The question Tegan now ponders is 'Can there be a love triangle when one of the two people thinks there are three people involved?' Further, just how more can her life get complicated since drinking at the wrong pub, the peddler, Marie-Anne and unfortunately her/himself have caused her to be too far gone from his previous days as Thomas.

Beatrice and I got in the showers Valerie and Ashley had vacated. Susan was still laid out in repose in the prefect bathroom’s single tub. Having the hot water pounding on my skin offered it some relief from the earlier abuse. I popped a dollop of the shampoo Melissa’s Mum had demanded I used and wondered if there really would be a difference if I just used any shampoo when I finished this bottle.

“I’m actually surprised.” Beatrice’s voice wafted over the shower partition separating us. “I was expecting some off-brand shampoo.” Well even though I don’t know how she could see my shampoo bottle, she was almost definitely talking about me. I decided to not justify it with a response though. Ashley swung open my curtain which nearly had me having kittens.

“She doesn’t have any conditioner though.” Ashley offered. I tugged the curtain closed after turning to hide both my illusionary and real female assets, and the veiled others too, just in case the illusion fell.

“I have conditioner, but the bottle’s half the size so I only use it every other time I wash my hair.” I said to cover the embarrassment of having someone peer in the cubicle while I showered. A boy doing that would get a bad name. Was this normal amongst girls?

“I think it is hopeless, we can’t fix her.” Valerie stated.

Susan’s voice carried over both Beatrice and my cubicle partitions. “It will be hard work and require all four of us to put in one hundred ten percent commitment…

“One fifty.” Asley countered.

“She is worth it.” Valerie offered.

“Well when we finish, she will be.” Beatrice countered.

I wondered if I’d even get used to the bathroom bantering and if it wasn’t going to be always just me that was being ‘attacked’ or ‘helped’. The words were interchangeable dependent on my generosity. “Guys, not just no, but hell no.” I finally spoke having been able to get my head to the side of the spray once I’d got the suds out of my eyes.

“Methinks she doth protest too much.” Was Valerie’s insightful reply.

“Methinks I know many really lethal hexes.” I said while refusing to use the pronoun to make it sound closer to the actual quote and did I really want to talk in third person.

“Wow, Tegan knows how to half kill too.” Ashley stated.

“Not what I said.” I sang from the shower. “I know how to kill, and overkill. I failed learning how to partially kill.”

“Now that might just be the most truthful thing, we’ve heard Tegan say.” Beatrice interjected.

“Hey Ashley, take my conditioner and make sure Tegan uses it.” Susan said. I quickly grabbed the curtain to stop Ashley opening it again. After her initial pull failed to work I saw her shadow moving to the other side so I dropped the soap to hold that side too.

“Did you drop something?” I was flummoxed when Ashley’s head ducked in after she popped up the bottom of the curtain. “Soap! Let me save you.” I was too astounded to realize that standing holding one edge of the curtain to the cubicle wall on the right while my other arm was stretched to the left cubicle wall that I was completely on display, except thankfully for my daily veil spell. But that which mimicked Anne-Marie’s was being blatantly ogled. “Oh, I like how you groom your kitty.” Ashley had no shame in informing me.

“What!” Letting go of the curtain I cringed in the back of the cubicle, placing one arm high and the other low across my body. Ashley grabbed the soap and ducked out of my shower stall. “I’m throwing this in the bin before it does any more damage to your skin.” I wondered if I had shared the floor’s bathroom or gone to the locker room showers with the sixty plus other girls, it would have been better or worse. “You will thank me later. Oh, and here’s Susan’s conditioner. You use half what you use as shampoo. That’s why the bottle is half the size.” She opened the original side as I wasn’t holding it shut any longer.

Having finished my shower, I dried myself and wrapped my towel as best I could around all of me. I then exited to find the other three siting on stools in front of the mirror, and Susan still in the bath. “Thanks for your conditioner.” I placed said bottle on the tile mount. I was just about to open the door when Valerie twisted around on her seat and stopped me.

“Ah, ah, ahh. Tegan get you butt sat on the stool beside me right now.” The other two ignored me, carrying on drying their hair. A brush in one hand and hair-dryer in the other. “You are not, like this morning, going to dash out and dress with wet hair. I’ve finished mine and will show you how to take care of yours.” The only reason I didn’t carry on obliviously was I was worried about the possible ‘runner’ nickname.

