caught snogging quite often on the grounds of Bennington. I had never had a detention in my life, but I spent at least an hour a week cleaning blackboards or washing windows the first month we got back. Only certain professors did anything about it, though. Most just told us to quit or made threats, but never followed through.
“Mister Dickinson and Miss Cotton,” Headmistress Pennyweather squirted us with water from the top of her sports bottle one afternoon when we thought we had a moment alone, “I believe that is inappropriate contact by definition of the school code. Oliver, I would be careful or people will begin to think that Alexander is just a brother and Silvia is your conjoined twin!” She looked over her shoulder as she continued walking, “My office, thirty minutes this evening at six!”
“Thirty? It’s only fifteen for snogging!” Oliver called after her.
“Yes, but this is not about snogging! I would like to discuss your questionable choice of courses next semester, so it’s thirty, Oliver!”
Oliver smiled at her as she exited. He adored that old lady.
Madame Pennyweather may have had a sense of humour about our getting off, but it became apparent that some other teachers did not. As our fellow classmates had imaginations that they might have put to better use, nasty little untruths began to spread to the personnel about Oliver and I being intimate on school grounds. Although she said she found it ridiculous, at the insistence of a few professors, Headmistress Pennyweather called a meeting with our parents.
Oliver and I sat in silence the entire time. I was embarrassed, but he was highly irritated. If I hadn’t known better I might have thought that he was Alex by the resentment in his eyes as he scowled at each professor in turn. A vein pulsed in his temple and the knot in his jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth.
“We believe that a respite between the two of them would be in their best interest,” Professor Lucas explained, “They both are excellent students and it would be a shame for anything… unexpected… to interrupt their promising futures.”
“I am afraid,” Headmistress Pennyweather said idly, “That God himself might strike me down if I were to agree to that.”
“No, no,” My father added, seeming a bit put out, “Oliver is a fine boy and Silvia has good sense. As long as her marks are up I am not worried about their relationship. I trust that your staff makes sure the children conduct themselves appropriately. Have they been caught doing anything more than kissing?”
“Well, no.” Professor Fields looked a bit embarrassed.
I was shocked at my dad. He rarely showed interest in anything I did, much less defended me. He let a long breath out of his nose and pinched his lips tight before he spoke again, “Then I don’t see a problem and, frankly, I am a bit insulted at your accusations against my daughter! I believe I instilled better morals in her than that!”
Sensing the tension, Oliver’s mother made an attempt at humour, “When we first realised how close Oliver and Silvia have gotten, we considered everything from glue remover to hand grenades to put some distance between them. But after we spent more time with Silvia and got to know her and then we saw them together, we changed our minds. Oliver’s better with Silvia than he is without her. He’s not getting into as much trouble in school as he was, is he? My phone certainly rings less. She keeps him in line, I reckon,” Anna looked between Oliver and me tenderly, “They are precious, both of them. I would go as far as to say that Oliver is in love with her and she seems to return his affection absolutely.” She turned back to Madame Pennyweather, “I know my son. Believe me, if you try to pry them apart, he will rebel. You’ll have him climbing out windows and scaling ledges in the dead of night to get to her. If you think I’m joking, you don’t know Oliver.”
Madame Pennyweather looked to
“Mister Dickinson and Miss Cotton,” Headmistress Pennyweather squirted us with water from the top of her sports bottle one afternoon when we thought we had a moment alone, “I believe that is inappropriate contact by definition of the school code. Oliver, I would be careful or people will begin to think that Alexander is just a brother and Silvia is your conjoined twin!” She looked over her shoulder as she continued walking, “My office, thirty minutes this evening at six!”
“Thirty? It’s only fifteen for snogging!” Oliver called after her.
“Yes, but this is not about snogging! I would like to discuss your questionable choice of courses next semester, so it’s thirty, Oliver!”
Oliver smiled at her as she exited. He adored that old lady.
Madame Pennyweather may have had a sense of humour about our getting off, but it became apparent that some other teachers did not. As our fellow classmates had imaginations that they might have put to better use, nasty little untruths began to spread to the personnel about Oliver and I being intimate on school grounds. Although she said she found it ridiculous, at the insistence of a few professors, Headmistress Pennyweather called a meeting with our parents.
Oliver and I sat in silence the entire time. I was embarrassed, but he was highly irritated. If I hadn’t known better I might have thought that he was Alex by the resentment in his eyes as he scowled at each professor in turn. A vein pulsed in his temple and the knot in his jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth.
“We believe that a respite between the two of them would be in their best interest,” Professor Lucas explained, “They both are excellent students and it would be a shame for anything… unexpected… to interrupt their promising futures.”
“I am afraid,” Headmistress Pennyweather said idly, “That God himself might strike me down if I were to agree to that.”
“No, no,” My father added, seeming a bit put out, “Oliver is a fine boy and Silvia has good sense. As long as her marks are up I am not worried about their relationship. I trust that your staff makes sure the children conduct themselves appropriately. Have they been caught doing anything more than kissing?”
“Well, no.” Professor Fields looked a bit embarrassed.
I was shocked at my dad. He rarely showed interest in anything I did, much less defended me. He let a long breath out of his nose and pinched his lips tight before he spoke again, “Then I don’t see a problem and, frankly, I am a bit insulted at your accusations against my daughter! I believe I instilled better morals in her than that!”
Sensing the tension, Oliver’s mother made an attempt at humour, “When we first realised how close Oliver and Silvia have gotten, we considered everything from glue remover to hand grenades to put some distance between them. But after we spent more time with Silvia and got to know her and then we saw them together, we changed our minds. Oliver’s better with Silvia than he is without her. He’s not getting into as much trouble in school as he was, is he? My phone certainly rings less. She keeps him in line, I reckon,” Anna looked between Oliver and me tenderly, “They are precious, both of them. I would go as far as to say that Oliver is in love with her and she seems to return his affection absolutely.” She turned back to Madame Pennyweather, “I know my son. Believe me, if you try to pry them apart, he will rebel. You’ll have him climbing out windows and scaling ledges in the dead of night to get to her. If you think I’m joking, you don’t know Oliver.”
Madame Pennyweather looked to
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