it will be ok?"

    -"You are going to need an internet connection, which, of course, is provided by the school. Don't you have a personal computer? That will save you a lot of time."

    -"I'm sorry, I don't own one," said Candy.

    Suddenly, Terry appeared and joined the conversation. Candy hadn't realized that all this time he was standing near and he had heard everything.

    -"Excuse me, sir. I happened to overhear your discussion. May I help my classmate by lending her my own computer?"

    -"Great!" Mr. Collins said. "There you go, miss White, Terrence offered to help you."

    -"Thank you," said Candy. The professor left; only Candy and Terry were left in the classroom.

    -"I have no classes right now, do you want to come by my room to get it?" He asked her.

    It was the first time in all their encounters that he talked to her. Except, of course, for that "Miss Freckles".

    -"I haven't any classed either. Besides, I have to check on my friend, who's sick." Candy said shyly.

    -"Who's your friend? Patricia?"

    -"Yeah."

    Terry didn't really know Patty. He had never spoken to her. He had noticed her at the time when Eliza had made her a laughing stock for the whole school. That Eliza.

    -"Well? Shall we go?"

    -"You know," Candy said. "You don't have to lend me your computer. If you need it."

    -"You'll waste a lot of time in the library, which is not always open. Using the computer, you will be able to work on it whenever you like.

    -"There's one more thing," Candy said. "I have no clue how to connect it to the net; I don't know much about computers."

    -"Don't worry about that, if you like I can come and connect it for you. There is a connection line in every room. And I can show you some of its functions."

    He seemed really kind towards her. Why was that? Well, since he wanted so much to help her, she had no choice but to accept his offer.

    They stopped by his room first. Terry opened the door, and Candy saw an untidy room.

    -"It's a mess," he said. "If I'd known that I'd have visitors, I'd have tidied it up," he excused himself.

    -"It's OK," answered Candy.

    She noticed on his desk some car miniatures and some pictures of him; all of them so great that you couldn't choose one. A pile of clothes covered his bed. Next to the bed, on the floor, there were lots of CDs. A guitar was on his desk's chair.

    -"You play the guitar?" Candy asked.

    -"Yes. You?" He asked in turn.

    -"No," she said. "I just used to know somebody who did."

    -"I could play it for you sometime, if you like," he offered. Then, he took from his desk a laptop and a cable.

    -"Shall we?" he said.

    -"Yes." Candy showed him to her room, feeling extremely nervous. She felt terribly hot; it felt like it was summer. She opened her door and they got in.

    Contrary to his, Candy's room was very tidy. Terry went to her desk, put the laptop on it, and connected the cable to the line. The only thing he noticed was the pictures she had on the desk. One of them was a shot of Candy and a black-haired girl. Another, a shot of her and two boys, a brown-haired one and a blonde one. And one shot of the blonde boy alone. This one had a dedication written on it, but Terry hadn't the time to read it.
    He turned the computer on and told her to sit so he could show her some things.

    -"It's really simple. You start this program; there is a searching machine which enables you to look up everything you want." He showed her the basics about surfing. "If you want to write your essay, you'll use that program; it's a word processor," he said. He was talking for some time, but Candy wasn't there. Her heart was beating incredibly fast. Terry leaned to get the mouse, and for a moment his hand touched hers. They glanced at each other.

    "That's it, more or less." He told her. "If there's something you can't understand, you can ask me anytime; I'll come and show you."

    -"Thanks a lot," answered Candy. "But aren't you going to need it yourself?" She added.

    -"I don't think so. Don't worry, I have another one anyway."

    So strange. She couldn't afford one, yet he owned two.

    -"I got carried away and forgot to introduce myself," he said. "I'm Terrence Grandchester. Everybody calls me Terry."
    -"My name's Candy White," said she.

    -"You remember me from the plane, don't you?" he asked her.

    -"Yes, of course."

    -"It's a pity we didn't get acquainted at that time."

    -"I couldn't imagine that we'd be classmates," she told him.

    -"Yeah, me neither."

    Terry knew that he had to go, though he didn't want to.

    -"I'd better get going. I have to attend Civil Law."

    -"Do you like the subject you chose?", she asked him.