Initially she told me what to do and kept criticizing me. After a while she grabbed both weapons from me and kept telling me to pay attention as she took care of my hair. When she was done, I had my straight off blond with blond highlights running smooth and straight down my back. Normally when I let it dry, I would have a slight frizz of strands with some curl. What Valerie had done was nicer, but I didn’t think it was worth the near half hour of effort. The hair fell almost straight except for being curled in at the bottom. Ashley and Beatrice had finished their own hair half way through the Valerie inflicted torture on mine and escaped the bathroom.

“Now sit still while I do your make-up…

“Hell no!” I quickly escaped the bathroom, and I didn’t run no matter what anyone else says. I walked really quickly after swiftly ducking passed Valerie’s attempt to stop me, and before Susan could get out of the bath to provide aid.

This morning was a rude wake-up call for me. I’d woken early. Likely due to the fear of my illusion spell dropping, even though it should be good for nearly four more hours. I guess having had it drummed in to recast it every morning, and the fact yesterday’s recast was done with still around fourteen hours of illusion left from the prior first-time cast, got me anxious.

The early morning sun was piercing the flimsy pink net curtains and Beatrice and I were the only ones spared having the thin line of sun shone across our heads amongst the eight of us sleeping beside the windows. Valerie had both turned to face Ashley and curled down the bed to avoid the narrow ray of sun. Ashley had pulled the covers and a pillow corner to stop the light waking her. In the fourth top bunk Susan was a lump of quilt so I was unsure which way she was facing.

Figuring I might as well get up I quietly flicked the quilt off me. Being forced to acknowledge I wore a thin nighty with knickers; versus the pajamas I used to wear was a rude wake-up call. There was an odd dichotomy of feeling the last physical part of Thomas trapped in knickers that didn’t show as the bulge it was, which was my actual wake-up call to get out of bed.

Then there was the annoyance of having to lower more of my body before finally stepping on the bar of lower bunk frame to get used to. Now I was a few inches shorter, I probably would need to get into the habit of climbing up and down at the bottom of the bed with the additional cross bars that the other girls use. No, I decided I would carry on pulling and lowering myself the harder way at the side just so I didn’t have to accept another thing lost, thanks to drinking at the Red Lion pub.

Stepping onto the cold linoleum, I quickly found my slippers. There was another thing I wouldn’t do that the other girls did. Sleeping in woolen socks, it just seemed far too odd. I tried not think I would revisit this when winter and snow came to the Yorkshire Moors, nor acknowledge I got my slippers on quicker than I used to. I also will deny that I was now thankful for the girly style slippers, my Grandma bought in Debenhams for my two sizes smaller feet. The new slippers had thicker fluffy fur inside them than the boy’s ones that no longer fit.

Grabbing my plain black washbag, one of the few things I succeeded in stopping my Grandma from changing to floral or worse pink, I headed for the bathroom. In the first toilet cubicle after locking the door I dropped the illusion and took care of the need that awoke me. I was just shaking it when I was startled into realizing I wasn’t alone in the bathroom as I had assumed. The noise of the cubicle door next to mine being opened and locked woke me to worry.

“Damn girl you really must have needed to go.” Beatrice called from the stall beside mine. Then I heard her going. It sounded really loud, making me wonder how much louder mine must sound, and I’d not thought about it. Thankfully she’d been close enough and hadn’t been bent over to notice my feet the opposite way a girl’s would have been. I really should sit to do it, as I could not assume another girl would not show up as Beatrice obviously had done. If it had been Ashley I could imagine her peering over or under the cubicle walls. “Oh, shit! Can you hand me some bog paper? No one replaced this one.”

I quickly pulled about thirty squares worth so she wouldn’t ask for more and passed it under the cubicle. “I only needed a square or two. Well I guess the rest can be in here ‘till the roll gets changed.” I took a breath to calm myself then flushed my loo and then recast my illusion and escaped the stall. I got to the sink I’d left my washbag at and realized thanks to Ashley throwing my soap away the other day I had none to wash my hands and face.

I was frowning when Beatrice joined me. “Wow, just being pestered in the loo messes you up for the whole day, huh?”

“No, Ashley threw my soap away yesterday and I won’t have any ‘till Friday as I forgot to put a request in for a new bar yesterday.” I said to explain why I was currently frowning. True my earlier fright of being caught with the illusion down was part of my frown, but I wasn’t going to say that.