    -"I didn't choose it myself.", Terry said. Candy couldn't get what exactly he was trying to tell her.

    -"Bye, Freckles!", he told her.

    Candy got all worked-up.

    -"Don't call me that!" she yelled at him.

    -"Your freckles suit you," he answered, giving her an amazing smile. Candy thought she was about to melt right then and there. She couldn't say anything more, he had left. She was alone in her room, spacing out. On her desk, there was his laptop. Candy was staring at it. Suddenly, she remembered Patty. She had to go check on her.

    ********

    Days went by peacefully. The autumn was about to give its place to winter. Candy met Terry in one class or other. They said     “hi” and that was all there was to it. Since she was embarrassed to ask him for more help with the computer, she had learned everything she needed from Patty. But she still had his laptop, she hadn’t finished her essay yet. It was late at night, but she couldn’t sleep. The next day was Saturday and she had no classes, so she could stay as late as she wished. She was surfing the net, when a crazy idea occurred to her. She started browsing the files Terry had saved. She didn’t know what had gotten into her, she had never been nosy till this day. There were some projects for the school, about human rights and stuff like that. There also was an untitled file. It was a letter, a letter written from him to his mother. She obviously lived in another city. It expressed very deep feelings. “Maybe he never sent it,” Candy thought.

    She continued searching and found a file of pictures of the famous Hollywood actress Eleonor Baker. He admired her that much? Candy
    wasn’t feeling alright about what she was doing, but she couldn’t help it, she wanted to know as much as possible about him. Then, she found another saved letter, but this time it wasn’t his, it was written from his mother to him. And the signature read…Eleonor Baker. Terry’s mother was the famous actress. For whom had he gone to New York? She was trying to make a connection in her mind. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she hardly heard the knock on her door. She was wearing only a T-shirt, so she hurried and wore her pajamas’ pants and opened the door. Standing there was a Terry in an awful condition. Candy made room and he entered.

    -“Terry, what happened to you?” asked Candy.

    He was hurt. His lips were bruised and his hand was bleeding.

    -“For God’s sake!” exclaimed Candy. “Where have you been? Who did this to you?”

    -“Candy, can you check the wound?” he asked. “I don’t want to go to the school’s infirmary. They must have taught you something till now, I guess…”, he desperately continued.

    Candy immediately ran to the bathroom to get disinfectant, clean bandages and water. She wiped his lips and nose.

    -“You must take off your shirt,” she ordered him. He gave her a playful look.

    -“If you don’t take it off, I’ll have to cut its sleeve.” Terry obeyed and took off his shirt. For just a moment Candy stopped breathing. But she focused on her task.

    -“What did that? A knife?”, She asked.

    -“Yes,” he answered.

    -“How on earth that happened? You got into trouble?”

    -“Yes, I did. Can you, please, just do the job without asking any questions?” He said in an irritated tone.

    Candy cleaned the wound and bandaged it. Terry was observing her, tending to his wound with her little hands.

    -“Fortunately, you’re not going to need any stitches. You were very lucky.

    But you must have a tetanus shot though. Otherwise, you may become ill. You must go to the school’s infirmary.”

    -“That's out of the question,” said Terry. “If I get it from a pharmacy, can you inject me?”

    -“Yes, I can,” said Candy. “But the school’s nurses are far more experienced.”

    -“It’s OK, I trust you,” he answered to her, looking straight in her eyes.

    “Time for me to go,” he added, standing up.

    -“You can stay for a while, if you like. It would be better not to be alone. Something might happen and you might need help”.

    -“Like what?”

    -“You might get dizzy,” said Candy.

    -“There’s no way that can happen.

    -“Very well. As you wish.”

    -“Are you sure it’s not a problem if I stay here for a while?”

    -“No problem at all,” said Candy.

    Terry soon fell asleep on her bed, and Candy, having no choice, got out some blankets and made some kind of a bed on the floor. She lied down, but couldn’t fall asleep. Right beside her, on her own bed was the boy who had turned her life upside down. Candy deep down knew, no matter how unwilling she was to admit it, that she had already fallen in love with him.

    The next morning Candy woke up feeling stiff all over. She immediately looked at her bed; it was empty. The laptop was on and there was a message for her.