“Here use this. I don’t mind sharing and will list a selection of the creams and lotions you need to take care of your skin. You are a lady now and can’t use soap. It really is bad for the skin. If you think your family won’t send them, we can work out something.” I had so many things to complain about that spiel I was lost on how to start.

With plug in the sink I ran the too hot and too cold water then splashed the warm water on my face and rubbed the sleeping dust from the corner of my eyes.

“Tegan, you really are stubborn. Here stop!” I turned in surprise to her sudden yell and got Beatrice’s hand rubbing some bumpy cream into my face. Glancing in the mirror I saw dots like seeds in the crème. Beatrice was also really close, and it felt nice having her hands on my face massaging my skin and looking at me so concentrated. “Woah stop those funny ideas Tegan. I like boys. I’m flattered, but uninterested.” She continued finishing rubbing my face and neck. “Now rinse that off and I have a crème for around your eyes and eyelids.”

As soon as I rinsed off my face, I quickly denied my interest in Beatrice, only to be interrupted. First to close my eyes lightly. The ‘lightly’ was added when I closed them apparently too tightly. The Second interruption was for a crème without bumps to be brushed across the lids and around the eyes teasingly by her fingers. Lastly, she shot down my denial saying it was completely obvious I was interested in her.

“Don’t panic Tegan, I won’t tell, though the others will work it out. Clarissa is your best bet in our year, she is most likely at least bi curious. Who knows what Ashley is, but I think a relationship with her would be just tiring.” My blushed attempt to deny being ready for a relationship with anyone was once more ignored. Then of course I found things could always get way worse.

“Tegan, I am interested in what’s going on with Thomas, and would allow him as my husband to breed you as many times as needed, if it’s your Grandma that is the one forcing the engagement…

I found you can choke on air if certain comments are made. Thankfully after I recovered and before Beatrice made another attempt at sharing Thomas, Susan arrived, and I ran from the bathroom having seen an escape through the opened door. If I was two people, then one of me could get a pretty cushy deal. The problem is I was more Tegan than Thomas and Tegan’s side of the deal sucked.

I threw my clothes on and grabbed my shoes and dived out of the dorm. “Tegan, stop running away!” I ducked around Beatrice and ran down the stairs I was sure she wouldn’t follow in her nightclothes. “Tegan, you left your washbag and towel in the bathroom! Tegan!” I didn’t look up the stairwell that the last Tegan had been shouted down but continued into the library and found a chair to put my shoes on.

I then made my way through two of the girls’ common rooms to the stackyard and on to the dining room.

Of course, breakfast wasn’t ready seen as the wake-up bell had only just rung, but the kitchen was empty and therefore there was no one to tell me off as I filled the kettle and placed it onto the hotplate’s I’d uncovered from the aga oven top. Getting a plate and utensils from where they were stored, I opened one of the walk-in fridges and grabbed one of the breakfast prepared butter dishes and an opened jar of marmalade off a shelf. I then popped a tea bag in a mug and cut a thick wedge crust off a new loaf of bread taken from the stack of them in another warmer walk-in using the bread slicer after turning it on. While my wedge toasted in the aga I took the now boiling kettle off its hotplate and made my tea.

Kettle onto trivet, hotplate re-covered, check the wedge was toasted. It needed another couple of minutes, so I adjusting the slicer to a thinner cut and sliced the rest of the loaf ready for breakfast. Then turned the slicer back off and brushed the crumbs into one of the bins. Next with my grabbed plate I rescued my wedge from the oven. Using a knife to dollop two squares of butter to melt onto my wedge I then used a spoon for some of the school made marmalade. Good English marmalade with thick orange and lemon rind chunks and minimal sugar as the ripe oranges provide most of the needed sweetness to the tart and tangy bitter spread. Wakes you up faster than a cup of coffee.

I’d just dropped knife and spoon into a sink when matron Bell arrived. “Morning matron, there’s fresh boil in the kettle and one of the loaves is sliced for you.” I ducked out of the kitchen, having confused the matron, before she could tell me off. Now where to eat my breakfast without interruption before classes?

I chose the assembly hall. It was one of the converted farm barns. A third of it was a raised stage that our emptied trunks were stored beneath. I sat on the stage in my school skirt with my legs dangling. Alone and able to enjoy my thick crust of toast and piping hot black tea. While I enjoyed my breakfast the bell for actual breakfast rang.

After finishing my toast and tea I got onto the stage and left my mug on the headmistress’s podium. It would get to the kitchen for cleaning after assembly and I could avoid where I was expected to be. I then hit the ladder to the loft and through the fire-escape door on the north wall of the barn. A metal gantry is attached on the exterior side of the stackyard’s converted barns at both first and the second-floor height. I was currently at the higher height. I used the gantry to pass a couple of classrooms and three storage rooms before using one of the sets of stairs to get back down the two flights to ground level. Using the passageway between the row of barns and the stables, I re-entered the stackyard and came back to the manor house front entry.

I found my wash bag and towel had been returned to the dorm and placed on the end of my bed. Reclaiming them I cleaned my teeth and then put them away in the dorm. I got my book bag ready for the three classes I had in the first five periods of Thursdays. Then of course there will be lunch and I’ll get to find how the fifth form react to a member of the pentumvirate being in third form. The silver lining it sure will distract Beatrice from her latest attempt to find out about Thomas.

I reversed my course from dorm back to the assembly barn. While I was nearly across the stack-yard I saw students leaving the dining room so quickly finished crossing it to get to the passageway to be on the far side of the barns before I was noticed. Then up to the second gantry walkway into the loft and down the ladder to the assembly hall’s stage. I decided I had time to take my empty cup to the kitchens as they should be by now emptying of students. Looking and seeing no older girls leaving the dining room I crossed the stackyard and timed entry into the dining room when there was a lull of those exiting.

I’d just dropped the cup on one of near empty tables closest the door when I was interrupted. “Tegan, why are you avoiding my sister?” Louise asked in her all innocent large doe eyes and peeked curiosity way.

I’d forgotten this table was the first and second form primary girls table. “Good morning Louise, are you ready for school today.”

“Yes, are you going to answer my question.” Louise added as I had turned to go.

“I’m not avoiding your sister Louise…

“Great to hear. I see you have your book bag already though so are you going to walk me to our dorm?” Beatrice popped up from where ever she’d been hiding. “Bye Louise.” I then found my arm tugged into Beatrice’s looped arm and pulled toward the exit.

“Why don’t I wait for you in the assembly seen as I’m ready?” I extricated myself and made my bid for freedom.

“Do you even know where fifth form line up?” Beatrice countered. “You may as well come back to the dorm as we do have something to discuss.” It appeared I needed to distract and confuse her some more as she was determined to getting back to working out one thing. On the one hand I didn’t like that Thomas was only considered for his value on providing magical children, but on the other if I was still me then I’d have a drop dead gorgeous girl pursuing me.

“I know where the assembly hall meets and I can work out where to stand as others arrive.”

“Tegan, I’m unsure if you realize as you act like it’s no big deal, but you do know that you’ve been set-up to fail being made Defender of both first and second primary form girls?”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m taking trials before I am forced to defend two who are old enough to fight. Their protected as pupa ‘till high school.” Glad to be on a different conversation I tried to let her know there was nothing to worry about.

“Oh, so you do understand that Miss Swanson set precedent by making you Louise’s specific defender?” I nodded. “It isn’t being her defender that is your problem, it is the fact your defender includes the year above too in general. People will find ways to make you a specific defender of as many of the second form girls as they can before year end.”

I suddenly realized that I couldn’t let Beatrice know this wasn’t a concern, especially until after this summer’s third year trials were completed. I needed those six more months to study. While I was wondering what to say I got blindsided once more.

“I’m prepared to help, Tegan. We can discuss in class, but just think. If we were sister wives then I could aid in when there were two you must defend, getting into a need to fight. It would buy you the needed year ‘till seventh year trials. Effectively give those you must specifically defend an extra year as pupa, and all it costs is you allowing me to be Thomas’s primary wife. Hell, being together would give you a chance to prove to me that there is value in me considering alternative types of relationships…

Reeling away I made a good distance of escape before calling back. “Look it’s not the problem you think. Good luck with class. I’m not in yours as I’m not in the fifth form.”

Beatrice’s initial surprise turned into panic and fear which I wasn’t expecting her reaction to morph into. She quickly crossed to me and almost hissed “Ma White and you are guilty. As by both placing you in Seagull and having me provide the unneeded familiarizing tour of the school is grounds for me assuming you weren’t sixth form. If you try to get me in trouble for unauthorized access on sixth form terrace I have rights to think you were breaking the same rule. Also you bypassed the alarm on fire-escape. Even as a sixth former you will be in trouble for that.”