    “Thanks a lot about everything. Please, don’t mention anything about last night to anyone. Terry.”

    Candy touched the screen with her fingers.

    ************

    Christmas was coming, yet Candy had no plans whatsoever. She had gone over to Patty's room and they watched together the TV series Sex & the City. Candy liked a lot the independent starring character. Patty had watched the whole series before, but it was one of her favourites. At some point they decided to stop for a while. Patty opened the slide-door and took off her pack of cigarettes. She occasionally smoked. She offered one to Candy, but she refused.

    They had grown very close to each other. Patty had told Candy about her parents. She was an inmate in schools since she was a kid. She had come to this school the previous year. Her parents had divorced when she was six years old. She rarely saw them. Each of them had followed their own path. Patty wouldn’t say so openly, but Candy could tell that this was very painful for her.

    Candy had opened up too. She had told her everything: about the orphanage, about Anthony…Patty had shown genuine interest.

    -“What are you doing for Christmas?”

    -“I have no idea,” said Candy. “It’s impossible to go to the States. And it seems I can’t stay here, either.” She really didn’t know where to go.

    -“Why don’t you come with me to my grandma’s then, in Oxford? It’s going to be just her and me, anyway. It’ll be awesome to have you with us.” Said Patty.

    -“What about your parents?”

    -“My mother is in the States, I think. My father will stay in London, he’s got work to do, as usual,” said Patty sadly.

    -“Are you sure that I can come?” Candy asked.

    -“But of course.”

    -“Thanks a lot.” Candy said. She thought that she meant to ask her a question for a long time, but she hadn’t done it up till now. She wanted Patty to tell her on her own. Finally, she decided to ask.

    -“Patty, what has this Eliza girl done to you?”

    Patty’s face clouded.

    -“When I first came to this school I didn’t know anybody, just like you. I started hanging out with Eliza. At first she was very nice to me. Then, I met a boy, Joe. I really liked him”, Patty said in a sad voice. “We dated for a while. I considered Eliza my friend, and…”. She hesitated for a moment. “Candy, was Anthony the only guy you had a relationship with?” She asked.

    -“Yes,” said Candy.

    -“How far had you guys gone?”

    -“I was fifteen when he got killed. We hadn’t thought about anything like that yet.”

    -“So, you mean that up to now…?”

    Candy nodded her head.

    -“Same here,” said Patty. “Problem is, guys either think that we’re an endangered species, or are afraid of us.

    -“I don’t understand.” Said Candy.

    -“I told Eliza, and the next day it was all over the school. Finally, it reached Joe, who didn’t want to go out with me anymore. And there I was, thinking I had fallen in love with him.”

    -“Why didn’t he want to date you anymore?”

    -“Because he realized that I wasn’t an easy target. He obviously didn’t feel the way I did”, she answered. “The worst part was that every guy in the school was gossiping about me”.

    -“Why would they do something like that?” Candy asked.

    -“Candy, you’re too innocent. Here, things are not that simple. You should be careful not to get hurt”, she told her.

    At that moment, Candy decided that she wanted to share with Patty what was bothering her.

    -"Patty, I think I'm in love” she said.

    Patty's mood immediately changed, and she smiled.

    -“Really? Is it someone from school? Do I know him? Is it Alan?”

    -“It’s not Alan.”

    -“Too bad, I think he has a crush on you. Who is it, then?”

    Candy remained silent.

    -“Who is it?” Patty asked again, more intensely.

    -”Terry,” said Candy.

    -”Terry Grandchester?” A terrified Patty asked.

    -“Yes.”

    -“Oh, my! Candy, I don’t know… I don’t know him very well but… just be careful not to get hurt. Has he asked you out?”

    -“No,” said Candy. “The laptop is his, and not school’s, as I told you.”

    -“He gave it to you?”

    -“Yes.”

    -“Haven’t you returned it to him yet? You have finished your essay and delivered it, haven’t you?”

    -“Yes,” Candy said again. “I’m looking for the right opportunity.”

    -"Candy, you're a very good person. Thanks for sharing that with me. I'm not going to tell anybody. But be careful with him. Of all the guys here, you had to go and have a crush on him?”

    -"It's not like I meant to” said Candy. “It just happened.”

    Chapter 4